At a ceremony held at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and witnessed by the Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi, as well as other notable Yoruba Obas, both Yoruba and Hausa beneficiaries praised Aliko Dangote who initiated the gestures.
Access bank staffers were on hand to convert the cheques to cash for the beneficiaries who wanted immediate cash value.
Speaking at the occasion, the Ooni praised Dangote for his magnanimity in providing succor to the victims, adding that the generosity of Alhaji Dangote is unparalleled.
“Dangote is touching the people’s lives in so many ways either through his array of products or through his employment generation efforts. Now he has added humanitarian assistances to it, giving back to the society and doling out money to help Nigerians in need
“Our youths are jobless and 70 percent of our population is youths and Dangote is helping the youths. I appeal to our youths to embrace peace. Those who engage in hate speech and threat of war should stop it. When there is violence, the executors are youths and the victims will be youths
“Let us come together and channel positive cause for ourselves and say enough is enough. I have surrendered my life to the cause of the youths and so also the Emir of Kano and several other monarchs. So I challenge other wealthy Nigerians to emulate Alhaji Dangote. And I enjoin the youths to please pray for him.”
Also, the Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanausi regretted that the people engaged in violence which ought not to be noting that peace should be desired by all because no development can happen without peace.
He praised the Ooni over the manner he handled the incidence when it broke out saying he briefed both himself and Sultan of Sokoto on the development and action taken so far and that both of them were convinced that the Ooni did the right thing at that material time to not only douse the tension but 3 sure peace reign continually.
Sanusi said that the violence was regretted and that with measures put in place, they pray it never happen again either in Ife or any part of Nigeria. “I implore those spreading hate speeches not to set Nigeria up in flames. War would not do anybody any good.
“Those beating the drums or war seeking cessation should take a look at the map of Africa and see how war has torn into pieces countries like Ruwanda, Somalia, Sudan, etc
“I would like to thank Alhaji Dangote for his constant response to distress calls for assistances whenever there is problem in any part of Nigeria. What we witnessed that day, we pray such would never happen again.”
In her comment, the Chief Executive Officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Mrs Zouera Youssoufou sad the clash between the Hausa and Yoruba was touchy to Alhaji Dangote and then promised that he was going to do something as a relief measure to the victims of the violence clash.
“Alhaji Dangote was disturbed at the clash and wondered why communities who have been living together wold allow a minor disagreement to tear them apart to the extent of killing themselves and destroying their properties.
“So he has decided to cushion the effect by identifying the victims who are still alive but suffer destruction of their properties and means of livelihood. So today we have screwed 220 victims who will benefit from the donation according to their losses.”
Youssoufou said the gesture was meant to help them resettle and come back to life “as what happened was not wished for in the first place.” [myad]
