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Philanthropy: Kadpoly Board chairman deserves award

I decided to write this article on behalf of parents, staff, people of Kaduna state and students of Kaduna Polytechnic on the compassionate gesture made by the Kaduna Polytechnic Governing Council Chairman, Dr. Oluwakemi Pinheiro OFR, SAN, LLD, FCIArb, FloD. The chairman donated his allowances to be utilized as scholarship for indigent students of Kaduna Polytechnic. This philanthropic gesture is in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the education sector.

In a letter dated September 9, 2024 and addressed to the Rector, Kaduna Polytechnic, the Governing Council chairman stated that his allowances should be utilised for the payment of admission fees, support and pay tuition fees for any indigent student in his name, adding that evidence of these payments should be forwarded to his office for record purpose..

This kind of largesse only comes from an anointed one, a humanist, nationalist, a purposive and incorruptible patriot, who holds the country and its people close to his heart. Evidently, this kind gesture will set a progressive path for staff and students of Kaduna Polytechnic. While it is good to say thank you for kindness exhibited, it is also necessary to appreciate and pray for the benefactor in order to encourage others. Thus, I say thank you Dr. Oluwakemi Pinheiro (o ṣeun sir)

Pinheiro’s gesture resonates with that the American philosopher, Peter Singer, who said, “If you saw a child drowning in a pond, you would jump in to save them. No second thoughts, no concern for ruining your fancy clothes (or, nowadays, your phone). This scenario may seem unlikely to occur in real life, we actually encounter it daily. Implicitly, we constantly choose between spending money on material, often unnecessary, things like fancy clothing, or donating it to save people, especially children, from dying of preventable causes. They may not be drowning right in front of us, but the result is the same, and we have a duty to pull them out of the water. To face that moral obligation, we all should give at least 10% of our income to life-saving charities instead of spending nearly all of it on ourselves.” But since God loves Nigeria, we have one that has bequeathed everything he earns to save the drowning children of Kaduna Polytechnic. Indeed, Kaduna Polytechnic is blessed.

“Baba rere,” we say thank you for what you have done to the students of northern premier school of Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna legacy. Your compassionate gesture took my mind to the tremendous contributions of Nigeria’s founding fathers hile searching for the best mechanism to unite the people and develop the nation.

Through Dr. Pinheiro I witnessed exemplary leadership aiming at rekindling the hope and vision of Obafémi Jeremiah Oyèníyì Awólówò, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Oyinkansola Abayomi and Olayinka Herbert Macaulay in uniting the nation and uplifting the people of the country through sacrifices for the people to achieve their fundamental right to education. These nationalists helped in shaping and reshaping the future of Nigerians through free and qualitative education to Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion, or region.

As a member of the Kaduna Polytechnic, I heard the staff praying for Dr. Pinheiro and his family. I overheard the supplications of students to God for him. They were calling his name in fervent prayers, and I say amen to all the recitations. I am sure the Lord will descend those fortunes we beseech on to him, as the Hausa proverb says, God answers the prayers of those in happiness.

“The Lord will hide Dr. Pinheiro from the wickedness of all evil. God will continue to illuminate his ways like the shining star above the sky. Forever he will remain a blessed one. Peace will reign in his house, comfort, and progress will surround his office, and light will always shine his way to greater fortunes in life. “Olorun le bukun fun ọ!” (may God bless you!), AMEN”, I heard many praying.

Dr. Penheiro, you are great achiever and a humanist par excellence, an angel descended to the people of Kaduna state to guide and lead the people of Kaduna Polytechnic to the righteous and prosperous path. Undoubtedly, your act is the symbol of Samuel Akintola, the nationalist who worked and sacrificed everything including his life for the nation and people. The scholarship, which is the first step in your administrative responsibility, convinced everyone that you are in Kaduna Polytechnic to build and not to destroy. The people of Kaduna Polytechnic are sure that you and the rector, Dr. Sulaiman Umar, will synergise to take Kaduna Polytechnic to greater heights.

Dr. Pinheiro is a legal practitioner, peace advocate and human rights defender. He owns Pinheiro and Company, an entity of the Pinheiro legal firm. He began his legal career in 1987, He is affiliated to many legal professional bodies and has delivered many papers to combat corruption and steer Nigeria the path of prosperity. Pinheiro is a prosecutor for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He has acted as sole arbitrator and lead counsel to various panels. In further recognition of his outstanding contributions to legal practice in Nigeria and to humanity generally, Pinheiro was in 2023 conferred with the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).

This writer recommends that the Kaduna Polytechnic, the Students Union Government (SUG) of Kaduna Polytechnic and the Kaduna state government should celebrate this humanist, Pinheiro. The Zazzau Emirate Council should confer on him a traditional title. Pinheiro deserves accolades and awards for saving the drowning students of Nigeria who are domiciled in Kaduna Polytechnic. The gesture of Pinheiro will forever continue to make impact on Kaduna state, Northern Nigeria and the country at large.

May you live long for the betterment of Nigeria and Nigerians, as you progress in life may the Lord keep his guards around you and lift you to the zenith. Amen. A dara fun ẹ́ tabi ìré ó! (sest wishes Sir!)

Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, lecturer of Mass Communication, Kadpoly, writes via [email protected]