In a significant festive season outreach, the Jide Akinyemi Foundation (JAF) has brought joy to thousands of households in Ekiti State. The organisation distributed food items and essential gifts valued at several million naira to over 5,000 residents drawn from all 16 Local Government Areas of the state.
Spreading Festive Cheer and Supporting Governance
The initiative, tagged 'The Ekiti Christmas Box of Love '25', was held in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, December 25, 2025. Addressing the gathering, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Mr. Jide Akinyemi, stated that the event was designed to spread Christmas joy and to lend support to the administration of the State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji.
Akinyemi, who hails from Ayedun in Ikole Local Government Area, explained that the annual outreach seeks to ensure that vulnerable members of society can celebrate the season with dignity. He emphasised that the programme specifically targets the elderly, women, and struggling families to ease their festive burdens.
A Sustained Humanitarian Commitment, Not Politics
Dismissing speculations that the event was tied to any political ambition, Akinyemi stressed that the foundation's activities are purely humanitarian and geared towards supporting good governance. "Supporting the government does not mean political ambition; it means supporting good governance," he affirmed.
He highlighted that the Christmas outreach has been sustained for approximately four years, with plans to expand its reach to more communities and social groups across Ekiti State by 2026. Akinyemi praised the Oyebanji administration for its performance in areas including:
- Workers' welfare and timely salary payments
- Consistent pension payments for senior citizens
- Social intervention programmes
- Infrastructure development
"For the first time in a long while, people across the state are speaking with one voice about governance," he noted, urging other elites and NGOs to assist in bridging development gaps.
Formal Welcome into the APC Fold
In a related development, the Chairman of the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC), Barrister Sola Eleshin, formally received Jide Akinyemi and his supporters into the party. Eleshin commended the foundation for its relief efforts, describing the gesture as a reflection of Akinyemi's commitment to residents' welfare.
He characterised Akinyemi's decision to join the APC as a fortunate development for the party, stating that Ekiti needs patriotic citizens who can complement government efforts through community-focused initiatives.
