Although Major Alhamdu’s philanthropic gestures can be traced back to his military days, but he became more prominent and committed after retirement. His sojourn at Abuja, Kaduna metropolis and the railway town of Kafanchan, Kaduna State had afforded him the opportunity to touch lives of many citizens through peace-building and empowerment.
Through his Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Put a Smile, Alhamdu and team are silently and steadily putting a smile on the faces of many residents of Zaria.
Findings by Daily Trust revealed that the strongest attribute of Alhamdu’s philanthropy is its non-discriminatory nature. Interviews revealed that, both Muslims, Christians and residents from different ethnic background benefit from Alhamdu’s philanthropy.
Alhamdu’s training school in GRA, Zaria is presently training about 1,030 youths on different vocations. This is aside the thousands that have graduated since his relocation to Zaria.
Going memory lane, Alhamdu said his former boss, late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, mentored him to become a philanthropist.
“My stay with General Abacha taught me many good things, especially how to be one’s brothers’ keeper. Many things were said about Abacha, because he is not alive. He was such a complete human being and patriotic citizen.
“I am a Christian and he is a Muslim, but that did not stop him from mentoring and trusting me. The guiding principle of General Abacha was merit. He loves unity and building people. I learnt philanthropy from him. You will know that General Abacha was a detribalised Nigerian by identifying his best friends; one of whom is General Jeremiah Useini, a Christian.”
He said after the death of Abacha, he served at different Army formations, but the training he attended in different countries like Israel, Libya, France and Canada on civil- military cooperation and counter terrorism opened his heart to the importance of relating peacefully with fellow human beings.
He recalled that his first major philanthropic activities started when he was posted to the Nigerian Army School of Education, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Alhamdu said he used the civil-military cooperation initiative to bring harmonious coexistence between soldiers and civilian residents of Ilorin who were hitherto at loggerhead over alleged harassment of residents by soldiers.
That achievement, he said, attracted accolades for him from different quarters. It is from there that Alhamdu saw wisdom in “assisting fellow human beings.”
While in the military, Alhamdu made his major breakthrough in philanthropy at 9th Brigade, Ikeja, Lagos.
He explains: “When I was posted there, I met the place in critical condition, because it was at that period the Brigade experienced bomb blast that caused serious damage. I was posted there in 2001 as Chief Education Officer. By virtue of my duties to see to the day-to-day running of the schools in the Brigade, I had to reactivate the civil-military cooperation, which I felt was the best way to breach communication gap between the law enforcement agencies and the civil societies.
“Through the initiative, Pastor Sam Adeyimi’s Church rebuilt all the schools in Ikeja cantonment destroyed by the bomb blast. They spent over N1 billion. I am happy with that till today, because the assistance was a child of my stride.”
To touch lives, Alhamdu also engaged in sports talent hunt where he brought J. J. Austin Okocha to the Ikeja barracks. Many young people, according to him, got opportunity to move abroad and played for various clubs.
Similarly, through his interventions, the sports complex in Ikeja cantonment was completely rehabilitated by one Alhaj Kyari Idris after the complex was abandoned for years as a result of the bomb blast of 2001.
With the military experiences, Alhamdu fully settled for peace-building after retirement. He set up a security outfit called Lion Heart Guards at Kafanchan, Kaduna state. This is to continue doing what he knows how to do best.
Alhamdu’s activities became instrumental during post 2011 election violence that erupted in Southern Kaduna, where Kafanchan is.
He used the components of peace-building and crisis management of the civil-military cooperation to bring back peace in the Kafanchan area. Because of those efforts, he was made the chairman of peace and reconciliation committee by the Emir of Jama’a.
“We were able to breach the gaps that divided the communities where Muslims and Christians can visit each other’s settlement unlike what was in place before my intervention. To achieve that, I took many measures that included meeting the different leaders, organising football competitions and engaged in youth empowerment.
“Some of the youths we trained, later became the peace vanguards where they were guarding markets and other public properties in the area. We also employed them as guards, among other jobs we created for them. We also trained and employed widows.”
These initiatives, according to Alhamdu, brought peace to Kafanchan to the extent that a final match of a football competition was peacefully played in the Kafanchan township stadium without any security personnel.
He said: “In fact, we achieved peace in the areas to the extent that Muslims were guarding Christians during their service in the Church and Christians guarding Muslims during Juma’at prayers. This made the emir to give me an award.
“I also bought handsets and shared to youth leaders and the idea was to stop rumour mongering. Our office became a peace centre, as people stopped visiting the police. We settled quarrels and other forms of misunderstanding in our office. This brought about lasting peace until I left the area to participate in the security department of APC campaign of 2014/2015.”
The joyful mood of some youths that were smartly dressed in Lion Guards Uniform was infectious. They are part of those trained by the Alhamdu’s Put a Smile NGO and were employed to run a barber’s shop at PZ, Zaria.
The practice at Put a Smile is, irrespective of vocation learnt, all trainees undergo security training, hence always appear in security uniform for their various jobs. It is an idea borrowed from the military where artisans-personnel wear military uniform to do carpentry, plumbing and other similar works.
The young barbers were obviously enjoying their duties, hence receiving visitors with full excitement.
Alhamdu said the liberality of the ancient city of Zaria attracted him to the old town to continue with his philanthropic activities.
He added: “I briefly stayed in Abuja and Kaduna, before I finally settled in Zaria. I discovered that Zaria is the most peaceful and united town in Nigeria of today. Go to Jos, Kaduna and other places, you will find that they are all divided.
“In Zaria, I continued with my peace and empowerment activities. Through these initiatives, we were able to train thousands of youths. After training, we employ them as guards, cleaners, barbers, plumbers, carpenters et cetera. We train them with the little resources that we have. Some good Samaritans also assist us, but we don’t get fund from any local or international body. Sometimes, I have to use my pensions to finance my empowerment programmes.”
Aside training and providing jobs for the youths, Put a Smile also provides clothes and feeding for the less-privileged, especially during Ramadan.”
He said: “Leaders should know that the youths are like weapons. If we use them well, they protect and assist in developing our societies. During our own time, our parents did not allow us to go astray, so, we must do everything within our powers not to allow our youths to go astray. This is the time for all and sundry, especially those that God blessed, to come and assist organisations like ours.
After serving the nation through the Nigerian Army for about 24 years, from 5th May, 1986 to October 2010, Major Alhamdu is now serving humanity through his NGO, a development described by Engineer Aliyu Sani, a Zaria resident, “as divine blessing that God showers His selected servants.”
