The Bully (Santa in Ajegunle)

A cross section of participants

We made it to 2022, God be praised!  This is my first post and it's something close to my heart!

In 2010, we were dancing away in an open space in the heart of Ajegunle with the local children, their parents and other adults as we celebrated the yuletide that year. 

It was Love Angels charity foundation's second year in that area and as we got comfortable in that unfamiliar terrain, what we feared the most happened. That year, MTN Nigeria was the main sponsor and as expected, there were MTN banners everywhere. 

The party was in full swing and there was a dancing competition going on at that moment when suddenly a heavily built man came charging down towards us and he looked very angry. 

It was a scary sight and I knew that whatever it was, could get ugly. My first instinct was how to protect the innocent children. The man bounced down, two hands by his side in very tight fists like was coming to fight, and in his company were two men who looked just as ferocious as him. 

They began to tear down banners and threatening to harm us if we did not get off his property. It was a rude shock especially because the coordinator in Ajegunle assured us that every payment was made and all permits obtained. 

We were close to a canal and we also had to walk on a makeshift bridge built with wood to cross a smaller canal to the venue. The man was obviously notorious, evident in the way the locals scampered for safety as soon as they noticed him. 

He upturned the DJ's table and immediately there was confusion everywhere. It must have been the Holy that made me to unexpectedly scream "stop!". The kids who were already headed towards the different sides of the canal obeyed me like I used a spell on them, I quietly marched them out through the wooden bridge one after the other. 

God saved us from what could have been a fatal stampede. Story had it that the land owner who had granted permission saw MTN banners and believed that a lot of money exchanged hands and came to grab his own share violently. 

Somehow I boldly faced the bully and told him that we would leave his property but he had to let us do it gently. I stood in the middle and worked with other Love Angels mbers and volunteers to securely get the children to safety. 

Just as the last persons walked on the bridge, the man realising that he messed up began to plead almost immediately for us to come back. 

We never did, we found an alternative venue and the children and their families had a swell time that year regardless. 

Subsequently, there were no more dramas, the same people who harrased us began to provide security for us each time we visited. They started to recognise us one of their own and it's been an awesome relationship ever since. 

This year we budgeted for 300 children and 100 adults but because of your support we were able to reach over 500 children and adults. 

One local said, "una dey bring us better food.  God bless una" and one child said, "I love you Love Angels" this triggered an organised chanting of "Love Angels, we love you". 

Since 2009, low income earners in this part of Ajegunle have relied on 'Santa in Ajegunle' to provide food for their families on Christmas day. The children prepare joyfully for this day and like the past years, their joy radiated as Santa presented them with gifts and party packs. 

On behalf of Love Angels Charity Foundation, the children and families of Ligali Ajegunle, I  thank you once again for being instrumental to the tremendous success recorded in the 12th edition of Santa in Ajegunle. 

God bless you. 

Below are a few pictures. Please look out for new projects coming up this year on the Love Angels website. Details to follow shortly.