To mark its Founder’s Day, El-Amin University, has donated food items to leprosy patients at the Minna leprosarium.
Acting vice-chancellor of the university, Dr. Emmanuel Zwanbin, said the items included bags of rice and cartons of noodles.
He said it was done in honour of the memory of former first lady of Nigeria, Hajiya Maryam Babangida, who founded the institution and was known to be a caregiver and lover of women and the less privileged.
“We are here to bring to life the memories of our late mother, Hajiya Maryam Babangida and mark the day we began our university. Late Maryam lived her life for humanity, and we want to use this visit to leprosy patients as a representation of what she has done for the world.
“In 1990, she was here at the centre and there had never been a visit like that at the leprosy centre until we came again today. So, we want to keep doing this to remember her brothers and sisters who are going through leprosy, who have been neglected and stigmatized to draw attention of the government and the world that we have a constituency that must be catered for,” he said.
He said the leprosy patients were in need of mental, emotional as well as material support like clothing, food and housing.
He said El-Amin University wanted to champion this call by pushing a lot of advocacy about their needs and partner the Leprosy Mission Nigeria in terms of social and scientific research to see how their welfare can be improved including creating awareness about leprosy so that people can be attended to early before their bodies deform.
Dr. Zwanbin also said special Muslim and Christian prayers would be held at the Minna Central Mosque and Cathedral of the Anglican Church, Kateren-Gwari, Minna adding that a memorial lecture which chronicles the life of the former first lady and her activities would also take place.
The community relations officer of TLMN, Habila Daniel Diko, who received the donation, said leprosy victims were the most stigmatised people living with disabilities, and called for sensitisation while thanking the university for the gesture.
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