Kokun Foundation, founded by Mr. Adepeju Olukokun, is well known for feeding the less-privileged on the streets. With his popular phrase, “Food is right, food is essential,” the importance he attaches to feeding is underscored. As far as he is concerned, helping the less-privileged or prison inmates to feed well is his way of bringing an end to hunger and contributing to making life better. In this interview with ASIAN NKUTT, Olukokun speaks on the foundation and what has sustained it. Excerpts:
When was Kokun Foundation founded and what is the vision?
Kokun Foundation was founded four years ago and was registered two years ago. We have been consistent for four years now. My growing up was very hard, I faced so many challenges. It was only during Christmas that we ate chicken. My mum taught me how to give out to less-privileged people on the railroad with a pack of food. She always told me even if it’s one or two plates, I should give out. The vision started from her. My mum is my inspiration.
The foundation is largely known for feeding people. Are there other ways the foundation helps people?
Kokun Foundation is not just about feeding people. We help widows and single mothers with a minimum of N5000. In a day we give out cheques to between 30-40 people in our office. We also go round the streets and give people who have small trades of about N2000 or N3000; we give them 10,000 or more to expand. Kokun Foundation has been to 24 states in Nigeria to feed and reached out to people on the streets with cash.
How do you choose the places you go to feed people?
This is Lagos State and here, I’m the only organisation given rights to go to Kirikiri prisons to share cooked food. I’ve been going to Agege railway line area for the past four or five years now, so they always welcome me when I bring out the food. Sometimes depending on the quantity of the food in the morning after we pack it we can go to other places. If it’s more than 1000 packs we take some to Ikoyi, Kirikiri, Iyana Ipaja destitute home and Yaba destitute home. We distribute it one by one depending on the quantity. If it’s just 200 packs we go to a particular place.
Who are the people the foundation seeks to help?
The goal is not just to fight hunger, it’s to help individuals. I’m really focused on widows and single mothers and not the youth. Only recently have I ventured into helping youths but most of them don’t want to come to the office to receive the cash as they don’t want their picture to be taken. So, now, I focus on widows and single mothers, at least to have some capital to enable them to have something to eat and for their upkeep.
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How do you fund the various projects the foundation does?
People always ask how we get funds. We don’t seek help or put my account details on the social media for assistance. That’s what makes me different from other organisations and philanthropists. I have anonymous people and some companies who partner with me. They are my sponsors. They are anonymous. That has been working well for me. They trust and believe in me and we’ve been going on well.
I’m always having issues with some non-governmental organizations, especially the new ones. Some people just feel like they can open an Instagram page and feed 10 to 20 people and call themselves NGOs. I have so many people come into my office and ask me to sponsor them, it doesn’t work that way. Before people started sponsoring me, I did it by myself for two years with my money. It takes a lot of effort and consistency; you have to do it yourself and let people see what you’re doing. You can’t force people to do charity. People have to see what you’re doing and say, “Wow, this guy or lady is really trying, let us help.” You can’t just wake up one day and say I want to feed 1000 people, support me. It doesn’t work like that. When I advise people this is how it goes, this is what you have to do, they make me an enemy. They just assume I’m pompous and proud.
How truly service-oriented are the NGOs you’ve come in contact with?
I’ll tell you today that there are only two NGOs I know that I do refer people to. Once people say they want to donate I refer them to these two. Those are the two I know are really working. Lagos Food Bank and Food Clique Support Initiative. They are Lagos-based but are doing massive work. They have not gone outside Lagos but they are doing perfectly well; the structure is there. I talk to them and can always partner with them in this work.
Nigeria is blessed with human resources and other resources as well. Why, in your opinion, do we still have so much hunger?
This question is one for another day. I don’t know how to answer this one so as not to put myself in a tight corner. Nigeria is blessed and everyone knows. My prayer is that God will touch our leaders to always remember the masses. NGOs like us just try do our part in reaching out to people and help as many as we can.
