In the spirit of Sallah, the Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) Foundation in Ogun on Wednesday distributed raw meat to more than 2,000 less privileged families in Lagos and Ogun states.
Mr Ercan Yilmaz , the Principal of the school, said 60 cows were slaughtered early on Wednesday and distributed to the people.
Yilmaz said 1,500 families from Lagos and Ogun benefitted from the gesture while 500 families from other states in the Southwest also collected their shares.
He said the lists of the beneficiaries were obtained from mosques, churches, while other stakeholders such as religious leaders and public service workers — Police and local government officials also benefitted.
“We also extended the gesture to the Ministry of Education, SUBEB, among other stakeholders as a symbol of love,” he said.
The gesture, according to Yilmaz, is aimed at touching lives of the less privileged people as part of the college’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS).
“Our belief is that any establishment or corporate entity should endeavour to touch lives of people in its immediate community.
“This is why our branches in other parts of the federation takes care of the distribution in states within their region.
“As it was done in previous years, the gesture is done simultaneously by our sister branches throughout the federation and similar programmes are also replicated during Christmas, ” he said.
The Principal said the gesture was in partnership with sponsors of the Foundation which include parents, Turkish living in Nigeria and other well meaning Nigerians.
He noted that the NTIC Foundation also intervenes in the provision of facilities such as boreholes, community health services, scholarships, among other assistance to indigent beneficiaries, communities and the less privileged.
Yilmaz advised that Nigerians should always use occasions such as Sallah to promote unity in the country, saying all hands should be on deck to put smiles on the faces of the people.
“We encourage other well-meaning individuals and organisations to participate in the act of giving, for it is in giving that we brighten smiles and keep the light of our faith glowing.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria Tulip International College, formerly Nigeria Turkish International College, started philanthropic gestures since 2005.
The Lagos/Ogun branch is located at OPIC area before the Berger Bridge. (NAN)