The government at all levels has been directed to begin making special provisions for renowned orphanages around the country in their respective annual budgets.
Mrs Funmi Falana (SAN), a women’s rights advocate, also urged the federal government to develop additional policies and programmes to alleviate the pains of Nigerians’ current economic distress.
Mrs. Falana, the Director of Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA), spoke at Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State, during her annual Christmas party with the children of Erelu Angela Adebayo Children’s Home.

Femi Falana (SAN), the wife of human rights activist Femi Falana, stated that the occasion and time are always devoted to demonstrating love and giving youngsters hope that the future is theirs, which is something that all prosperous Nigerians ought to do.
The children received monetary gifts, food products, soft drinks, and beverages from Mrs. Falana, who also stated that the effective running and management of these homes will be improved by this particular budgetary allocation.

She added, “It will further strengthen what good-hearted people and benefactors are doing for them. You’ll agree with me that such an allocation is required in places like this. Huge amounts of money are granted to members of the national parliament who are less than 500 in the annual budget; the government can do well to allocate appropriate funding to the homes for the good and benefit of the less privileged there.

Therefore, a provision for orphanages and other vulnerable members of society should be included in the annual budget. It is essential so they don’t have to rely solely on the small amount of money they get from Nigerians. Such individuals cannot take on the duties and obligations of the government.

“All funding available to the government is held in trust for all Nigerians, including the underprivileged and those in need like these. Thus, it ought to be utilized to care for them and be part of the beneficiaries of the money.
Regarding Nigeria’s economic situation, Mrs. Falana stated: “The country’s severe economic situation are severely hurting its citizens, and our governments must act quickly to alleviate this and lessen Nigerians’ suffering so that they won’t be seen as failures.”

They need to figure out how to overcome the obstacles and properly address the people’s desires. Children are weeping, women are grieving. I was saying to someone that, given the rising cost of gasoline and other petroleum items in Nigeria, a bag of rice costs almost N120,000, I don’t see how the average Nigerian is making ends meet.
“Everyone knows that rice, including garri is an essential food for kids and there isn’t a food item that isn’t expensive in Nigeria right now. All of these concerns should be addressed by the government. In our nation, poverty is being used as a kind of weapon.

“Those who died in Ibadan were asked to come and collect N5,000, less than 3 American dollars, and because they are hungry and need the money, they rushed there,” she said, attributing the recent stampedes that killed children and other people in Ibadan, Anambra State and Abuja to poverty. “I even learned that some parents were throwing their children across the fence to benefit from the generous donations.”

This is one of the repercussions of the nation’s economic hardship. Despite the good intentions of the charitable organizations that supported the initiative, the degree of poverty in our nation caused it to go wrong. It’s terrible.
In their remarks, the orphanage matron, Mrs. Modupe Ajayi, and the director of the child development department, Mrs. Bolanle Asubiojo, of the Ekiti State Ministry of Women and Social Development, thanked Mrs. Falana for her ten years of support for the children and the orphanage.

According to Asubiojo, “God will richly reward you with the blessings of long life and prosperity given that you are doing this for the children and for God.”