Sylvester Afam Ogbolu
By Chidi O. Uwabuofu
Sylvester Afam Ogbolu is an american self-made millionaire who has built a sprawling empire with interests in the movie industry (internationally and locally). Sylvester is a Hollywood movie director. He was formerly the chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Delta State chapter, an umbrella union that regulates and represents the affairs of film actors in Nigeria and overseas. He was the recipient of the Youngest Nollywood Director Award in 1999 and 2007 as well as the Best Short Film Director of the year award (American award) in 2016 and 2019 .
Currently Sylvester is a Police Chaplin and has found Healthcare to be another means of helping people. He serves as a Surgical Technologist and aspires to open a health care facility in Nigeria.
This prolific field director is no stranger to largesse. He is a successful entertainment businessman and has helped establish widely lauded interventionist initiatives such as the Sylvester Ogbolu Humanitarian Foundation (SOHF) which is quietly impacting lives in many respects against a muted background of clicking and flashing cameras.
For all his wealth, Mr Sylvester shuns the limelight and lives a simple life, even as he clears the bills for those who have no way of ever repaying him, and funding the education of several other people. He has targeted giving and seeks opportunities to serve the underprivileged people of Nigeria, particularly in Delta State through his SOHF.
According to him, “The people in my village and surrounding communities have suffered greatly… Unlike other wealthier countries, Nigeria has not been able to provide adequate financial, medical or welfare support to the citizens and now people are dying. “
“Years ago, while I was still living in Nigeria, I started a foundation known as SOHF, the Sylvester Ogbolu Humanitarian Foundation…SOHF vision and goal is to provide food and much needed medication to…under-served people of Delta State…My hopes is the foundation can assist alleviate those burdens”.
SOHF has become one of the frontline non-profit organisations of Nigeria’s battle against the novel COVID-19 pandemic and has been able to reach out to several vulnerable communities in Delta State, while supporting the elderly and children with palliatives to cushion the effect of the lockdown.
Besides providing immediate relief, SOFH is working towards long-term rehabilitation of daily wage earners, who are likely to be unemployed for an unforeseen period of time due to the pandemic.
SOFH boasts of dedicated team members working tirelessly to actualise the vision and goals of the foundation.
One of the driving forces and a member of the board of trustees of SOHF, Mr. Ifeanyi Nwador notes; “we have a lot of challenges in Nigeria, and SOHF’s philanthropy has promised to combat those challenges. SOHF wants to see people healthy, upgraded in their education”.
The unwavering dedication and commitment to SOFH by Dr Annette William’s (SOFH’s President, American worldwide) deserves a commendation.
Kind appreciation goes to the SOFH and to Mr Sylvester Ogbolu especially for his thoughtful leadership as well as his strategic and timely philanthropy which have touched the lives of so many people directly and indirectly. His philanthropic gestures illustrate the positive difference each of us can make when we give where we live.
