Giving is a universal command that all should endeavour to obey

Kokun foundation is widely known for philantropy. What motivated you to start this?

My motivation for giving comes from my mother. Let me say she taught me how to give. I am from a poor home and I always said that when I grow up, I would give back. My mother is a spiritual person. She taught me how to give. About six years ago, she would usually send me out to distribute food in Ogba to the people at the railway station. Since that time, I have been trying my best to emulate her. So, it has been part of me. My background is motivation.

Where do you get your funding from?

I don’t fund it all alone. Most of my donors are anonymous. I have many individuals, companies and anonymous donors who support us and like what we are doing. It is not just my funds. I don’t just spend my money. Many people donate to us and we thank God for them. May God continue to provide for them.

Are your actions politically motivated?

Everybody has their work to do. Just as you can’t ask a pastor if he is doing his work for a particular reason. I’m just like a pastor, because I am fulfilling God’s commandments. I believe that God will reward everyone according to their deeds on earth and that is why I strive to assist the needy.

Who are your target recepients?

I focus on the aged and widows. These are a group in the society that I believe actually need our assistance the most.

What challenges have you experienced?

Giving also comes with a lot of challenges and I am sure you are talking about the grinding machine incident. Before I started, I told them that this was the best way I could share the machines since we were holding a raffle draw, you understand? And so, for anybody that could not get one, I asked them to keep hope alive. However, people still went about saying all sorts. However, you know I’ve been doing this for a long time. There is nothing that hurts me now.

How many states have you covered?

I have been to more than 28 states in Nigeria. However, my most detailed work has been done in Oyo State. I have done a lot of outreaches in Oyo State. One of the most impactful is called home-to-home visitation. It is a system where you visit places where people are living in extremely bad conditions and give succour. I’ve done that several times in Ibadan, I will cook food and take to those these places to ensure they feel love and care. Some of these people lack the smallest of basic amenities. I also enlist the help of some of my friends in entertainment etc. to add flair to such outreaches.

Are there any upcoming projects you are thinking of?

I have a lot of projects I am working on with my team and very soon, we will start to roll them out across Nigeria. We also have a food bank now and we are open every day.

Tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Sagamu, Ogun State but I grew up in Oke-Ira area of Ogba in Lagos. From Sagamu, I came to Lagos. I schooled in Ogun Sate. That is where I have my secondary education. The rest was in Lagos.

How do you relax?

I like to travel abroad to rest. But I can’t travel for now because it is time for work. We are in work mode. After we fulfil our goals and objectives to the needy, we can rest.

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