By Kemi Yesufu
First son of former military head of state, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (Retd), Mohammed Babangida is doing great things even though silently. Mohammed through his El-Amin Foundation has helped the less privileged across the country with little fanfare.
Giving the poor and needy outside the spotlight as an individual and through his foundation seems to be the admirable style of the former leader’s son. But as it is famously said a gold fish has no hiding place, as stories of some of Mohammed’s acts of kindness have been shared by beneficiaries. Some of those who benefited from the younger Babangida’s generosity are widows who received bank alerts as COVID-19 support.
Not too long ago, Mohammed come to the rescue of a destitute cook, who served seven Nigerian leaders but lived in abject poverty for years.
The El-Amin Foundation founder moved into action upon reading of 73-year-old Ugbaha Mohammed, popularly known as Dogo, who after serving Nigerian leaders as chief cook, was squatting with a good Samaritan in an Abuja suburb after a house built for him by Gen. Babangida’s Aide-de-camp (ADC), Nuhu Bamalli, was burnt down following an unrest in his community.
LEADERSHIP Weekend reported how Mohammed, as the son of Gen Ibrahim Babangida, who is among the Nigerian leaders that Dogo served, immediately sent one of his aides, Barr Kamar Alimi, to the suburb where he lived and handed over to him some undisclosed amount of cash to help handle his immediate needs. The younger Babangida later gave Dogo money to rent a suitable apartment and also set up a business for him. A grateful Dogo told the newspaper that among all the families he served in the State House, it was only the Babangidas who came to his rescue.
“”I am very happy. I am very grateful to Mohammed Babangida because he has saved me from continued thinking (worrying). I no longer think as I used to do before because of this donation. Among the many people and prominent families I served in this country, only the IBB family came to my rescue. I and the entire family are grateful to Mohammed Babangida. In fact; the donation is beyond the quotation I gave him,” the aged cook disclosed.
Dogo served the late Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari; Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, head of the Interim National Government (ING); the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
If Dogo is the oldest beneficiary of Mohammed Babangida’s benevolence, the youngest could be Baby Amirat, whom the businessman son of the former Head of State sponsored her heart surgery at an Indian hospital. Mohammed as many have said has granted scholarships to many students, this is as his El-Amin Foundation has trained youths in lucrative trades and built a number of life-changing community projects.
For Mohammed Babangida who has proved many political pundits wrong by staying out of the soap box, charity begins at home, even when it is not for political gains. If Mohammed reached out to widows across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, he even did better for his home state Niger. The El-Amin Foundation made donations in response to Niger State government’s appeal for support for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His NGO presented kits as well as landed property to be used as isolation centre to the state.
The presentation ceremony was attended by members of the State Executive Council including Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Matane who is the Chairman of the State Task Force on COVID-19, Commissioner for Health, Dr Mohammed Makusidi, Chief of Staff to the Niger State Governor among others.
In his speech at the ceremony, Head Coordinator, El- Amin Foundation, Mr. Yakubu Alhaji welcomed the government team and disclosed that the Foundation was reacting to the call by the state government for help in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, which is has proven difficult for many governments to tackle alone.
He stated that El Amin Foundation was set up to help humanity battle challenges such as the one the coronavirus posed and so they felt happy to be able to contribute their quota in helping the state. Items that were donated include hand gloves, medical face masks, bio-hazard bags, boots, full body kits or overalls, as well as a property to be used as isolation centre by the State.
Receiving the items, the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Matane was overwhelmed and could not hold back emotions in appreciating El Amin Foundation for coming to the aide of the State. He disclosed that they would be moving furniture and other needed items to the structure immediately and will put into use to treat mild cases.
Mohammed Babangida is a board room player having been in business for two decades. He was a member of the boards at NEXIM and Unity Bank. Mohammed is a keen sports lover with his dexterity in Polo well known in the Nigerian high society. He also plays tennis and basketball. IBB’s handsome first son speaks English, French and Hausa fluently.
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