Connect with us

Opinion

Malam Adamu: Passing Of The Wazirin Fika

Published

2 years ago

on

Late Malam Adamu Fika

 

By Is’haq Modibbo Kawu

 

WHEN I read a few hours ago, that Malam Adamu, Wazirin Fika, died on a flight, from London, where he had been receiving treatment, I felt really sad, that we’ve lost one of the genuinely venerable old men, of Northern Nigeria. It’s without doubt, the closure of an era in our history. The Wazirin Fika would no longer be present amongst us to consult, when in doubt, about aspects of our history, as well as the nuts and bolts of the administrative structures, upon which some of the most impressive achievements in our history were recorded.

On that fateful morning of November 28th, 2007, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, died in an accident, on the Abuja-Kaduna highway. To be double sure of the story, I placed a call to the Wazirin Fika. He answered me in words that conveyed very deep sorrow: “Yes it’s true, Modibbo, we lost Sunday”!

Chief Awoniyi had been the person that cemented my relationship with Malam Adamu. For those familiar with the old structures of life in the Kaduna of the past few decades, Wazirin Fika and Chief Awoniyi, were inseparable. One was a channel to the other, and the two, were repositories of all that people recall with genuine nostalgia; the era of dedicated labour, genuine service delivery, and patriotism that was a lived daily reality.

During my years as Editor of DAILY TRUST newspaper, we were working on a series of interviews with the old men, who had served during the years of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. When I got to the residence of Malam Yahaya Gusau in Kaduna, he refused to do the interview.

The ECOWAS-NIGER WAR, “STILL BOOTING”? By Haruna Adamu Hadejia

I placed a call to Chief Sunday Awoniyi, who advised me to stay in the residence. A few minutes later, he drove into the compound. Chief Awoniyi asked me to follow him. Mal Yahaya greeted: “Ina kwana, Sunday”, and the reply was “Lafiya Lau, Sir”. Then Chief Awoniyi pressed further: “Modibbo said you have refused to do the interview, but you should sir°. Mal Yahaya turned towards me and replied: “Toh, if Sunday says I should do the interview, then you’re very lucky Modibbo”.

Advert

We did the hour long interview, and headed for Malam Adamu, Wazirin Fika’s residence. We were informed that he was slight indisposed because he had returned from Fika late the previous night and was still in bed. Chief Awoniyi went upstairs into Malam Adamu’s bedroom, and a few minutes later, we were sat in the study for the interview.

Subsequently, it was a library that would be open to me, as it was to several other people. Just as Mal Adamu was always ready to offer very enlightening insights on administration, history, politics, and even social aspects of life.

A few years ago, one of the Governors of our Northern States had appointed over 250 Personal Assistants. People were surprised, and I was too. I called Malam Adamu to find out how many Personal Assistants were appointed by the Sardauna, when he ran Northern Region, that eventually became the nineteen northern states. He told me there was nothing like that in the Sardauna’s period, yet there was a consensus, that things were done much better then.

Malam Adamu had a very distinguished life of service to our country, in several positions, and was to retire as a very respected SGF. Over the next couple of decades, he would continue to offer his remarkae insights to Nigeria, Northern Nigeria and his community in Fika, whenever he was called upon to do so. And because people knew that they would learn a lot from the venerable oldman, they never stopped reaching him to tap from his wealth of considerable knowledge.

It is part of the mythology of the Northern system, that almost all the top men, from the time of the Sardauna, retired into Kaduna, the old Northern Regional capital. It has always, therefore, been seen as a city of power and influence.

Malam Adamu was one the most respected members of that generation, and because Kaduna is one of the three cities that I call home, I’ve been able to see at very close quarter, the roles and positions of people like Mal Adamu, and the culture that they created and nurtured, with roots in the most important early years of Northern Nigeria.

Unfortunately, many of the venerable old people have died over the past few years, and the country itself has evolved in an increasingly different direction. The demography has changed, and the country is today a country of very young people. These young people are growing up in a world of neoliberal hegemony, which has devastated all aspects of life.

Our world today, and especially life in Northern Nigeria, now resembles the Hobbesian jungle, with life overwhelmingly “nasty, brutish, and short”. That’s not the world which formed Malam Adamu’s generation. They grew up in a world of transition, where older community values strongly influenced the formation of character, even while becoming educated within the certainties, if they ever were, of colonial society.

Many of the younger generation might not have even ever heard of his name. But Malam Adamu, Wazirin Fika, represented some of the very best of those truly golden years of Nigerian development. Allah gave him a very long life, and allowed us to tap into the wealth of experience that he acquired over nine decades. In his passing, we arrived at what the old Fullo intellectual from Mali, Professor Hampate Ba, once said.

The death of an old African, is the equivalent of the burning of a library. Indeed, a major library has, literally, burnt, with the passing of our very dear Malam Adamu, Wazirin Fika. We are poorer with his passing. Allah ya jikan sa, ya gafarta masa, ya rahamshe shi. Amin.

Kawu, PhD, FNGE, is a Broadcaster, Journalist, and Political Scientist.

Related Topics:

Opinion

Your Excellency, the Governor of Kano State Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf: Welcome to APC the People’s Party

Published

2 days ago

on

December 31, 2025

By

 

By Abbati Bako,psc,bsis,mti,Kent,UK, former special adviser on public affairs to former Governor H/E Ganduje

It is with a heart full of joy and a spirit of unity that we welcome a true son of Kano State Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf into the fold of the APC, the people’s political party and the largest political party in Africa.

Governor Yusuf, an‑engineer by profession and the elected leader of our great State since May 2023 has already made a lasting imprint on Kano State. Sir, thanks.

His bold intention to declare a state of emergency on education allocating a remarkable 30 % (more than 26% of prescription by UNESCO) of the state budget to schools has turned the tide for countless children of downtrodden to be educated and enlightened. From solar‑lit streets that brighten our nights to a N50,000 monthly support for 5,200 women entrepreneurs to cushions economic precarity, his initiatives echo the APC’s vision of a prosperous future, inclusive of the benefits of former councillors in the 44 LGA of Kano State. Also, the benefits of pensioners which have not been paid a long time ago. I’m sure that the next special advisers’ benefit will be on the line.

Hence, the countless roads construction and rehabilitation at both metropolitan and rural areas has been going on without delay. Your Excellency, these gigantic policies by His Excellency have been the same with the central government under His Excellency President Bola Tinubu.

Advert

The APC, under the steadfast guidance of Chairman Prince Abdullahi Abbas and the former national chairman His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has repeatedly affirmed its readiness to receive Governor Yusuf “with open arms”. This invitation is not a political maneuver but a sincere call for unity, reconciliation, and collective responsibility values that will combine our strengths for the progress of Kano State and the entire nation. Take note that today Nigeria is on the way to political, economic and social reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigeria will be on the same pathway with other economic emerging markets of the Global Southern Hemisphere.

As we extend this warm embrace, we also look forward to the synergy of your seasoned leadership and the APC’s grassroots energy. Together, we shall:

*Strengthen our education sector, ensuring every child has a desk, a book, and a future especially on science, technology and innovation

*Boost agriculture, healthcare system, transport, security and strengthen women‑empowerment programmes that lift families out of poverty. Drive infrastructural development that lights up our streets and connects our markets. And again, this writing and understanding that there’s the need to create “New Kano” as has been done in other nations like Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Nigeria and other developing nations of the world.

Governor Yusuf, your presence today is a testament to the power of partnership and with that Kano State will be the next commercial centre of Africa. We pledge to walk hand‑in‑hand with you in APC, to build a Kano that shines brighter than ever before the creation of the State in 1967. With your presence in APC the election year of 2027 will be a work over in Kano State and the nation at large.

Thank you, and welcome home!

Abbati Bako,psc,bsis,pl.sc,political strategy and communications consultant and care taker chairman former special advisers to former Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje

Continue Reading

Opinion

The Price of Betrayal: How History Caught Up with Kwankwaso

Published

2 days ago

on

December 31, 2025

By

Kwankwaso

 

By Dr Usman Sarki Madobi

Political power rarely collapses overnight. More often, it unravels slowly, weighed down by history, memory, and the quiet reckoning of past actions. The steady decline of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s once-formidable political dynasty in Kano is best understood not as coincidence or bad luck, but as political payback. It is a reminder that in politics, as in life, those who help you rise matter, and the cost of betrayal is eventually collected.

Kwankwaso did not emerge in a vacuum, his political journey was shaped, guided, and sustained by mentors and allies who believed in his potential long before he became a household name. Among them was the late Senator Hamisu Musa, a crucial figure in Kwankwaso’s early political career. Hamisu Musa mentored him, opened doors, and helped him establish the contacts necessary to enter the House of Representatives before contesting the governorship at later time, and without such foundational support, Kwankwaso’s rise would have been far more difficult. Yet, history records that this alliance ended in bitterness, with both men eventually standing on opposite sides due to what many viewed as Kwankwaso’s betrayal. The same pattern repeated itself with other political benefactors such as late Musa Gwadabe and Engr. Magaji Abdullahi, both of blessed memory who invested their time, trust, and political capital in Kwankwaso. However, instead of being rewarded with loyalty or respect, they were sidelined when their interests no longer aligned with his ambition.

Perhaps the earliest and most symbolic fracture was with Abubakar Rimi. Rimi, being a political heavyweight, expected to play the role of godfather and chief conductor of the Kwankwaso administration and this was not unusual in Nigerian politics, where senior figures often guide protégés from behind the scenes. Kwankwaso, however, asserted his independence and insisted on running the government himself. While this stance earned him admiration from some quarters, it also marked the beginning of a reputation for political ingratitude and intolerance of shared power. Rimi’s eventual withdrawal of support was not just personal; it signaled to others that alliances with Kwankwaso were conditional and expendable.

Advert

Moreover, the rivalry between Kwankwaso and Alhaji Musa Gwadabe further deepened this narrative. Both of them were influential figures within the PDP in the early 2000s, and their conflict over party leadership, candidacies, and control of the party structure became one of Kano’s most defining political battles. Allegations that Kwankwaso sought Gwadabe’s removal from ministerial office only reinforced perceptions of intolerance and power consolidation. What could have been managed as internal party disagreement instead became another chapter in a growing list of broken relationships.
Ironically, at his lowest point, when Rimi, Musa Gwadabe, and Dangalan distanced themselves due to what they described as Kwankwaso’s political excesses and constant crises, one man stood firmly by him. Ambassador Aminu Wali became the only leader among the Kano PDP conveners that remained loyal, and helped Kwankwaso during the turbulent times. History, however, shows that even such loyalty did not translate into lasting trust, as Kwankwaso later fall out with many who once defended him against the odds.

The Ganduje episode provides perhaps the clearest illustration of history coming full circle. In 1999, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje won the PDP gubernatorial primaries but was persuaded by party stakeholders to accept Kwankwaso as his running mate in the interest of unity. Years later, when Ganduje became governor in 2015, Kwankwaso attempted to exert control over his administration. Ganduje’s refusal to submit led to a dramatic and bitter split. Today, critics argue that Kwankwaso is repeating the same controlling approach with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, reducing him to a political puppet in pursuit of personal interests again, at odds with the wishes of many in Kano State.

Recent defections within the NNPP appear to be the final confirmation of a long-standing pattern. The departure of figures such as Hon. Aliyu Madakin Gini, Hon. Kabiru Alhasan Rurum, Secretary to the Kano State Government Dr. Baffa Bichi, and other key stakeholders is widely seen as vindication for those who left Kwankwaso years earlier. Leaders like Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Alhaji Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, Arch. Aminu Dabo, and others had warned of Kwankwaso’s autocratic and self-centered leadership style long before it became publicly undeniable but Kwankwaso remained adamant.

In the end, the collapse of Kwankwaso’s political dynasty is less about external opposition and more about internal erosion. A movement built on personal control rather than mutual respect cannot endure. The ladder that lifted him was kicked away rung by rung, not by enemies, but by the memories of those who felt used, discarded, and betrayed.

Politics never forgets. And in Kano, history has finally returned the favor.

*Usman Suleiman Sarki Madobi, Ph.D.*

Continue Reading

Opinion

OPINION: The Seniority of Barau Jibrin and the Political Reality of Kano APC

Published

4 days ago

on

December 29, 2025

By

Senator Barau

​By Ibrahim Aliyu Karaye

 

​The political atmosphere in Kano State has recently been thick with rumors and “jubilations” regarding the potential defection of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf from the NNPP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). While some elements within our party are celebrating this as a strategic move to “block” certain ambitions, it is crucial to temper this excitement with a dose of hard political reality. In the hierarchy of power and party leadership, some seem to have forgotten that the APC is a party of order, respect, and established leadership.
​First and foremost, it must be stated clearly: Senator Barau Jibrin is not just a member of the APC; he is the No. 5 Citizen of Nigeria and the Deputy President of the Senate. By virtue of this high office, he is the highest political office holder from Kano State. In the eyes of the National Leadership and the Presidency, Senator Barau remains the most influential political leader and the primary point of call within the Kano APC fold—take it or leave it.
​To those busy jubilating with the belief that a serving governor’s arrival will truncate Senator Barau’s 2027 aspirations, we see you. We are fully aware of the “secret romance” many of these detractors have maintained with the NNPP since the 2023 elections. These elements, who were neither here nor there during our party’s hours of need, now believe they can dictate the terms of engagement. However, they should realize they are not part of the top-level decision-making process. When the time comes for high-level negotiations regarding any return or defection to the APC, it is Senator Barau Jibrin, along with other elected party leaders, who will facilitate the process. Your “paymasters” will likely find themselves waiting on the balcony while the real decisions are made inside.
​Senator Barau Jibrin has proven himself to be a patient, focused, and strategic leader. He is not in a desperate hurry to realize his political dreams. While others play “spoiler” games, he is busy building the party, recently facilitating the defection of high-ranking NNPP officials into the APC. The APC is a big tent, but no one should mistake a new entry for a takeover. Senator Barau remains the primary gatekeeper of the party’s interests in Kano, and those celebrating his perceived “setback” should save their tears for later. The future of Kano APC will be negotiated by those who have stayed loyal, led by the Deputy President of the Senate himself.

Advert

​Ibrahim Aliyu Karaye
APC Member, Kano State
ibrahimkaraye27@gmail.com

Continue Reading

Trending