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  • Danjuma, Odumakin decry lack of family values

    Danjuma, Odumakin decry lack of family values

    •Women urged to imbibe H.I.D’s virtues

    THE Chairman of the Advisory Council of late Hannah Idowu Didelou (H.I.D) Awolowo Foundation, Senator Daisy Ehanire Danjuma and President, Women Arise for Change Initiative Dr. Joe Oke-Odumakin have decried the absence of values in Nigerian families.

    Mrs. Danjuma and Mrs. Oke-Odumakin said the lack family values were responsible for the country’s economic challenges and other social problems.

    They spoke yesterday at the Ikenne, Ogun State home of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo at the one-year anniversary of Mrs. Awolowo’s death and inauguration of the Foundation Advisory Council.

    Mrs. Oke-Odumakin, who was the guest speaker at the event with the theme: “The Nigerian Woman in the Footprint of HID”, implored Nigerian women to imbibe the virtues of the late Mrs. Awolowo to restore values in the families.

    She stressed the need to learn and copy from the model of the Awolowo family that has become a reference point for a responsible family.

    According to her, Mrs. Awolowo stood by her husband all through his travails and managed the home front when the late sage travelled abroad for studies.

    She made reference to Awo’s comment in one of his books while exploiting HID’S virtue thus: “with her on my side, it has been possible to weather all financial storms”.

    The rights activist said HID would be remembered for her ideals.

    “She was principled, disciplined and dedicated her life to human development. She was endowed with innovative ideas and uncommon courage,” she said.

    She regretted that instead of emulating the lives of this exemplary couple, “we are today inundated with domestic violence with women on the receiving end.”

    Executive Secretary Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu explained that they decided to establish another foundation in memory of their mother because she deserved all the recognition that could come her way.

    According to her, HID foundation is poised for advocacy and, if necessary, intervention on issues that inspire women, promote values and build the nation.

    “Our focus will be to underline the careers of role models like Yeye Oodua HID Awolowo in a bid to re-set the values of younger Nigerians who already, I fear, appear to be morally adrift,” she said.

    The highlight of the occasion was the inauguration of the advisory council of HID Foundation. The council is headed by Senator Danjuma. Other members are Prof. Wale Adebanwi, Mrs. Yemi Alabi, Chief Tunji Ayanlaja (SAN), Yeye Olufunke Daniel, Mrs. Toyin Fape, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and others.

    Others were Prof. Segun Gbadegesin, Mrs. Fatima Waziri Ibrahim, Lady Maiden Ibru (MFR), Ms. Lana Mandilas, Mrs. Eriwu Molajo, Dr. Insa Nolte, Dr. (Mrs.) Femi Ogunsanya, Mrs. Fola Olumide, Mrs. Folusho Olaniyan (secretary) and Dr. (Mrs.) Jayne Soboiki.

    Senator Danjuma promised that they would justify the confidence reposed in them.

    Dignitaries present on the occasion include Obi of Onitsha Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, Prof. Kayode Oyediran, Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, Prof. Ayo Olukotun, Dr. Amos Akingba and Princess Adenrele Ogunsanya, among others.

     

     

     

     

  • Varsity honours Danjuma

    Varsity honours Danjuma

    For his service to humanity, Kwararafa University Wukari, Taraba State has named its library after the mother of former Defence Minister Gen Theophilus Danjuma.

    The late Rufkatu Asibi Kuru Danjuma, a woman of limited western education, saw the power of education and ensured that her son Theophilus Danjuma went to school. She was said to have felt disappointed when Theophilus Danjuma abandoned a B.A History programme at the Nigeria College Zaria to join the Army, which though, has made him famous.

    The N34m-library has a capacity of 300, physical collection of 10,000 books including journals and other publications, a media section and an e-library which gives access to 1.5 million publications across globally recognised channels.

    The university authority said Danjuma was rewarded because of his immense contribution to the nation’s education sector, particularly to the development of the Kwararafa University.

    An impressed Danjuma donated the sum of N20m to the university while commissioning the library.

    Danjuma said: “My mother did not have the privilege of going to a formal school. She went through the ‘Adult’ so that she could read the Bible. Today, she will smile and thank God wherever she is.”

    It was gathered that in 2012 Danjuma donated N49.65 million to the Kwararafa University.

    Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku, who was the special guest of honour at the occasion, donated N2 million to the university and promised to assist it in housing.

    Danjuma’s donation, the retired soldier said, would be given in two installments.

    “You will get N10 million in a week‘s time and another N10 million a year later. I will come back to see how you use the first N10 million; how many books you have added and how many digital equipment you have procured. Then, I would give you the balance,” he said.

    He noted that the economic slump is universal and Nigerian schools, colleges and universities must learn to persevere with little resources while recoiling from the culture of waste.

    Also speaking at the event which was heralded with cultural dances, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of Kwararafa University, Prof Jerry Gana said: “The University is a knowledge centre and the library is its nerve centre where the teachers and students must consult for knowledge.

  • Danjuma inaugurates 40 public buildings in Borno

    Danjuma inaugurates 40 public buildings in Borno

    Former Minister of Defence General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma yesterday inaugurated 40 buildings in Dikwa Local Government of Borno State – a General Hospital, council secretariat, police station, and 37 others.

    This is in preparation of the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Dikwa. The town used to be occupied by insurgents.

    The Victims Support Fund (VSF), initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan and chaired by Danjuma, two months ago, partnered the state in reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of IDPs.

    The fund donated N50 million towards the project, which included the rebuilding of 24 public structures –a General Hospital, schools, the council secretariat, police barracks and stations, and others.

    Governor Kashin Shettima, however, guided the ministry into using the money and materials to rebuild 16 additional buildings aside the 24 earmarked by the fund, bringing it to 40.

    “We gave Borno building materials worth N200 million and N50 million cash to pay labourers and other coordinating items to build 24 public buildings we identified in Dikwa, but to our surprise, the same materials and money were used to reconstruct, not only the 24 buildings to standard, but an additional 16. This is remarkable,” Executive Director of the fund, Prof Sunday Ochoche told Danjuma.

    An impressed Danjuma said the fund would intervene to rebuild Bama, the worst affected by the Boko Haram occupation.

    Governor Shettima pledged his commitment to fast-track the return of IDPs to safe communities.

    The former minister donated N20 million to Kwararafa University, a community varsity in Wukari, Taraba State.

    Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State donated N2 million to the university and promised to assist it in housing.

    It was gathered that Danjuma, in 2012, donated N49.65 million to the university.

    Inaugurating the library, which was named after his mother, Rufkatu Asibi Danjuma, the former minister said his N20 million donation would be given in two instalments.

    “You will get N10 million in a week ‘s time and another N10 million a year later. I will come back to see how you use the first N10 million; how many books you have added and how many digital equipment you have procured. Then, I would give you the balance,” Danjuma said.

    He noted that the economic slump is universal and Nigerian schools, colleges and universities must learn to persevere with little resources while recoiling from the culture of waste.

    The former minister, who was awarded for his “selfless service to humanity”, thanked the institution for the honour…”

  • Danjuma: how Nigeria can protect its environment

    Danjuma: how Nigeria can protect its environment

    •Aisha Buhari, others eulogise Amosun’s wife at 50

    Former Defence Minister Gen. Theophilus Danjuma has called for enforcement of the law on the protection of the environment.

    Danjuma spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, as the Chairman of a public discourse to mark the 50th birthday of Mrs Olufunso Amosun, wife of Ogun State Governor.

    The discourse: “Greening the Economy,” was part of activities to mark the birthday yesterday.

    The ex-minister, who attended the event with his wife, Daisy, called on governments to enforce the nation’s aforestation laws to secure the environment.

    Danjuma said: “There is the issue of environmental degradation in our country. Human development has taken high tolls on the environment and one only needs to look around, especially northern Nigeria where desertification is threatening the life of everybody.

    “Population in Nigeria is moving into the Middle Belt and Southward and the result is that we are competing for space in the greenland of the country.

    “So, it is good to see someone drawing attention to this failure on our part. It is in the rule that if anybody cuts down a tree, he or she is compelled to replace it by planting two or three others for the one cut down.

    “Trees grow rapidly in the Middle Belt and the South, even in the North. Evidences of these are where trees have been allowed to grow and become large, protect the soil and the environment.

    “So, greening the economy is the theme of the celebration. Madam Amosun, I must thank you for chosing this theme.”

    Eminent Nigerians, including wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Hajia Aisha; Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun; and former Senate President Ken Nnamani, among others spoke glowingly of Mrs Amosun.

    Mrs Buhari  urged wives of other governors to emulate her by engaging in charity and environment issues for development of the nation and humanity.

    She said Olufunso Amosun’s efforts to improve the environment was commendable and worthy of emulation.

    According to Mrs Buhari, Mrs Amosun’s efforts would complement the Federal Government’s move towards a better society.

    The Nation’s award-winning Arts reporter and poet, Evelyn Osagie, performed at the event to the delight of guests.

     

     

  • Danjuma: rebuilding Northeast to cost N2tr

    Danjuma: rebuilding Northeast to cost N2tr

    Ex-Minister of Defence Gen. Theophilus Danjuma has said Nigeria needs N2 trillion to rebuild the Northeast.

    It was learnt that in the last seven years, Boko Haram killed over 20,000 people, including police, soldiers and civilians.

     About 2.5 million people, mostly women, children and the elderly were displaced in Abuja, Adamawa, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and Bauchi states.

    Borno had the highest number of victims (1,650,799) as at October 2015.

    Over one million people are taking refuge in neighbouring Cameroun, Chad and Niger under dehumanising conditions.

    Danjuma, who chairs the Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiatives (PCNI), said rebuilding Northeast required planning and coordination.

    He said Boko Haram destroyed a large part of the Northeast, killing thousands and threatening the country’s survival.

    “Rebuilding the Northeast requires cooperation and resources, especially in the most affected states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. It will involve reconstruction of infrastructure.”

    Gen. Danjuma, a former chief of Army staff (COAS) during the regime of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (1976-1979), spoke at the sixth Annual National Security Seminar, organised by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College, Abuja.

    He said the return and reintegration of the displaced people as well as the restoration of their lives and peace building efforts to foster reconciliation are crucial.

    “These are processes that will last years. Therefore, they require planning, strategies and access to resources.”

    The association’s President, Brig.-Gen. J.N. Temlong (retd), said the government and international partners committed resources to end insurgency.

    He said the crisis cost the country much in terms of officers and men.

  • HID adopted my wife and I, says Danjuma

    HID adopted my wife and I, says Danjuma

    •More Nigerians condole with family

    Former Defence Minister Gen. Theophilus Danjuma declared yesterday in Ikenne that the late Chief HID Awolowo was his and his wife Daisy’s adopted mother.

    According tom him, the consolation he got from her death is that she departed with dignity.

    “My wife Daisy and I were adopted by Mama some 10 years ago. We still miss her loving maternal guidance.

    “Severally mama was a remarkable woman who refined her faculty to the very end of her long life. She departed with dignity and majesty. May mama’s soul rest in perfect peace,” he told reporters at the Awolowos’ residence after paying a condolence visit.

    Eminent Nigerians continued to pour into the house to condole with the family over last Saturday’s death of the Yeye Oodua.

    The dignitaries include Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Lasun Yussuf, ex – Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi.

    There were also Mrs Bola Obasanjo, Senator Mamora Olorunnimbe, Lagos state Deputy Governor, Idiat Adebule, Head of Administration, Amorc (Nigeria), Dr Kenneth Idiodi and an Egba High Chief and Physician, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi.

    There was a brief church service at the Efunyela Hall family chapel with Dr Tokunbo Awolowo in attendance.

    Rev. Moses Famosunwa of the Remo Anglican Church enjoined people to live a life pleasing to God and service to other for which the late HID Awolowo was known.

    “The world, not only Nigeria is celebrating the demise of mama, her life was a perfect example of how human being should be,” Famosunwa said.

    The Deputy Speaker said the late Papa Awolowo and his wife left legacies in the Southwest and Nigeria which every generation after them should strive to sustain.

    Oyinlola said: “The only tribute that we can say to retain the memory of mama is for us to honor her by ensuring the actualisation of her dream, particularly to see all Yorubas united under the same umbrella I think it will be a worthwhile testimony to her memory if we can achieve that.”

    Similarly, Senator Mamora described as Mama one who was supportive of her late husband, caring and loving not only of her biological children but also everyone around her who also considered himself or herself as a child of mama.

    According to Mamora, “Mama was a rallying point for the entire Yoruba race, particularly after the demise of the Sage himself, Papa Awolowo.”

    Lagos State Deputy Governor, Idiat Adebule, who said she and her entourage were around on behalf of women of Lagos, condoled with the Awolowos, saying their beloved mother was an icon and a great supporter of her husband.

    “And for those of us who are younger, who were very young when Papa was still alive and we read that God gave him the enablement to lead the progressives, based on this we continue to pray for the family,” Mrs Adebule said.

    Chief Majekodunmi wrote in the condolence register:” The all time greatness of the Awolowos has been exemplified and personified by Mama since the demise of Awo. Our prayer is that those left behind will continue to raise the banner high. May Mama gentle soul rest in peace.”

     

  • Danjuma chairs IDPs rehabilitation initiatives

    Danjuma chairs IDPs rehabilitation initiatives

    The federal government has appointed former Minister of Defence, Theophilus Danjuma, to supervise presidential interventions and initiatives aimed at rehabilitating Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo disclosed this yesterday at the Northern Reawakening Forum organised to rebuild the 19 northern states affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    Osinbajo said there was need for a unilateral approach to streamline all interventions, including the presidential initiatives on IDPs for better impact.

    The vice president, who stated that about 10 northern states remained the nation’s poorest, emphasised that the new administration was committed to repair the damages.

    He said the social safety nets, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), one meal daily for school children should be top priority among all the interventions, stressing that the north bears most consequences of poverty.

    Osinbajo said: “We have been working on interventions in the north east due to immediacy of the crisis in that axis but the problems of diseases and poverty were exacerbated by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    “We have government interventions such as presidential initiative on the north east, victims support group among others.

    “All of the federal government initiatives are now under the chairmanship of General TY Danjuma. We hope that streamlining these efforts this way will help control immediate deliveries of succour to many of the problems currently in the north east.”

    The vice president said there was urgent need to rehabilitate the victims and integrate them to their original homes.

    Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mohammed Umara, regretted that the northwest and northeast record the highest death rate of infants within the first 28 days.

    He said the region also records lowest literacy level, adding that poverty rate in 16 from 19 northern states had doubled since 1980.

    Umara said that the forum was organised to restore traditional values of peaceful co-existence between different religious, tribes and promote political and socio-economic development in the region.

    He expressed optimism that the forum would help address challenges of poor educational standard.

    Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, called for prompt sustainable development programmes in the northern states.

    Shettima said the governors had agreed to work together to redevelop the region.

  • AAG Football event: Nigerians should believe in Falcons – Danjuma

    AAG Football event: Nigerians should believe in Falcons – Danjuma

    • Rues absence of Oshoala, Ordega, others

    Super Falcons’ Chief Coach Christopher Danjuma has urged soccer loving Nigerians to have the believe in his team’s ability and capacity to emerge the gold medal winner of the Football event of the 2015 All African Games that would commence in Congo Brazzaville at the weekend.

    In a chat with NationSport before jetting out of the country with the Super Falcons on Monday, the team handler Danjuma sent these passionate pleas to the football loving Nigerians to have absolute believe in his team to become the AAG Football event winner.

    “Yes expectantly in Nigeria everybody should hope and believe that we are going out there as African Champion and to prove ourselves as African Champion. I still have respect for every team that comes to a competition”, he disclosed.

    He also revealed how much he has worked on the psychology of the players to boost their performance. “One good thing I have done is to psyche the players up to put the loss against Equatorial Guinea in the 2016 Olympics qualifier behind them. So they are now thinking of how to do well in the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville. The team is focused on going to Congo Brazzaville and to make sure we stamp our feet as Champion of Africa.

    ‘We have done our best before today’s (Monday’s) departure for the All Africa Games to build a new team and also psyche up our players that are mostly home based for the task ahead. FIFA Calendar permitting players plying their football trade abroad to play for their country is not in our favour. This simply means that the All Africa Games tournament is not on FIFA calendar.

    “As we speak now we barely have the services of only four professional players that will help our team prosecute the AAG competition. I wouldn’t have loved to miss any player of this team that played in the last (FIFA’s Women’s) World Cup. For this year’s All Africa Games I would have loved to storm Congo Brazzaville with strong and talented players like Francisca Ordega, Ngozi Okobi, Halimatu Ayinde, Josephine Chukwunnoye, Asisat Oshoala but all these people are just not going to be around.”

  • Buhari orders release of N5 billion to Victims Support Fund

    Buhari orders release of N5 billion to Victims Support Fund

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday directed the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, to facilitate the immediate release of the N5 Billion pledged to the Victims Support Fund (VSF) by the Federal Government since August 2014.

    He gave the directive after receiving a briefing from the VSF Presidential Committee headed by Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd.) at the Presidential Villa.

    General Danjuma had told the President that out of the N55.92 Billion pledged at the fund-raising dinner for the Fund in August last year, N33.54 Billion  was still outstanding, including N5 Billion from the Federal Government.

    He said that the VSF currently has N23.33 Billion in four bank accounts and that the Committee received approval from the immediate past administration to incorporate the fund into a Trust Fund, to “insulate it from political interference.”

    General Danjuma had urged the President to use his office to persuade all organizations and individuals to honour their pledges to the Committee.

    President Buhari, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, urged the Committee to ensure proper coordination with other government agencies providing support and assistance to victims of terrorism.

    The President assured General Danjuma and members of the VSF Committee that his administration was taking proactive steps to defeat terrorism in the country.

    He said that despite the challenge of acquiring much needed strategic equipment and weapons to confront the terrorists, the Nigerian military has recently gained much ground in its effort to defeat and degrade Boko Haram.

    He added that the full deployment of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), under the auspices of member-states of Lake Chad Basin Commission, will further boost ongoing military operations against the insurgents.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Danjuma said: “We briefed President on activities of the Victims Support Fund since inception which was inaugurated exactly one year ago and by coincidence in July making it one full year. We informed President what we have done and what we are going to do in the nearest future.

    “You know we were launched during the fund raising which took place a year ago, about the total amount of money that was pledged by various contributors was slightly more than N50 billion, of this amount, only N23 billion have so far been redeemed, so there is a lot of money out there.

    “Of the organisations and individuals, that have not fulfilled their pledges, the Federal Government is one; we are expecting N5 billion from the Federal Government and the President promised today that he would honour the pledge of the Federal Government.”

    On what he will do to recover the funds pledged by others, he said: “We plead with them quietly but we may also resort to naming and shaming those who have not honoured their pledges.

    “We will continue to ask people who pledged to honour their pledges, you the press should assist us in raising the fund, N20 billion is a drop in the ocean compared with the needs and if really the war stops tomorrow, already those displaced are really looking for support to go back to their homes and this N20 billion is nothing,” he added

  • Danjuma decry humiliation of northern Christians

    Danjuma decry humiliation of northern Christians

    Former Minister of Defence, Lt. General Theophilus  Danjuma (retd) has said that northern Christians were always targets of disgrace and humiliation out of public offices for no just cause.

    Danjuma stated this in Kaduna Saturday at the 64th graduation ceremony of students of Baptist Theological Seminary, Kaduna.

    General TY Danjuma who was represented at the occasion by a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Kwara State,‎ Mr. John Dara said, Christians from the northern region have passed through delirious times both politically, socially and economically, adding that the way forward was for the people to unite and speak with our voice to achieve progress and development in the zone.

    The Former Defence minister who was honoured with an award by the Seminary for his contribution to the growth and expansion of missionary works, called on the graduating students to be of good character and Ambassadors of peace wherever they may find themselves.

    Also, honoured with similar award on the occasion was the immediate past Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Engineer Andrew Yakubu.

    Danjuma said, “This is not the best of times for Christians in the north, they have passed through delirious time in the last 16 years of our democratic process.

    “Northern Christians are the most humiliated and undermined in the affairs of the country. We should not feel inferior, but superior so that we can take our rightful position in the kingdom of Nigeria since we are already in control of the kingdom of the church.

    “We must therefore unite and speak with our voice, we must not shy away from our responsibility as Christians, and we must preach peace and say the truth. May the Seminary continue to grow from glory to glory”.

    In his goodwill message, the Ex-NNPC Boss charged the graduands to be of good behaviour in carrying out the work of God wherever they may find themselves