OPINION: MOK, A Politician or A Philanthropist? By Abubakar Yinka Daud, ANIPR
My paternal grandmother hails from the Balogun Gambari Compound, located just a stone’s throw away from my family house in the Isale Kannike area of Ilorin. For most of my life, spanning approximately 34 years, I lived in close proximity to these two places before moving to Abuja five years ago for a federal job, I’ve remained attuned to the local happenings in that community.
A few weeks ago, I returned home to celebrate Sallah. As I approached my family house, I noticed a prominent banner that read, “MOK Foundation Membership Registration Centre Here.” Initially, I overlooked it and didn’t think much of it. Later that day, while I was on my way to the Emir’s Palace to visit my cousin, I spotted the same banner again, this time stationed right across from her shop in the bustling area of Isale Ago. This repetition piqued my curiosity, prompting me to ask my cousin what she knew about this MOK figure.
After greeting her, I inquired in a casual Ilorin dialect, “Who is this man? What does he want?” She smiled and called over a woman nearby whom she identified as Iya Wura. With warmth, Iya Wura began to share her insights. “I don’t know him personally,” she began with a prayer, “but I recognize him through his countless contributions. He paid my daughter’s WAEC fees, covered her JAMB registration, provided cash donations for empowerment initiatives in Ajikobi, and even took care of the health bills for your sister’s daughter.” As Iya Wura concluded her remarks, she offered a final prayer for this generous man before returning to her shop.
After she left, the curiosity about MOK overwhelmed me, leading me to conduct a quick online search about him. What I uncovered astonished me. His foundation was involved in a myriad of initiatives, including empowerment programs, solar energy provision, healthcare services, scholarships, and food distribution, among numerous others. The scope of his impact exceeded anything I had imagined.
Once I returned home, I decided to dig even deeper into his contributions. To my surprise, I learned that he had also helped pay for the medical expenses of a close friend who had undergone surgery a few months prior. Eager to find out more, I asked around to see if anyone knew him personally. The unanimous response was that no one had met him face-to-face; instead, they attributed his generosity to his coordinators. Despite not knowing him personally, I joined my community in praying for this remarkable man.
Just yesterday, while scrolling through Facebook, I stumbled upon another post dedicated to him. This one came from Muhammad Kabir, my friend from Kwara North in Kaiama. He expressed his gratitude with the message, “MOK, thank you for always giving us hope. Thank you for always helping us; we won’t forget.” Inspired, I immediately reached out to Kabir via WhatsApp to learn more about MOK. He shared that the man’s intentions seemed to be purely philanthropic, devoid of any political motives. “He has never asked for anything in return,” Kabir emphasized, “He genuinely helps people without any conditions attached. He is a rare philanthropist.”
Abubakar Yinka Daud, ANIPR
National Assembly Complex, Abuja.
