Former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Muhammad Attairu Jega has advised current politicians in Nigeria to go back to history archives, dust records of past politicians and emulate them for a better country and people.
The challenge was thrown at the presentation and launch of a book on the life and times of Late Sa’adu Zungur and his contemporaries in the struggle for an independent Nigeria as recorded by late Umaru Launi Usman but complied by the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Muhammad Yakubu held in Bauchi on Saturday.
One of the leading speakers at the event was the former Chairman of INEC, Prof Muhammad Attahiru Jega who stressed the importance of politics without bitterness as practiced by people like late Aminu Kano, Sa’adu Zungur, Umaru Launi Usman and others who were selfish.
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Represented by the Director, Centre for Democratic Studies, Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Prof Habu Mohammed, Attahiru Jega stated that, “Malam Aminu Kano and Sa’adu Zungur are among the leading Northern Nigeria’s heroes past who catapulted social consciousness among the people of Northern Nigeria about their inhuman treatment by colonial state and its allies, the feudal lords.”
He stressed that, “The former met the latter while he was serving as Senior Tutor at the School of Hygiene, Zaria. Malam Aminu Kano was then a student in Zaria in 1941.
Later, in 1943, Aminu Kano was in Bauchi at the time when Malam Sa’adu Zungur was out of Government service. The closeness of Aminu Kano with Sa’adu Zungur can best be understood in the words of Aminu Kano himself.”
Attahiru Jega added that,”Sa’adu Zungur was an inspiring man to Aminu Kano and their closeness and the role he played as NEPU activist compelled the Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies (AKCDS), Mambayya House, Bayero University, Kano to immortalize his name.
“The Centre named its 500-seat capacity auditorium after Malam Sa’adu Zungur.”
On Alhaji Umaru Usman Launi, the former INEC Chairman stated that, “Umaru Usman Launi, the Secretary of the Bauchi branch of NEPU, was a close associate of Sa’adu Zungur in Bauchi.
“He was described by Yakubu as “a tower of inspiration, hospitable, perceptive and close ally of Sa’adu”.
He added that, “Launi was a bicycle repairer and had no any formal education but his principles of emancipation from the bondage of misrule.
“Though, Sa’adu Zungur provided NEPU in Bauchi the intellectual input needed to correspond with the colonial authority, most of the political correspondences of Zungur were countersigned in Arabic by Launi (Yakubu, 1993:597).”
According to him, “Launi was the strongest confident of Zungur. Like Zungur, Alhaji Launi’s political activism was propelled by his innate commitment to self-rule.
“No wonder, the book we are about to present today is an all-encompassing reminiscence of the duo’s struggle for a just society and their sacrifices in the course of achieving just that for their fatherland.”
He concluded that, “If present crop of politicians will emulate what was done in the past, Nigeria and Nigerians will be best for it and make politics to thrive.
While reviewing the book, Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Kashere (FUK), Prof Umar Pate described the book as most relevant documents required to reshape the political atmosphere of the country.
He commemded Prof Mahmud Yakubu for compiling the book and allowed the family to author it saying, that is based on trust as practiced by founding fathers of politics in Northern Nigeria.
Represented by the General Manager of Gombe Media Corporation, Ibrahim Isa, Umar Pate stressed the importance of trust in achieving good governance among those saddled with the responsibility of administration.
The FUK VC agreed that the cordiality that existed among past political leaders of the Northern region as was exhibited in other regions is what is needed now in order to move the country ahead.
All others who spoke during the occasion commended the selfless service of the past leaders and called on the present crop of politicians to study and emulate.
