By Sunny Anderson Osiebe...
GENESIS
It is extremely likely that Senator
Dino Melaye was from birth, a man of action on account of his action filled
life. Born in kano State Nigeria but hails from Kogi State in North Central
Nigeria.
He started schooling at Ijeoma
Memorial primary school in Kano and later proceeded to Abdul-Aziz memorial
college, Okenne where he completed his secondary education. For his
tertiary education, he gained admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to pursue
a course in Geography and subsequently earned a Bachelor of Science in
Geography. Not one to rest on his oars, he obtained a Master’s science degree
in Policy Analysis from the University of Abuja and a second master’s degree from the highly
revered London School of Economics and Political Science. Not
done, he is currently simultaneously combining his legislation duties and doctorate
degree. Before politics, he has often maintained that education must be used
for social engineering and it is not surprising that his voice in the defence
of citizen’s right has remained loud and insistence. Severally, he has broken
ranks with his political party on principles and remains steadfast as a dutiful
and loyal party man.
He is an exemplary leader with the
milk of human kindness flowing in his veins. He has in, out and back in
partisan politics has the people as his greatest resource. For him, what is the
essence of politics, if it is not impactful? These attributes elucidate the
Senator’s political, social, and his commitment to the less privileged. As a
human activist and public analyst, he is a promoter of good governance and
believes all destinies can be fulfilled if individuals are dedicated to the pursuit
of their personal and collective goals when requisite support is
provided.
Leadership would remain a recurring
decimal in his life. Quite early in life, he was saddled with the post of head
boy of his primary school and was equally saddled with same post in secondary
school. By the time of his undergraduate studies in Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, it was not surprising that he was elected as the Student Union
President.
Public Service
Some wander about in life for their
mission, but early in life, Senator Melaye was like a fish taken to water, took
to crusading for the common good of all and it is no wonder that politics was
his berthing point. He was elected into the 6th Session of the
National Assembly as a member of the Lower House. He busted into the national
limelight when he resisted attempt by a section of the House to hijack power by
ousting the then Speaker, Madam Etteh. He resisted by pointing to generality of
the Public that she was a victim of high hired politics. Nigerian didn’t believe
that they were hoodwinked but his voice, like the biblical John the Baptist,
crying in the wilderness was loud and clear that a coup was in the offing. He
was unrelenting in resisting and even after the ouster of Madam Etteh as Speaker;
he was subsequently suspended in a move to silence his criticisms.
While in the lower house, Dino
Melaye was committee chairman House committee on Information and National
Orientation.
Senator Dino Melaye has
established pro development organizations in which he is the Founder and
President of National Association of Democratic Youths, (NADY) as well as
Founder and Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption Network.
He's been incarcerated severally by
both Military and Civilian Government. He was arrested 14 times in 2014 for
championing Democratic struggle, protesting corruption in governance, and for
championing the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) struggle.
It was also remembered that
Senator Dino Melaye started the Occupy Nigeria protest on the 2nd of January
2012, when Government announced the removal of fuel subsidy. That struggle
landed him in the same detention camp with Boko Haram suspects.
Dino Melaye was elected in April
2015 as Senator representing Kogi West Federal Constituency and inaugurated as
a member of the Senate on June 9, 2015 as a Senator; Dino Melaye served as ad
hoc Chairman Senate committee on Media and Publicity where he directed the
efficient screening process for ministerial nominees which made the exercise
more thorough. Senator Dino Melaye is currently the Chairman Senate committee
on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Awards
As a result of his immense
leadership role and achievements, Senator Dino Melaye has being conferred with
a number of traditional titles which include - Otunba of Bunu Kingdom,
Aragundade of Ogaji Amuro, Olugbayi of Gbede, Gberuro of Ogidi, Ariwajoye of
Ekinrin Adde, Asiwaju of Oke-Offin, Olugbeye of Aiyetoro-Gbede, Oluamofin of
Okaro-Gbede, Alutushe of Oke-bukun and Bologunwe of Obajana.
Senator Dino Melaye’s personality
and achievements have resulted in the receipt of numerous national and
international awards, which include:
Gold Medal Award by Ayetoro Gbede student’s Union, 2002
African Parliamentarian of the year by Abuja Merit Awards 2005
Best National Assembly member by National Association of Kogi State Students,
2008
Parliamentarian of the year for 2008 by International Parliamentary watch, USA,
2009
Excellence Gold Award Year by news Africa 2010
Magnificent Award 2012 by Students representative Council, Yaba College of
Technology, Yaba, Lagos.
Diplomatic member of the year 2008 by St. Monica’s college kabba, Kogi Year
Most performed National legislator Year by Vision 2020 Youth
Group Year
Icon of good leadership Year by Kogi people’s forum
Youth Libra Award by the Visioners Club, Kogi State Year
Protector of the Youth by PDP National Youth Vanguard Year
Best Honourable Member of the year Year by Global Youth
Awareness and Development Initiative
Excellence Award Year by AGSU Year
The constituency and community
development projects completed by Dino Melaye while serving in the capacity of
House of Representative for Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency include
educational and related projects, health projects, community based projects
such as boreholes, palace renovation, grading of roads, health supplies and
personal cash and kind donations.
Projects
The educational projects for
kabba/Bunu Local Government Area include the supply of school furniture to the
following schools – St. Andrews Primary School, Kabba, St. Andrews Primary
School, Egbeda, Kabba as well as the building of classrooms in Ayetero Kiri. To
date in the Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area many undergraduate students have
benefited from scholarship schemes under Dino Melaye’s empowerment scheme that
spanned over a decade.
He also installed manual – hand pump
boreholes in numerous communities including Okebukun, Iluke, Ayegunle Igunand,
Ayeh,Oke Offin, Ayetoro Tari, Ode Ape in kabba/Bunu Local Government area in
Kogi State. His community based projects in Kabba/Bunu also included the
renovation of Olu of Oke Bukun and Oba of Oke-Offin’s palaces. Also included in
the community projects was the grading of the Ayegunle Gbede/Olle road and
health supplies including supply of drugs to six communities in Bunu, Hospital
equipment to Ekiri Adde, drugsto Ekinrin Adde Hospital worth Millions of Naira.
Dino Melaye also set up widow empowerment scheme for women in Kabba/Bunu LGA in
addition to the donation of tens of vehicles and hundreds of motor cycles to
individuals and groups. He also made huge donations to various churches in
Kabba/Bunu to reinforce socioeconomic development.
The educational projects for Ijumu
Local Government Area include the supply of school furniture in the following
schools – Ogale Ijumu Primary School, Ijumu, Ekinrin Adde Primary School, Ijumu
and Baptist Primary School Ayetoro Gbede, Ijumu. He also built classrooms in
Ayetoro-Kiri Primary School, Ijumu. The educational projects in Ijumu include
donation of computers to GGSS Ayetoro Gbede and CHS Baptist High School
Iyah-Gbede, Ijumu. To date in the Ijumu Local Government Area many
undergraduate students have benefited from scholarship schemes under Dino
Melaye’s empowerment scheme that spanned over a decade.
Numerous manual boreholes where
installed across communities in Ijumu including – Olujumu’s palace, Iyamoye,
Iluagba, Aduge, Ogidi, Iluafon Ayegunle, Iluafon Ayetoro, Igbopin among others
all in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. His community based projects
in Ijumu also included the supply of hospital furniture and equipment to
Ekinrin-Adde hospital. Dino Melaye also set up widow empowerment scheme for
women in Ijumu LGA in addition to the donation of tens of vehicles and hundreds
of motor cycles to individuals and groups. He also made huge donations to
various churches in Kabba/Bunu to reinforce socioeconomic development.
Senator Dino Melaye was elected to
represent Kabba/Bunu/Ijimu Federal Constituency. During his representation of
the Kabb/Bunu/Ijimu Federal Constituency, Dino Melaye sponsored notable motions
on the floor of the lower house which include motions:
On the deplorable state of Education in Nigeria
For Nigerian Communication Commission and Telecommunication Regulation
On the need for Public & Political Office Holders to curb oversea medical
treatment
For the removal of speed bumps on Abuja highways
On the overpriced N65B runway project
For the non-payment of NITEL workers salary arrears
For the Ministry of Agriculture failure to disburse N200B loan
On NECO’s exploitation of unemployed Nigerians
Partial and non-implementation of 2008 and 2009 MDG quick win project
On the sale of Federal Government properties in the U.S.
On the auction of 1, 000 tractors and accessories procured for over N65B
On the dualization of Airport and Kubwa road at N275B
On Delta steel which led to the revocation of the sale of GHIL
For the miscarriage of justice over the N27B pension scam
For the N25B for remitta for the 1% deduction from the federation account
For the deplorable state of the Federal and state roads in Nigeria
For the cancellation of the proposed N5, 000 note
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