Anekwe: An adult driven by ‘childish exuberance’

With a bedridden father and a mother struggling to make a living from small scale catering services, Patrick Chinedu Anekwe already has enough to engage his time and attention, but the 29-year-old graduate of Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto said he would have no peace of mind until he sees his community liberated from the […]

With a bedridden father and a mother struggling to make a living from small scale catering services, Patrick Chinedu Anekwe already has enough to engage his time and attention, but the 29-year-old graduate of Usman Dan Fodio University Sokoto said he would have no peace of mind until he sees his community liberated from the shackles of insecurity and malaria scourge.
Like any other street within the notorious Ajegunle area of Lagos State, the road connecting the two zones of Uzor Street was in a terrible state. Filled with potholes that now act as reservoirs of flood anytime it rains, the street lacks all decency of a normal street. Only few houses within the street have pipe borne water.
But despite this obvious lack of critical social amenities, residents of Uzor Street say they are proud to have a jewel in Patrick Anekwe, who has single-handedly revived the spirit of communalism.
“For us, he is a divine gift. Despite our community’s obvious lack, we have Patrick who has wiped away our tears with the provision of security in a street many had always run away from because of rampant cases of theft. It was when robbery was at its crescendo that Patrick rose to the challenge. He mobilised the community and today we have in place two gates securing the community at night, with night guards always at stand by,” Onyekachi Emezie, a resident of Uzor Street said.
“Of course he is a very determined child, blessed with wisdom and understanding, when he ventured into the idea of mobilizing the community for sanitation every last Saturday of the month and when he commenced the mobilisation for the erection of street gate, I thought he was just being driven by childish exuberance.
“Though we didn’t stop him, we nonetheless felt that when he gets more engaged in life he would channel his efforts elsewhere. But that is not to be because as we speak, despite being in far away Sokoto, preparing for his youth service, he still keeps in constant touch with us, asking how the community is faring. And he ensures that he is home every April to celebrate the World Anti-malaria Day with children and other members of the community,” Lady Francisca Anekwe, Patrick’s mother, said.
Patrick’s younger brother, Jude Anekwe, also has glowing tribute for his brother. He said through his yeoman effort at sanitising the people of the community, many people who have been ignorant about the deadly malaria scourge in the area have become more aware, using treated nets and taking the right drugs from hospitals when they are sick.
“Through his foundation which focuses on anti-malaria campaign, many have been liberated from the clutches of ignorance. He has been quite relentless in his effort to educate and enlighten the society. And we are very grateful for that because it has also inspired us on the ideals of giving back to our society,” Jude said.
Speaking to Daily Trust correspondent from Sokoto where he had gone for clearance in preparation for his youth service, Patrick said he was not motivated by worldly things or any reward system, but the need to liberate the society.
He said he was appalled when he and some youth tried to carry out a little survey by distributing questionnaires among the populace only to hear people attributing the cause of malaria to too much consumption of palm oil.
“I was shocked to the marrow and that alone sprung me, and I told my people that I will do a lot about enlightenment. And that was what led to the anti-malaria effort.
“The Street Wise Anti Malaria Initiative (SWAMI) is a youth-based non profit organization founded by a team of young Nigerians from all walks of life, with the primary aim of fostering a society where malaria will no longer be a public health problem. Our strategies in passing our message across include: Sports, Social Events, Organizing Market Symposium, Quiz. My father house, located at 95/79 Uzor Street Ajegunle Apapa Lagos Nigeria, is our secretariat,” Patrick said.
The 29-year-old said already the NGO has been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and had attracted the interest of many Nigerians including the current Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President MuhammaduBuhari, Femi Adesina, whom he said is an executive member of the community initiative.
Anekwe has helped re-establish a security outfit for the community. This, in turn, has restored sanity in the area, curbed theft and also created employment for many youth.