Murtala Muhammed’s daughter, Aisha, Graca Machel, others to speak at US Black summit 

Daughter of the late former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, and Chief Executive Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, will on Tuesday join other notable Africans, including Graca Machel, Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome and Folake Marcus Bello, among others to deliver a keynote address at the August 2020 Black Philanthropy Month Summit.

The Black Philanthropy Month (BPM), founded by Jackie Bouvier Copeland, is a global celebration, revival and mobilization of Black, giving in all its forms to advance Black communities, with about 17million people celebrating it worldwide.

Oyebode, in her keynote address, will speak on “African Philanthropy, Post Covid-19,” based on current reality and with the pandemic taking its toll on the continent.

Oyebode, in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos, said there was need for concerted philanthropic support for the continent with the situation of the novel Covid-19 pandemic taking its toll on Africa, and realizing that African governments had limited resources to deal with the challenges and to overcome post COVID-19 era.

“With the situation of the novel Covid-19 pandemic taking its toll on Africa, and realizing that African governments have limited resources to deal with the challenges and to overcome post COVID-19, there is need for concerted philanthropic support for the continent,” she said.

According to her, “Today, BPM is more important than ever, as the twin pandemics of Covid-19 and anti-Black racism have decimated Black communities in the US and everywhere. This global celebration and social action initiative promote a culture of giving and mutual support year-round to buoy the spirit and capacity of stressed Black communities to recover and rebuild.”

It would be recalled that the United Nations and over 30 governmental bodies have declared every August Black Philanthropy Month, with a combination of sophisticated social media and in-person and virtual events organized by changemakers in cities all over the world.

These convenings and every discussion are designed to mobilize Black philanthropists, social and angel investors, venture capitalists as well as non-Black allies, along with leaders of nonprofits, businesses, communities and movements to create a set of shared funding guidelines for effective Black community rebuilding.

The WISE Fund will coordinate follow-up implementation of BPM Summit recommendations and action steps in collaboration with partners and attendees over the next year.

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