Offor as polio envoy

It was why he gave away a third of that wealth ahead of his death. Think of Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Foundation, and you’ll think of a man with outliving legacies. His thoughts on giving was perhaps fancied by latter-day super-rich, namely Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Ted Turner, Mike […]

It was why he gave away a third of that wealth ahead of his death. Think of Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Foundation, and you’ll think of a man with outliving legacies. His thoughts on giving was perhaps fancied by latter-day super-rich, namely Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Ted Turner, Mike Bloomberg and Warren Buffet, who are all committing fifty percent of their wealth to charity.
The US apart, a recent estimate posted 1.77 billion pounds as the total from “angel givers” in that country. Christopher Hohn, Tom Hunter, Lord Sainsbury, David and Heather Stevens, Peter Cruddas and Anthony D’Affay, amongst some others, lead the pack of givers in the UK, having practically fulfilled or are fulfilling promises that the bulk of their wealth would go the way of charity. Nearer home, South Africa’s Francis Van Niekeuk, Jay Naidoo, Cyril Ramaphosa and Mark Shuttleworth are reputed to be some of the greatest givers. And in Nigeria, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, Mike Adenuga, Jr., Aliko Dangote and Emeka Offor have also caught the giving bug.
The art of giving has not only become entrenched in societies where capitalism, whether pure or prebendal, have been entrenched. Granted that wealth accumulation is a free desire in these systems, only the fittest seem to always survive, and probably triumph over others. Reasons around hard work, luck, and inheritance often account for the disparities, but the thought to give back to the deprived majority eventually features in the consciences of the victorious few. Some holy books prioritise giving. Not many rich givers might have been inspired by these books. Importantly, the rich often times seem wont to giving, instead of leaving or reserving the excesses for their lineages, because of the positive pulls to so do, in the midst of deprivations.
Having just been honoured at a recent ceremony in Abuja as Rotary International’s First Polio Ambassador in Nigeria, Emeka Offor’s identity as a giver of note was somewhat unveiled, ultimately exemplifying one, or two of the motives behind giving. That significantly departed from the old recognition of the man as a kingmaker, who pulled strings behind thrones. It took away, and perhaps permanently, the businessman’s image as a throttle presser that did not mind whose ox was gored.  And gradually, his hot political sides are being overwhelmed by the dimension of the philanthropist.
The businessman had doled out $1million to Rotary’s Polio-Plus Program, in aid of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). That sum was the second of such gesture from him. Petina Dixon-Jenkins reported that, Offor in February 2013 “contributed $250,000 in support of Rotary initiatives to enhance maternal and child health and another $250,000 for education and literacy projects.” Besides, “In October 2012, Offor contributed $250,000 in support of Rotary’s peace and conflict resolution studies. The gift provides support for students from Nigeria and other African countries who attend the Rotary Peace Centre at Chulalongkom University in Bangkok, Thailand. The Centre offers a three month professional development certificate in peace and conflict studies to approximately fifty peace fellows annually”.
Working with US based Books for Africa (BFA), Offor, through his foundation, provided over I million books, computers, and school items to Nigerian and other African countries. His educational empowerment project totalling $14million will eventually become the largest single contribution to schools in Africa. He is also in the fight against glaucoma, where he has established a $100,000 glaucoma research grant at the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Mainz, Germany, and has established a Nigerian fellowship for cataract Surgery and Glaucoma Management.
And at home, Offor has helped women cooperatives to train participants towards economic independence. They are tutored in many money making skills, including palm kernel oil processing for sale, acquisition of tailoring and hairdressing skills and in the management of different small scale businesses. Youths are also being empowered through innovative transportation concerns that include commercial buses and taxis. Micro finance grants and loans have been provided to the youths for motorcycle purchases, while participants are given technical assistance in the area of business management.  Beyond books for educational institutions, Offor he has been “building model schools and classrooms, furnishing them with Internet and other up-to-date equipments”.
The patriarch of the Chrome Group, which spans oil and gas, finance and investments, telecommunications, insurance, maritime destination inspection, real estate and the power sector, said all this was just the beginning; more would come from him.
 Dr Adeniyi wrote from Abuja<[email protected]>;