CHARITY: GOVERNOR RAJI FASHOLA AND MAIDEN ALEX IBRU EXAMPLES

George Eliot once wrote, “What do we live for if not to make the world less difficult for each other?”

Though some people may attempt to live their life from a purely selfish, self-centred perspective, yet, others still derive joy in giving to others. That to me is where to find the greatest sense of meaning. And so, as we search for meaning one of the best places to look is outward-towards others-using the principle of charity.

Too often during yuletide period like this, Christmas and New Year, the meaning of charity is reduced to the act of giving alms or donating sums of money to those who are economically disadvantaged. But charity in its purest forms involves so much more. It includes the giving of our hearts, our minds, and our talents in ways that enrich the lives of all people-regardless of whether they are poor or rich. Charity is selflessness. A poignant example is found in the following true life stories.

Sometime in year 2009, about six months into my one year M.Sc degree programme at the Pan-African University, Lagos, I was frustrated out of work, by some big Ogas who right from the onset never wanted me to go for the programme. The arrangement before I decided in the first instance to undertake the course in question was that, I was going to be granted study leave with pay. Unfortunately I had to retire voluntarily from the public service in view of the intense intrigues that followed my admission. My so called Ogas at that time, unashamedly did all they could to ensure that I did not continue with that course. And I was determined to complete the course no matter the odds or pains. As soon as I was eventually forced out of the service, I became stranded and could neither pay my school fees nor cater for the needs of members of my immediate family.

Almost immediately after this incident, the school authorities began to press for the payment of my school fees or abandon the course; I therefore resolved to seek the assistance of some people I had thought were my friends in the course of my journalism practice without success. It was at this point, that I decided to send a text message to the performing Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, stating my predicament. Two weeks after, I got a call from Hakeem Bello, the Senior Special Adviser Media to the Governor, requesting me to come over to his office, to collect half of the school fees. Another quarter of the school fees were paid by now Senator Solomon Ewuga representing Nasarawa at the National Assembly and Kayode Komolafe of ThisDay Newspapers. That was how; I was able to write my final examination. The hardship I experienced during that period of my life coupled with my age at 57 years at that time, almost immediately took its toll on me, I became very ill and almost had a stroke, but for His Grace I am still alive. I must not fail to emphasise, that the Lagos State Governor decided to render me that assistance, in spite of the fact, that he was aware, that I was not a Lagos State indigene. I was also not a close associate to anyone close to him. The Governor extended his kind gesture, in a society where too many rich people even make some of their family members a disposable commodity. As I do this article, I am aware of so many other people including Lagosians studying in Nigeria and abroad who at one time or another had some problems but manage to reach Governor Raji Fashola and were also rescued. So many other governors, Ministers, top government functionaries and politicians in Nigeria would rather prefer to spend such money sending their mistress abroad for one or two week’s enjoyment. The Fashola’s example amplifies life as an exciting business and most exciting when it is lived for others.

The Dailai Lama once said that “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” This is exactly what the Publisher of the Guardian Newspapers, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, is doing which must be commended. My good friend Akpo Esajere, who is the Group Political Editor of the Guardian would not like this, but in the interest of public good, I have no other option than to tell this story. Akpo for some years now, have been sick and down, one of the sad and painful aspect of journalism practice in Nigeria is that once you are out of site most people would forget about you. This is exactly the situation Akpo is facing now. He is hardly remembered by people who once sought after his service. The man is, however, not complaining as our Lord’s grace is sufficient for us. Just last week, as it has been my habit for some time now, I called Akpo on the phone to find out about his wellbeing. As usual, in spite of what the man has gone through over the years, a lively voice came across loud and clear “Gabriel, my brother how you dey oh?”He was full of life. As we got talking, Akpo was full of gratitude to the management of the Guardian Newspapers especially the late Alex Ibru and his lovely wife, Lady Maiden. Akpo wondered aloud asking me the following questions “what would I have done, if these wonderful people had long decided to stop my salary. How could I, have manage this very expensive ailment that has put me down now for some years?” Akpo was indeed full of gratitude. As I listened to Akpo on the phone, the words of Abraham Lincoln which says “to ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.” came to my mind.

As we celebrate the forthcoming festive period, for those who are in a position to give and help others, “let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier”, that was Mother Teresa’s philosophy.

Charity to me does not require a large deed. It often takes little acts of kindness in the form of a warm smile or a kind word. To you all out there please have a Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

Mr. Omonhinmin is a Lagos based Media Consultant

 

GENERAL DANJUMA: EPITOME OF INTEGRITY AND CARE GIVER AT 75.

On Sunday, December 9^th 2012, Retired Lieutenant-General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, From NigerianWiki

Jump to: navigation, searchNigeria’s former Chief of Army Staff from 1975 to 1979 and Defence Minister from 1999 to 2003 will turn 75 years old.

After traversing the murky waters of the Nigerian military, politics and business world, retired General Danjuma like every human being will certainly have touched so many lives by given them hope and succour.

As we celebrate T.Y. at 75, I feel blessed to have known such a man whose life style convince me that there is abundance of good among Nigerians in a world where turmoil dominates our daily news and words of discouragement often prevail.

In these days of corporate scandals and ethical breaches, I feel blessed to have also known a leader, heads of business, and a supervisor, T.Y, whose life is filled with integrity and moral fortitude.

In a time when echoes of crime, war, natural disasters, and disease are common in our country, Nigeria, I feel blessed to have known a man, who is a law enforcer, a military strategist, and a man who sacrificed much and whose intentions are honourable.

General Danjuma’s true spirit of leadership is what has marked him out for this piece. There are so many people in Nigeria today, who confuse the position of leadership with the disposition of true leadership. My experience in life has shown me that no matter what position one may be given; status in an organisation does not automatically create leadership. Genuine leadership is one’s internal disposition, which relates to a sense of purpose, self-worth, and self-concept.

The remarkable difference between General Danjuma, and his former military contemporaries still alive, is simple and clear. While his former military colleagues believe that the title makes the leader, thus using such a position to manipulate the emotions of others, play on their fears and needs. T.Y. believes that true leadership is a product of inspiration, not manipulations.

General Danjuma would always say, “what you believe about yourself creates your world. No human can live beyond the limits of his or her beliefs. In essence, you are what you believe. Your beliefs are a product of your thoughts, your thoughts create your beliefs, your beliefs create your convictions, your convictions create your attitude, your attitude controls your perception and your perception dictates your behaviour. The result is that your life is what you think it should be.”

Before the general election which brought ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo to office on May 29, 1999, General Danjuma led the business community in the country in mobilising huge financial, material and human resources for the former president to prosecute the election, this hope he has long realised was misplaced.

When it became clear that Chief Obasanjo in 2006 wanted a tenure elongation, T.Y. was one of the very few Nigerians who kicked against the project, even at the risk of being crippled economically.

The history of the Nigeria army would not be complete without the active role played by General Danjuma. This played out during the Nigerian Civil War when as one of the field commanders in Enugu, then an army officer, he held the view that a properly trained and fairly treated Nigerian army could be the finest in the world.

Danjuma's career in the military between 1966-1979, saw him play major roles in the military rise to power but also witnessing a discordant tone in the army and within the nation especially during events preceding the civil war in 1967. Danjuma saw himself after the Nigerian civil war in the middle of a national debate about the role of the military in governance and the return to civil rule.

On July 29, 1966, Danjuma led a band of soldiers from the 4th battalion in Mokola area of Ibadan to carry out the house arrest of both General Aguiyi Ironsi and the then Western Regional Military Governor, Adekunle Fajuyi, while the former was visiting the region. Danjuma's grouse with Ironsi was the concern that the army dissidents or the January 1966 rebels being held in prison were not facing trial and his perceived view that Ironsi was part of the January, 1966 coup.

Prior to the commencement of the civil war when Igbos led by Ojukwu declared Nigeria unsafe for them, Danjuma was on course in Britain along with then Major Emmanuel Abisoye. He was immediately recalled and posted to Enugu. During the Nigerian Civil War, he was a General Staff Officer in the First Division and was involved in the capture of Enugu where fighting started from Nsukka.

In 1970, Danjuma attended the International Court Martial in Trinidad and Tobago as Nigeria's representative, when he was appointed President of the Tribunal in a case brought against members of a failed coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago. Following his promotion to Colonel in 1971 he spent two years with responsibility for court-martialling Army officers proven guilty of corruption and indiscipline. In 1975, he was promoted to Brigadier and the position of General Officer Commanding (GOC) and in the following year he became the Chief of Army Staff to the Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo. He played a prominent role in supporting Obasanjo’s resistance of the Colonel Buka Suka Dimka’s Coup in 1976.

After the end of the Nigerian civil war, there were growing debates among the army ranks about the role and nature of military governance in the county. While some military governors were interested in seeing an elongation of military government, others were reluctant to suggest a prolongation of military rule or civilian rule under a retired general Yakubu Gowon. By 1974, Danjuma professed a desire to see the military return to the barracks as a way to protect the reputation of the institution.

In 1975, he became the Chief of Staff (army) and later that year; his support would prove crucial to the removal of General Gowon in a coup plot led by middle ranking soldiers and divisional commanders such as Joseph Navil Garba, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, Abdullahi Mohammed and Ibrahim Taiwo. The new regime led by Murtala Mohammed introduced a right to veto government programs by the then Supreme Military Council and gave the council decision making powers on broad government programmes.

The new council included new entrants like the aforementioned plotters and other officers such as Ibrahim Babangida, Muhammadu Buhari and Alfred Aduloju. Danjuma along with Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo became the key decision makers of the military government with Danjuma largely in control of the army. Although the new government had made steps to acquiesce themselves with the people, the old regime was already witnessing eroding support from the people. General T.Y. Danjuma retired from the Nigerian army in 1979.

Army reorganization

On return to civil rule in October, 1979, the new administration carried out some far reaching decisions to gain support from the populace. Such measures include administrative and military purges and the re-organisation of the army. The re-organization of the army led to a proposed demobilisation exercise affecting soldiers, many of whom were recruited during the civil war without adequate training but had field and combat experience. The re-structuring also emphasized the need to have all soldiers in the barracks by 1979 and to retrain army personnel.

Early life

Retired General T.Y. Danjuma was born in Takum, Wukari Division in present day Taraba State, North-Eastern Nigeria. His place of birth is close to the Cameroonian border. His father was known as Kuru Danjuma who witnessed the spill over of World War 1 into his Jukun town, at the time, Cameroon was still controlled by Germany. Danjuma's mother was known as Rufkatu Asibi.

The young Danjuma had his early education at Takum Elementary School, Katsina-Ala Provincial School before entering the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology. At Zaria, he joined the Cadet Corps and was enthralled by the army mufti and atmosphere. Though, his original intention was to pursue an academic and teaching career before finally choosing to take the cadet officers' course in 1959 and joined the army in 1960 as an officer cadet. He subsequently enrolled in the Nigerian Military Training College, Kaduna and received his commission into the Nigerian army in March 1961; he was later commissioned as a commanding officer of a platoon in Congo.

Military career

In the early to mid 1960s, Danjuma attended various military courses including stays at Wales, Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot, and Fort Bragg. He was also involved in the Congo conflict as a company leader and on duty in Tanzania. He became a Captain in 1963.

Business career

Since retiring from the Nigerian Army, General Danjuma has shown interest in a number of businesses and has made huge success of them. He was a former Chairman of South Atlantic Petroleum and formed the Nigerian America Line in 1979.

General Danjuma owns various interests in the shipping sector where he founded Comet Shipping and the Nigerian American line. He has also chaired the board of Chagoury and Chagoury Construction, former Universal Trust Bank and was a former board member of S.C.O.A. Nigeria. General Danjuma was at various times on the board in the following firms: MED Africa Group, First Universal, Nigerian American Ltd, Sahel Publishing Company, Tati Hotels, Jos, Continental Re-Insurance, Guinness Nigeria, Elf Oil, Nigeria Eagle Flour Mills, Eastern Bulchem, Ideal Flour Mills, Pan Ocean oil and Michelin Motor Tyre Services.

Politics

Since 1999, Danjuma has played active roles in Nigerian politics, some of his key appointments include: Minister of Defence in 1999; Chairperson for investigative committee on the Warri conflict in 2003; Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council in 2010.

T.Y. Danjuma Foundation:

In December 2008, the T.Y. Danjuma Foundation was created in Nigeria with the principal aims among other things to provide durable advantages through the implementation of development programs. The Foundation today operates more as a philanthropic organisation. This has enabled the foundation to seek out other deserving causes and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to partner with and make grants available.

The TY Danjuma Foundation is also doing its best in the area of alleviating poverty in communities by providing basic amenities, education for children and young adults while also providing free medical care for indigent people. Presently about 500,000 United States dollars have been given out as grants to NGOs working to relieve people suffering in Danjuma’s home state of Taraba. The State is historically one of Nigeria's most impoverished states, compounded by the absence of a health service which catered for the masses. Furthermore, the state has the highest cases of river blindness and other illnesses in the country.

One of the many NGOs which is being supported by the Foundation is CASVI working in Takum, Wukari and Donga. CASVI's main area of expertise is the provision of free eye care services such as the treatment of river blindness in Wukari, Ibi and Donga.

As you celebrate yet another year of productive service to humanity, let me join your brother and friend, Alabo Tonye Graham-Dogulas in wishing you a happy birthday. The people’s General!!!

Mr. Omonhinmin is a Lagos based Media Consultant.