Lekki Residents Association (LERA) in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State in conjunction with Rotary Club of Admiralty and The Place Restaurant celebrated the Yuletide with street boys in Lekki Phase 1 and its environs.

Over 50 street boys went home with assorted meals, drinks, T-shirts and caps from the event held at the LERA Centre, Lekki Phase 1, witnessed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Mobolaji Ogundele, who was the special guest.

Speaking at the event, LERA Chairman, Mr Yomi Idowu, said the essence of the gathering was to put smiles on the faces of the homeless, noting that the estate was aware of the influx of street children into the estate but plans were underway to minimise this.

He said that 13 of the street boys have been adopted by a resident, Col. Rotimi Vaughan, who has been working tirelessly to reintegrate them.

According to him, some of the boys found their ways to Lagos for one reason or the other and deemed the estate habitable but residents are out to reduce the influx by reaching out to them.

Idowu said Col. Vaughan has provided shelter for the 13 and residents were putting heads together to identify the challenges of others with a view to providing solutions to them. ‘’Living on the streets is not the best option for you and you have to leave the streets if you want to be great in life,’’ he said.

He seized the occasion to interview the children and identified their areas of needs with many of them signifying interest in being enrolled in school while some said they would learn a vocation.

Ogundele said Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was aware of his presence at the event and had been informed about the situation on ground with a view to proffering solutions.

The commissioner, who identified two of the street boys, handed them over to a popular barbing salon operator in the estate to be trained in the business.

Also, he invited three of his friends to adopt one each while thanking the Vaughans for their efforts so far.

He said, ‘’On listening to the plights of the boys, I have invited Master Cut to adopt two of them who indicated interest in barbing to be trained in that capacity while my three other friends would adopt one each.

‘’My ministry will work with the residents, Col. Vaughan and other stakeholders to chat a way forward for reintegrating the boys. To those who would like to return to their states, we won’t hesitate to work out logistics to achieve this.

‘’I commend Lekki residents, Rotary Club of Admiralty and The Place Restaurant for putting this together. This is a good gesture and I wish the 57 local governments and council development areas in Lagos State can emulate this,’’ Ogundele said.

He said his ministry was looking at possible ways to take children out of the streets and Lekki would be used as a case study so that others would learn from it.

Also speaking, Rotn Adeniyi Sowemimo, President, Rotary Club of Admiralty urged the boys to cultivate the habit that will make them excel in life.

Earlier, Col. Vaughan said the 13 adopted street boys were provided with shelter, clothings, medicines, food and every other thing required for them. ‘’With the support of my wife, we were able to take 13 of them out of the streets. Though this is capital intensive but God is providing the enablement as we have decided to shoulder the responsibility and made up our minds not to bother people with it.’’

Some of the boys lamented that they were forsaken by their family members and this made them to be on the streets.

They claimed to be in Lagos, particularly Lekki in search of means of livelihood.

Talents were discovered among the children and the commissioner said his ministry would collaborate with other stakeholders to develop this. (THISDAY)

Update news