Philanthropy: Okoya Brings Medical Succour to Over 1,000 Lagosians to Mark Birthday 

When Nigeria’s revered octogenarian industrialist, Chief Rasaq Akanni Okoya, chose compassion over celebration to mark his 86th birthday, it was a moment that blended gratitude, grace and generosity: reinforcing a pattern many have come to identify with the billionaire industrialist. From Monday, January 5 to January 12, 2025, he organised community medical outreach for Lagos residents. Okoya at 86 is already etched in the hearts of the people — not as a birthday party, but as a powerful act of love from a man who chose to celebrate life by preserving the lives of others. Oluchi Chibuzor reports

HEART OF GRATITUDE, GRACE AND GENEROSITY

For a man whose name has become synonymous with enterprise, resilience and enduring wealth, Chief Okoya once again rewrote the script of celebration. The billionaire businessman, whose multi-billion-naira empire spans industries under the iconic Eleganza brand along with decades of active inventiveness, stunned many as he flagged off a massive, free medical outreach for people living around him.

Fondly called Eleganza by admirers, Okoya’s legacy stretches beyond boardrooms and factory floors. Generations of Nigerians, pupils, student of tertiary institutions, market leaders, artisans and other professionals have different stories to tell about using the famous Eleganza biro, a modest tool that quietly became part of the success stories of several generations.

At 86, the industrialist has chosen to write another chapter of impact, laced not with ink, but a large  doze of empathy. Rather than roll out drums for a flamboyant birthday bash as many who are not even in his class are wont to, Okoya deliberately redirected his celebration to the streets and homes of ordinary people in Ajah and the wider Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

His reason was simple, yet profound: good health is the foundation of a good life. Still, he is not unaware that many Nigerians lack access to quality healthcare. To bridge that gap, he unveiled the Okoya @86 Medical Outreach, a week-long programme designed to deliver free, quality healthcare services to people who might otherwise be denied such care due to poverty, limited education or lack of information.

As a result of this, his sprawling estate became a beehive of activities as residents from near and far-flung communities including Ajah, Jakande, Ikota, Iru, Egunshi, Eleko, Epe and surrounding communities trooped out in their numbers. Men, women, young parents and the elderly not only gained entrance but got to experience the comfort of the classic Eleganza chairs as they sat patiently in the over 300-capacity hall of the expansive castle, hopeful and grateful as medical professionals attended to them with dignity and care.

The outreach, which ends today January 12, 2025, the  celebrant’s birthday , stands as a bold testament to  Okoya’s long-standing commitment to community development, healthcare delivery and the service of mankind.

PROVIDING MEDICAL SOCCOUR IS GIVING BACK

Far from a token gesture, the initiative has been described by many as unprecedented as beneficiaries were extremely delighted about the gesture of accessing the ordinarily expensive healthcare services for free. Beyond the comprehensive medical check-ups, each beneficiary who completes the cycle would get a food pack and N10,000 transport fare as earlier announced by Dr. Jemilade Longe, Consultant for the Okoya @86 Medical Outreach and a Retired Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Health Services Commission.

Addressing the event, Rasaq Okoya spoke with characteristic humility, explaining that his decision to give back to the people of less means in the format he did was born from observation and gratitude.

He noted that while he has been fortunate to enjoy quality healthcare throughout his life, many around him are not so lucky. “This birthday,” he implied, “is not about me — it is about giving people the chance to live healthier, happier lives.”

According to him, “I prayed to God that I know this year. Health is wealth. I have been going in and out of the country but by the grace of God, now, I feel better. I see that most of us, if detect our health challenges earlier enough, we won’t have problem. Six years ago, I even had prostate cancer, which I detected on time, I had been operated and I am happy with it.

“Today we have tests here, anyone who wants to do test for prostate cancer, HIV, it’s available. There is no disease that is untreatable once it is earlier detected and you know your status and you take care of yourself, you know what to eat, what to drink and you are taking good care of your health. So, health is wealth. You can live up to the age of 100 years or more.

“And this is why I am grateful today and say I should extent what I have been enjoying to my community so that everyone can know the status of his or her health and this is why we are here with this medical outreach today. I thank the government of Lagos State and a lot of doctors, pharmacists, we have a high calibre of healthcare here  and whoever needs attention, our doctors will take care of them,” said Chief Okoya.

OKOYA HOUSEHOLD IS RENOWNED FOR PHILANTHROPY

To the wife of the celebrant and Managing Director of Eleganza Industrial City Limited, Mrs Folashade Okoya, it was not the first time Okoya would be doing a social responsibility of this nature.

According to her, “Rasak Okoya @86 Medical Outreach is just something we decided to do so that everybody will be conscious of their health status and they can control from there. So, this is just an awareness for people to know their health status: physically and mentally so that when you know your health status, you will be able to now start checking and start controlling and know what to do, what to eat, how to ensure that you are in the best state of health and today marks the first day.”

As for Shubomi Okoya, son and director at Eleganza Industry, “These are some of the things that we as young generation aspire to do like him. So, we all support him today. He loves to give out. If you help just one person today; he will be grateful for life. We give glory to God for everything.”

Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, who represented Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event, said, “I am very, very elated to be here representing the Ministry of Health, representing the Governor of Lagos State Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. When I was called to come here to flag off this event, I said to myself, perfect! I didn’t even have to think about it twice and chief has said it all: “Health is wealth”.

“The governor cannot do it all, everybody has to be responsible for their health. So, when events like this occur, when philanthropists like Chief Okoya decides to do this, it’s not just because of his community, it is also to honour God and, like he said, also to thank God because a lot of us has been through healthcare and the best thing is to lead other people and say ‘I do not want bad thing to happen to you’.

“Early detection is going to save life. That’s what this outreach is all about. There are many other outreaches that are going on in different places but this is such a comprehensive one. This is excellent, and I got the list of all the things you are providing, not only lab services even family planning that we are always talking about in Ministry of Health that people space out their children so that we can reduce our maternal and infant mortality rate. We have HIV screening, very, very important, tuberculosis, dental services, eye screening services, breast and cervical cancer, prostate cancer and, of course, you are going to get drugs.

“What you are getting here is free for you because somebody is paying for it and, guess what, that is what chief is doing.  To commemorate his 86th birthday, he thought it wise and, rightfully so, that he’s going to extent that hand of health. Health is wealth. You can have all the money in the world but if your health is not good or you are not treating whatever is wrong with you well, you are not going to enjoy this wealth. I want the Lagos resident to take advantage of the one-week programme. We are encouraging people to be responsible for their health. Government cannot do it all, that’s why we appreciate Okoya for doing this, for extending this to his community. What he’s giving you is more than money. What he’s giving you is more than food. What he’s giving you is more than the joy. He’s giving you an opportunity to stay healthy, an opportunity to see whatever may be wrong with you,” Ogunyemi said.

MANTRA OF HEALTH IS WEALTH

Health experts, volunteers and beneficiaries alike echoed similar sentiments, praising the Okoya @86 Medical Outreach as timely, impactful and deeply humane. For many residents, the programme was more than a medical exercise — it was a rare reminder that wealth, when guided by conscience, can truly heal.

Among the health givers drawn from the various health institutions was Prisca Anyakee, who is head of marketing of Grandville Hospital and team leaders of the hospital at the event, one of the healthcare organisations partnering with Okoya @86 Medical Outreach. Fielding questions from journalists, she said, “It was a thing of joy that the chief and his family reached out to us. We see this as celebration of a legacy giving back to his people and it is the kind of life that chief has lived. For example, over the last one-week, we have  attended to over 1,000 people and these are lives that are being transformed because the screening is intensive. On our own part at Grandville, our doctors are here, our nurses are here, also the eyes screening is also very thorough even the medications. These are some of the things that we are contributing to the programme. So, Grandville has been a friend and partner to the Okoya family.”

Another health giver and optician, Dr. David Ayanlere, of Haven Eye Clinic said, “What we are doing here, we are doing visual screening basically. We are also trying to diagnose and help elderly patients to get reading glasses and see smartly better. This is basically just an eye screening to help elderly patients mostly. But we can also diagnose early stages of conditions that are just starting up and we can refer properly and manage. This is what we have done so far.”

BENEFICIARIES EXPRESS GRATITUDE

Mrs Haruna Oluwaseyi of Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, who headed the pharmacy team, assured that the Okoya @86 Medical Outreach had drugs stock enough to take care of patients estimated to hit 1,000.

On areas of cases she has touched Mrs Haruna said, “We have been touching the eye drugs, the hypertensive drugs, the analgesic drugs for pain relief, drugs for malaria and diabetes. Those are treatments we have handled so far

Speaking to journalists, one of the beneficiaries, Mallam AbdulMalik Kolawole who came from Jakande said, “I have been battling with eye problem and has been fixed. I was given drugs and prescribed drugs. I also did HIV test and it was negative. I was generally well attended to. After that, the last place I went I was dental section. My teeth were examined and I was counselled on how to treat my teeth.”

Comfort Kakraba, a Ghanaian, also shared her experience saying, “I did not expect it. I thank God for the man who organised this. We are here to take our medication for free. Nobody does that. Only God can send a help to just help a nation like that. So, we thank God for everything. They checked my blood, my urine, everything is perfect. I must be sincere with you; things I got here today will cost me a lot of money outside.”

Another beneficiary, Mrs Funke Olayemi who said she came from Abule in Lafiaji Lagos Island, expressed her joy and appreciation to Chief Okoya over the gesture. She said, “I came because of eye problem, they examined me, gave me drugs and eye glasses. What is more, the also gave me takeaway food and N10,000 transport money for coming. This is great.His health and work will not go bad by the grace of God,” she prayed.

Oladipupo Sunday Dele of Ikota, Ajah said his problem of not being able to well for the past days was treated having gone through different sections of screening that were available and that he has been getting better. “What made me wonder more is that, after checking my blood, eyes, teeth, and all the treatment, the Baba still gave us food and N10,000.

Mrs Modinat Hassan said, “So many things happen in Eleganza here, not medical outreach alone. Even if you come to mosque, he makes sure that worshipers go back happy. But this one of today, I am so surprised because I am seeing it for the first time and Baba that made this happen, may God please accept it from him as act of worship and prolong his life, prolong the life of his wife so that next year, we will witness it in good health and peace.”