A group, under the aegis of Patriotic Nigerians Forum (PNF), has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rally all philanthropic organizations and individuals in the country to be part of the effort to revamp the nation’s economy, noting with sadness that Nigerians are currently enduring very difficult times.
The group made the call in Lagos at a press conference addressed by its Convener, Comrade Eric Oluwole, stating that there is a need for President Tinubu to convene them to a round table and appeal to them to make yearly contributions to what would be known as the National Philanthropic Fund (NPF). They also commended Tinubu for his efforts in dealing with the economic challenges inherited.
Oluwole said the fund should be used to address the plight of poor children across the federation. He noted that research conducted by his group revealed approximately 2000 philanthropic organizations in Nigeria, each capable of raising up to N20 million yearly to support the Fund, potentially generating N4 trillion for the country.
Simultaneously, the PNF convener urged President Tinubu to establish the Office of Philanthropy Commission with a Special Adviser to coordinate Nigerian philanthropists worldwide for effective fundraising, aiming for the prosperity, peace, and stability of the country.
“We commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to deal with the challenging economic situation he inherited. We call on him to bring all philanthropic organizations and individuals in Nigeria together at a round table each year. Each year, Mr. President should appeal to them to make yearly contributions to a National Philanthropic Fund (NPT).
This fund should address the plight of poor children across the country. From our research, there are about 2000 philanthropic individuals and organizations in Nigeria, each capable of raising up to 20m every year to support the fund. This fund can reach N4 trillion.”
“We call on President Tinubu to establish the Office of Philanthropy Commission with a Special Adviser who will coordinate Nigerian philanthropists worldwide for effective fundraising for the prosperity, peace, and stability of Nigeria,” he said.
Oluwole, while making the demands, noted that living and coping with the harsh economic realities in the country had become extremely difficult, sadly remarking that the major victims of this trend were Nigerian youths, who he said constituted about 70 percent of the population. According to him, this population includes people under 30, with some 42 percent under 15 years, declaring that the harsh economy across the land affects children like a hot knife, with orphans being the worst affected, estimated in Nigeria to be around 17.5 million.
“Worst hit is the North East where insurgency is well pronounced. The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) noted that over 700,000 children are spheres of human endeavor. We are ready to push our philanthropic organizations, the rich, to do more so as to save Nigerian vulnerable children. We identify, support, and encourage Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora who, by their deeds of philanthropy, are making remarkable contributions to improving the living standards of our people anywhere across the country,” he stated.
Speaking further, Oluwole said the time is now for the better endowed in the country to do more to assist and uplift the less privileged, pointing out that society would like to see how children without parents would benefit from what God has endowed them with.
The convener, while pledging the commitment of the body to bring together Nigerians who are passionately committed to protecting the image of the country worldwide and rallying for her true development in all spheres of human endeavor, said it was poised to “push our philanthropic organizations, the rich, to do more so as to save Nigerian vulnerable children.”
He, however, commended the efforts of an American-based Professor of Medicine, Prof. Emeka Umerah, who through his Orphanage Foundation, had built and donated an Orphanage in Imo State, Owerri, apart from other projects he had donated in other parts of the Southeast.
Oluwole said Umerah, through his various projects to support the Federal Government, had been giving hope and uplifting hundreds from despair, calling on Nigerian philanthropists to do more in their states by emulating him.
“This is one of the greatest signposts of nation-building in a collective sense, not leaving development solely to the government.
“While we commend Prof Umerah for some ongoing projects to support the Federal Government of Nigeria, the PNF calls on Nigerian philanthropists to do more in their states by emulating him.
“This gesture is exemplary and a remarkable contribution that other well-to-do Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora should try to emulate. It is heartwarming that we still have people like Prof. Emeka Umerah who are passionate about making significant donations to contribute towards uplifting the living standards of his people back at home and helping Nigerians generally,” he said.
The PNF convener, therefore, called on the Federal Government to honor and recognize someone like Prof. Umerah based on his impact on the masses, for him to serve more, even as he urged “other philanthropists in the country to do more in order to bridge the widening gap of poverty and bring hope to a huge but despairing population of children without parents all over Nigeria.”
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