Okobaba Destitute home ‘renamed’ Home of Potentials

The Okobaba Destitute Home has been offered a new nickname to help motivate and engender self-belief among its inhabitants.

Babajide Ogunsanwo, a data analyst and founder of The FactBox is championing the move with the new nickname ‘Home of Potentials’ now given to the facility.

Located in Ebute Metta, Lagos, Okobaba Destitute Home was established in the early ’90s by a former military administrator of Lagos State, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd.)

Over the years, the facility has been associated with hopelessness, squalor and dejection.

 However, Ogunsanwo feels if more attention is paid, especially to the children in the facility some unbelievable potentials are bottled up waiting to be tapped.

While supervising the unveiling of the new ‘Home of Potentials’ signpost now erected at the facility, he said it was imperative to give the residents a sense of belief they can make something out of their lives and not constrain themselves to be destitute as they have been labelled.

“The challenge is that the name was given by the government and we don’t have the power to change it, rather we thought of a better nickname to reflect what is going on in this facility, thereby not contravening any law, he said. 

“Above all, there are more children in this facility than adults, a lot of unlocked potentials, and a lot of unfulfilled dreams. I see a lot of opportunities that need to be tapped and children who should tell their stories. It’s truly an opportunity for grass to grace, he added. 

Ogunsanwo called on the government and others with capacity to see the need in to inspire those in the Okobaba facility and across the society.

“The government needs to see that vision in this facility. Yes, the government can’t meet the needs of everyone in the society but a big step is to inspire. This we started from the entrance to inspire from the name.

“The children initially see the word destitute, what they always hear before was beggars, our mission is to inspire them to see the word Home of potentials, as that will inspire them and allow them to challenge themselves to greater heights, he said. 

As insignificant as this may seem, we see a great significance in this name change, he said.

Aside from the name change, a meal through the Bread & Butter initiative was given to over 300 children at the facility.

 “This is CSR project we taken upon ourselves. We decided to firstly provide them with meals. We make provisions for over 300 children on last Saturday of the month, and this we have done consistently for the past 2 years.

“Currently, our plan is to provide them with meals from once a month to once a week till it becomes daily.