Embrace the Culture of Giving, Nentawe Urges Nigerian Leaders By Raymond Enoch
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, has called on Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to touch the lives of the less privileged.
Yilwatda made the call on Saturday in Jalingo, Taraba State, while marking his 58th birthday anniversary with a medical and surgical outreach for thousands of residents across the state.
The celebration, held at the Multipurpose Conference Hall of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, was marked by the commissioning of landmark projects at the medical centre and the presentation of the outreach as a practical demonstration of service to humanity.
The APC chairman said his decision to celebrate his birthday in Taraba was deliberate, explaining that it was informed by the needs of underserved communities, particularly people who face difficulties accessing quality healthcare because of distance and financial constraints.
According to him, the medical and surgical intervention was preceded by a needs assessment and extended across the three senatorial districts of the state.
The exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
He said the intervention provided medical services to thousands of beneficiaries, including hundreds who required surgical procedures.
Yilwatda said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions placed Nigerians at the centre of development.
“Leadership is about service,” he said, urging political and public leaders to make giving back to society an important part of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving Nigeria and its people, saying his personal vision was to make every day of his life useful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, commended the APC National Chairman for choosing Taraba as the venue for his birthday celebration and for using the occasion to provide healthcare services to residents.
Kefas described the medical and surgical outreach as a timely intervention, expressing appreciation for the quality of healthcare support provided to people across the state.
He said the initiative demonstrated the importance of partnerships and interventions that directly improve the welfare of citizens.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also expressed satisfaction with Yilwatda’s decision to mark his birthday in the North-East, particularly in Taraba State.
Pate praised the APC chairman for making healthcare the centrepiece of his birthday celebration, stressing that health remained one of the most important areas through which Nigerians could be brought together.
He described the health sector as a critical foundation for national development, noting that healthy people were central to the progress of any society.
The minister expressed appreciation to the Taraba State Government, the National Assembly and the people of the state for embracing the intervention.
The host of the celebration, Dr. Aisha Adamu Mohammed, said the choice of FMC Jalingo reflected a deepening commitment to medical excellence and service to humanity.
She said the intervention and projects were significant additions to efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in Taraba State.
The high point of the celebration was the cutting of the birthday cake, alongside the commissioning of landmark projects at FMC Jalingo.
The activities underscored the central message of the celebration: that leadership should go beyond positions and titles to delivering tangible benefits to the people.
For Yilwatda, his 58th birthday was therefore less about celebration and more about giving, service and leaving a positive impact on humanity.
