Sola Adeyemo 
Poised to alleviate the effects of economic hardship on the people of his district, Sen. Sharafadeen Alli of the All Progressives Congress (APC,) has distributed food items worth N35 million to more than 3,000 widows drawn from the nine local governments that make up Oyo South.
Speaking in Eruwa after a three-day programme organised by the lawmaker to support the widows drawn from the three local governments in the Ibarapa zone of the senatorial district, Alli restated his commitment to keeping his electioneering promises, saying that the programme was aimed at delivering dividends of democracy to the people.
“I decided that after reaching out to markets, we should now reach out to the widows. We have decided that it should be across the senatorial district.
“For this in the last three days, the totality of it is well over N35 million and at the close of it, it will be over 3000 widows across the senatorial district that have benefitted. We are just beginning.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are lots we have in plan for our people in areas like education, health, infrastructure and lots of other things,” he said.
The lawmaker urged other political office holders, as well as, the wealthy, to reach out to people so as to cushion the effect of the current economic hardship, saying, “As members of the National Assembly, we’ve not been given any palliative to give to our people, but I decided on my own. I will implore others to also please let us do the same.
“I will advise other politicians to reach back to our people at home and also let us cushion the effect of the hardship our people are going through. We must assist the government in cushioning the effect of the hardship on our people,” he said.
Having complimented him with the inauguration of the ICT centres he facilitated in Ibadan and Igboora, as well as, the inauguration of a modern toilet facility built at Ajomale compound in Oja-Oba, Ibadan, the Senatorial Chairman of the party in the district, Alhaji Mojeed Olaoya, commended the lawmaker, describing him as a promise- keeper and generous leader.
Olaoya commended the lawmaker for doing so much in his first 100 days of assuming the office, stressing that: “If all those elected are doing that, then the tension will go down gradually. So, what Alli is doing is good.
“I give kudos to him. The funny thing is, how many of his colleagues are doing these? Most of them have gone overseas now with their family. In the past, we didn’t see those we elected for four years. The essence of democracy is for people to be happy, to have a sense of belonging,” he said.
Some of the beneficiaries at the event, appreciated the lawmaker for considering them at this trying period, describing him as a politician with a human face.
“They said that it was the first time a senator from Oyo State would distribute such items and still initiate several projects within his first 100 days in office.
Princess Stella Otegbola, a beneficiary, thanked the lawmaker for the gesture, praying God continue to bless him. Her words: “We thank Senator Sharafadeen Alli. May the Lord continue to bless him. He will continue to move from glory to glory,” she said.
