Segun James
Over 600 residents of Lagos Island Local Government Area will become shareholders in the Dangote Refinery courtesy of the initiative by a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC), Mr. Biodun Coker.
The initiative tagged “ From APC Membership To Dangote Refinery Share Ownership” will see the beneficiaries from the political wards and groups across the council benefiting between 10 and 20 shares individually.
While addressing the beneficiaries on Lagos Island, Mr. Coker said that the idea was a clear departure from the regular distribution of items and food stuffs inform of empowerment to members of the party and residents at large.
According to him, the inspiration to purchase Dangote Refinery shares for the beneficiaries was to ensure financial literacy and something that will last them for years.
He disclosed that he was happy to have heard Alhaji Aliko Dangote say that he wanted ordinary Nigerians to be part of the expansion process of his project, assuring them that the shares would multiply in folds in due course.
Coker stressed that the initiative was also to directly reward party members for their sustained loyalty and sacrifices over the years.
In his goodwill message, a chieftain of the party on Lagos Island, Chief Babajide Damazio, who applauded the ingenuity of the initiative, said that he was glad to be part of the event.
He pointed that Coker was a role model and inspiration to the youth in the area and thanked him for committing huge resources in financing the project.
Also speaking, one of the apex leaders in the council, Alhaji A.G Sadiq, described the initiative as a lifetime investment for the beneficiaries while urging them to return to their polling wards and deliver the votes to all candidates of the party from President Tinubu, Dr. Kadri Hamzat during the 2027 general election.
Earlier, the Director of Biodun Coker Foundation, Mr.
Lekan Adeleke, noted that the initiative was rethinking empowerment advocacy to ensure every family member is significantly rewarded for supporting the party as grassroots mobilises.
He further explained that the bold, courageous move represented the symbol of the party and for sheer prosperity for their contributions to the party, adding they would become shareholders of one of the largest refinery in the world.
Adeleke noted that the idea was the beginning of financial freedom for residents of Lagos Island.
According to him, Coker had in the past impacted positively on the lives of residents through Computer/ICT Literacy programme that empowered over 1,000 residents, Public School Initiative by donating equipment to Holy Trinity Primary School, HMO policy to over 1,000 residents, capacity programme for political leaders and security men for improved safety of lives and property of residents.
While highlighting the benefits of the shares, financial experts, Akindele Ogundepo and Ifeoluwa Akinmade advised the need for people to invest in their future by not spending all their earnings unnecessarily.
They also cautioned them against wanting to be so rich before divesting or subscribing to shares.
Some of the beneficiaries, who expressed their joy, said that they looked forward to the shares yielding dividends in few years.