Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
The Omupo citizens under the aegis of Omupo Descendants Union (ODU) in Ilorin have distributed palliatives to 500 households in the community.
Mallam Mustapha Abubakar, the National Publicity Secretary of the union in a statement on Friday, said the union executed a comprehensive relief package to complement government’s effort to cushion effects of the lockdown arising from COVID-19 pandemic on its people.
He said that the package was in the form of food items designed as part of the palliatives to the people in Omupo with part of the money realised from the Omupo COVID-19 Relief Fund.
He said that this was established with the approval of the Olomu of Omupo, Oba Yakubu Buari (Ilufemiloye II).
Disbursing the foodstuffs to residents of the town at the palace of the Olomu of Omupo, the Chairman of the Omupo COVID-19 Palliative Committee, Alhaji Abdulkareem Ishola, said the gesture was the first step in the categories of gestures the ODU was putting together as palliatives.
Abubakar also quoted Dr Monisoye Afolabi, the National President of ODU as stating that following a suggestion, a palliatives committee was set up to develop the relevant framework for its implementation.
Afolabi said the committee submitted its report indicating among others provision of some minimum palliatives for 500 people in Omupo.
He said that the money was promptly disbursed, while the items were procured and distributed even before the state government’s palliatives arrived.
“The committee distributed 5kg of rice and 5kg of garri to each of the identified 500 people that qualify for the palliatives,” he said.
