By Matthew Owoicho Abah-Enyi (windsoundafrica@gmail.com)
As citizens of the most populous black nation on earth, Nigeria, continue to wake up to the dumb-founding economic realities that have assaulted their lives in the past few years, they find it hard to explain to themselves why certain things are happening to them that seem to have nothing to do with the managerial dexterity of the various levels of governments that have managed the nation’s economy in recent years. The astonishing level of land and infrastructure degradations that have devastated their previously fertile lands, and government constructed economic infrastructure seem to have taken perplexing decisions to negatively impact on their living standards in all its ramifications. The looming food crisis that stare the government and people in the face has assumed the semblance of a talisman’s magic stick that defies all human comprehension. The one-year old administration led by Ahmed Bola Tinubu which gallantly took the fight to the issue of government revenue inadequacy by yanking off largely abused oil subsidy to the people and taxing all forms of economic activities while floating it’s national currency, has almost harvested a whirlwind of market inflation rates that has triggered excruciating poverty and hunger amongst the people. The question everyone is asking is: Who, or what is doing this to us? Almost 90 percent of the answer is: Climate Change and the masquerade of incomprehension that pervade the diplomatic tables around which its consequences and management are discussed. Wind Sound Africa can confirm that 75 percent of elite Nigerians, including the politically exposed, do ñot know how Nigeria packaged her Internally Determined Emissions Reduction documents required by the UN Conference Of the Parties (COP) in charge of it and their duties towards it’s accomplishment, while 90 percent do not know what the Social Cost of Co2, it’s political economy and how it was determined are.
In the face of ineffective impacts of government’s palliatives and largely inadequate budgetary allocations to the various tiers of governance, the population has begun to look in the direction of Nongovernmental Organizations, Humanitarian Foundations and other Corporate Social Responsibility Services to come to their rescues in all aspects of their burdensome economic lives
The figuratively increased federally collected revenue since the removal of subsidies on petroleum products, shared between the three tiers of federal, state and local governments, juxtaposed with the worsening living standard of the average Nigerian continues to baffle the population. In the last few days of May, food price inflation had reached alarming level that was feared to be able to trigger public protests. Significantly, labour unions under the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress commenced indefinite strike actions in the first week of the month. Multifaceted negotiations later reigned in the protests.
In reaction to unavoidable world-wide trend, Humanitarian Foundations, Non-governmental Organizations and Corporate Social Responsibility arms of Corporate Organizations are being resorted to in a historical test case of synergized tackling of existential challenges in consonance with a rich history of such relationship.
THE HISTORICAL ROLL CALL
Long before the dawn of the scientific truth about Climate Change’s negative effects on the lands and economic infrastructure degradation dilemma of all nations which formed the highlights of the Paris Agreement in 2015, the UN Conference Of the Parties 27 (COP27) and 28, Nongovernmental Organizations, Humanitarian Foundations and Corpora rate Social Services Arms of Corporate conglomerates had long been on the rescue grounds in many parts of the world, especially in developing nations.
Lt General T. Y. Danjuma, GCON. Founder T.Y Danjuma Foundation at one of the Foundation’s events
Specifically speaking, a significant number of Humanitarian Foundations that have, over the years, continued to provide succor to needy citizens in Nigeria include, (1) Wellbeing Foundation Africa, (2) Slum2School Africa, (3) T.Y. Danjuma Foundation (4) Tony Elumelu Foundation, (5) Aliko Dangote Foundation, (6) Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, ((7) Lagos Food Bank Initiative, (8) Education As A Vaccine (EVA), (9) The Irede Foundation and (10) Project Pink Blue.
- T. Y. DANJUMA FOUNDATION.
The T. Y. Danjuma Foundation is Nigeria’s first Indigenous Grant Making Foundation. It is on record to have awarded life touching grants of over 41.5 million dollars, covering over three hundred and forty projects implemented across thirty six states of the country with more than 10 million people reached.. The Foundation was established in 2009 by Lt General T. Y. Danjuma, GCON with a commitment to uplift the quality of lives of Nigerians. The Foundation has lived up to its Vision and Mission at many fronts. In 2012 when one of Nigeria’s most devastating flood disasters hit the nation’s coastal cities, the Foundation provided assistances to victims of the disaster in Edo state which costs were put at hundreds of millions of naira. During the 2020 COVID 19 pandemic.
the Foundation donated relief materials to over 5,000 Nigerians in the North-Eastern region at the cost of several millions of naira. Citizens who spoke to Wind Sound Africa on condition of anonymity praised the Foundation for its contributions to the general enhancement of the living standard of Nigerians and prayed for more blessing on the Foundation from God in view of the worsening effects of Climate Change on Nigerians.
TONY ELUMELU FOUNDATION.
This is a Lagos, Nigeria based non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Senator Tony Elumelu, which has positively touched up the lives of over eighteen thousand African entrepreneurs in fifty-four countries. The foundation’s existential philosophy is rooted in the theory of empowering African private sector participants as a catalyst for wide-embracing socio-economic growth of the continent.
The pioneer member of the Global Internet Investment Rating System(GIIRS) has not only given life-lines to the naturally imbued investment aspirations of thousands of Nigerians, the foundation has, through its TEF Entrepreneurs Programme, trained over 1.5 million Nigerians on www.tefconnect.com, the continent’s Digital Entrepreneurship ecosystem which has directly funded more than seventeen thousand men and women who have created a combination of over four hundred thousand direct and indirect jobs over time
ALIKO DANGOTE FOUNDATION (ADF)
Aliko Dangote Foundation was incorporated in 1994 by Alh. Aliko Dangote to facilitate the enhancement of the living standard of Nigerians through various strategic means of impacting on the socio-economic environment in the healthcare and educational delivery systems of Nigeria as well as broadening the economic empowerment opportunities of citizens. In less than twenty years after its establishment, the foundation has become the largest private foundation in sub-Saharan Africa. Available public records in early 2024 showed that the foundation is funding the largest endowment by a single African Charity Organization, with its most endearing areas of focus being that of child nutrition and disaster relief donations. The foundation has partnered with States, national governments and reputable local and international NGOs to deliver many highbrow humanitarian projects across Africa. They have positively partnered with the likes of African Development Bank as well as Bill and Milinda Gates Foundation to fund development programmes with key Northern States Governments in Nigeria from 2013 to eradicate polio and promote routine immunization. At the broad educational front, the foundation is on record to have contributed 1billion naira to University Infrastructure funding to Nigerian Universities. It has also donated 100 million naira to Otuake University in Bayelsa and 1.2 billion naira worth of Housing Units to 2,160 students in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Alh. Aliko Dangote and Paul Kegamy in Philanthropic moment
In Kogi State, the foundation donated 280 million naira to Women in Kogi Human Capital Development Institute. It is also on record to have empowered 106,000 persons in four States in Northern Nigeria at a total cost of 7.1 billion naira. Amongst its other major humanitarian outings are the 50 million naira worth of relief materials to Jos crisis victims in 2010 and 2million dollars to the World Food Programme to help Pakistani flood disaster victims in 2010.
In the presence of worsening multidimensional effects of Climate Change with African nations at the worst receiving end of the already manifesting disasters, dispassionate commentators are apprehensive of the economic futures of citizens of vulnerable nations. They urge all stakeholders to Marshal out transparency compliant methods of mobilizing existing Humanitarian Foundations, Non-governmental Organizations, Corporate Social Responsibility Arms of corporate conglomerates and kind hearted groups to the rescue of all Climate Change vanquished peoples and vulnerable Nations in view of fast diminishing nationally allocable resources.
