…Magaji, a humanist par excellence – Salman
By Mike Adeyemi
The people of Ilorin Central Constituency have showered praises on the lawmaker representing the area in the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Oba Abdulkadri Magaji, for his consistency in funding a medical outreach that is now a cynosure of all eyes since assuming office in 2023.
The beneficiaries who spoke with our medium said, Magaji’s focus, vision and enterprise, exemplifies how spirited individuals in Nigerian communities can add value to government and governance by making available to their constituents the overall essence of constitutional goals of public good.
They added that the free medical outreach which is estimated to have reached over one thousand persons across the five wards that made up of the constituent, exemplifies the spirit of the tenth house in its resolve to improve the lot of Kwarans.
Speaking with our reporter penultimate Friday, Hon. Salman Saka who is the Constituency Manager to the House Leader, described the medical outreach as unprecedented in the political annals of the constituency, saying the house leader tow the path of his late brother.
Salman said Hon. Oba Abdulkadri Magaji’s decision to sponsor the free medical programme was in fulfilment of his campaign promises and borne out of his desire at ensuring that constituents who are suffering from any form of health challenge and possibly may not have been able to access medical treatment due to financial constraint are treated free.
“Shortly after the last election, Hon. Abdulkadri Magaji called us to himself on modalities to fulfill his electioneering campaign promises, among which the medical outreach was parts of. He said those who voted us, particularly the less privileged ones, how do we take care of them?
“When we started, initially he gave money out to those who are on sick bed that couldn’t afford their medical bills. We did that for over four months. But having noticed the possibility of surcharging the primary target, which is our constituent, he mooted the idea of the medical outreach meant to cover the five wards, and he employed Doctors and Nurses for this task,” the Constituency Manager affirmed.
He added that the medical outreach is purely targeted at the aged people within the constituency who are suffering from ranging ailments, except for two youths who were attended to during a stopover at Alabiowo Health Centre.
“I can tell you for free that over one thousand people have so far benefited from this outreach, and it has gulped nearly up 10 million naira. We pay Doctors, Nurses and even we the team members are dually paid.
“A lot of people have been airing their testimonies about the impact and efficacy of the medical outreach, lauding the House Leader for the initiative. This is the first of its kind in Ilorin Central Constituency, ” he stressed.
Salman however likened the political humanist of Hon. Oba Abdulkadri Magaji to his late brother, Hon. Oba Olawoyin Magaji, saying his humanitarian services has no bounds.
“I want to believe that he took after his elder brother in the building of a more humane, just, compassionate, and democratic society, using pragmatic ethics based on human reason. Hon. Oba Abdulkadridulkadri Magaji’s activities cuts across health, education and other sectors.
“We have over 18 primary schools in Oko-Erin ward, he paid school fees of many pupils in those schools last year. In fact he even extends his hands of magnanimity to other constituencies.
“He paid JAMB forms for 3,000 students last year, and too cuts across all the five wards. Most of the students are now in their various universities. We pays WAEC and NECO fees for 200 students this year, ” Salman afirmed.
He noted that the importance of a healthy society cannot be overemphasised, hence the popular saying that health is wealth.
The constituency manager commended the people of Ilorin central constituency for keeping faith with the house leader, noting that more human empowerment programmes for the constituency are in pipeline.