Emmanuel Fadipe is the founder of Emmanuel Fadipe Foundation. He tells TOFARATI IGE about his passion for helping others
What are your educational qualifications?
For my elementary education, I attended two schools— Osun State College of Education Nursery and Primary School, Ilesha; and Rosemary Nursery and Primary School, also in Ilesha.
I then went to Saint Anthony’s Catholic High School, and FunTo International Academy for my secondary education. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State.
I also have a Master’s degree in Environmental Protection and Agricultural Food Production from the University of Hohenheim, Germany.
I am currently in Germany working on a research centered on Africa, Europe and North America.
What motivated you to start a non-governmental organisation?
It was a childhood dream of mine to make a positive impact on my generation by lending a helping hand to people around me with everything God has given me.
This channel (NGO) is one of my routes to achieving that dream. It hurts me deeply seeing people go through hardship with no hope of a better tomorrow. I also feel sad seeing talents waste away due to lack of opportunities to showcase their God-given gifts. Helping people gives me so much joy.
In what way does your NGO add more value to society?
The reality of life is that we will all leave this world someday. For every day I live, I want to put lasting smiles on the faces of everyone around me, especially those in need. So, when it’s time for me to leave this world, I want to journey ‘home’ with the joy that I gave my all to the course of humanity. It is not about when, how and where I die; it would be about what I lived for while alive and what I would be remembered for.
How much was your initial capital to start the NGO and how did you source for it?
I would not want to be specific on that. I used all my savings for this purpose. My parents and siblings saw what I was doing and without me asking them, they joined hands to assist me financially and in other areas. That was the tradition we were raised with.
What major challenges did you face when starting the NGO?
There were a lot of challenges. Drawing a map of our activities and getting the objectives of the association to align with the needs of society was really overwhelming. Aside from that, getting the objectives working in practical terms was quite tasking. But, when there is a will, there would always be a way.
How do you determine the people to be assisted by your organisation?
The goals of the organisation are specified. The major areas and groups of people that need much attention for the growth and development of Africa are talents, youths, widows, orphans, out-of-school kids and the underprivileged. Our scope is bigger than that but it is a vital piece of the designed framework.
Have you ever thought of quitting to do something else?
The Bible says that, ‘No one who puts his hands on the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom’. If, by chance, the thought of quitting ever crosses my mind, I would take my motivation back to the source— God, who never fails. I constantly encourage myself.
What future do you envisage for the organisation?
With the help and grace of God, we aim to build a world of equality, fulfillment and recovery of lost hope in an atmosphere devoid of hunger, discrimination, pain and other societal ills.
What kind of help did you get from your friends and family?
I decided not to tell anyone at first. As an introvert, I usually feel uneasy bothering people about things I’m going through. My siblings and parents who know that part of me took time to find out (what was happening) as they observed that I seemed stressed. They took the weight on their shoulders and gave the best support any mortal can offer, financially and in all other areas. It immediately became ‘their’ project, considering how they gave their unquantifiable assistance.
Some of my friends who also noticed assisted me with logistics. Indeed, it is true that a tree cannot make a forest.
A lot of young people don’t seem to be interested in volunteering for such causes. What do you have to say to them?
‘Help our youths the truth to know’ is one of my best lines in the Nigerian National Anthem. It is important for them to know that they will not always be youths but whatever they do to make a positive impact on society will always be there.
We (youths) must give our best to humanity without tribal, religious, financial or class sentiments. We must work while it is day (youth) for the night (old age) will come when no man can work again.
Have you got any grant of any other form of external funding?
No. All I have invested into this have been my own money and support from my family. I may apply for funding in the future for projects beyond my financial capacity.
What were the highlights of your time as the National President of Nigerian Scholars in Germany?
I had a four-year administrative leadership phase (chapter coordinator, national vice president and two-term national president) of the group. I am very grateful for all the awards and accolades I was able to garner in respect of the milestones achieved during my time.
I believe strongly that no one can receive anything without being given by the father—God.
Also, I appreciate my parents and siblings who brought me up in the way of the Lord, and from whom I learnt some of the virtues that keep me going in life.
Thirdly, I appreciate my predecessors, national executives, administrative authorities and other administrative committees created during my era.
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