Dangote Hosts Borno Governor over Support for IDPs, Reconstruction

Crusoe Osagie
The President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, Tuesday hosted the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, in Lagos with their discussion focusing on rehabilitation of internally displaced persons and reconstruction work in the areas of education and healthcare.

The Dangote Foundation, which is a charity wing of the Dangote Group funded by the richest African was the platform of the two-hour meeting held at the Dangote corporate headquarters in Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The meeting had in attendance the three senators from Borno, Senate Majority Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, Senators Abubakar Kyari and Baba Kaka Bashir Garbai, as well as some members of the House of Representatives from Shettima’s delegation, while the Dangote Group had the Executive Director, Dangote Group, Halima Aliko-Dangote; Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou and  Mrs. Erelu Angela Adebayo, a member of the Foundation’s board.

During the meeting, the Dangote team gave updates on delivery of food items for internally displaced persons in Borno during the Ramadan, which is aimed at fulfilling a pledge made by Dangote when he visited Maiduguri three weeks ago.
Dangote promised that trucks of food items were already on their way to Borno, adding that they also decided to increase the number of trucks.

Dangote also said he was having another meeting with r Shettima to draw an action plan for specific interventions in reconstructions centred on schools and hospitals. The richest African also promised to attract some International support for Borno State.

Shettima had earlier said his mission was to thank Dangote and members of his team for their generosity towards Borno State, especially recalling a figure of N2 billion donated by Dangote to Borno State during the billionaire’s visit to Maiduguri.

“You are an extremely lucky creature of God, sir, because it is one thing for one to have fortunes and it is entirely another thing for one’s fortunes to benefit his kinsmen, his country men and humanity.

“In our dear Kano, your state of origin, you have made and you are still making monumental impacts on the lives of our brothers and sisters in Kano. Here in Lagos, you are doing the same thing and so it is across the country.

“For us in Borno, we are usually full of emotions whenever your name is mentioned. Only Allah knows the depth of our gratitude to you, no amount of words can describe what we think and make of you.  I want to start by first of all registering the eternal gratitude of government and all sons and daughters of Borno State for your empathy, for your love and for your unprecedented generosity.

“We are here to thank you and to pray that Allah increases you in health and wealth, bless your entire family and business empire.  Sir, for you to have come to our aide meant you knew  the challenges we faced and the ones ahead of us. It will amount to show of ingratitude for us to make any request from you. We want to use this opportunity to call on other wealthy Nigerians to emulate your spirit” Shettima said at the opening of the meeting,” Shettima said.