The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chief MKO Abiola

  • That June 12 recognition may not be a hollow ritual

    Beyond the wildest imagination of Nigerians, sans the microscopic few that might have been privy to it, President Muhammadu Buhari, a general of the Nigerian army who, though retired,  still falls within that narcissistic military that  guillotined the historic June 12,  1993 election, as well as a redoubtable, and leading member of the June 12 – loathing Fulani race,  on 6 June, 2018, rose far higher than his 6 foot plus frame, and proclaimed an executive order, recognising both the  election, and  the winner, Chief  MKO Abiola, who was conferred with the highest honour in the land, GCFR, in a bold attempt to put a closure to a very pernicious phase of our country’s history.

    Much has been written about June 12, but hardly would the relevance, and coverage of any national event, before or after that of 6 June, 2018, ever reach that crescendo.

    But lest we get lost in the euphoria of the moment, it is time to let the president understand, and appreciate that, truth be told, rather than June 12 being the closure, it is, indeed, the very beginning of telling truth to ourselves; the starting point of very sincerely, and vigorously, confronting the demons that have been tearing into our whole being. The first of these should be the realisation that the Nigeria of today is nowhere near a federation, and that when we so petulantly describe it, we are repeating a similar lie like the one the extant Nigerian constitution tells against itself when it arrogates its birth to a chimeric: ‘we the people”.

    The question then arises, what is a federation? To answer this million naira question, I will, very respectfully, press my two- time teacher, Professor (Senator) Banji Akintoye, into service.

    Writing, mutatis mutandis, on the topic: What is restructuring, in his column in The Nation of 6 January, 2018, the world reputed historian, and statesman, who we shall quote at great length, opined:

    “The basic idea of a federation is that the various distinct parts of a country (especially a country comprising different ethnic nations) should be made a federating unit (or state). Each state should have the constitutional power to manage its unique problems and concerns, to develop its own resources for its people, to manage its own security, and to make its own kind of contributions to the well-being of the whole country. The central entity (or federal government) should manage common matters like the defence of the country, the relationship of the country with the rest of the world (or international relations), the country’s currency, the relations between the states of the country, and general principles like defence of human rights. That, in his words, was essentially, the federal arrangement which Nigeria’s founding fathers agreed upon in the 1950s.”

    Continuing, he wrote:

    “But, since independence, our leading politicians, and our military leaders have gradually destroyed this structure and replaced it with a structure in which the federal government is the controller of virtually all power and all resources as well as the power to develop all resources, and in which the states have no control over their resources and must depend on federal allocations of funds to exist at all”.” The federal government is (therefore) over-burdened, controls too much money, has become egregiously inefficient and corrupt and, essentially, is destroying Nigeria because the states have become impotent, cannot develop their resources, cannot fight poverty in their domains, and cannot make their contributions to the progress and prosperity of Nigeria. The cumulative effect of all these, he concluded,  is that Nigeria and Nigerians have become horribly poor, most public facilities (roads, electricity, water installations, public administration, etc.) have degraded, and are not working with the result  that most of our  youths are unemployed and hopeless. Inter – ethnic relations has degenerated into enmity and hostility. Crimes have made life very unsafe all over Nigeria. So bad have things become that some sections are asking to secede”.

    Obviously, the patriot who saw the inescapable necessity of revisiting, and righting, the historic wrong of the annulment  of June 12, that is, President Buhari,  just like the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, said of the obvious contradiction in the same person honouring Abiola and praising Abacha, can certainly not be found endorsing, or encouraging,  the continuation of a status quo that eventuated all the negative consequences of Nigeria not being a proper, well defined federation of equal parts.

    Fortunately, President Buhari is not being called upon here to do the impossible, or re-invent the wheel.  His party, the APC, has effectively done that for him by its setting up of the El Rufai Committee on Power Devolution, a subject to which the party devoted a considerable part of its manifesto. As captured by The Guardian of 26 January, 2018, the committee:”The committee recommended that states should have considerable control on solid and oil resources in their domains, subject to the approval of the National Assembly. It called for policing to be moved to the concurrent list, enabling the creation of state police alongside a federal force with specified areas of jurisdiction. It also proposed more revenue for states and reduction of federal share of revenue.

    More importantly, it recommends that: “All minerals, including oil and gas that are onshore, will be vested in the states of the federation. “Minerals, oil, anything in the land, belongs to those that own the land, which is the state governments, adding this clincher: “We think the time has come to make this bold step and move away from over-centralisation of mineral resources.

    “There would be certain constitutional amendments. The Petroleum Act needs to be amended, so that states can issue oil-mining licences. The Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act needs to be amended, to give states the power to do this. The Land Use Act will also need to be amended, to recognise the provisions in the Minerals and Mining Act. The Petroleum Profit Act 2007 will need to be amended. And we have drafted all the bills to give effect to these.”

    Ensuring that power devolution is achieved before the presidential elections scheduled for February, 2019, is therefore, the irreducible, the absolute minimum, President Buhari , and the APC,  must see through for the historic accomplishments of 6 June, 2018 not only  to earn their place in history,  but to launch Nigeria on the path of peace, and rapid social and economic development.

    It is the silver bullet for 4 MORE YEARS of Mr INTEGRITY in office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria till 2023.

    May the good Lord guide President Buhari aright.

     

     

  • June 12: Remove all obstacles to free, fair, credible elections – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday asked the federal government to identify fully with the ideals and lessons of June 12 by removing all obstacles to free, fair and credible elections in the country.

    In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, President of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba also wants the federal government to erect a cenotaph in honour of Nigerians and foreigners alike who participated in the June 12 struggle.

    The NLC said that beyond declaring June 12 as a national holiday, the government should do everything possible to institutionalise the lessons learnt from the June 12 experience.

    According to the congress, one of the “lesson of June 12 is our capacity as a people to organize free, fair and credible elections. The National Electoral Commission headed by Professor Humphrey Nwosu designed a very unique system of electioneering known as Option A4.

    “This dealt a mortal jab at numerous infractions in our electoral process. Nigerian workers expect that with the introduction of technology in our electoral process, elections in Nigeria should be freer, fairer and more credible than the June 12 outcome.

    “Unfortunately, this is not so as politicians have shown from their conduct in recent elections that violence, vote buying, fraud and abuse of the power of incumbency, and not the will of the electorate, are the most critical success factors in electoral contests.

    “There is more to June 12 than the symbolic commemorations. We urge the Federal Government to identify fully with the ideals and lessons of June 12 by removing all obstacles to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.

    Read Also:June 12 annulment elite conspiracy, says Presidency

    “This can be best achieved by evolving the needed political will for the deepening of popular democracy and fully implementing the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Report especially aspects that recommended the setting up of Election Offences Commission, representative cum non-partisan recruitment of INEC leadership and INEC unbundling for increased professionalism.

    “We also call on the government to also enforce relevant provisions in our Electoral Act that place a ceiling on political campaign financing and criminalize violence, vote buying and sundry fraudulent acts.”

    The statement reads: “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on behalf of Nigerian workers celebrates and congratulates all Nigerians on the 25th Anniversary of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. President Muhammadu Buhari has already declared June 12 as a national holiday in commemoration of our democracy.

    “He has also conferred the highest honour in the land to the arrowhead of the June 12 struggle, Chief MKO Abiola. This confirms June 12 as a muster point of our democratic aspirations as one people united by the quest for wellbeing, dignity and prosperity.

    “We salute the working class, civil society activists, the trade unions, women and student groups for their roles and sacrifice in defending the sanctity of June 12 and enthroning our current democracy.

    “Nigerian workers celebrate not just the day – June 12 – but the ideals and the progressive credentials of the icons behind the day. The mast of Chief MKO Abiola’s campaign was “Hope 93”. The core of his campaign message was the promise to eradicate poverty.

    “Not a few political commentators believe that Chief Abiola’s towering image as a foremost international philanthropist and humanist rubbed a lot of credence on his promise of hope.

    “The results of June 12, 1993 elections showed clearly that Chief MKO Abiola’s personality and promise of poverty eradication united millions of Nigerians who defied religious and ethnic boundaries to elect him as the President of the aborted Third Republic.

    “Out of the then 30 states, Chief Abiola won 19 states. A significant feat of great political value was that Chief Abiola won at least a state in all the geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

    “Though from Ogun State in Southern Nigeria, Chief Abiola defeated his only rival, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, in both his ward and in his home state of Kano State. Such a feat has never been recorded in Nigeria’s political history. June 12 was simply epochal.

    “When the June 12, 1993 elections was annulled by the military junta led by General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, it was like dusk at sun rise. Nigerians from all walks of life were united in condemning the annulment and demanding the inauguration of Chief MKO Abiola as the President of the Federal Republic.

    “Perhaps, apart from Labour’s struggle against neo-liberal tendencies of successive governments, no other struggle has resonated with Nigerians as the June 12 struggle. For this reason, at an occasion like this, we must all be sobered and tempered by the ideals and lessons of June 12.

    “The first lesson of June 12, is the capacity of our people to rise above ethnic and religious sentiments to recruit political leadership solely on the basis of antecedence, performance and ability to deliver desired developmental goals. This credits our ability as a people to build a modern nation state.

    “The fact that Chief MKO Abiola and his running mate, Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe; both Muslims, enjoyed popular acceptance across the geo-political zones of Nigeria deals a cruel blow on the aspirations of many politicians of today to acquire political capital on ethnic and religious premise.

    “Abiola’s politics had content – freedom from poverty. He walked the talk. Nigerians trusted him with their votes. We can hardly say the same of today’s politician who though adorned in the garb of ethno-religious pretensions yet impoverishes the rest of us with mindless looting and dubious perks of office.

    “The second lesson of June 12 is that of the nobility of democratic values and struggles. June 12 represents the struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria. June 12 also epitomizes the values of freedom, respect for the rule of law and social justice for all.

    “June 12 teaches us that there is lasting reward for every genuine effort to dare injustice. Chief MKO Abiola did not give up on the mandate freely given to him by Nigerians. He dared. Today, he has truly won.

    “We can say the same of other Nigerians such as the legendary Senior Advocate of the Masses, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who was mercurial in his fight for democratic rights. There is also the slain wife of Chief Abiola, Alhaji Kudirat Abiola, who soldiered on like a true amazon behind her persuasion on the sanctity of June 12, and amidst very horrifying odds.

    “The 25th Anniversary of June 12 grants us a good space to reflect on our role as organized labour in the promotion and defense of democracy in Nigeria. The Nigeria Labour Congress was proscribed by the military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha on the account of our principled rejection of the annulment of June 12.

    “Many of our comrades and labour leaders suffered extreme persecution in the hands of the state because of their persuasion on Jun 12.  Comrade Frank Kokori was incarcerated in Bama Prisons on the account of June 12. Space will fail us to list the names of labour leaders, academics, activists and other patriotic Nigerians including NADECO leaders who were tortured, imprisoned, exiled or even killed because of June 12.

    “The NLC has consolidated these efforts by championing national campaigns for electoral reforms. The most prominent milestone of our modest strive are fruits from Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee, which NLC was part of. We are also making efforts to reposition the Labour Party. As we said at the 2018 May Day celebration, Nigerian workers will continue to dare and to win.

    “Nigerian workers enjoin the Federal Government to honour Nigerians and even foreigners who suffered enormous discomfort, endured state persecution and even paid the supreme price on the account of their unwavering commitment to the June 12 struggle.

    “Like we admonished in our earlier press statement commending the government of President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent honor done to the memory of Chief MKO Abiola, we restate our appeal that a June 12 Cenotaph be erected in the honour of heroes, heroines and icons of the June 12 struggle.”

  • Nwosu hails Buhari for recognizing June 12 Democracy Day

    The Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu has praised President Muhammadu Buhari for recognizing June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day and for honouring the memory of Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the 1993 election.

    This was contained in a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

    Professor Nwosu, who presided over the polls later annulled by the military junta, said the conferment of national honours on Chief Abiola and his running mate, Amb. Babagana Kingibe “will rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better nation.”

    Read Also:June 12: Delta APC salutes Buhari for honouring Abiola, others

    The letter reads: “I thank His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria for recognizing June 12 as Democracy Day and also honouring the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

    “Indeed, June 12, 1993 marked a turning point in Nigeria’s tortuous journey towards a democratic polity. It is an honour to the very hard-working men and women of the defunct National Electoral Commission under my leadership at this long awaited recognition. I humbly commend this action by the President.

    “Undoubtedly, the democratic system of governance is the best especially for the multi ethnic nation like ours. I thank you for building on the foundation which my team and I labored strenuously to establish and actualize on June 12, 1993. It is our hope that expanding the frontiers of democracy of which all the people of Nigeria, regardless of ethnic group, will provide economic, social and developmental benefits that will certainly make Nigeria a great nation not only in Africa but across the world.

    “Certainly, the scheduled event on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 will rekindle the national consciousness of all Nigerians for a better Nation. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control I will not be present at the investiture ceremony as I am outside the country,” he wrote.

  • Senate’s resolutions on Abiola illegal, says lawyer

    A popular Bayelsa-based journalist, Somina Johnbull, Monday, declared the recent resolutions of the Senate on late Chief MKO Abiola as illegal and unconstitutional.

    The Senate in reactions to the honour bestowed on Abiola by the Federal Government reached resolutions calling for the declaration of the results of the June 12th election and payment of all allowances and entitlements to the families of Abiola and the Alhaji Kingibe.

    But Johnbull after dissecting the provisions of the constitution as it related to the resolution said the Senate erred.

    He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the only body saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections and its mandate does not extend to elections that were held prior to 1999.

    The lawyer said only the National Electoral Commission (NEC) had the right to declare the results of the 1993 election since it was the body that conducted it.

    But he said NEC having been dissolved could no longer declare the results adding that its functions could not be exercised by proxy.

    He said: “It is the law that election results can only be declared by the agency charged with the responsibility of conducting the election. In Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is only charged with the responsibility of conducting elections under the 1999 Constitution.

    “The mandate of INEC does not extend to election conducted prior to 1999.

    “Secondly, the body that conducted the 1993 elections is National Electoral Commission (NEC). It is only that body that can declare the results of that election. It cannot be done by proxy. However, that body is now defunct and deemed non-existent.

    Read Also:Posthumous Award: PDP supports Abiola’s honour

    “Asking for the declaration of the results is akin to drawing a square circle”.

    Johnbull added that it was also a constitutional suicide to demand the payment of entitlements of Abiola and Kingibe to their families.

    Explaining his position, he said: “The second resolution passed by the Senate was that all allowances and entitlements of Chief MKO Abiola and Kingibe, as President-elect and Vice-President-elect, should be paid to their families.

    “With respect, salaries and allowances are entitlements for actual occupation of the office, and not prospective grants. Since Chief MKO Abiola was not sworn-in, how could he then be entitled to receive or be paid salaries and allowances, for an office, he did not occupy either de facto or de jure.

    “The resolution of the Senate is brazenly illegal and ought to be disregarded”.

    But he insisted that the recognition of Abiola and conferment of the highest national honour of GCFR to him, Kingibe and late Chief Gani Fawehinmi were legal and constitutional.

    Explaining further he said: “I am not a politician and would leave the political discourse for politicians. I am a lawyer and my intervention would be solely from a legal prism.

    “The conferment of National Awards in Nigeria is statutorily provided for by law. Which is the National Honours Act of 1963, which is an existing law and therefore applicable by virtue of Section 316 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “The National Awards Act is a short piece of legislation, containing three sections. Section 1 of the Act, establishes the award of titles of honour, Section 2 creates offences and Section 3 is the short title of the Act.

    “The National Awards Act provides for Warrants to be issued. These Warrants are subsidiary legislation and are made by the President (See Section 1(4) of the Act) and are in the mould of subsidiary legislation.

    “Pursuant to the above, five warrants have been made namely; the Honours Warrant, Honours (Armed Forces) Warrant, Honours (Police) Warrant, Honours (Prison Services) Warrant and Honours (Fire Services) Warrant”.

    He added: “The Honours Warrant was issued on the 1st of October, 1963 and creates two Orders of Dignity and four ranks. The Orders are Order of the Federal Republic and the Order of the Niger. While the ranks are; Grand Commander (which is the highest); Commander; Officer and Member of the Order”.

    He said it is the prerogative of the President to confer the rank on any person and the only limitation is that the rank be conferred on a Nigerian citizen as foreign nationals can only receive the rank in honorary capacity.

    He said there was no limitation that the rank could only be conferred on living persons.

    He said: “This is so because, being a rank of honour, there is nothing which precludes distinguished Nigerians, who in the opinion of the President are deserving of the honour, whether living or deceased.

    “This is more so as the conferment of the award is solely at the discretion of the President and cannot be reviewed by any person or authority.

    “Taking it further, no person can even question the suitability of an awardee as it is the President, who decides same. A known thief can be conferred and a man of heroics can be excluded. It is all the pleasure of the President. This is as far as the Honours Warrant is concerned.

    “The Honours (Armed Forces) Warrant was issued on the 20th of September, 1965. It covers members of the Armed Forces and what is conferred thereunder are not titles but medals.

    “The argument that it is only soldiers that ought to be honoured posthumously is under the Honours (Armed Forces) Warrant which is different and distinct from the Honours Warrant. What these deceased soldiers are conferred with are medals, not honours such as GCFR, GCON and the likes.

    “The attempt to conflate the provisions of the Honours (Armed Forces) Warrant and the Honours Warrant is misleading.

    “Chief MKO Abiola and Gani Fawehinmi, SAN were bestowed awards under the Honours Warrant. They were not issued with medals, which would have made the provisions of the Honours (Armed Forces) Warrant, applicable.

    “Based on the above, the action of President Buhari in conferring the awards is legal and beyond reproach”.

  • Furore over MKO’s posthumous award

    Sir: As it is wont to be the case, the national honours conferred on Chief MKO Abiola and Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, all of blessed memories, have generated mixed feelings among political pundits and default naysayers alike.

    No sooner had the announcement made by the president than a counter statement challenging its validity, specifically, in respect of the highest honour award, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, conferred on Chief MKO Abiola, the widely acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1996 presidential election, allegedly credited to the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Alfa Belgore. The statement purportedly faulted the posthumous conferment of the GCFR award on grounds that the law does not permit it posthumous conferment, save for the rest other honour rankings.

    I have calmly digested the provisions of the extant National Honours Act, 1963, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, and the subsidiary legislation in respect of the Honours Warrant, particularly Section 1(2)(3); Sections 2 & 3, dealing with establishment of the orders and rankings; eligibility for appointments to orders and mode of appointments to orders, respectively. I have also read the various subsidiary legislation, particularly, the Honours (Armed Forces) Warrant, also made pursuant to the main National Honours Act under review, and I am shocked, to say the least, that in the entire length and breadth of the legislation, nowhere is it provided nor remotely conceived in the law that the highest honour award cannot be conferred posthumously. Section 1 of the Act, in fact, vests in the president the discretionary powers to make warrant specifying the designation of the honours, among others, in respect of the award of titles of honours, decorations and dignities. Of poignant interest is Section 3 of the main Act which reads this: “(3) A warrant under this section may make provisions for different circumstances, and may be revoked or varied by a subsequent warrant”.

    I am still at a loss as to where the prohibition against posthumous conferment, as currently being bandied about, is contained. However, given the wide discretionary powers given to the president under the law to make warrant, it could be that there was a provision against posthumous award of GCFR in the warrant earlier made by the former president. Should this be the case, Section 3 of the Act which gives the president powers to either vary or outright revoke earlier warrant, has adequately taken care of that.

    On the strength of the above, all the fuss being generated by the naysayers in respect of the statement credited to My Lord, the former CJN, Honourable Justice Alfa Before, is therefore of no moment. The president, again, is on course.

     

    • Chris Edache Agbiti, Esq

    Abuja.

  • Why I campaigned for MKO against my kinsman Tofa in 1993 – Ex-Kano Perm Sec Faruk Umar

    Why I campaigned for MKO against my kinsman Tofa in 1993 – Ex-Kano Perm Sec Faruk Umar

    Former Kano State permanent secretary and member of the board of Pearl Awards, Dr. Faruk Umar, recalls his association with the late acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, as well as his growing up days, in this interview with PAUL UKPABIO

    A few days ago, Pearl Awards, whose board you are a member, announced that it was prepared to host the 22nd award in November. How do you feel about this?

    The Pearls Award Night, which is taking place this month is historic as it is going to be chaired by a former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon. He is a humble person and is respected by everybody. The companies and institutions selected for the award really deserved it. The board has also done a good thing in selecting the companies.

    The capital market seems to have weathered the storm of its near collapse a few years ago and seems to have gain a lot of business momentum. What would you say about this?

    The volatile situation witnessed in the past was partly due to global economic recession. However, the Central Bank of Nigeria must be commended for the stability in the foreign exchange market which has encouraged foreign investors to return to the market. Also, the availability of foreign exchange has enabled some companies to post quarterly profits. The Security and Exchange Commission and the Nigerian Stock Exchange have put numerous policies on ground that are impacting on investor’s confidence in the market. For example, the e-dividend policy has now helped shareholders to get their dividend within 24 hours after an Annual General Meeting.

    According to Pearl Awards, last year, the board could not hold the event because of the economic situation then. Would you say that the nation has moved out of recession now?

    Yes, I think the economy has improved a lot compared to last year. The various positive quarterly results and the rapid capital appreciation of many stocks attest to that.

    What new thing will you like to see happen in the Nigeria Stock Market?

    What I would like to see in the capital market is an electronic Annual General Meeting (AGM) where shareholders can join an AGM from their living rooms or offices. Currently, this procedure is available in Turkey, and I think we should try to develop one in this country. Secondly, annual accounts should be sent electronically to save the companies a huge amount of money spent on printing and posting. A shareholder who holds a stock worth N100, for example, has to get a report that costs the company N3,000 in printing and posting.

    Would you say that your background and upbringing contributed to the kind of person you are today?

    I would say that my background has helped in making me what I am today. I worked in an institution where people were given loan to buy shares in 1989. So I started buying shares with 10 per cent of my salary on a monthly basis, while obtaining a bridging loan of 90 per cent. Also, because I grew up in the commercial city of Kano, when I was given loan to buy a car in 1977, I bought the car and sold it a few months later to invest the money in a commercial venture. But what really helped me was a loan from my uncle, Alhaji Yusuf Garba Ali, which enabled me to start trading in cement. I also retired from teaching before the age of 40. Having read the book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, I realised that staying in a job that pays salary is not going to make one rich. Rather, one will continue to be poor or just managing.

    Tell us about your childhood. Where did you grow up?

    I grew up in Kano City. I went to Shahuci Primary School in Kano in January, 1960. It was the first primary school to be built in Kano in 1917. I attended Rumfa College in Kano in 1967. It was also the first secondary school built in Kano in 1927. We are now preparing to celebrate the school’s 90th anniversary. Incidentally, I was the National President of Rumfa Old Boys Association (RUMFOBA) from 2009 to 2011. I then went to Ahmadu Bello University for my first and master’s degrees in Education, after which I obtained a PhD in Educational Psychology in 1987 from the University of Wisconsin in USA.

    What do you miss about childhood which you think the children of today would benefit from?

    What I am missing from my childhood today is the culture of discipline and respect. In our childhood, we respected elders. A neighbour could discipline his neighbour’s child without anyone complaining. Secondly, everybody kept to his own profession. A politician did not trade while businessmen did not go into politics.

    How would you compare education then to that what it is now?

    Education in our days was excellent. Teachers were dedicated and there were no examination malpractices. To give you a feeling of how devoted teachers were then, I had a lecturer in the University, one Dr Hambali. He came and lectured between 8 and 9 in the morning. After the lecture, he informed us that his daughter passed on the previous night, and requested those who were free to go and arrange for his daughter’s burial. Also, in the past, students were asked to evaluate the performance of their teachers. In fact, in some universities in USA, the promotion and retention of a lecturer depends on the outcome of the evaluation.

    Tell us about your journey to the top.

    My journey to the top was due to my association with responsible and successful people. Immediately after my graduation, I was very close to Mallam Aminu Kano. I learnt a lot from him. He taught me how to have contentment in life. This is the secret of my life. Also I was very close to Alhaji Aminu Dantata and Mallam Isiyaku Rabiu, two of the richest people in Kano. Also, Mallam Aminu Kano made me a member of the Council for Mutual Understanding, an organisation that included representatives of sectors in Kano, and I was the youngest member of the organisation. Later, I came to relate with Alhaji Aliko Dangote from whom I am still learning a lot.

    You have served in the private sector in different capacities, which office did you hold in the private sector that was most challenging?

    The most challenging private sector assignment was serving on the boards of publicly quoted companies. My challenge was how to adjust my role as an activist and that of a board member. I have served on the boards of four public quoted companies and each of them had its own challenges.

    You have also served on federal government advisory committees. Which one was most challenging and why was it so?

    The vision 20-2020 was the most challenging. You can see that up till now, we do not generate or distribute enough electricity in the country. To me, a country will be economically independent if it generates enough electricity for its economy. The government is doing a lot in tackling insurgency and in stabilizing our currency. The fight against corruption is also succeeding. These are the three areas we envisaged would be critical to achieving the 20-2020 vision.

    You are actually one of those who have worked for the unity of Nigeria. What do you like about Nigeria and in what areas will you like to see growth?

    I always support the unity of this country. That was why I campaigned for Abiola in 1992, even though the other candidate was from Kano. I also supported the candidature of Kingibe as the running mate against Bafyau, because even though we had a Muslim-Muslim ticket, that was the ticket I knew would make Abiola win. Today, if we have two Christians as presidential and vice presidential candidates, and I believe they will be fair and just to all Nigerians, regardless of religion or ethnicity, I will vote for them.

    What do you do at present for a living?

    I have invested in real estate and the capital market. I have also invested in Far UK Bureau De Change, and with the coming of Buhari, I have started investing in Agriculture.

    How do you recreate? Do you have time to enjoy and relax or are you still working energetically?

    I exercise by walking one hour every day. I also have a tennis court and a swimming pool in my house as I take my exercise seriously.

    How about your social life? Do you have social clubs or associations where you play roles?

    I have an active social life. I am a member of some social clubs.

    You are looking fresh and youthful. What is the secret?

    The secret of my looking younger are four: contentment, eight-hour sleep every day, reading the holy Quran, good diet and taking food supplements. Whenever I am reading the Quran, I don’t think about any problem until I’ve finished reading.

    Are you an outdoor person?

    I am an outdoor person, but I love watching tennis and football. I support Arsenal and Federer.

    What kind of clothes do you love wearing?

    I wear clothes to suit the occasion I am attending. If I am in Rome, I do as the Romans do.

    How do you spend your holiday?

    I like traveling. I spend my holidays nowadays mostly in Lagos, but I go to London once a year.

    How about your memorable moments in life?

    My memorable moments were from my secondary school. It was a boarding school and we enjoyed sports and music.

    Do you miss Abiola? What memories of him do you have?

    I miss Abiola a lot. He was so generous to me. He was the person who paid for me to complete my doctoral degree in the United States. He was a very humorous and humble person. I also miss his proverbs, especially during the campaign period.

    How did you become his campaign director in Kano State?

    I was in Lagos watching the NTA news when I heard that Abiola had collected forms to contest the presidential election. I called him and offered to contribute financially to his campaign office in Kano whenever the office was opened. He asked me to immediately come to his house that night, which I did. He then told me that he had nobody he could trust in Kano better than me and that he would appoint me as his Campaign Manager for Kano.

    I told him I was not a politician. He said he too was not a politician. So I opened the Kano Office and ran the campaign activities for six months with only N250,000. I organised fund raising dinner for him in Kano, which was attended by Bola Tinubu, Osoba, Kingibe, Abubkar Rimi, with their families. I also made him to visit the governor, Alhaji Kabiru Gaya, and the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, in addition to most of the politicians, business men, and prominent religious leaders in Kano. He was able to get 60 per cent of the votes from Kano.

    After the Abiola era, you left politics. What happened?

    I was not a politician and I was only in politics when Abiola contested. I just joined his campaign train because he was contesting. The last time I saw him was when he was arraigned in a court in Abuja. May Allah forgive and bless him with Aljannah.