₦airaland Forum

Nigerian 'Philanthropist' Gives Away $100 Million

Nigerian General TY Danjuma

I was hoping that at some point, Nigeria’s two billionaires — Mike Adenuga and Aliko Dangote — would participate in Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge. But that is very unlikely. Even though several Nigerian millionaires have more money than they know what to do with, they’d rather keep it to themselves than give it away.

However, a Nigerian oil magnate and former defense minister, TY Danjuma just might be a different breed. The 73-year old has put over $100 million of his own money into his Charity, the TY Danjuma Foundation- making it one of Africa’s largest charities, and Danjuma, the country’s biggest philanthropist.

TY Danjuma, a retired military General was Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff in the 70s and served as the Minister of Defense during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure between 1999 and 2003. Danjuma has always been one of Nigeria’s most influential people. He was a close ally, loyalist and confidante of the late Nigerian dictator, Sani Abacha, who rewarded General Danjuma with an oil block. The block, which was located in Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta region, was left unexploited for several years.  In 2006, he reportedly sold it to China’s offshore oil company CNOOC  for what  Danjuma said was $1 billion. After taxes, and paying off various dues, he said was left with over $500 million.

But he did not know what to do with the money, so he set up the TY Danjuma foundation with a $100 million endowment. During a public forum in February 2010, he recounted his reasons for setting up the charity:

“This was extra money I did not know what to do with. I did not just want to leave the money in the bank. At some point, I thought about saving the money for my children, but I decided against it. I realized that they could fight over the money after I’m dead. So, I decided, why not give back to my people.”

The TY Danjuma Foundation is a private independent grant making philanthropic organization based in Abuja, Nigeria which makes grants to and partners with Non Governmental organizations that champion and promote causes in Education, free healthcare, policy advocacy and poverty alleviation.

But while TY Danjuma should ordinarily receive applause for his uncommon philanthropic gestures, a wide section of Nigerians have been unreceptive to TY Danjuma’s charity.

“I don’t believe TY Danjuma is a hero of philanthropy,” said Emeka Obi, a social commentator and journalist at Compass Newspapers. “TY Danjuma is the problem with Nigeria whereby a few members of the ruling elite appropriate the nation’s resources and wealth to themselves at the expense of over 100 million Nigerians who are struggling to make ends meet. This is the problem with the Nigerian system: a single man makes so much money not because he is hardworking or deserving, but because he is merely connected to the powers that be. Danjuma was given an oil bloc as a gift. It is preposterous. The $100 million Danjuma has given to the foundation is not his money; it is Nigeria’s money, and it is absurd that he pretends like he’s some sort of philanthropist.”

I put a call through to the foundation, but the phone rang endlessly without a response.

But the good old general hardly seems bothered. Deep down, he believes he’s a philanthropist. He currently devotes his time and energies towards managing South Atlantic Petroleum, a leading indigenous oil exploration and production company he founded, while dabbling in affairs of state once in a while.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2011/06/03/nigerian-philanthropist-gives-away-100-million/

Bizsystem:
Oh she is not perfect and i guess her greatest problem is em emm emmm oH, It shall be well with her, Nigeria!receive positive change.it is well

arsenefc:
^^^

@Kilode:

If we have too many states according to you, then we have too many cities, No? Since your point is to cut down on administrative expenses

If we go by your logic, merged states will inevitably lead to merged cities, and the result will be a system where the govt is not as close to the people as it should be in a truly federalist state.

Do i understand you very well?

arsenefc:
I thought you were a  proponent of  'true federalism?'

How can you have true federalism when you are here advocating for the merging of states?

Beaf:
Its sad that the NASS is even considering the creation of new states when a full 75% of the states are a drain on resources. We cannot continue running the country this way. If we cannot go back to regions, then we need to implement the following drastic step for each of the groups.

Every single one of the above states needs to be merged, except Rivers.


We can encourage the oil producing state above, Amaechi (Rivers) needs to borrow less and Sylva (Bayelsa) needs to go. Otherwise, they all need to be merged with more productive states as well.

The above might be Nigeria's only viable states.

arsenefc:
@Kilode, no mind them jare.

You be correct pesin. Only correct people go to UI. Awon 'iwe' niyen!

arsenefc:
Freely was the 'oyel' given, and lavishly shall we spend the revenue that accrues from the oil.

Our god is a god of prosperity.

coogar:
u-i na school?
oh please, spare me with una idia hall and the local aristo chics.

if you wanna see aristos, go to moremi hall in unilag!

dayokanu:
Which UI? The one in Ilorin, Ikirun iragbiji or Ikire?

mbulela:
Like TB Joshua,let me make an obvious prophecy:
After 5 or 6 pages, this thread will end in the usual destination;

CORRUPTION AND LACK OF POLITICAL AND MORAL WILL TO TACKLE THE CORRUPTION

dayokanu:
Yes his name is Dapo but he changed it to Stephanie I think he is in Spain now and he has changed his sex completely
See his facebook profile below

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1043907941

Beaf:
The political will is far from lacking, but the fightback of the enemies of the nation is sophisticated and concerted.