Introduction

Let me devote this week to two uncommon Nigerians; two heroes of democracy; two business Czars; two philanthropic moguls; and two indomitable and unconquerable Pan Nigerians, who have valiantly soldiered on in life, inspite of man-made obstacles and ill-intentioned booby traps erected on their destiny routes.

They are Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa, and Dr Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, Ezomo Weppa-Wanno Kingdom.

These two national icons share a common birthday, 25th of every year. While Atiku’s was born on 25th November, 1946, that of Dekpesi is 25th October, 1951. Let me x-ray these rare homo sapiens seriatim. 

Atiku Abubakar, GCON: The political enigma

His tenderfoot

Atiku Abubakar’s story, up to being Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and later bidding for the presidency of the biggest black nation in the world, was not one of “grace-to-grace”. His was one of “grass-to-grace”, having been born to a petty Fulani trader and farmer, Garba Abubakar, in Jada village, Adamawa State. We share this grass-to-grace, “nothing-to-something” story together. Praise God.

After completing his Primary School education in 1960, Atiku was admitted into Adamawa Provincial Secondary School, same year. He graduated from secondary school in 1965 after he made grade three in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination. Abubakar then proceeded to attend Nigeria Police College, Kaduna. He left the college for a position as a Tax Officer in the Regional Ministry of Finance. Later, he received admission to study at the School of Hygiene, Kano, in 1966. In 1967, he graduated with a Diploma. That same year, Atiku Abubakar was admitted for a Law Diploma at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, on a scholarship from the then Regional government. He graduated in 1969 and was employed by Nigeria Customs Service that same year.

With four wives and 28 children, Atiku easily maintains one of the most disciplined polygamous homes in Nigeria, nay, globally.

Professional career and foray into the murky business world

Abubakar started out in the real estate business during his early days as a Customs Officer. In 1974, he applied for and received a 31,000 naira loan to build his first house in Yola, which he immediately put up for rent. From proceeds of the rent, he purchased another plot and built a second house. He continued this way, building a sizeable portfolio of property in Yola.

In 1981, he moved into agriculture, acquiring 2,500 hectares of land near Yola, to start a maize and cotton farm. The business fell on hard times and closed in 1986. He then ventured into trading, buying and selling truckloads of rice, flour and sugar. He did not make easy money.

Abubakar worked in the Nigeria Customs Service for twenty years, rising to become the Deputy Director, (as the second highest position in the Service was then known. He retired in April, 1989 and took up full-time business and politics. He ran for the office of  Governor in the then Gongola State now Adamawa and Taraba States) in 1991, and for the Presidency in 1993, placing third after MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe, in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) primaries. Atiku was later to set up, with the help of Gabrielle Volpi, an Italian businessman in Nigeria, the Nigeria Container Services (NICOTES), a logistics company operating within the Ports.

Abubakar’s business empire also includes Adama Beverages Limited, a beverage manufacturing plant in Yola, as well as an animal feed factory.

Early political career

Abubakar’s first foray into politics was in the early 1980s, when he worked behind-the-scenes on the governorship campaign of Bamanga Tukur, who, at that time, was Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority. Towards the end of his Customs career, he met Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who had been second-in-command of the military government (headed by Obasajo) that ruled Nigeria between 1976 and 1979. Abubakar was drawn by Yar’Adua into the political meetings that were then regularly taking place in Yar’Adua’s Lagos home. In 1989, Abubakar was elected a National Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Front of Nigeria (PF), the political association led by Yar’Adua, to participate in the never-ending transition programme initiated by then Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida.

Abubakar won a seat to represent his constituency at the 1989 Constituent Assembly, which was set up to design a new Constitution for Nigeria. The People’s Front was eventually denied registration by the government (none of the groups that applied was registered. Atiku then found a place within the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) one of the two parties decreed into existence by the Babangida military junta.

First presidential run

In 1992 Abubakar launched a bid for the presidency of Nigeria on the platform of the Social Democratic Party. He was unsuccessful, coming third in the convention primaries, losing to MKO Abiola and runner up, Babagana Kingibe.

 

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Philanthropy and promotion of education

In 2005, Atiku founded in Yola, his Adamawa State, American University of Nigeria (AUN), the first American-style University to be established in Sub-Saharan Africa. The American styled university emphasises critical thinking, small classes, student participation, problem-solving. AUN has since received special recognition from Google and many local and international organisations.

In 2012, Abubakar donated $750,000 to the National Peace Corps Association in the United States, “to fund a new initiative featuring global leaders who will discuss Peace Corps’s impact.” It was the largest ever individual donation in the Association’s history.

In his speeches and commentary, Abubakar is a vocal advocate of the importance of Nigeria’s educational system. In August, 2013, Atiku sponsored a students’ essay competition to generate solutions to Nigeria’s most pressing institutional educational challenges. Entrants were asked to write between 2,000 and 5,000 words on the topic ‘More Learning to More People: How can Nigeria be more innovative in bridging its literacy and skills gap?’

A long list was announced on 21st October 2013, and the winners a week later. The joint first prize went to Kenechukwu Nneka Lily Nwagbo and Emeka Chigozie Ezekwesiri.

In a bid to alleviate the educational decadence in North Eastern Nigeria, Abubakar issued scholarships to 15 escapees of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping. He has since been in the business of philanthropy, using his wealth as manure to fertilize parched homes, businesses and economic landscapes of the less privileged. Atiku easily reminds one of late democracy martyr, Chief M. K. O. Abiola, in sheer philanthropy, generosity and large-heartedness.

True federalism campaign

Abubakar launched the “True Federalism” campaign in 2017. He has been delivering speeches across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, inspiring Nigerians on the need to restructure the country. He has been receiving massive endorsements for his stand on True Fiscal Federalism in a rejigged country.

Many of his speeches have caused positive rocus and stir nationwide, as Nigerians are supporting the idea of True Fiscal Federalism, which involves allowing states to have control over their resources, to enable them develop themselves according to their needs, might and resources, whilst paying tax to a central government.

 

The political titan

As Vice President under President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, Atiku was on the reticent side, working quietly and holding on to the technical side of government. He was not, and is not, the voluptuous, flamboyant, or swash-buckling genre of Obasanjo. First elected Governor of Adamawa State, Atiku was still Governor-Elect when he was selected by the then anointed PDP Candidate, Olusegun Obasanjo, to be his running mate. The duo were sworn in on May 29, 1999, in a symbiotic relationship that was to become stormy and acrimonious, because of what was perceived to be Obasanjo’s overbearing inclination. Atiku weathered it all, coming out victorious, up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Indeed, it took the Supreme Court’s decision in 2007 to allow Atiku contest the election to succeed Obasanjo, on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), after INEC had brazenly disqualified him because of Obasanjo’s non support. He came third after late president Umaru Yar’Adua and Muhammadu Buhari. He did not bother to challenge the results of the election, which even Yar’Adua himself conceded were flawed.

Frustrated by that obvious act, Atiku joined other PDP stakeholders, including five state governors, in a political excursion, to the then (and still) inchoate APC. Yet again, as if history was bent on repeating itself, barely two years into the ruling party, which he assisted to defeat his former party (the PDP), Atiku noticed that President Buhari was only prepared to congratulate himself from previous electoral reversals, by going for a second term, whilly-nilly.

As he did after the AC.N brief stay, the Waziri (then Turaki) of Adamawa, decided to retrace his steps to his first love, the PDP. With the deployment of swift political foot walks, he was able to clinch the party’s presidential ticket for the 2019 election cycle. All the way, before, during and after the elections, Atiku proved that he was, indeed, prepared to do electoral battle with the incumbent President Buhari. He did just that. And gallantly too. No other Nigerian could have withstood the multi-dimensional, fierce onslaught, obstacles and orchestrated intimidation, placed on his way. Much to APC’s embarrassment and shock, Atiku not only visited the USA from which he was said to be a persona non gratia, he even stayed at Trump International Hotel in Washington DC, on January 17, 2019, barely one month to the presidential election. He simply rubbed it in, literally saying, “you said I cannot step my foot on American soil; here I am, not only in American, but in the hotel belonging to the President, Donald Trump, situate in the very heart of the US capital”.

On Wednesday, October 30, 2019, the Supreme Court, the court of final arbitration in Nigeria, put a lid to the former Vice President’s presidential bid in a most controversial judgement. The summary of the apex court’s judgment, which was used to temporarily stop Atiku’s search for a four-year presidential mandate, was that most of the issues canvassed did not obliterate the votes garnered by the winner, President Muhammadu Buhari, as declared by INEC. Whether it is the name “Muhammadu”, or “Mohammed”, is of no consequence, said the apex court. Whether a candidate possesses a certificate or not, is of no moment, for as long as he can read and write, the Supreme Court ruled. Scholars, historians and future generations yet unborn will discuss and interrogate this judgement, as to its jurisprudential quintessence and justice-delivery template. Happy birthday sir, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). (To be continued). Next week, we shall, by God’s grace, take a look at the media Czar, High Chief Raymond Anthony Ayaogena Dokpesi.

 

Thought for the week

“All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope”. (Winston Churchill).