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Marwa: A commitment to humanity
Stanley Yakubu
FORMER Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), is gradually proving to be a man to reckon with when it comes to philantrophy. Last week Tuesday when Marwa visited Kano to present scholarships to some indigent youths under the Buba Marwa Endowment Fund, he literally brought traffic on the streets of the commercial city to a standstill as different groups and people that have benefitted from his good gestures, directly and indirectly, struggled to outdo one another in the bid to give him a rousing reception.
This started right from the entrance into Kano City on the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway where a group of people, led by a former Military Administrator of Rivers State, Colonel Habibu Shuaibu (rtd), was waiting to receive Marwa and his team. As the team that first went to pay homage to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, drove through the city, the people chanted, �Nigeria, Sai Marwa, Nigeria, Sai Marwa, Sai Marwa, kayi� and �Sai Marwa, Nigeria, Sai Marwa, Marwa ne mike so, ba mu so Machuta, Azalume, ba mu so su,� literally meaning Nigeria, only Marwa, Marwa is the one we want, we don�t want cheats to rule us again.
Those present at the scholarship presentation ceremony also showered praises on Marwa for his philantrophic gesture. The Chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Kano State chapter, Alhaji Sani Gabasawa, commended Marwa for setting up the endowment fund in order to assist the less previleged and provide basic amenities for some communities. Gabasawa, in what sounded like a song, asked, �Do you support what Marwa is doing? Do you identify with his course? In case he is interested in any future contest for any public office, would you support him?� To all these questions, the answer from the audience was, �Yes, yes, yes, yes oh, Nigeria Sai Marwa.� He therefore declared that it was time for Nigerians to start voting into office people who had the interest of the populace at heart.
Former Deputy Governor of Kaduna State and chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Ahmed Abdullahi, said patriotic Nigerians who are interested in the development of Nigerian youths should emulate Marwa. Abdullahi said, �That Buba Marwa, at this point in time, initiated such a scholarship in aid of our young ones is really a pointer to the fact that in the nearest future Nigeria would begin to have visionary leaders.�
A politician from Jigawa State who resides in Kano State, Alhaji Yasiu Mohammed, who was given the task of inviting Marwa to make a short speech before the presentation, described the retired General as a man to be emulated. Mohammed said, �We the youth in the north, and indeed Nigeria, see Marwa as the torch bearer of our time, an embodiment of justice and hope, a great transformer and a man whom Allah has chosen to salvage the country from its present socio-economic and political crisis. In Sha Allah, the will of Allah shall surely triumph.��
Marwa, in a brief remark disclosed that the endowment fund was initiated about 10 years ago and limited in operation to his home state, Adamawa. But it has now been extended to 12 other states. In collaboration with other agencies, Marwa revealed, the fund is presently engaged in the provision of healthcare delivery programmes, provision of boreholes, assistance to widows and provision of scholarship to indigent students. On the call by the youths for him to vie for the presidency in 2007, Marwa said, �As to your call, I promise you that I would look into it and soon you would know my position on it.��
From Sani Abacha Youth Centre, venue of the ceremony, Marwa and his team visited the home of popular businessman, Alhaji Aminu Dantata. Marwa told Dantata that he was in Kano to present scholarship to some indigent students of the state but decided to use the opportunity to commiserate with him on the death of one of his sons, Alhaji Rufai Aminu, in an auto accident. Before, leaving, Marwa met behind closed doors with Dantata.
The PUNCH, Wednesday, June 30, 2004
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The President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
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