Former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega has advised politicians in Nigeria to go back to archives, read the records of past politicians and emulate their exemplary leadership for a better country and people.
Jega said this 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.
The book was complied by the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and the event held in Bauchi over the weekend.
The don harped on the importance of politics without bitterness as practiced by people like late Aminu Kano, Sa’adu Zungur, Umaru Launi Usman and others who were selfless.
Represented by the Director, Centre for Democratic Studies, Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Prof. Habu Mohammed, Professor Jega stated that, “Malam Aminu Kano and Sa’adu Zungur are among the past leading heroes of Northern Nigeria, who catapulted social consciousness among the people of Northern Nigeria about their inhuman treatment by colonial state and its allies, the feudal lords.”
He said “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.”
Jega said 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 said 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 said 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).”
He said, “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 said 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 Professor 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.
