ADA DIKE |
| Ada Dike (Me) |
Themed: “A Decade of Impact... New
Hopes, Possibilities”, the event held at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko, Hotels
and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, was an exciting one as some MUSON Music
Scholars (Beneficiaries of MTNF Programme) opened the stage by entertaining the
audience with a brilliant performance that illustrated the good works MTNF is
doing to alleviate the suffering of the masses. The plays ended when a parent
invited his family and friends to rejoice with him after one of his children
told him that MTNF has awarded her a scholarship to study in a tertiary
institution.
There was no dull moment as Vintage Band
thrilled the audience with good music, followed by MTN project Fame Season
Winner 7, Geoffrey Oji, who electrified the audience
that was wowed at his performance.
In his welcome address, the Chairman, MTNF,
Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi (OFR), began saying that September 15, is a special date
in the world as it is also a date MTNF is going into a new decade of making
impact in people’s lives.
Explaining the next step, he said: “MTNF
is now going into a new decade that will make us unparalleled.”
He thanked MTNF stakeholders for their
immense support. “We would have never achieved all that we have done without
you.” He expressed gratitude to those who have helped and are still helping to
ensure that they achieved the feats. He thanked the indefatigable foundation
board including the foundation’s immediate Past Chairman, Ambassador, Hamzat Ahmadu, whom he said showed dedication and
leadership. He also thanked the past and present management staff of the
foundation.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman,
MTN Nigeria (MTNN), Dr. Pascal Dozie (CON), said that in the past 10 years,
what MTNF has achieved is overwhelming. Because of MTNF, according to him, “We
really don’t know what MTNN is now. Are we health giving organisation? What
types of services are we giving? All I know is that MTNN together with MTNF
makes greater contribution to the economy. Those of you who are interested in
statistics, if you try and look at the contribution of this organisation to the
growth of domestic product of this country, I am sure you will see that the
company, just one company is making a contribution of about 4 to 5 percent to
the growth of domestic product of this country,” he said.
In terms of taxation he noted that, “Of
all the corporations in this country, we are the sixth largest tax paying
organisation in this country.”
He welcomed the guests to the dinner and
reiterated that MTNF is a very productive Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR). He thanked the former Governor of Lagos, His Excellency, Babatunde Raji
Fashola, for delivering an excellent keynote address and eminent group of
panellists for sharing their thoughts about CSR.
A 155-page voluminous MTNF Commemorative
View Book titled: ‘the Y’ellow Impact’,
was unveiled a couple of minutes after a 20-minute documentary video also
titled ‘the Y’ellow Impact’, was showed. Both the documentary video and the
book showcased interviews and testimonials of some beneficiaries of the schemes
MTNF has been offering Nigerians. The video and the book also summarised the
brief history of the good works MTNF has done by providing conducive
environment for students in schools across Nigeria, free eye care for thousands
of Nigerians, respite to a family whose son got burnt in an inferno,
scholarship to students at the Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON), providing academic scholarships yearly to students on full-time
studies in accredited tertiary institutions across the six geo-political
zones in Nigeria and low cost housing Estate in Karu, Nassarawa
State, among others. In the documentary and the book, some beneficiaries
of the MTNF spoke with excitement and shared what the foundation did for them.
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