When the present administration came on board on May 29, 2015, with the slogan Change, most Nigerian elite expected the number one citizen of the country President Muhammadu Buhari to carry along one of his freedom fighters or field marshals, who occupied a full page wrestling with the warriors in the Nigerian dailies to pave way for his boss to gain entrance into the presidential Villa.
The anticipation was by way of bringing the professional accountant and a career journalist Malam Adamu Adamu who does not even need more introductory background in the eyes of the readers having been a columnist, but for meeting the criteria in making my writing catchy and result oriented by attaching him closer to the government so as to enjoy the same shade after years of battling with the pen profession in protecting the interest of a person they share the same ideology.
Consequently, right from day one many politicians believed there was no way Adamu Adamu would not cut and eat from the milky buttered chocolate placed on Mr. President’s dining table. It was thought that.he will be assigned with the portfolio of Ministry of information if he happened to be among the members of the Federal Executive Council as as a journalism icon.
Though, it has been a tradition in the country even when the presidential office was in Dodan Barracks, situated at Obalende area of Ikoyi, Lagos just near the Broadcating House, headquarters of FRCN to assign any ministerial portfolio to a professional different from what he specialised on up to Abacha’s regime which I am more conversant with after relocating the FCT to Abuja by IBB during which he Abacha appointed Pharmacist Hamza Muhammad Sakwa Sarkin Shanun Katagum from Bauchi state as minister of water resources, former IGP Gambo Jimeta for agriculture and a renowned northern elder state man from Funtua, Katsina state late Wada Nas as special duties minister as well as Chief Dan Etete for petroleum resources all of which they performed excellently well in the Provisional Ruling Council.
To me, Mal Adamu Adamu has actually taken Nigerians by surprise with all the criticism he suffered from being a non partisan politician prior to his appointment. But since the power of God and constitution had empowered a sitting president to appoint anybody he so wishes as part of his cabinet, thereby proving the saying what God has joined together no man can put asunder.
Contrary to one of my previous articles with the topic Adamu Adamu silence while in power, expressing my opinion for keeping his mouth shut on the academic unions strike unlike when he was not obliged to be in power, this time, honour has to be given to whom honour is due for his resilience and steadfastness in showing an unprecedented love and affection not only to people of his home town but entire Katagum zone and beyond for establishing the new Federal University of Health and Nutrition in Azare, Bauchi state.
I strongly believe the minister of education wouldn’t have been offended or provoked for echoing my opinion on merely what almost everybody has observed but instead I thought he may even be offended to read such kind of text from his child being an immediate junior to my late father in secondary school and his subordinate in the pen profession.
However, myself as a classmate to his first son at FGC Azare, i knew he ought to be happy to see a young person trying to follow the footsteps of his biological father by ensuring I don’t run out of ink no matter the situation and coping with a sleepless night to announce my arrival on the most challenging scene as it is the wish of a good father to see his child excelling so long he receives the blessings of that father.
In order not to make readers of this piece feel I am beating around the bush, the write up is intended to salute, commend and ginger my appreciation in particular that of people of Katagum zone and by extension other well meaning citizens from remaining angles in Bauchi state who does not view any progress or attempt to develop Katagum that is awaiting decoration with the highest rank of state soon insha Allah as a sentiment or otherwise.
Moreover, even with the criticism, sabotage and outcry that emanated when two ministers from Bauchi state were nominated from the same LGA, it shouldn’t be an issue to RAISE raise eyebrows considering the zone is yet to be given opportunity to produce a governor since the return of democracy in 1999 with all the support of Gudirawa in electing previous governors and the incumbent under the umbrella of PDP in President Buhari led APC administration.
As the saying goes, charity begins at home and opportunity comes but once. Adamu Adamu has done the needful by siting the Federal University of Health and Nutrition in his home town; after all, there are ATBU, federal polytechnic, campus of the Bauchi State University and Tatari Ali Polytechnic in the state capital. The development that came barely less than a year when a brother to Governor Bala Muhammad who is the executive chairman BSPHCDA Dr. Rilwanu Muhammad made a pronouncement that there was a mysterious death recorded as a result of high mortality rate in same Azare. The statement generated negative reactions from sons and daughters of the area to the extent he apologised that it was a sleep of tongue.
No doubt, the new federal university will provide job opportunities not only to people of the area, the state but the country in general as there is no embargo for restricting employment to any federal higher institutions to only the host community where the apex learning institution is located.
Going into a simple analysis, immediate past chief of air staff who hailed from Giade one of the seven LGAs that makes up the zone rtd Air Marshal Saddique facilitated the construction of Air Force military base including a school and clinic with the state of art facilities in Bauchi zone which caters for the entire Northeast and Air Force University in Bogoro LGA. But there was no negative colouration to challenge him as the son and soil of the area because development is needed everywhere.
In fact, Saddique was said to have revalidated his APC membership card in preparation for guber election come 2023 even without a single project he ushered there but he shall continued to be remembered.
Remember, Mal. Adamu Adamu using his official previlege and establishing Federal College of Education Jama’are as well as Federal Technical College Misau are milestones knowing that if he is given the chance to relocate FCT to another place by Buhari based on the trust and confidence reposed in him, the career journalist will never have a second thought on Azare.
Hon. Minister Sir, while assuring you of my stand not to fold my hands in protecting your image on this subject at all cost as a result of unwanted utterances and politics of calumny against you by some undesirable elements for pleasing your community, I equally remain resolute in firing back on the issue of Bauchi-Katagum factor within the available God owned talent I am blessed with.
In conclusion, i solicit your guidance and counseling for me to keep the torch aglow and may Allah continue to give you more wisdom and protection.
Gabi, a graduate of Quantity Surveying, ATBU, Bauchi, writes via [email protected], 08033990884
