On January 26, 2023, those who matter in the political permutations in Abuja converged on the Women Development Centre, Central Business District, CBD, Abuja to grace the book launch of the former chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, Abdullahi Adamu Candido.
Candido, who is presently the Mandate Secretary of Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Transportation Secretariat, was the pride of the day.
His special assistant on media, Chief Dayo Lawal, put pen to paper and chronicled the time and leadership of Candido while he held sway as council boss for six years.
The 132-page book with the title Service of Distinction, started with his birth in Jiwa, a suburb which is within a shouting distance from the city centre of Abuja, talked about Candido’s growing up, his educational pursuit and his veer into politics. Candido started from the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, then moved into the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2014 and became the party’s state secretary. He later resigned to contest as AMAC chairman, which he won.
The book also contains selected speeches and Candido’s family background, telling of his being the only boy and the last child of his parents. Dignitaries and the commoners were at the venue of the book launch pouring encomiums on Candido.
Emotions were let loose as everyone, irrespective of political affiliation, praised Candido to high heavens, recalling his time as council boss. Many people commended the laudable landmark achievements of Candido that were partially captured in the book.
To any other person, that day was just like any other day when a book was being launched, but for Candido, it was a day when his activities as the chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, was chronicled in a book format for posterity to know that he passed through and left an indelible footprints behind.
Candido was mindful of this as he went philosophical, recalling many historical perspectives that were not included in the book. He started by reminding those in power and authority to always remember out of office era, as he looked at the crowd and said if it had been when he held sway as council boss, the hall would have been filled to the brim with an overflow.
But that didn’t bother him because he knew that “out of power is out of relevance”, according to Nigerian parlance. He also reminded those in power that the praise singers and loyalists would soon disappear once such a person leaves office.
They are loyal because of the crumbs from the table. And when the crumbs stop, they also disappear from the radar of loyalty. Candido, who is in his late 50s, also reminded those who cared to listen that the hereafter should be of concern to those in power.
According to him, whatever one might be, one day such a person must appear before God for judgement.
He advised his successor at AMAC, Christopher Zaka Maikalangu, who was represented by his supervisory councillor, special duties, to always remember that one day he also will become former chairman just like those before him.
Candido used the book public presentation to reveal that for the first four months on the saddle as chairman, he had to forfeit his salary in order to meet the financial challenges he met on ground. He said he never went out of his way to complain that his predecessor left two months salary of workers unpaid.
He said as a leader, concentration should be what you want to achieve and not what a predecessor did or didn’t. Any driver that concentrates much on looking back while driving would certainly not go far but have an accident.
He also recalled that for the six years he held sway as AMAC chairman, he never had the security vote paid to him. Rather, he said the security vote was devoted ito taking care of the indigent and widows in the various communities within AMAC.
While thanking God for the opportunity to serve as chairman, candido said he has done his best by laying a solid foundation in the establishment of AMAC Radio, AMAC Marshal Guards, AMAC Investment and AMAC Microfinance Bank.
He urged Maikalangu to build on the projects for the good and development of AMAC. Candido reminded those who always twist his public comments to desist from such because he remains a committed party loyalist and an APC faithful to the core.
Surprisingly, Candido said those fighting him were the same people he magnanimously appointed as aides while he was council chairman. To him, that is life.
The FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, who was represented by one of his aides, Musa Dikko, described Candido as a worthy man that has performed creditably as council boss and doing well as mandate secretary, an equivalent of a state commissioner of transportation.
Though it was not a naira rain, but Dayo left with possible smiles to the bank and Candido remained grateful for having a documented history book about his life and times so far.
Abdul writes from Abuja via [email protected]
