Ambassador Osagiede with some of the inmates of Godsent Foundation

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

No fewer than 17 homeless and destitute children who had lived in the open for several years in Benin, Edo State capital, were recently moved into beautiful and comfortable living apartments where they are undergoing rehabilitation.

The kind gesture was extended to the homeless destitutes by an unsung philanthropist and Proprietor of Godsent Foundation, Ambassador Dion Osagie, who recently returned home to Nigeria, after a long sojourn to 22 cities of 12 European countries.

Besides their new home, the beneficiaries, most of who were picked up at different locations in the city, including Ring Road and New Benin area, are also being provided with three square meals for nourishment and balanced diet.

The beneficiaries who had before now been exposed to grievous weather elements, haven lived in the open for several years, now lived in a building initially proposed for a Guest House, located at a serene environment somewhere in Ugbowo axis on Benin City.

Explaining why he embarked on philanthropy, the Proprietor of Godsent Foundation, Ambassador Osagiede, said his journey to other countries of the world was an eye opener for him to have known that it does not cost much to show love to humanity.

He said Nigerians must learn to contribute their quota to humanity and should not turn blind eyes to the plight of children who roam the streets, but think of how to improve on their lives, noting that they are the leaders of tomorrow.

“If you ever stop a child at Ring Road, Sokponba, Ogida, or other parts of the city to buy pure water, instead of asking him why he or she is not in the school, when yours are in schools, you are part of the problem this country is facing. It is not normal and we cannot continue to live like this,” he said, adding that he was happy to have started impacting on the lives of the destitute by providing accommodation and feeding for them.

Even at that, Ambassador Osagiede does not intend to keep the destitutes for ever, because, according to him, effort to reunite the children with their parents has begun.

According to him, the Godsent Foundation is not an orphanage home, but a place he has set aside to take care of the destitute and the indigents in the society.

He however disclosed that because of love shown to them, some of the children are not willing to be reunited with their parents.

Narrating to journalists how he got into street life, one of the children, 18-year-old Lucky Osamudiamen, said he begged for alms and slept on the streets of Lagos State for five years after he lost his father, until he decided to relocate to Benin City.

Lucky who said he would want to be a pilot if given opportunity to go to school, disclosed that when he arrived in Benin, he attached himself to a bus driver as his conductor and at night, he goes to the moat at the Airport Road to sleep, until he was picked up by Godsent Foundation.

Also speaking, another beneficiary of the kind gesture, 15 year-old Destiny Osaretin, said he lost his mother at the age of nine and ever since then, his father abandoned him.

Destiny said he was left with no other choice but to work as a bus conductor at the Ring Road, adding that at night after the day’s job, he goes to beg for alms and look for where to sleep.

He said when Ambassador Osagiede saw them on the streets, he asked them some questions and offered to give them accommodation, adding that ever since then, their lives have improved greatly.