TY. Danjuma’s Misplaced Priorities and the Politics of Imposition In Taraba State
By Rebecca John Maiyaki
Early this week, some news outlets and platforms reported that Nigerian billionaire and oil magnate, General TY. Danjuma retired has donated a medical facility to Enugu State residents. Field with the state of the art facilities, the medical center would be run mostly by female medical professionals.
Danjuma, a former warlord and retired general turned politician who hailed from Taraba State explained that Goodwill Medical Center is built to service mostly the rural poor in Enugu State. The centre provides Maternal and Child Health, General Healthcare, Lab, Eye Health, Prevention and Treatment of Communicable Diseases, and General Surgical and Accident and Emergency Services.
This is not the first time the former Chief of Army Staff and one time Minister of Defense who owns South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO), a Nigerian oil exploration and production company founded in 1995 was funding multi billion Naira infrastructure in other parts of Nigeria to the detriment of his mother state, Taraba.
The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria benefited from a N2.3 billion life line from Lt. General Theophilus Y. Danjuma. He endowed the amount which he said should be used to upgrade the university’s science faculty after he was conferred with a honorary degree of the institution during a special convocation in 2013.
In 2024, TY Danjuma donated a multi million naira Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FCSIT) to Bayero University Kano. The edifice, worth N253million, was commissioned by the retired General at the university’s new campus, in Kano.
Also, Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma, has donated a total of $1,363,108.43 to the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI), the highest individual donation so far to build a hostel block for students.
The donation made through the T.Y. Danjuma Foundation was in response to an earlier request by the college towards the realisation of the student hostel building project, and it will be used to build Block D of the student’s hostel.
In 2020, a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO), Victims Support Fund (VSF), disbursed food and medical supplies to vulnerable groups across Nigeria.
The Chairperson of its COVID-19 Taskforce, Toyosi Ogunsiji, handed over some of the items to the National Council for Women Society (NCWS)in Abuja, saying the intervention cost the VSF about N1 billion from General TY. Danjuma.
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Ms Ogunsiji said the items will be distributed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and seven other states in the North West and North Central regions. The states are Kano, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau and Benue.
These are only few among the numerous interventions by the elder statesman in some parts of Nigeria while his home state, Taraba is crying such interventions.
Even though, Lieutenant General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma has done a little in some areas in the state, that doesn’t mean it’s so enough. His foundation, TY. Danjuma Foundation is providing grants to some NGOs in the state to execute some projects. However, the projects are minor compare to magnitude projects in other parts of the country.
Some of his interventions include the Rufkatu Danjuma Maternity Clinic in Takum, donation of 49 million Naira to Kwararrafa University in 2012 and another 80 million Naira to Taraba State University in 2017.
Many are with a view that In Taraba the rights of individuals are breached by not allowing democratic space to blossom. Manipulation thrives in Taraba because it belongs to an individual, referring to TY Danjuma.
In the realm of Taraba State politics, one name has been synonymous with power and influence: General TY Danjuma. Over the years, his presence has been deeply entrenched in the state’s political landscape, with many believing that no one could ascend to key positions without his approval.
The emergence of Doctor Agbu Kefas as the governor of Taraba State is a continuation of Danjuma’s dominance in Taraba State politics. He was the one who sponsored and saw the emergence of farmer governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku. He also tried in the past but failed to ensure that Mr. Obadiah Ando became governor.
Some political observers believed that the cross carpeting of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha from People’s Democratic Party PDP to All Progressive Congress APC and his aspiration to contest the governorship election under his new party was the hand work of TY. Danjuma. It was a calculated attempt to maintain the governorship seat in the southern zone of the state.
For the sake of Taraba’s future and the advancement of democracy, it is high time that General TY Danjuma steps back from interfering in politics and allows the state to flourish under a more inclusive and accountable leadership. Only then can Taraba truly experience the democracy it rightfully deserves.
Also, the general should add more interventions and donations to his mother state for it socio-economic and polictal advancement instead of spending much to other parts of the country.
Rebecca is a development communication expert and Chief Strategist at Initiative for Good Governance in Makurdi, Benuea State. [email protected]
