For his philanthropic gestures to his people, there are calls on him to represent them in higher responsibilities. MUAZU ABARI reports.
The dream of every society is to have better life and actualise their socio-economic and political dreams in order to improve their living condition. Some societies have reached the Eldorado while others are still struggling with stunted development.
For the people of Michika/Madagali federal constituency in Adamawa state, it has been a double tragedy because at a time they were still battling with development issues and efforts to move the society forward, insurgency and its devastating impacts emerged and took away the little that remained of their infrastructures subjecting them to untold hardships and leaving them at the mercy of the insurgents.
Suffice it to say that lives have been lost, communities displaced from their abode, schools, hospitals and other public infrastructures destroyed with socio-economic activities crippled. The humanitarian crisis in the area can only be imagined than described as it is synonymous with what anyone can describe as Stone Age.
However, in the midst of this hopelessness and neglect, a philanthropist, Barr. Iliya Yame Kwache, the Dan Lawan Michika has continued to stand with his people by giving them hope of a better today and greater tomorrow through interventions.This constituency like most others in the country is blessed with prominent sons and daughters who have make their marks in their various fields of endeavours and contributed greatly to the development of their society of which Kwame is one.
He is someone who has continued to utilise all god- given opportunities to torch the lives of humanity through scholarship and love for the common man.
Filled with a burning desire to serve the country and put his marks on the sands of time, he took up appointments and served in various capacities like the Nigerian Navy where he served dedicatedly until he retired in 1996. This is beside medical fields at the University of Jos Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and many hospitals overseas.
Kwache therefore saw the need to give back to the society that have done so much for him by setting up a phylanthropic organisation in 2020 known as I.Y Kwache Foundation to among other things, carry out massive tree planting campaign to mitigate the effect of climatic change on environment amidst global warming. It is also involved in the distributions of drugs and medical equipment to hospitals and clinics, distributions of books, learning materials and other educational supports to schools, cultural revival through the annual Kamwe Cultural Festival of Arts and Culture, research in African technology and history, provision of emergency and protection services to vulnerable persons, supporting women, children, youths and men through skills acquisition and empowerment programmes, among many other objectives.
Legacy projects
Following the challenges of Boko Haram insurgency, the foundation continued to channeled resources towards ameliorating the sufferings of the people with so many achievements especially in the areas of education, health, water supply, empowerment, skills acquisition, among others.
The founder has over the years provided scholarship to the people in the form of payment of school fees, examination fees, etc to enable them continue their studies.
He has also succeeded to renovating some destroyed schools in various communities of his constituency. He has distributed educational and teaching materials to support to schools in the area with the aim of creating an enabling environment for the education of his people whose schools were destroyed by the insurgents.
He also provided free medical services to hospitals and clinics across his constituency and upset medical bills of women, youths, children and other vulnerable groups, among other gestures.
A clarion call
In view of his numerous contributions to the development of his people and in appreciation of his efforts, his people are asking him to take a plunge into the constituency’s slot in the National Assembly.
Speaking on why he decided to abandon his lucrative job in the UK to answer the clarion call, he said. “There is no place like home and no place can be home for me except Michika/Madagali and Adamawa. I have been spending my resources and would continue to spend to bring succour to my people. I have been praying and my prayers are endless. It won’t stop until I ensure that my people are liberated from the shackles of insurgency which crippled them in all aspects of life.
“I am in this race to win because mine is truly a genuine call from the people of this constituency to come and change their narratives and give them result-oriented representation that is second to none in the history of this constituency.
“They have seen our efforts and sacrifices to our communities even when we are not in government which makes them to believe in our ability, competence and capacity to take them to the Promised Land.
On the pathetic situation in which the people found themselves as a result of insurgency he said, “Even prior to Boko Haram insurgency, my people have been completely neglected with virtually no federal government presence. The insurgency only came to worsen our situation. Our people have been slaughtered like animals, our communities have been displaced, our infrastructures and socio-economic activities have been burnt to ashes subjecting our people to untold hardships with nothing to write home about from government.”
Legislative agenda
Shedding more light on how he intend to represent his people if elected, he said, “I will not be an Abuja representative but a true representative of the good people of Michika/Madagali Federal Constituency. I will make their voices heard loud and clear not only on the floor of the National Assembly but also in Nigerian political scheme.”
This is even as he also promised to foster unity and ensure harmonious and peaceful co-existence among the diverse ethnic and religious groups.
