Speakership not achievement for me - Dogara

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara has said he is not excited about his current position, but by the degrees of impacts, he has made on the lives of people, especially the less privileged in the society.


The Speaker also said  Nigeria would be a prosperous country if all hands agreed to be on deck to work for its greatness.

Dogara made the remarks while reflecting on his sojourn on earth in the last 50 years after donating food items, beverages, clothings, mattresses and toiletries to two orphanages: Treasure Orphanage and Abuja Children Home in Abuja, yesterday, as part of activities to mark his 50th birthday.

He said his greatest achievement would be summed up in his ability to better the lots of most citizens of the country.

He said: “For me, it is not so special as I thought, because all the time, I was determined that I am not going to celebrate any birthdays, until I am 50. So, whether it is special or not, it is very special to me. What I am taking stock of actually, is how I have invested this 50 years that God has given to me. It is not the kind of positions that I have occupied. A lot of people will say oh, it is because you are the Speaker; they call you the Number 4 person in Nigeria and so, you have achieved a lot. To me, that’s not an achievement.

“I am measuring my life by the impact that those 50 years have brought to bear on the lives of others and I have seen it myself and so many people have been able to tell me how I have impacted on their lives these 50 years.”

So, it is a special moment for me. And as I mark 50, my next journey in life is to be able to reassess where I have not done very well so that I can strengthen those areas and strengthen my resolve to serve humanity better.

“For me, Nigeria is a great country. It will be greater and that’s if all of us do our work. The problem we have now is that virtually everyone looks up to government. Every Nigerian must go to work and if Nigerians go to work and do the right work, I can assure you that in the next 50 years, this nation will be a cesspool of prosperity for all the citizens of this country. Everything we run abroad for, we will have them in this country if all of us make collective effort not just people in government.”

Earlier at the Treasure Orphanage, Dogara who was accompanied by the member of his immediate family, his deputy, Mr Yesuf Lasun, the Senator representing Federal Capital Territory, Philip Ajuda and a host of other federal lawmakers from the House encouraged the children not to be deterred by their present condition.

He advised them to imbibe the culture of discipline, praying that God will enable them fulfil their destiny in life.

Also at his visit to Abuja Children Home, where he also made some donations, Dogara enjoined the children to be focused and prayerful.

He said that to visit was not a show but a call of duty.