Tafida Babba Of Daura Embodies MKO Abiola

When he lived, he was the delectable soul of Nigeria and Africa in general. He was celebrated everywhere his name was echoed. The Southwest-born Chief MKO Abiola (of blessed memory) ingrained his enduring shadows in the psyche of the people he met everywhere, while alive. Abiola was variously described as a billionaire business tycoon, philanthropist, politician, publisher and humanist. Others feted Abiola with the sobriquet of “Pillar of Sports in Africa.” Peoples’ perceptions of him varied, but were very positive in lovable epaulettes.

Unfortunately, and as decreed by God, the era of Abiola is gone; and gone forever. But history and humanity have not forgotten his good works and name. Today, a facsimile of Abiola has shadowed in the North of Nigeria. He is Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu. It is not out of place to qualify Danu as the exact replica of Chief MKO Abiola. A business mogul of the Oil and Gas industry, spanning nearly 20 years, the multi-billionaire Nasiru Haladu Danu runs a lucrative business conglomerate with interests in diverse areas. He makes his fortunes from these investments and he is a staunch believer in hard work.

Alhaji Haladu Danu exudes a reputable aura in business, philanthropism, politics and humanism in Nigeria and beyond. Danu is coming up speedily with the ambience of Abiola and indeed, other endowed notable Nigerians in the continent. Danu is widely touted as a “Peoples Person,” an innocuous reference to his detribalized and open-minded persona.

He is popular for his network of friends across Nigeria and beyond the shores of Africa. And also, he is noted for his unquenchable passion for creating economic prosperity and social wealth for individuals and communities. Those close to him have confessed that any day, Danu puts smiles on the faces of people around him, sleep comes more easily for him that night.

A few days ago, the Daura Emirate Council turbaned Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu as the “Tafida Babba of Daura,” alongside the Minister for Transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, who was turbaned the “Dan Amana of Daura.” The ancient city of Daura was agog with the congregation of Nigeria’s great personalities and big players in leadership, politics, industry, diplomatic missions, public service and traditional circles in the country, who thronged to the place to witness the colourful ceremony.

The philanthropist, politician and socialite, Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu has received other such revered traditional recognitions in the past, including his turbaning as the “Dan Amanar Dutse,” conferred on him by the Emir of Dutse, Alh (Dr) Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi, in Jigawa State. It was also another big event that attracted very important personalities across Nigeria.

The popularity and special recognition of Danu, the founder of Nasiru Haladu Danu Foundation, which trails him like bees on honey are gaining ascendency because of his charitable heart and admirable influence on the less privileged people anywhere he encounters them. While turbaning Nasiru Haladu Danu as the “Tafida Babba of Daura,” the Emir of Daura in Katsina State, Dr. Umar Farouq Umar provided an insight into the personality of Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu to merit the chieftaincy title from the Daura Emirate.

The Daura Emir explained; “I want to assure you that this Emirate is giving different traditional titles to both people in the North and southern parts of the country, including the white men and whoever deserves to be given the chieftaincy title. Nigerians should not insinuate that the emirate is looking for money or has no money… I had never given chieftaincy titles because of money, fear of somebody or position. We give chieftaincy titles based on merit and to help our masses who God will ask us hereafter.”

Therefore, the natural question is, why has Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu, an emerging Abiola of Northern Nigeria earned these traditional chieftaincy honours and recognitions from his people? Is it a farce or reality that Danu qualifies for such venerations, as witnessed by prominent Nigerian’s days back in the ancient city of Daura?

It was the irrepressible South African anti-Apartheid campaigner, Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu who chipped this wit; “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good, put together that overwhelm the world.” This wisdom strongly expresses the convictions of the multi-billionaire businessman, Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu. For years, he has devoted his Nasiru Haladu Danu Foundation to doing the “little bit of good” to humanity as preached by Desmond Tutu.

He is passionate about sharing with society the special blessings of God to him. He has never held it back, faltered or shirked from such responsibility, but performs them pleasurably and silently. Danu is not a trumpeter unto himself, unlike others of his ilk.

Except those who have been privileged to come in personal contact with Nasiru Haladu Danu who are now attesting to his goodness and a heart of gold, he prefers obscurity to a fault. So, people and communities singing praises of Danu today are inured into the action because he has affected their lives in an unforgettable manner.

Through the Nasiru Haladu Danu Medical Mission Foundation, a subsidiary of the umbrella Nasiru Haladu Danu Foundation, the top-notch APC chieftain in Nigeria, executed days of free medical treatment to people in Dutse, the Jigawa state capital. He brought a Medical Team into Dutse, also comprising the NHD Foundation’s partners from the United States of America.

A mind-blowing over 5,000 beneficiaries were offered free Medicare to kick-start the programme. As an advocate of fairness and equity, the over 5, 000 beneficiaries were randomly selected from the constituent communities in Dutse Emirate and treated of different dimensions of medical afflictions. These comprised men, women and children from all the communities.

An excited Emir of Dutse, HRH, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammed Nuhu Sanusi, who personally supervised the designated points of the free medical treatment by the American Specialists through NHD Foundation was visibly impressed. In appreciation, the Emir presented an Award of Excellence to the “Dan Amana Dutse,” Alhaji Nasiru for the wonderful generosity.

Nasiru Haladu Danu is seriously working on expanding the tentacles of the operations of NHD Foundation to cover education, skills acquisition and other areas. But what is most strikingly or touchily emotional is Danu’s personal convictions and philosophy about positively affecting lives.

He voiced out endearingly at the Dutse free Medicare outreach of his Foundation that; “Some of us have big ambitions and big dreams; while some just dream of making it through the day. But in all this, one hope we all share is the joy to live a healthy life. This is why we have decided to better organize our outreach and build awareness… We have decided to pick up the challenge and help in whatever way we can, especially in the healthcare and educational sectors. This is a vision we must achieve together. The government cannot do it alone. Neither can I. We all have to join in.”

Through these words, it’s easy to feel the milk of human sympathy for others and the milk of human kindness overflowing the banks of the river in Nasiru Haladu Danu. These are dispositions and actions which unite people and the world.

But the big bang of the Nasiru Haladu Danu Foundation is its invasion of the entertainment industry in the North by assisting upcoming talented artists to find their feet. Francis Bacon once said; “Charity begins at home, but should not end there.” Therefore, NHD Foundation is beginning to cover entire Northern Nigeria in philanthropic gestures, from where it will definitely extend to the Southern part of the country.

And outstandingly keeping with the momentum, Nasiru Haladu Danu assembled upcoming artists in the entertainment industry from the North to Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, where he generously doled out various sums of money and also, donated new laptop computers and mobile studios. It was an elaborate event to blissfully herald these artistes into the New Year branded; “The Year 2022 Night of Recognition and Empowerment of the Entertainment Community.”

It was a basketful of positive testimonies on Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu from both the benefitting artists and guests at the occasion. Minister of State For Labour and Productivity, Barr. Festus Keyamo, SAN exclaimed; “ Danu is a die-hard lover of the entertainment industry. Before trying to organise his philanthropic activities into something this formal, he has done far more than this.”

But it was the words of the chief host, Nasiru Haladu Danu himself that exposed his rare foresightedness; One thing is that we have created a huge economy. Each person can produce music from anywhere. You don’t have to be in a studio. You can produce anywhere – your hotel. So, this is a way of giving back.” Also, when COVID-19 struck and imposed varying levels of hardships on the people, NHD Foundation midwifed a loan running into billions of naira which are distributed to the people.

Nigeria is replete with wealthy and influential men and women like Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu. If only, such privileged Nigerians imbibe the spirit and mindset of the Danus and the Abiola’s and a few others in philanthropic engagements with the people, more communities will saunter out in celebrative sangeets.