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Late President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari And The Federal Government Of Nigeria (FGN): What Matters Most

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Attahiru Ahmad Sifawa

Two days ago, there was widespread outcry on the social media over the unfortunate disconnection of the house of former President Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari GCFR, from the National Grid by the Electricity Distribution Company.

Many people lamented the insensitivity of the Company as well as the seeming neglect of the onetime number one family by the concerned authorities.

It is a well-known fact that Federal Government of Nigeria is responsible for the basic needs of past Presidents.

Whether that also extends beyond their lifetime, by which authority and for how long? That is not sufficiently clear to the lamenting citizens, as the concerned authorities keep mute in providing the necessary information.

It is probable that these questions may likely fall within some of the gaps as regards legal provisions on the welfare of Nigeria’s past Presidents after their death.

In any case, the unfortunate incident may likely trigger thought and likely policy provisions to prevent future occurrence.

The timely intervention by the Presidency over the matter is however commendable.
Important as the incidence and its aftermath, as they may be, there is quite more important matter which supposed to engage the attention of the citizens as regards to either conscious or unconscious neglect, the person of late Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR, (Turakin Sokoto), the first Executive President of Nigeria suffers from the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Kaduna Electricity Disconnects Late President Shagari’s House Over Debt
It has been the usual practice by the Federal Government, like elsewhere around the world, that whenever a senior citizen, like a former President dies, steps are usually taken to immortalize him. It is usually a mark of honour and appreciation over his service to the nation and humanity. The common and easiest practice has been to name certain public institutions/places after him.

It is unfortunate to note that more than two years after the death of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the Federal Government has not done anything to immortalize him despite the promise by President Muhammadu Buhari. I believe Mr President has likely forgotten, but one must be puzzled by the insensitivity of the Ministry or Agency concerned, thus leading to this expensive oversight.

It was on record that after the death of late Chief Alex Ikwame, Vice President of the late Shagari, he was accorded state burial and immediately immortalized by naming a Federal University after him by the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Now more than two years after the death of his boss, President Shehu Shagari, the same administration has consciously or sub-consciously failed to take any step towards immortalizing him. If there is anything worth lamentation by the citizens it should be this unfortunate neglect not the regular payment of electricity bill for the house of the former President Shagari.
On its part, the Sokoto State Government under Rt. Honourable Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, CFR has started doing its part by upgrading the Prestigious Shehu Shagari College of Education Sokoto to a University, retaining the name of late President Shagari (Shehu Shagari University of Education Sokoto). It is never late than never. I will like to commend Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal for taking such a step and enjoined the Federal Government to follow suit.

But still, I wish to suggest that the Sokoto State Government’s House be named after the late Shagari as ‘Shehu Shagari House’. The Government should also facilitate the taking over of the Shehu Shagari World Institute for Leadership and Good Governance by the Sokoto State University, Sokoto in addition to instituting/ endowing a Professorial Chair of Political Science in the same University, in his name.

It is noteworthy to mention that late Shehu Shagari as much symbolized astute public servant and educationist as he symbolized Democracy in Nigeria. He was a legendary nationalist figure and a Political Schema. As far back as the 1940s, in his twentieth, Shahu Shagari co-founded Youth Social Circle (YSC), a nationalist organization in Sokoto Province, Northern Nigeria. An active member of the defunct Northern People’s Congress (NPC), a member of the National Assembly (Federal House of Representatives) as well as a Federal Minister during the First Republic, before crowning it all as the First Executive President of Nigeria during the Second Republic.

In the Public service, particularly education which throughout his life remained his primary area of interest, Shehu Shagari was a Teacher at the Sokoto Middle School and had the privilege of serving as a language Instructor to white British Colonial Officers during the Colonial period. He was the founding Head Master of Senior Primary School at Argungu in 1950 and was onetime Senior Visiting Teacher (equivalent of Chief Inspector of Education) in the whole of Sokoto Provice (the present day Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara State) in the 1940s. In the Post-Independence period, Shagari was a pillar in the efforts to integrate Islamic Education with western education which led to the establishment of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) Primary Schools in Sokoto Province. After the fall of the First Republic, Shagari came down to serve as the Commissioner of Education in the defunct North-Western State (present day Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Niger States). Untill his death, he continued to serve as Chairman of the Sokoto Education Trust Fund.

I will like to humbly suggest to the Federal Government to consider naming the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos and Kaduna Airport after the late President Shehu Shagari, as; ‘Shehu Shagari National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos’ and ‘Shehu Shagari International Airport Kaduna’, respectively. The Government can also look at other similar proposals in order to accord the late President the honour he deserves.

Despite whatever shortcomings that one may identify during his Presidency, given the time and resources available, it is not an exaggeration that the Administration of late Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari had arguably performed better that any of the successive administration that came after him in areas of patriotism; national sprit; selflessness and devotion to public service; infrastructure development; purposeful public policies, and lots more. He was in many respect, the nation’s last touch with its legendary nationalist figures and founding fathers.

May Allah forgive late President Shehu Shagari his mistakes, continue to bless his family and grant him Jannatul firdaus.

Attahiru Ahmad Sifawa, PhD.
Department of History,
Sokoto State University, Sokoto

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Opinion

Izala Sect: Crisis of Leadership, Accusations of Shiism Meddle in Polarising Its Members, History Repeats Itself

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By Yakubu Nasiru Khalid

Formally, the Izala sect was formed in 1978, created to eradicate innovation (bid’a) within the Islamic doctrine. It has a modern structure and leadership both at the state and national levels. Therefore, the leadership of the Izala has come with a well-structured and hierarchical bureau and the feeling that they are different from who they see as the “Conservative Islamic Group.”

The structure comprises three arms: the Council of Ulama, the Administrative Council, and The First Aid Group. Each of the councils has its own head and followers to achieve designed goals. Even with this structure, the sect experienced crises at both levels, which polarised its leadership.

The reasons attached to the polarisation of Izala at the national level later descended to many states where the organization has a large following. The reasons were multifaceted, from jurisprudence, political, financial, and external meddling to sundry issues.

Initially, there was a problem regarding the leadership of the organization, especially the question of who was the supreme leader of the organization between the Administrative Council and the chairman of the Ulama Council. At the time, the head of the Administrative Council was Alhaji Musa Muhammad Maigandu, from Kaduna, and Sheikh Ismail Idris was the chairman of the Ulama Council, Jos faction recognized Ismail Idris.

The Jos faction rejected Maigandu for not being a scholar but a businessman, arguing that an Islamic organization should be led by a scholar, not a businessman. This added more fire to the crisis.

Furthermore, the Kaduna faction was very critical of some views and fatwas of Ismail Idris, especially those that dealt with the issue of bid’a. According to Ismail Idris, the followers of Izala would not pray behind an Imam who’s not a member of Izala, they would also not marry from the family of a person who inclined to Sufism and would not eat the meat of an animal slaughtered by a follower of the Sufi group.

The Kaduna faction was outrightly against these views and opposed them. Another vital factor that played a role in the split of the Izala group was the accusations and counter-accusations of financial management. Ismail Idris was accused of organizing in the Arab countries, and he was further accused of personalizing vehicles donated to the Izala sect.

In addition, Ben Amara argued that the eruption of the Gulf War in the 1990s between the USA and Iraq was another important factor in the polarisation of the Izala. The Jos faction supported the American invasion of Iraq because of the Saudi Arabian interest, while Kaduna supported Iraq. The Jos faction called Kaduna “Saddamawa” meaning (supporters of Saddam) while Kaduna called Jos “Bushawa” meaning (supporters of American interest).

The leadership of the Jos faction blamed Shia for the internal crisis of Izala and accused some Ulama of being secret agents of Shiism who were working toward dismantling the group.

yakubunasirukhalid@gmail.com

 

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Opinion

Gov. Yusuf’s executive order extending retirement age for HoS, Kano Assembly Clerk, and others unconstitutional

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Sani Usman-DanAbdullo, a Director of Admin and General Services at the Kano State Agency for the Control of Aids, KSACA, has written to the state assembly, seeking its intervention in the
Executive Order issued by Governor Abba Yusuf.

Mr DanAbdullo, in a petition dated January 6 and addressed to Speaker of the Assembly, Jibrin Ismail Falgore, recalled that the governor had in January 2025 issued Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, extending the service period of some civil servants.

According to him, the governor extended the service year of the Head of Service, Assembly Clerk, some judicial officers, Permanent Secretaries and a host of other staff in the state health sector for 2 years after they were due for retirement as of December 2024.

The lawyer also recalled that the state assembly had enacted a law fixing the retirement of staff at 60 years of age or 35 years of service, depending on whichever comes first.

Mr DanAbdullo, therefore, asserted that the governor’s executive order was unconstitutional, “since the House has already made laws which the order seeks to alter”.

He noted that that executive order is not meant to alter, amend, modify or expand the law made by the legislature.

“This act, is, therefore, a clear violation of the principles of rule of law and separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution being not only a clear attempt to usurp the legislative powers of this Honourable House, but to contradict the existing laws already enacted by it in exercise of its powers as such,” the petition added.

While dismissing a claim that the governor issued the order in the spirit of the Doctrine of Necessity, Mr DanAbdullo said there was no justification for extending the service years of the affected retired officers since there are many competent hands with adequate qualifications to be appointed.

“And as for the staff in the health sector, they can be retained on contract arrangement in line with the existing service law of Kano State,” the petition added.

Mr DanAbdullo, therefore, warned that the provisions of the Constitution must not be subordinated to any other law, and must not be subjected to the indignity of deletion of any section or part thereof.

“In view of the foregoing, I urge this esteemed House to employ all legal mechanism at its disposal to overrule the Governor’s decision in the act complained of, which is capable of setting a very dangerous precedent that will ruin the entire public service system of our dear State, if allowed.

“TAKE NOTICE Sir, this act of indiscriminate issuance of executive order, if allowed, will cause the entire Kano State the following catastrophic effects,”

The State Assembly failed to attend to the petition even if it means dismissing it for fear of the governor, if the petition is not attended to we will have no option but to go to court”. He added

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Opinion

The Movement (Tafiyar Matasa) and the Very Big Questions to Answer

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Comr. Habu Hassan Abdullahi

Comr. Habu Hassan Abdullahi

Yes, I am not some sort of social critic who would unfairly denigrate someone’s achievement for personal gain or political interest that I do not have. Thus, this is pre-eminently the right time to speak the truth to the members of my generation in Nigeria whether they care to accept it or not. But remember the truth is always truth and can stand alone.

No doubt that not everyone is happy with how leadership is running in this country, with the exception of those at the corridor of power. But this is not enough to be a raison d’etre to handle our dear nation to the hands of inexperienced youths. Forgive my pen for the use of “inexperienced”. Just because most of them have never been to real leadership. Of course, I am myself opposed to the exclusionary habit of the present politicians, they’ve relegated youths to the mantle of power but we have to cautiously control our faculty of thinking to avoid getting entangled in a lust for power.

I was very happy when I heard the idea of “The Movement” known as “Tafiyar Matasa” in the Hausa language. And of course, the genesis of the movement was attributed to the unavoidable “EndBadGovernance” protest of 1st August, 2024. The movement began immediately after the protest, in fact, it is one of the noticeable outcomes of the protest due to the unity it brought. The idea of the movement was preached and promoted by some prominent northern activists and social media influencers to serve as a last resort to the youths in their effort to bring good governance. No one can deny the fact this is a laudable effort. But the very big question supposed to be asked here is: youthfulness is the only parameter and yardstick to measure the caliber of a good leader? If yes, why Yahaya Bello (Former Governor of Kogi) and Abdurrasheeed Bawa (former EFCC Boss) were arraigned for looting the public treasury! The point I want to make here is, being young or old will not be a determining factor for an individual to be a good leader. We can have corrupt leaders within any range of age.

Another important issue to take into cognizance is the failure of some youths to comprehend the logic and existing distinction between being a good activist and being a good leader. Leadership is quite different from activism, therefore, a good activist may not necessarily be a good leader. It is common knowledge that the conveners of this important movement lack practical leadership acumen and organizational skills that are fundamental for successful leadership. Okay, should we handle our future to the trial and error leaders? We have to exercise extraordinary care when it comes to leadership.

Yet another problem faced by this movement is financial constraints. To be sincere and frank, the quantum resources required to run a great national political movement like this oversizes the pockets of the conveners. Another organic question to ask here is: where the movement conveners can solicit humongous financial resources? From the politicians they are castigating? If yes, this is performative contradiction!

Finally, I would like to remind my fellow youths that new breed, as the late Yusuf Maitama said, cannot solve the Nigerian problem. There must be mutual cooperation and understanding between the new breed and old breed. We must work together with them to acquire all necessary experience, knowledge, and practical leadership skills.

Written by
Comr. Habu Hassan Abdullahi
From Bayero University, Kano
Department of Education
Contact via 07065941454 or habu92hassan@gmail.com

 

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