Yar’Adua: More than a name

By Ikechukwu Nkume
As published in Punch Newspaper: Monday, 11 Dec 2006
Governor Umar Yar’Adua comes into the presidential race with more than the Yar’Adua name. His pedigree as a scion of the well-known Yar’Adua family whose selfless, courageous and continuous service to humankind is remarkable, is not what qualifies him for the presidential race. He packs illustrious achievements as the governor of his native Katsina State.

His father was the Minister of Lagos Affairs in the 60s, and his elder brother, Shehu, was the Chief of General Staff to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, and retired as a General at the age of 36. When Umar became governor in 1999 and again in 2003, many thought it was all about the influence of his elder brother, who set up a political platform, the Peoples Democratic Movement. Few expected that Umar had anything to prove.

His tenure in Katsina is a testimony to service, selflessness and exemplary connection with the people, for a man that comes from a privileged background that would have made the people to worship him. The Yar’Adua family, has the enviable privilege of holding the Mutawelle (custodian of emirate treasury) title, traditionally bestowed by the Emir on the sons of Katsina believed to possess the uncommon and unblemished qualities of honesty and integrity for more than three generations.

Governor Yar’Adua has lived to these expectations and set new standards for them, even to the shock of those who already knew him. He represents the new face of service, an uncommon characteristic that has been lacking in our polity. For him, the service he provided in Katsina State was nothing new, and so, he made no noise about it. But one of the regrets of the people is that he would be gone as governor by May 29. Their loss could be the gain of the entire country if the Peoples Democratic Party chooses him as its presidential candidate.

Yar’Adua honed his political direction as a follower of the sage Aminu Kano. He was a member of the Peoples Redemption Party in the Second Republic and a leading member of the PRP think-tank working with the likes of late Dr. Bala Usman of the Ahmadu Bello University. His politics is about the common good, the people, accountability, integrity and getting things done without the attention some manage to draw to themselves.

One of the outstanding things about the governor is his proactive integrity. On assumption of office, without prompting, he published his declaration of assets and did so again on winning re-election in 2003. The law only provides that he should declare his asset, but he went a step further by making them public. His entry into the presidential race has doubtlessly changed the calculations, not because of the Yar’Adua name, but because this is one candidate whose other name should be outstanding performer.

Dramatic results have been achieved in education. Primary school enrolment has jumped from just 460,000 in 1999 to over one million. A scholarship trust fund with an initial capital investment of N1.5 billion initiated by the state and local governments of the state has guaranteed potential students in the future access to scholarship. The reduction of student population in the primary school from an average of 250 students to 40 pupils per class is another feat. Yar’Adua wants to bring his revolution in Katsina State to the national level, in keeping with his commitment to serving Nigeria.

Nkume sent this piece by e-mail: ik_nkume@yahoo.co.uk