Ambode, corporate Nigeria partner against cancer
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, corporate Nigeria and individuals on Tuesday expanded the scope of the fight against cancer, as they joined in fund raising for the purchase of three mobile centres.
Each of the centres will handle cases of cancer in the three Lagos senatorial districts. Cancer, a terminal disease, has claimed many lives in Nigeria, majorly due to late detection, wrong diagnosis and poor treatment.
Among the participants in the fund raising luncheon held at the State House, were Jim Ovia, chairman, Zenith Bank, and Peter Amangbo, the bank’s group managing director; Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Michael Omolayole, Adebutu Kessington, Rasaq Okoya, chairman of Eleganza Group; Adesola Oguntade (a retired judge); Gbenga Oyebode; Maiden Alex Ibru; Christopher Kolade; Modupe Alakija, chairman, Famfa Oil, and members of the diplomatic corps.
Ambode speaking at the event, which was to mark his 53rd birthday, tagged “giving Tuesday Lagos,” organised by Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP-Nigeria), said the cancer centres would go a long way in saving millions of Nigerians from the preventable disease.
Lamenting the rate at which the terminal disease has claimed thousands of lives in recent times, the governor said it was unacceptable and therefore called for concerted efforts from all and sundry.
Ambode, who commended the CECP and philanthropists who donated towards the purchase of the first set of Mobile Cancer Centres, said though the initial target was for one centre in Lagos, having three centres in each of the senatorial districts in the state was a priority for him.
Christopher Kolade, anchor of the CECP-Nigeria, commended the governor for accepting the request that his birthday be dedicated towards raising funds to fight cancer as well as accepting to be the first governor to be inducted as the state Patron of CECP.