Ramadan and Lent with Impact: Over 1,500 PWDs Break Fast with Dr. Betta Edu in FCT’s Karamajiji Community
In a heartwarming display of interfaith solidarity that underscores her decade-long tradition of breaking fast during Ramadan and Lent with the vulnerable, Dr. Betta Edu, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, over the weekend hosted over 1,500 persons with disabilities (PWDs), comprising physically challenged men, women, and children from both Muslim and Christian faiths, in the Karamajiji community behind the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
The event, which originated during her tenure as Director-General of the Primary Healthcare Development Agency and later as Commissioner for Health in Cross River State in communities like Bogobiri and Nasarawa Bakoko in Calabar, served not only as a moment of shared meals but also as a platform for prayers for Nigeria’s peace, progress, and the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, drawing residents together in a powerful affirmation of unity amid the nation’s challenges.
Dr. Edu’s visit evoked poignant memories of similar initiatives, including her hosting of the 15th Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Aminu Ado Bayero, and his entourage for an iftar with Muslim communities in Calabar in 2025, an occasion also graced by the Acting Governor of Cross River State and the management of the University of Calabar, which brought Christians and Muslims together in a spirit of brotherhood around the same period last year.
On this occasion in Karamajiji, the philanthropist engaged deeply with visually impaired individuals and others facing various disabilities, her emotions stirred particularly by beneficiaries of her previous empowerment programmes, such as POS machines and vocational training with startup support, who continue to sustain their businesses and families years later.
One such beneficiary, the blind Alhaji Ibrahim Jubril, shared a moving testimony: “Dr. Betta, since you empowered us with the POS business on behalf of the President in 2023, that is what my family of 15 has survived on for over two years now.
We pray that the government remembers persons living with disabilities again,” a sentiment that highlighted the enduring impact of these interventions.
Visibly encouraged, Dr. Betta Edu reflected, “Seeing the seeds we sowed under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership still yielding fruits for families is profoundly encouraging,” as she renewed her call for increased government and societal support for PWDs, stressing the critical need for quality education and healthcare access for their children. She also commended the local family health centre, urging its optimal utilization to ensure timely immunizations and proper care for the young ones, while the interfaith iftar and Lent breaking of fast transcended religion, tribe, culture, and economic status, fostering a profound sense of national unity.
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In her prayers, Dr. Edu specifically sought divine intervention for peace, development, enhanced security, and the welfare of all Nigerians, with special mention of families and children in IDP camps, reinforcing her commitment to humanitarian causes that bridge divides.
The event drew effusive gratitude from community leaders, including Muhammed Dantani, Secretary of the Communities of Persons Living with Disabilities in the FCT, who spoke on behalf of the Emir of Karamajiji, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammed Katsina, recalling Dr. Edu’s consistent support dating back to her days as National Woman Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Residents hailed her transformative contributions through empowerment schemes, education, shelter provision, vocational training, and business startups, culminating in collective prayers for her continued success, divine protection, and long life.
As the Karonmajiji community savoured the shared joy, food, and hope, Dr. Edu’s gesture stood as a beacon of compassion, reminding Nigerians of the power of inclusive philanthropy in building a more equitable society.
