DR. OTIVE IGBUZOR AT THE NIGERIAN PHILANTHROPY FORUM

ADDRESS BY MODERATOR, DR. OTIVE IGBUZOR AT THE NIGERIAN PHILANTHROPY FORUM ORGANISED BY T Y DANJUMA FOUNDATION FROM 2ND -3RD DECEMBER, 2010 AT THE TRANSCORP HILTON HOTEL, ABUJA, NIGERIA.

All Protocols I consider it a great honour to be given the opportunity to moderate this Nigerian Philanthropy Forum which is unique in many respects. First and foremost, this is the first time that a forum is being organized in Nigeria to reflect on the emergence of philanthropy, learn from international experiences and strategise for a model of philanthropy that will affect the development trajectory of Nigeria. Secondly, the programme is structured with people that can make it happen in Nigeria.

Thirdly, this programme is being organized in a period of our history where new political leaders will be elected in the next few months.To say that Nigeria is faced with a lot of development challenges is to say the obvious. The challenges include among other things poor leadership; bad followership; poor strategy for development; lack of capable and effective state and bureaucracy; lack of focus on sectors that will improve the condition of living of citizens such as education, health, agriculture and the building of infrastructure; corruption; undeveloped, irresponsible and parasitic private sector; weak civil society; emasculated labour and student movement and poor execution of policies and programmes. Meanwhile, what is to be done to change the development trajectory and transform the country is known. What is lacking is the will, strategy and execution capacity to make this happen.There is no doubt that to move the country forward requires the intervention of multiple players including government at all levels, the private sector, civil society and indeed the generality of Nigerians. Philanthropy can play a major role to make this happen. Philanthropy can help to galvanise solutions to the challenges of development in Nigeria and catalyse the movement for social change as well as contribute directly to addressing the social problems confronting our society such as poverty, disease, ignorance, lack of access to information and harmful effects of climate change. Philanthropy can contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as we count down to 2015. The private sector can become more responsible. We can collectively focus more on human capital development, women, youth, infrastructure and the vulnerable in society.Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, let me point out that one does not need to be opulently rich to engage in philanthropy. Four years ago, my wife and I established the Ejiro & Otive Igbuzor Foundation(www.igbuzorfoundation.org) to among other things give micro credit loans; set up a resource centre in the village; give scholarship to 15 primary school pupils every year and extend a hand of fellowship to poor and old widows every Christmas. We spend less than one million naira every year but we are able to touch the lives of 18 people (for microcredit); 45 primary school pupils; 50 widows and resource centre accessible to a lot of students and researchers. I wish to use this opportunity to call on Nigerians to engage more in philanthropy. In this opening session, we will hear from the Executive Director of the TY Danjuma Foundation, Ms. Thelma Ekiyor; the Chairman/Founder of the T Y Danjuma Foundation, Gen. T. Y. Danjuma (Rtd), the key note speaker, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), GCFR, former Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Special Guest of Honour, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Thereafter, we will listen to a panel of Philanthropists from different parts of the world on why they give.This Forum has a great potential to serve as a catalytic force for the development of Nigeria. I enjoin all of us to be frank in our discussion as we chart a course for Philanthropy and indeed for the development and transformation of our country.Thank you for your kind attention.