TheCable

Since he ascended the third highest office in Nigeria, Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki has been the anchor of Nigeria’s Democratic ship and has used the senate as vehicle to drive social and economic change in Nigeria even in the face of the vehement hostility against him by members of the Executive and even within the senate chambers who were displeased with his assumption of office.

However, Bukola Saraki did not renege on his primary duty as a Senate President and continued to discharge his duties with a sense of purpose and efficiency.

Many leaders have not shown a greater sense of emotional intelligence, empathy and responsiveness to the needs of Nigerians like Saraki.

Desolate camps classroom before

Most recently in May, Dr Bukola Saraki visited the IDP camp in Abagana at Makurdi,
he took a tour of the camp, discovering the desolate educational facilities and the poor living and learning conditions available to children in the IDP camp.

Saraki’s keen sense of empathy, is one unique trait which sets him apart from other Nigerian leaders. This has been exemplified in so many other countless gestures like how he paid a personal visit to the national assembly staff that was injured during the mace theft drama, or how he was one of the first sets of people to donate blood to victims of Nyanya bombing in Abuja, in 2014.

Another significant one is how, in 2017, he supported Ali Ahmadu, a young boy from Borno, who could not walk because he was ran over by Boko Haram, and few months later, Ali had been operated abroad and could walk again.

He spent quality time interacting with some of the children on their dreams for the future, and was moved to empathy as usual by their inspiring responses. The Presidential aspirant then pledged N8m of his personal funds for classroom blocks, teachers’ salaries and books for children in the camp.

To further boost the local economy in Abagana, the funds were disbursed to local builders who constructed 2 blocks of 4 classrooms each for the children, thus providing them opportunities for a brighter future through basic education.

Camp classroom after donation by Saraki

The classroom blocks have been successfully completed as seen below, another physical edifice of Saraki’s undying empathy for the Nigerian masses cutting across religious or regional sentiments. His kindness and willingness to reach out to struggling Nigerians is one reputation that will continue to precede him.

Amadi sent this from Port Harcourt