HON. MOHAMMED INUWA BASSI: ADAMAWA’S NEW FACE OF PHILANTHROPY By Sahid Umar

Nigeria’s recent dwindling economic fortunes have dovetailed into pervasive hardships and massive suffering of the people. With cash flow problems and rising costs of consumable items, the situation is becoming unbearable for most citizens. This unsavory development has seriously affected philanthropic activities in the country, thus imposing more hardship and suffering on the people.
In Adamawa State, however, a new face of philanthropy has surfaced despite the economic downturn. He emerged from amongst the over three million citizens of the state. This distinguished, detribalized and ever helpful gentleman is none other than Honourable Mohammed Inuwa Bassi whose personal philosophy is to ensure the greatest happiness to the largest number of his compatriots.
Hon. Bassi’s exemplary life radiates in a nation where opportunities and doors of hope are shut against most citizens leaving them with no other option than to hustle and look everywhere for survival. His name does not ring bell and open doors only in Adamawa, his home state, but has extended to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, where his humanitarian activities have received resounding acknowledgement and commendation.
It is significant to stress that, quite early in life, young Bassi took responsibility for the destiny of his nuclear and extended families and gave everything he had to ensure their sustenance. The zeal and commitment to serve family and friends later compelled him to deploy tact and skill to seize and utilize available opportunities to win the battle against poverty. His success in this regard became the compelling force to extend his generosity and become a man of the people (apology to Prof. Chinua Achebe).
In Nigeria, we have great philanthropists who ply their trade and make names for themselves. However, only a few have attained the status of Bashorun M. K. O. Abiola of blessed memory. Late Bashorun Abiola took his philanthropy to all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria and was recognized, applauded and rewarded with numerous chieftaincy titles and myriads of honorary doctorate degrees. For instance, he was Bashorun of Ibadan, Aare Onakankanfo of Yorubaland and Balogun of Ojoo. Today, his humanitarian activities are his most enduring legacies quite apart from his aborted 1993 presidency when his election was annulled by the military administration. Hon. Bassi is of humble means but he has taken giant philanthropic strides to emulate late Bashorun M. K.O. Abiola.
Adamawa State, there’s no doubt, has more politically powerful and more economically endowed people who tread the humanitarian path, pay their dues and maintain strings of friends and well-wishers. However, the people they amass collectively in their residences on daily basis are not comparable with those who flock to Hon. Mohammed Bassi’s house daily in terms of demographics. Elsewhere, Hon. Bassi would have turned his benefactors or his philanthropy into a goldmine to derive huge gains from it. But the humble gentleman has refused to become a political merchant, trading his generosity for economic benefits. This is gleaned from his mien and overt disposition which is detached from this demeaning line of thought and reflected in his refusal to condescend so low. The higher ideals of promoting brotherhood and exalting humanity seem to be his ultimate goal.
On Thursday, October 28th, 2021, when preparations were in top gear for holding the PDP National Convention, a journalist friend accompanied me to Hon. Bassi’s house, Off Atiku Abubakar Road, in Jimeta-Yola, at around 1.00 in the afternoon. Unfortunately, we didn’t meet him as he travelled to Abuja. However, my friend saw a large crowd in his house and asked me why such a large group was in the house when the head of the house was not around? He also inquired whether the gathering was for political or business meeting? As a visitor, he was baffled by the crowd and did not understand why it was in the house.
I told him that what he saw was normal as people daily troop to Hon. Bassi’s house to relax and discuss issues of interest, whether he was in or not. So, it wasn’t surprising that we met such a large crowd in the house in his absence.
My friend was quick to respond that if he was Hon. Bassi, he would turn the huge gathering into business; a money-making venture and become a multi-millionaire. He said he would become a political prostitute and trade with the people, selling them to one political party or the other. I told him Hon. Bassis is made of a sterner stuff; he is a different person and would not contemplate any such idea or action.
Meanwhile, Hon. Bassi continues to do what he knows best; rendering service to humanity without let or hindrance. Such action needs to be reciprocated by our political leaders. A distinguished personality and a man of the people like him shouldn’t be kept at arm’s length; he should be brought closer and embraced due to his huge electoral value.
I rest my case.