Ordinarily, in Nigeria’s social, religious, and political context, when someone is given an appointment, political or otherwise, the various media platforms will be dominated with flattering eulogies for a while, just to impress the appointee, even if what the well wishers are broadcasting are fallacies!
Dr. Yusuf Arrigasiyu was recently appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Agency, by Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai. But, in the case of Dr. Arrigasiyu, anyone who’s acquainted with him; will not falter to honestly tell you that Arigasiyyu is a man who’s invariably and highly committed to any task assigned to him.
He is a man with a very rich curriculum vitae (CV), who served effectively in different capacities, both in the civil society organisation (CSOs), Non governmental organisations (NGOs), public service, political, traditional, and the academia.
I was opportune to work with him as his subordinate staff in the Muslim League for Accountability (MULAC) for six years, a civil society organisation where he is currently serving as the co-director before his appointment as the executive secretary Kaduna State Pilgrims Agency. At MULAC, we campaignef for good governance and admonished against corruption and maladministration, and we monitored the level of transparency and accountability compliance in both public and private sectors.
We organised workshop and symposium for faith based organisations, cultural leaders, and youth organisations, on peace building dialogue. And this is what MULAC has being doing since the return of democracy in 1999.
Based on his antecedents of anti-corruption crusades, that’s what earned him worthy to be appointed as the Director Policy and Transparency Division (PTD) Kaduna Polytechnic. A position he occupied before his current appointment. The PTD is charged with the responsibility for policy formulation, curtailing leakages, tackling bribery and corruption, indiscipline, and other vices in the institution.
As my boss, i frequently go to his office situated at the Central Administration (CA) Block, Kaduna Polytechnic. And i often met some grievous cases brought to his table, as the moral police officer of the institution.
It’s generally known for one to become suddenly panicky even as a joke to hear that he is summoned to Dr. Arigasiyyu’s office, because it’s a drilling ground for wrong doers. I have seen, severally, how some senior staff of the institution knelt down and shed tears in his office, pleading for leniency over the offence they committed, because they know that they are going to be treated with a iron hand.
He doesn’t tolerate indiscipline, injustice, and corruption. He was instrumental to the sack of many corrupt lecturers in Kadpoly, who were caught coercing young female students on “sex for grades”, and molestation.
The students weren’t also spared, most especially if one is caught with examination malpractice, the student must face the disciplinary committee set up by the PTD under Dr. Arigasiyyu’s watch.
Even when he served as the “provost of Shehu Idris School of Health Technology Makarfi for one year, he fiercely fought corruption, sexual harassment, examination malpractice and other vices. And he also transformed the school to international standard, especially in the aspect of academic and physical infrastructure.
Arrigasiyyu is a man of noble qualities, his trustworthiness, capacity, and integrity earned him various appointments, both in the public and private sectors. He is an academician per excellence. He obtained many professional certificates in different disciplines, including “fellow of World Public Health” membership certificate and license, to practice anywhere in the world.
He obtained his first degree in public health, as well as his MSc and PhD in the same field of study. I know one may be curious to ask why a public health practitioner was appointed as the executive secretary of a pilgrims agency; he has 15 years of Hajj operations experience.
Verily, with the assumption of Dr. Yusuf Arrigasiyu as the new executive secretary who take the helm of affairs of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Agency, there will be no more extortion on the intending pilgrims, no more swindling of the pilgrims. Transparency and accountability will prevail.
Jabir T Usman,
Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada,
Kaduna
