Manifest your leadership and courage qualities, Obasanjo tasks Zulum
Following last week’s devastating flood in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, the state government has received over N11 billion in donations for relief funds to support the victims.
The flood, which resulted from the collapse of the Alau Dam after heavy rainfall, has been described as the worst in 30 years, affecting over a million people and displacing hundreds of thousands.
Yesterday’s donations – N500 million from the wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu and N3 billion from the North East Development Commission (NEDC) – swelled the relief fund for victims to over N11 billion.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has, however, tasked the Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, to use the flood disaster to show his leadership and courage qualities by overcoming the unfortunate event.
In a message of sympathy to the governor, a copy which was made available by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, in Abeokuta, yesterday, Obasanjo sympathised with the government and people of Borno for the huge loss of lives and property caused by the recent flood disaster.
He said: “Although seasonal flooding is not uncommon in many parts of Nigeria, all available accounts indicate that what Borno has just suffered was one of the most devastating incidents in recent times. It is usually during disasters of this nature that the qualities of good leadership and courage become manifest. Permit me, therefore, to commend you and the government of Borno for the swiftness and efficacy with which you rose to the challenge.”
An update on the donations was disclosed yesterday by Abdurrahman Ahmed Bundi, the SSA New Media to Borno Governor. According to him, not all amounts listed were credited to the Maiduguri Relief Fund for the Borno State Government.
Eight states have so far donated the total sum of N1 billion: Bauchi State (N250 million), Kebbi State (N200 million), Adamawa State (N50 million), Yobe State (N100 million), Kano State (N100 million), Gombe State (N100 million), Taraba State (N100 million) and Katsina State (N100 million).
Leading the list of organisations and individuals are: Aliko Dangote (N2 billion of which N1 billion is donated to NEMA), Aminu Dantata (N1.5 billion), Atiku Abubakar (N100 million), Peter Obi (N50 million).