Ibadan-born Phillantropist, Dotun Sanusi Narrates Experience; Causes Of Nigeria’s Retrogression

The Chief Executive Officer of Ilaji Hotel and Sports Resort Centre, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Chief( Dr) Engr. Dotun Sanusi has granted the press an interview talking about his humble beginning and the motives behind his generosity to humanity

Talking about his beginning, he said, at the church he attended, everybody contributed in one way or the other to ensure he was enrolled in a school at Elekuro, “we went to John Wesley Primary School and Wesley College. People contributed little money to be able to raise us and I too was able to move around and sweat in order to give back to society.

“I believe that I need a place for historical records, among all the thirty three local governments which one is to look backward. If you want to give back, give to where you are not expecting returns in terms of money. On that basis, the Agbekoya came to mind, I find out that here, I have history I was looking for”.

“And in terms of rating Oluyole local government, we have something we can showcase in terms of IGR to local government. The IGR was low and one way or the other, when I looked at the history, I find out that the cause is fighting for injustice of imposing unlawful act on farmers. That’s one of the things that made them not to enjoy the benefit of the government, so it drove me to conclusion that I have to go there and see”.

“All I want the federal government to do is that you people really need to reason with one another. Leadership, mentorship should be a thing that we should not be biased, when there is a situation where by we have a lot of groups put together and we have only one leader and there is division, people are not believing that you are honest in everything that you do”.

“I want a situation whereby this country will run on merit, if we are together as Nigeria, it is sad to see that a desert turned to where everybody will pack their family to go and relax there. And here that we have all the resources, nothing is going on. If I were here, I see everywhere here in Nigeria, I see resources, opportunity everywhere, Nigeria will have brilliant people. Then if we are not selfish, we will be a better society”.

“Let assume I have two brothers, I have two daughters then myself, let say we want to feed, we cannot spend more than two or three thousand naira. Why should I now have something that’s above three thousand naira why others are there hungry and I will now be telling them that am praying for them. It is madness. I found out that we are not in reality in Nigeria. We are so tribalistic, being so consumed by religion and we are not honest. So if we are honest to ourselves we will love to talk about thing that are not going well. But in the country Nigeria it is not possible. Which of the system of government are we even using? Is it parliamentary, is it Federalism, in a country where we just copy and copy and copy”.

“I have stayed in China for some times and I checked into the grass root and I find out the democracy in China different from the one they are using in American. They merged their culture with their own democracy and is what makes it work. You cannot take their culture from them, UAE too, you cannot take their culture from them. But here we have sold everything out”.

“First, the faith we are talking about is good. I believe in God, I am a Christian but I have a Muslim background. But I am a realist. I believe that what God will use to judge everyone is your passion for humanity. What is the essence of me if I don’t love my fellow human being. It’s madness. So if I love my fellow human being, how far people around me are happy, it is not about my giant building that I am able to show off to people but my mom started a building at the back of Ibadan grammar school in 1972 and she was still on that building till she died in 2008. All the children, we have left. I don’t think anyone of us since my mum left has gone to that place”, Sanusi ended.