The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and other donors yesterday raised about N300 million at the 50th birthday celebrations of Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
The money, raised from the launch of a book titled ‘Dogara: A Real Made Flint’ in Abuja, is to be donated to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Dangote’s company purchased 100 copies of the book at N100m followed by Capt Idahosa Okunbo, N50m, while Chief Emeka Offor bought 20 copies with N20m.
The governors of Bauchi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Edo and Borno states bought copies of the book with N10m each, while Senator Sahabi Kaura also purchased at N10m.
The 359 members of the House of Reps also purchased 359 copies of the book at N50,000 each, making N17.9m, while 109 senators purchased the book at N60,000, totalling N6.5m.
Speaking at the occasion, President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said Dogara represents patriotic Nigerians, who are worthy of being entrusted with leadership.
He said Dogara is one of the backbones of the good relationship the Executive arm enjoys with the Legislature.
Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who chaired the occasion, said in the last two years, he has found Dogara to be a gentleman who is humble and hard-working, saying “He’s also someone very reliable. The scarce commodity in politicians is reliability, but Yakubu Dogara has it in abundance.”
Dogara said he would invest the remaining part of his life in helping the less privileged through a foundation that he would institute.
Meanwhile, Dogara yesterday visited some orphanages around Abuja to mark his birthday.
Dogara, accompanied by some members of the House, family members and friends, first visited the Treasure Orphanage and Abuja Children Home, both in Karu where he made donations of some food items to the orphanage.
He said the theme of his birthday was ‘Giving back to the society’, which was why he decided to visit the orphanage to donate and encourage children, saying “That’s what we should be doing at this stage of our lives.”
