Adorable’s Succour for the Less Privileged

Adorable Social Club of Nigeria, a non-governl organisation, has continued to touch the lives of the less privileged in the society, writes Peter Uzoho

Recently, members of the Adorable Social Club of Nigeria, popularly known as Daughters of Love, converged at one of the indoor halls of the Teslim Balogun Stadium to take appraisal of the organisation’s activities and to pass the baton to new leadership.

They also used the occasion to review the Adorable Social Awareness Campaign Against Drug Abuse (ASACADA) which its second phase was launched last December in Abuja with the theme, ‘Drug Abuse: Tackling the Hydra-headed Menace’.

The group said it has visited many orphanages not only in Lagos but across states, just as they have empowered many widows.

Expectedly, they were all elegantly dressed in their unique uniform: top silver blouse, wine george with silver head gear.

What brought them together is their great passion and love for charity to the less privileged, especially children and widows.

Founder of the organisation, Princess Ada-Okeke Amam, said theirs is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working to give succour to the needy, disabled and orphans as well as crusading against the menace of drug abuse in society.

The organisation called on government, Non-Governmental Organisation and Corporate bodies to join efforts in humanitarian causes to support the less privileged in the country.

Amam said the alarming rate of poverty in our society today, in addition to the undesirable circumstances that surround many individuals, particularly the orphans, the widows and those that are suffering from one form of perpetual health deformity or the other, calls for passionate concern by the relevant government’s authorities, corporate organisations and well-meaning individuals.

She pointed out that unlike in advanced societies like UK, America, Canada, India, and the rest of them, where issues bordering on socio-economic wellbeing of the less privileged are always treated with utmost priority but regretted it is not so in developing countries like Nigeria.

“Rendering helping hand to orphans, widows etc. would help change destinies that would have been wasted if neglected. That is our pre-occupation,” she explained.

Amam who is also the Vice-President, Igbo-speaking community in Lagos and accomplished business woman, said their deep concern over the harmful effect of drugs was also the reason for setting up the ASACADA.

She underscored the menace of drug abuse in the society, advocating more societal awareness campaign against the vice.

In her opinion, there was the need for serious intervention against drug abuse as the menace was getting out of hand, stressing that drug abuse should be addressed from the root by taking the campaign to primary and secondary schools.

The position of the group, according to her is that drug abuse is a global problem requiring all stakeholders, including parents, teachers, among others, coming together to tackle it.

Although the group is not a political one they did not shy away from admitting that the country was passing through a tough phase.

Still speaking on behalf of her group, Amam pointed out that “there is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria is passing through a tough phase but I still think we need more patience so as not to jump into a wrong conclusion. Let’s wait and get the budget passed and see what follows afterwards before we can make better informed analysis on the government policies and action.

“But we may like to advise President Muhammadu Buhari to aside from his anti-corruption crusade to critically look into the challenges of the economy, as well as security challenges among other critical issues. The reality is that Nigerians are passing through excruciating pains and he must rise up to these challenges as the leader of the nation.

“They should find lasting solution to the herdsmen recent attacks on communities, find out whether these herdsmen that have become attack gangs are the former real herdsmen Nigerians used to know or something more than the ordinary eyes?.”

On how the Adorable Social Club was started, she went to memory lane.

“I really wanted to change lives. I have been president of many associations, but I wanted to touch lives. I was president of Awka Daughters for five years, and also president of Immaculate Ladies for five years. Sometimes, my vision perhaps did not augur well with some members. You know charity work entails giving what you have to the less privileged.

‘’I’m always emphasising on charity – my idea about charity didn’t really jell with them and we had a lot of issues afterward. I shared my ideas with the trustees of Adorable, which they subscribed to. If you are not ready to touch lives and change positively the next person, then you are not qualified to be an Adorable Woman. During our first meeting, we had 11 trustees and later we registered the association.

“Now, we have more social members as you can see yourself. You know, it’s not easy gathering women. I love to do charity. A woman touched my life as a child and I have vowed to positively touch the lives of the less privileged as many as God will give me the grace. So we are women of like-minds working together to put smiles on the faces of our identified group: the orphan and widow but we assist other indigent groups too when necessary.”

She said the organisation has concluded plans to take their crusade to the West Coast with Ghana as their first point of call.

Chairperson, Caretaker committee of the association, Adorable Joyce Meteke, said the organisation would stop at nothing to ensure it positively impacts on their catchment targets, while also urging the government and good public spirited agencies and individuals to be part of the socially-relevant and need-meeting crusade.