Today in Nigeria, several permutations on hunger statistics showcase millions of individuals in deep conditions of inequality and food deprivation without respite. The Food and Agricultural Organization pecks its numbers at a staggering 22 million people while it is reportedly postulated that over 60% of its 160 million plus citizens live under an American dollar or with “acute impoverishment” in other terms. Nigeria is a country grossly blessed with abundance of resources in both agricultural and human scale and thus, it baffles the rest of the globe why the nation fails at several successive points to address its poverty, hunger and human misnomer. The country’s land area stands at 923768 sq.km and its arable land (for cultivation purposes) is ten times the size of Togo yet the proper leadership, governance and transformation module eludes most of its government and political class as corruption and feistiness remains the norm.
The famous inaugural address speech in 1961 by former U.S President John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” is one that aims to resonates growth consciousness for citizens in their nation despite prevailing conditions that be and Nigeria is no exception as with its current political and socio-economic crisis, an organization, Foodclique Support Initiative is tremendously affecting the lives and poverty conditions of citizens in Lagos and neighboring states. For several million Nigerians, hunger is isolating and truthfully, it cannot be vicariously experienced. He who has never felt hunger cannot know its real impression as it defies logic, imagination and memory and this scourge that ravages is what young Nigerians at Foodclique seek to banish.
Founded on a vision by Bolajoko Fadipe and without major capital on His side, Foodclique Support, a Non Governmental Firm is helping to tackle the hunger palava in leaps and bounds acutely from remote communities to villages and abandoned environs in Nigeria. Its hunger intervention missions have been of immense joy to individuals living in suffering and penury around Lagos state as not only is hope and meals given to them, assistance is provided towards eradication of their previous conditions. The Foodclique team recognizes that there is more to the hunger menace than simply a lack of food and in their mission, advocates for the reduction of food waste and empowerment of citizens so as to enable them be productive and make contributions to the society.
Essentially, FoodClique Support Initiative is a Non-Profit Charity Organization that stores and distribute purchased or donated perishable and non-perishable food items to hungry kids, pensioners, destitutes, disabled, homeless, working poor, low-income families and the food insecure people through community outreach and partnerships with other agencies. Its relentless and unwavering team members traverse settlements and suburbs to advocate discussions, engage and enlighten multitudes amongst others towards bridging the social lacuna between the privileged and underprivileged in our society. For Akerele Hareef, its cofounder and secretary, hunger remains a problem created by social inequalities and if palliative measures are made available through continuous partnerships and concerned citizenry efforts, the country would be better. The motto, “He who sleeps on a full stomach whilst His neighbour goes hungry is not one of us” by Prophet Muhammad is a major inducement for the FoodClique fellows as they acknowledge the ills hunger and poverty dispenses for a country beaming with resources yet badly governed.
Since inception, FoodClique Support has provided intervention meals to over 40,000 food deprived citizens in Nigeria including the beggarly, penurious, and outright penniless with the help of its partners / volunteers from world over. Its strategic and yet simple formula for approaching the hunger scourge in Nigeria today involves direct and effective programs such as the “Bags of Hope Scheme”, “Food4tot Project”, “After Hunger Rehabilitation Scheme”, “Disaster Relief / Intervention Plan”, “School Meals” amongst others. The organization in a recent hunger eradication event also launched another model known as i-GAME that translates to i-Give-A-Meal-Everyday. Continuously they hinge on the need for commitments and coalition
from every citizen and Vice President of the Organization, Ibrahim Onilegbale believes that in the fight to eradicate widespread hunger, one must strive to do more in any little way to thus bring about an equitable food chain as to him, the food system in the world is sufficient enough to feed all its inhabitants if equitably distributed.
It is often canvassed that hunger for any individual breeds crime and anyone who has struggled with poverty knows how extremely expensive it is, thus, the role of FoodClique Support Initiative in the Nigerian social sphere cannot be overemphasized. For its Founder Bolajoko, the job isn’t done until every mother, child and less privileged go to bed full. Thus, continuous advocacy, collaborations with private institutions, public awareness, and government engagements towards the millennium development goal attainment for hunger and poverty would be heightened. Belief is everything as nothing is impossible if tackled head on and for FoodClique Support, a Nigeria without hunger can be achieved.
