The Inspire Africa Benefit Concert: The aftermath

Street children. We all know they exist, but how many of us have actually spent time with them? I have. Sometime last year I spent a few hours with street children who live under the Obalende Bridge. (Pictured below). I was in their world. I spoke with them, played with them...looked into their eyes... and saw things there. Some of the children seemed content in their little world. I’d ascribe that to the fact that that’s the only life they know. But some of the children seemed to know there is

a better life out there, and with the yearnings in their eyes and the way they looked at me, I could tell they had hopes and dreams of finding that life one day.

It was a life changing experience. So yes this topic today is very personal to me.

The Inspire Africa Benefit Concert. When I heard about the objective of this benefit concert, I was more than thrilled. Because they said the benefit concert was to raise money for STREET CHILDREN. To build a home for them, send them to school etc. Oh I was thrilled, especially when I found out the people behind it. Mrs Mo Abudu of Moments with Mo, in conjunction with the Lagos State Govt. The concert held January this year and I remember calling on people to support it, and give whatever they could ‘cos these children really need help.

The event came and went and in all honesty I’ve been waiting to hear or read something about the outcome. Finally I did read something, written by one of the many female editors I hold in high regard, Remmy Diagbare, a senior editor at Vanguard Newspaper. I read it and I was sad. I am going to reproduce what was written here.

Let me state here that this is not written to tarnish Mo Abudu’s name. In fact I have the utmost respect for her and she’s one of the many women in Nigeria who inspire me. So that’s not the intention here. I just want people to be aware and hopefully get a reaction. It’s all for the street children.

Editor’s letter. As written by Remi Diagbare in the August 9 issue of Allure pull out from the Vanguard newspaper.

''Last week, a Sunday newspaper reported that Mo Abudu was refusing to collaborate with the Lagos State Govt on the project to build homes for street children. The Inspire Africa concert which was used to raise funds for the project took place early this year and till date not much had been heard until the Sunday paper’s lead on the purported dispute.

It would appear that Ms Mo kept the figure that was raised close to her chest and is not prepared to disclose the sum. Neither, it would appear, is she prepared to work any longer with the Lagos State Govt on the road to Eldorado.

This is an ugly development as she rode on the understanding that the project was in conjunction with the Fashola-led govt. It was this position that brought about Fashola’s massive endorsement for the concert, which no doubt helped in raising the sum in dispute.

Tongues had been wagging before now as the silence, months after the event, was deafening. It was becoming obvious that something ominous was going on. First, the non-disclosure of the amount raised, surely raises not a few eyebrows. Then, as the silence stretched, so did tongues begin to wag.

All manner of wags had been postulated, none of which I am pretty sure is correct. However unless, and only when, Ms Mo comes out to give the true picture, will they cease to build momentum.

Perhaps, Mo has been cushioned from the spin wag; hence her tacit turn down of opportunities to discuss this matter with anybody, least of all the press. I am told she sniffed at the idea saying that the press was prying into what she terms private matters. Mo errs on this, if that was her actual response because there’s nothing private about collecting public funds under whatever guise and keeping mum about it.

Transparency should be uppermost and this would have been obvious if a few weeks after the concert, she held a press conference to announce how much was raised; exactly what it was meant for; a schedule of when the project would commence and how long it would take to complete it. But Mo did nothing of such. All we heard was silence.

This has given rise to stories like 400 million naira was raised at the event and she was keeping half of it to keep her programme on air.

We doubt this. But such stories and even worse will continue to weave itself around the project unless Mo comes out to clear her name.

We need to show that charity is credible; otherwise no one will reach out and touch somebody’s hands again. How do we make this world a better place if we cannot trust the person holding up the plate?

Allure is involved in charity; indeed, we have the Charity Runway project being organised in conjunction with some celebrities. Disputes like the Inspire Africa case, casts a bad spell on efforts put in to help others. And so we implore Mo to break her silence."

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The end

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I do have an opinion about this Inspire Africa Benefit Concert issue, but not to sound prejudiced, I won’t say much about it, mostly because this is just one side of the story. I’m sure there’s another side to all this. Ms Mo’s side. I’ll find it.

After reading Ms Remmy’s article, what do you think? You guys have the liberty to voice your opinions...but please keep insults out of it.

Also I wanted to add, shouldn’t there be like a body that regulates charity organisations and events in Nigeria? You know the way you need authorization from NBC before setting up a TV house; can’t there be an organisation like that where people must get permission before putting up charity events? And also work hand in hand with this regulatory body to ensure that money realised from charity is really used for charity.

What do you guys think?