… As Gov Abdulrahaman, VC Al-Hikmah, Adaramaja others grace the event
By Is’haq Babatunde
Over 1000 indigent people across Kwara state on Saturday (January 29, 2022) received various valuable items worth millions of naira from an Ilorin-based charity organization called “MMGIVIT*, just as the state Governor, Mallam Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq lauded the initiative, describing it as a step in a right direction.
The items dashed out at the event that took place at Queen’s Hall, Unity road, Ilorin, ranges from clothing materials, kitchen utensils, house furniture, shoes, photocopy machine, home Theatre, mattresses, beds, fans, and several other useful items of great standard both new and fairly used.
The well attended programme also featured free medical check-up for all beneficiaries, a point at which they first went to before they proceeded to the ‘free zone’ to pick items of their choice.
Addressing the beneficiaries shortly before the free distribution of the materials, the Convener of the MMGIVIT, Professor Muhammed Mustapaha Akanbi SAN who is also the Vice Chancellor of Kwara State University, said the rationale behind the formation of MMGIVIT was to make life more bearable for the less privileged via redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor.
“I’m not a millionaire but what I have just done is to harness the power of friendship, my friends all over the world contributed to what we have here today” he said.
According to him, some of his friends sent the materials from across Nigeria like Lagos, Kano, Portharcourt, including outside Nigeria such as UK, America and others.
Professor Akanbi thanked members and admirers of the MMGIVIT for standing solidly behind him and more importantly for believing in the spirit of giving which, he said, is geared towards putting smiles on the faces of others.
He however appreciated the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq for personally attending this year edition of the wealth distribution, saying that his presence will ultimately spur him and all members to be more committed to this humanitarian service.
Professor Akanbi said this is the first time the sitting Governor will grace the MMGIVIT programme, and described this year programme as very historic and worthwhile.
Visiting the scene of the event at Queen’s Hall, Unity Road, Ilorin, Governor Abdulrazaq commended the Convener of the MMGIVIT, Professor Muhammed Mustapaha Akanbi SAN for cultivating habit of redistributing wealth from the rich to the less privileged.
The Governor, who was excited with the initiative, observed that his government would not hesitate to associate with all kindhearted Non-Governmental Organizations in the state.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Vice Chancellor of Al-Hikmah University, Professor Noah Yusuf gave kudos to the founder of MMGIVIT and described the initiative as a good avenue to reduce poverty and stem the tide of insecurity in the country.
In his reaction at the programme, the Managing Director of the Lower Niger River Basin and Development Authority, Dr Saheed Adeniyi Aremu said the programme was a laudable project, pledging that he would also key in to the project so as to collectively turn around the fortunes of the downtrodden.
The Chairman of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Shehu Raheem Adaramaja commended the founder of the MMGIVIT, Professor M. M. Akanbi SAN and the entire members of the NGO for the display of philanthropic gesture which he said would have significant impact on the lives of the beneficiaries and society at large.
Earlier in his welcome address to the beneficiaries, the Chairman of the MMGIVIT, Professor Ibrahim Kayode Adam, disclosed that all the materials were donated by members of the MMGIVIT and private individuals across Nigeria and beyond who believe in the act of charity.
Some of beneficiaries who spoke with the HIGHPROFILE NEWS were very excited, saying that the entire was timely, useful and supportive.
The train of the weeklong programme of the MMGIVIT took off on Wednesday with career counseling to secondary School students, poetry competition and Career counseling for Community Development Associations on Thursday while the wealth redistribution brought the programme to a close on Saturday.
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