Sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions and responsible leadership placed the welfare of citizens at the centre of governance
By Moses Okorie
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, has urged Nigerian leaders to embrace the culture of giving and use their positions to improve the lives of the less privileged.
Yilwatda made the call on Saturday in Jalingo, Taraba State, while marking his 58th birthday with a medical and surgical outreach that benefited thousands of residents across the state.
The celebration, held at the Multipurpose Conference Hall of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, also featured the commissioning of projects at the medical centre.
Yilwatda said he deliberately chose Taraba as the venue for his birthday celebration because of the healthcare needs of underserved communities, particularly residents who face financial and geographical barriers to accessing quality medical services.
According to him, the medical intervention was preceded by a needs assessment and extended to communities across the three senatorial districts of the state.
The exercise commenced on August 3 at Takum General Hospital and subsequently covered the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Wukari; First Referral Hospital, Sunkani, in Ardo-Kola Local Government Area; General Hospital, Bali; General Hospital, Gembu; and FMC Jalingo.
He said thousands of people benefited from the outreach, including hundreds who underwent various surgical procedures.
The APC chairman said sustainable national development could only be achieved when strong institutions and responsible leadership placed the welfare of citizens at the centre of governance.
“Leadership is about service,” Yilwatda said, urging political and public office holders to make giving back to society an important component of their responsibilities.
He reaffirmed his commitment to serving the country, saying his personal aspiration was to make every day of his life meaningful to humanity.
“Every day that I live, the vision is: let it be useful to humanity,” he said.
Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, commended the APC chairman for choosing the state as the venue for his birthday celebration and for using the occasion to provide medical services to residents.
Kefas described the outreach as a timely intervention, expressing appreciation for the healthcare services provided to beneficiaries across the state.
He said the initiative demonstrated the value of partnerships between individuals, institutions and government in addressing the needs of citizens and improving their welfare.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also commended Yilwatda for choosing to celebrate his birthday in the North-East, particularly in Taraba.
Pate praised the APC chairman for making healthcare the focus of his birthday activities, describing health as a critical area through which people could be brought together and national development promoted.
He stressed that a healthy population remained fundamental to the progress and prosperity of any society.
The minister also appreciated the Taraba State Government, members of the National Assembly and residents of the state for supporting and embracing the intervention.
The host of the event, Dr Aisha Adamu Mohammed, said the choice of FMC Jalingo for the celebration reflected a commitment to medical excellence and service to humanity.
She noted that the outreach and commissioned projects would contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in Taraba State.
The event culminated in the cutting of the birthday cake and the commissioning of landmark projects at FMC Jalingo.
The activities reinforced the central message behind Yilwatda’s celebration—that leadership should extend beyond occupying political positions to delivering tangible benefits to the people.
For the APC national chairman, his 58th birthday was therefore marked not merely as a personal milestone, but as an opportunity to give back to society, serve humanity and leave a positive impact on the lives of others.