A HEART foundation set up by African Footballer of the Year Nigeria’s Nwankwo Kanu has realised around 70 million naira ($700000) in donations. The money was raised at the launching here on Wednesday attended by five state governors, including that of Lagos Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the proceeds will be used to build five hospitals in Nigeria, Cameroun, South Africa, Morocco and Ghana to treat heart ailments. Lagos Governor Tinubu donated 5 million naira and a piece of land to enable Kanu site the hospital in the state. The five hospitals are expected to make the treatment of heart-related diseases affordable to the ordinary African. It is not by chance that Kanu has decided to use his talent and goodwill to help victims of heart ailments – he himself was diagnosed of suffering from a weak heart four years ago. His plight came to light only months after he led Nigeria to a historic Olympic gold medal in Atlanta and won a big contract with the Italian Serie A giants Inter Milan. However, Kanu refused to give up and he successfully underwent heart surgery in the US to pick up his career again in England. The Kanu Heart Foundation is a charity scheme initiated by 23-year-old Kanu, who has been a great success since he joined English Premiership highflyers Arsenal, to raise 2 million pounds. “I went through pain and agony to save my life and football career”, he said. “Now, through this foundation I want to thank God for his mercies. And I’m doing this from the bottom of my heart,” he said.