Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
The wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajia Aisha Atiku Bagudu, the founder of Mass Literacy Programme and Almajiri Initiative (MALPAI) Foundation has constructed and handed over two sets of two bedroom bungalows valued at N12 million to a 60-year-old blind man, Mohammed Muhammed.
Daily Sun gathered that the female children of the blind man, who has three wives, eight children and ten grandchildren, were being molested and abused by unknown men at their residential area in Gesse phase 1 housing estate in Birnin-Kebbi.
The Coordinator of MALPAI Foundation, Mr Aminu Attairu Nassarawa, speaking with newsmen during the handling over of the two bedroom bungalows to Mallam Muhammed on Sunday, explained that the attention of Hajia Aisha Bagudu was drawn to the ordeal of the beneficiary through Youths Peace Initiative of Nigeria.
“The Youths Peace Initiative of Nigeria introduced the blind man to Her Excellency. The children were not going to school and the daughters of the man were being abused. So, Her Excellency enrolled all the children in schools, paying for their feeding, provide security for them and today these two houses were built for them.”
He added that the two bedroom bungalows were constructed in three months and are worth about N12 million.
Speaking during the handling over of the houses to beneficiary, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Hajia Rafaatu Noma Hammani, described the development as “giving dignitary to human being.”
According to her, “Hajia Aisha Bagudu has passion for helping the vulnerable in the society. When she learnt about this man through Youths Peace Initiative of Nigeria, living in a hut on somebody’s land; and that he has plenty of girls and some people are taking advantage of his disability to abuse and molest his daughters, she felt, as a mother, moved to help.
“She went there to help. First, she is securing the place; second, she enrolled the children in schools. For the past three years, Hajia Aisha Bagudu has been providing for their education needs and feeding of the family.
“And when the owner of the land wanted to use his land, she felt that they should not left idle, roaming about and that brought the ideal of building the houses for them. This is the result of what we are witnessing today.”
In his remark, the Kebbi State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Sanni Dododo, who handed over the keys and deeds of the houses to the beneficiary, said when news of the man’s family got to him, the governor’s wife was informed, adding that all the suspects molesting the blind man’s daughters were arrested by security agents who laid an ambush for them.
He urged the Local Government Chairman of Birnin-Kebbi to provide a security guard for the family at their new residence.
The National Vice President of Persons Living with Disability in Nigeria, Alhaji Aliyu Uthman, commended Hajia Aisha Bagudu for providing the houses and other basic needs for Mallam Muhammed Muhammed and his family, stressing that other eminent Nigerians should emulate her gesture by helping vulnerable people in the country.
