The president of the Dangote Group, Alh Aliko Dangote, has taken over the construction of a 250- bed hostel project of the Ilorin Central Jumma’at Mosque in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Dangote has communicated his decision to finance the proposed N1.1 bn ultramodern hostel project at the University of Ilorin to the management of the Mosque.
The 250-bedspace facility, which is the initiative of the Ilorin Central Jumma’at Mosque, upon completion, will generate annual rental income from students, with proceeds dedicated to the maintenance and upkeep of the Mosque.
The secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Mosque, Alh Shehu AbdulGafar disclosed the Dangote’s take- over of the hostel project during a press conference in Ilorin, Kwara State.
He said the committee had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Ilorin on the project.
The Mosque, he said, will own and manage the hostel for 21 years, after which ownership will revert to the University of Ilorin .
AbdulGafar said that, in addition to sponsoring the project, Dangote has also pledged a monthly donation of ₦5m to support the Mosque’s regular maintenance until the hostel project is fully completed, which he has started last month.
He said that Dangote’s gesture, would go a long way in ensuring the sustainability of the Mosque’s operations while also providing modern accommodation for students of the university.
AbdulGafar thanked Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the support of his administration to the Mosque.
He extended similar appreciation to two former governors of the state, Dr Bukola Saraki and Alh Abdufattah Ahmed and all the people that contributed in one way or the other to ensure that the Mosque to remain a befitting place of worship.
He also expressed delight with the commencement of the installation of a multi million naira ultra modern solar-powered mini-grid system at the Mosque facilitated by the Senator representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly, Senator Saliu Mustapha.
He commended Mustapha for his kind gesture and urged other wealthy indigenes of Ilorin to come to the aid of the Mosque.
