Category: Profiles

While there was intense hullabaloo over the appointment of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as new Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), that of Steve Osagiede Orosanye as the Head of Service of the Federation did not create any fuss even though the two offices they now occupy are very sensitive in the public service.

The Central Bank has statutory mandates as apex monetary institution in Nigeria to regulate the financial sector while the Office of Head of Service of the Federation determines processes of appointments, postings and promotions in the federal public service. Therefore, the helmsmen of these two institutions are indeed very powerful. They may not have cabinet ranking but they are very influential as they are among the few public office holders apart from ministers that attend the Federal Executive Council meeting.

Federal appointments, especially to very sensitive offices are based on criteria that include conservative idea of federal character principle, seniority and age in addition to the basic yardsticks of qualifications, working experiences and professional recognitions.

One interesting thing about those personalities was that they were in the private sectors for years before venturing into the public service.

Steve Oronsaye, a Catholic who was born on November 16, 1950 only joined the federal service in December 1995 when he was appointed Director Special Duties in the Federal Ministry of Finance after several years as a partner in the accounting firm of KPMG Nigeria, which was reputed at the time to be the largest accounting practice firm in Nigeria and one of the top eight in the world. He actually qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1978 at the age of 28. It was in 1999 after the emergence of democratic era he was appointed Principal Private Secretary to President Olusegun Obasanjo, a position equivalent to Federal Permanent Secretary.

On the other hand, Sanusi Lamido an economist who was born in 1961 started off his working career as an academic at his alumni, ABU, Zaria before moving to the banking sector, first with Icon Limited (Merchant Bankers) to UBA and later First Bank of Nigeria where in January 2009 was made the first Northerner to be CEO in the bank’s more-than-a-century history. A grandson of the 11th Fulani Emir of Kano, Lamido was not only born a Muslim but also a believer by conviction who strangely went for further studies, not at Harvard or Oxford or any of the highly rated international universities but to a University in Sudan. And to THE bewilderment of his admirers in the financial sector he opted to study, strangely too Shari’ah and Islamic Studies. Yet, before his present appointment, being a respected intellectual, he had been invited by some of the best academic institutions in the world to be a visiting lecturer and guest speaker on contemporary global issues: economic, politics, governance, religions amongst others.

No one would therefore doubt the competence of those two senior officers for their new enviable positions against parochial consideration of states of origin, political leaning, ethnicity and religion.

Apart from carrying out assigned fiscal duties and reconciled the nations foreign reserve accounts, Orosanye as Director Special Duties in the Finance Ministry was also writing incisive and well-researched speeches for some of the ministers especially Chief Anthony Ani and Alhaji Abu Gidado. While he spearheaded a Committee for the re-introduction of ASYCUDA in the Nigeria Customs Service, he also participated in the bilateral reconciliation of Paris Club debts and in the establishment of the BMPIU (now BPP). An introvert to the core who would rather remain unseen and unheard, he was actively involved in various policies formulations and programme executions during the Obasanjo’s administration. He was one of those instrumental to the establishment of the Debt Management Office (DMO), where his close friend and colleague in Finance Ministry, Akin Arikawe was appointed pioneer Director General. As Principal Private Secretary to President Obasanjo he was the next most powerful officer in the Presidential Villa after the then Chief of Staff, Gen. Mohammed Abdullahi.

Sanusi Lamido is an outspoken personality whose past public comments while still in a commercial bank cost his bank to lose huge deposit from Kano state government during the tenure of Governor Musa Kwankwaso. Sanusi who had criticised his governor on policy issue in the state was asked to apologise, but he bluntly refused and preferred to resign based on principle and conviction. His bank believed in him and stood by him. He doesn’t hide his feeling just as his bluntness on issues not only put him on dagger drawn with the establishment especially Northern leaders who play politics with the lives of their masses. In fact he did not spare religious leaders too, because of his verse scholarship; he often engaged them in the hottest debate, especially on true Islamic perspective that a popular cleric, late Sheik Adam Jafar of Kano questioned Sanusi’s faith and identity.

Sanusi is an economist to the core and risk manager in all sense of it; he believes one must deservedly earn what he gets with no room for profligacy. He is reputed to have put in place effective mechanism for credit risk management in all the banks he had worked against corrupt practices. As general manager at UBA, Sanusi was said to have anchored the transformation of the credit and risk management division into an enterprising risk management sector, and spearheaded UBA’s Basal 2 focus by establishing the framework, policies, processes and systems necessary for compliance with the guidelines of the new capital accord. The same principle he applied at the First Bank where he championed remarkable developments in enterprise, risk and management control mechanisms.

One may not read the minds of Stephen Orosanye, yet he always succeeds in having his ways. Contrary to the notion that chartered accountants are tight-fisted, while in Federal Ministry of Finance as Director Special Duties Orosanye was regarded as Father Xmas due to his excessive generosity to staffs during seasonal periods to celebrate festivities. In fact, junior staffs did walk to his office for assistance in paying school fees, marriage and naming ceremonies which were not accommodated in archaic civil service rules and financial regulations.

While Sanusi can be controversial and very decisive on issues like a combatant, he cracks jokes at social events but which convey messages. During an annual Business Editors Seminar organised by Central Bank in 1998 which was held in Enugu, Sanusi who was the Guest Speaker dressed in clownish manner when he put on resources-control cap (associated with Niger-Deltans) on well-tailored suite with his traditional butterflies neckties. He told his audience that he could have been a northern militant being a member of Fulani whose cattle in the Northern Nigeria are potential revenue earner that can produce enough dairy, meat and skin for domestic consumption and for export to generate foreign currencies had it been the Federal government invested extensively in agricultural sector like it has continued to do in the oil sector.

There is high expectation from the public on these two officers as everyone looks forward to positive changes they would bring forth for the benefit of the country.

The new CBN governor must realise by now that he is no more a player but a regulator of monetary sector which by effect has impact in the economy. As a risk manager he should ensure that the banking sector remains vibrant and active in supporting the economy especially the productive sector. Since he is frugal by his disposition which not be acceptable to most CEOs of banks who live ostentatious livelihood, he should ensure they protect depositors’ funds. He should also avoid sentiments and bias against any of the banks considering the fact that he was once a player in the competitive environment.

The civil servants expect more from the new Head of Service especially in the area of wages. We must not continue to pretend that the civil servants are immune to corrupt practices when their meagre remuneration can hardly pay for rents not to talk of other necessities. The only motivation and consolation that can effectively check corruption in the public service is by fixing realistic salaries that can adequately cater for their the basic needs and afford them the comfort of living above poverty.

This article by Yushau A. Shuaib was originally published in Economic Confidential July, Daily Trust July 7, New Nigerian July 8, National Life July 11, Thisday July 12, Daily Independent July 12, Leadership July 13, Daily Sun July 21, 2009

When it comes knocking, it doesn’t expect the consent of victims before it snatches away souls to the world beyond. Every death has a cause and every living must taste its pang. Death, the five-letter word is dreaded by every mortal and yet, is inevitable when we know that many generations before us had lived and gone eternally and many would come and go after us.

Hajia Fatima Usman was a very hardworking housewife, mother and career woman. She had a wholehearted support from her husband, Architect Usman Abdullah who, considering the conservative over-protective nature of Northern-men over their women where some confine their wives into purdah, he graciously endorsed her career in the public service. She rose to the position of Zonal Coordinator North-East region of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) supervising Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States . Her dynamic leadership and proactive approaches on disaster management were attributed to reduction of human-induced disasters in the zone through her regular advocacy programmes and visitations in sensitizing the public on precautionary measure against road accident, fire, bush-burning, floods and communal crises. Her major stakeholders, the target of her campaigns were mostly community leaders, traders, youths, journalists, response agencies amongst others. She had also led teams of NEMA to distribute relief materials to disaster victims. But on Sunday April26, 2009 something very tragic happened…

Her first daughter, Ummi (Halima) who just graduated from the University of Maiduguri had several things in mind, most especially to be a successful woman like her mother: a fulfilled job, a faithful husband and wonderful children. Though the job and children could not be predicted, there was an indication she had a plan for bliss matrimony after her service with an educated person.

Hajia Fatima’s last child, Khalifa, a boy of about 5 year was very innocent and jovial fellow that every parent would be proud to have because of his exciting playfulness typical of kids of his age. He was a child that needed all pampering and he got it from the parent who saw in him a great leader of tomorrow. Between him and the senior sister, Ummi are other children of Hajia Fatima. But on that April 26, 2009 one single incident happened that would forever remains unforgettable in the minds of the family, friends and staff of NEMA.

Surprisingly on that day I was in the office with a bachelor friend, who is well-educated and a management staff in an agency also responsible for disaster management when a call was made that an accident had occurred along Bauchi-Maiduguri road involving Hajia Usman. The officer said it couldn’t be possible because he had spoken to her daughter some hours ago and even displayed to me one of her last text messages that Ummi had sent to him that read “We are about to leave Bauchi now.”

He quickly rushed to call Ummi gsm number to confirm if truly her mother was involved in an accident. Her phone rang but was not picked… rang… rang… and rang it seemed nobody wanted to answer. Our friend was closed to the daughter as he continued to call the number before it was switched off.

Later he got across to someone close to the family who narrated everything that had ensued.

I looked into our friend’s face, the fears were written all over him: the trembling lips, the twisted nerve around the neck, the speechless mouth, though agape and reddened eyes were confirmation that something awful had happened.

That day the journey from Bauchi to Maiduguri began when Hajia Usman decided to drive the car with two of her children mentioned above and three other passengers. She didn’t normally drive for such a long distance. The journey was smooth… very smooth because the car was in good condition and on normal speed… but for a careless commercial driver who overtook other vehicles recklessly from the other direction… the inevitable just happened.

“Oh… God… Allah…Allah…!” Hajia Fatima, her daughter and passengers in her car proclaimed in submission to the will of God as vehicles too close to call crashed. The eyes closed, breath stopped… vein went off, bodies remained motionless and after the clicking of the vehicle, the car’s engine also dead. Without any courtesy of announcing its arrival the fatal accident through the misdeed of the reckless driver, the death picked its new victims abruptly. Hajia Fatima, her first daughter Ummi, her last child Khalifa and others become stories in past tense.

While the Director General of NEMA, AVM Mohammed Audu-Bida (rtd)had described Hajia as a very hardworking, committed and sincere civil servant whose contribution in disaster management were felt, her husband, Arc. Usman Abdullah said he couldn’t not query God as he believes in His will and power over every soul. He thanked God for giving him Hajia Fatima for making positive impacts in his family. He also declared that her other children are well and would imbibe the spirit of their mother who led an exemplary life.

Hajia Usman and two children have gone forever physically… Their deeds and attributes while alive will remain indelible in our minds as the only consolation to their memory. I am very proud of the life she lived as she was humble, religious and very kind to others. She didn’t begrudge others as she mind her business doing it with all honesty and sincerity. That was why tears rolls from some those who know her.

While we plan ahead and struggle for survival in this competitive and confusing world, we should be aware that every grave we passby contains a person that once lived like us. Which means sooner or later we will join them whether we like it or not. We should use today by planting good as if there won’t be tomorrow.

This article by Yushau A. Shuaib was originally published in Economic Confidential May, The Guardian May 2, Sunday Trust May 2, Nigerian Tribune May 2, Leadership May 2, New Nigerian May 6, 2009

In this maddening period where schools’ proprietors are charging fees that are out of the blue, when governments at all tiers fail to provide quality education; where teachers in public schools take children for ransom with incessant and reckless strikes as top public officers prefer exorbitant private and foreign alternatives for their wards, there are few individuals in Nigeria, who in the spirit of patriotism and philanthropy are funding education for the benefits of our children’s future.

Indeed we are in an era where schools in Nigeria are judged not on its quality of the teachers or on any performance index but on how costly the fees are. It is disheartening that some embassies and foreigners establish expensive schools here and recruit the service of local teachers are doing better than government owned and some other private schools. In fact such schools are promoted by large patronage they receive from top public functionaries and by extension public treasury.

In some of the highly exorbitant private schools, students are treated to monarchial luxury: air-conditioned rooms, meals of their choice, servants for their laundry, in fact the only service they are not provided is to be cleaned up in the toilet. On the other hand, some public schools are no more than slums with dilapidated infrastructures and demoralized teachers who enslave their students to run errands for their domestic and personal needs during school hours.

The dichotomy between the rich and poor is further widen which ugly impressions that children in expensive schools are special breeds while those in free or affordable schools are seen as social outcasts.

In between these two extreme, are not-for-profit schools that are funded by private individuals for the benefit of other children in accessing better education in conducive environments. This writer was in Kano recently during the teachers’ national strike where public and private schools were forced to close down. One of very few schools that were not invaded by the striking teachers in Kano was school founded and funded by the retired military intelligence officer, General Haliru Akilu who was once Director of the Nigeria Military Intelligence for several years. The founder thwarted the threat of the teachers by mobilizing adequate security for the protection of the students. He succeeded and the school remained in session till the strike was called off. General Haliru Akilu would rather expend his wealth to education of students from different backgrounds where parents only make token monetary commitments to the school.

With other interesting stories built around the boarding school for boys, like an inquisitive reporter, this writer took a trip to the school, “Alhaji Akilu Comprehensive Islamic Secondary School” situated in Madobi Local Government Council about 37 kilometre from the ancient city of Kano. What he discovers further reinforced the belief that not all private schools are truly for commercial and profit making.

Located in a very serene environment, the school consisting of well-structured blocks of storey buildings in high-fenced wall accommodates a mosque, classrooms, hostels, dinning hall, administrative offices, laboratories and library. Adjacent to the main building is a big football pitch where on that this writer watched two team of the school playing a match. Apart from having strong football team players, there are other sporting facilities for table tennis, badminton and volley ball. For learning through social interactions, there are also social clubs that include Literary and Debating Society, Young Farmers Club, Muslim Students and Quranic Recitation Society.

Because of its limited boarding facilities, admission process could be described as though and strictly on excellence performance through comprehensive entrance examination and interviews to test the candidates’ communicative ability.

One would have assumed that with Islam in the name of the school only Arabic and Islamic would be taught. But to the surprise of this visitor, the school has Science and Arts Classes which a student or his guardian can choose. In the Arts Class for instance, subjects being offered include English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Geography, Government, economics, Agricultural Science, Hausa Language, Computer Science and Islamic Studies. The Science Class has Physics and Chemistry in places of Government and Economics.

Probably to be in sync with the orientation of the proprietor’s military discipline, the school has strict daily routine that must be observed by all the students between their waking up time of 5.30am to bed check and light out at 10pm. The routines include prayers interval, sanitation, meal, lessons, siesta, and games. Everyday they are fully occupied with academic works and social activities.

One just has to observe the obedient of students to their teachers to realize that the school is truly established to imbibe discipline, inculcate sound moral character and instill spirit of brotherhood with the fear of God in daily dealings of students. It was therefore not surprising that since it establishment in 1997, the school was never reported in negatives vices like fighting, bullying, theft or vandalisation of property just as social vices like smoking and use of distasteful language are strictly prohibited.

To ensure that the school does not divert from its mission, members of the Board are respected educationists in Nigeria which include scholars and officials of Ministry of Education. It also has other committees to oversee matters bordering on education, discipline, teachers and students welfare in addition to effective Parent Teacher Association.

While we must acknowledge the contributions of wealthy and influential individuals in our society who are intervening in restoring battered education system through philanthropy, special foundations and scholarships for benefit of our children, the government can still revamp the sector by compelling its ministers, commissioners, judicial officers, legislators and others to send their children to public schools or in alternative make commitments to schools in their localities.

I wonder if any of our leaders today went through expensive schools to reach the peak of their ambitions as they seem not to bother on the present dilemma of average Nigerians and their children desirous of good education.

This article by Yushau A. Shuaib was originally published in New Nigerian September 23, Leadership September 14, 2008

It may sound strange but is real when the newly re-elected governor of Kano State Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau had to address the mammoth crowd during his inauguration in the local language, Hausa, instead of the lingua franca, English. While other languages and their cultural values are relegated to the background, the Kano gathering witnessed colorful cultural display and traditional effigies that reinforce those values they so much cherished.

The popular Abacha Stadium witnessed a motley crowd of the old, women and children from different ethnic backgrounds chanting praises in Hausa language and in fact almost all the programmes and proceedings were in Hausa. The chaotic environment due to the unprecedented gathering made the service of ambulances inevitable in reviving and evacuating the exhausted persons to the nearest hospitals. They endured the scorching sun in honour of the first reelected governor of Kano State who had provided their want through job creation, regular payment of salary, pension, scholarship, provision of health facilities, free school meal, refreshment during religious festivities and provision of other social amenities.

The politicking and electioneering were not contentious and acrimonious but not devoid of some melodrama. Kano people like most northern states, are very proud of their local languages so that during the political campaigns, even in areas of predominant non-indigenes like Sabon Gari and Unguwa Uku, campaigners and supporters of most of the political parties spoke Hausa widely. The campaign kits and publicity materials were mostly in the local language too. In fact there was this young Igbo man, in didactic prose who chanted some local proverbs in very fluent Hausa to the admiration of local people.

It should be noted that the Igbos, Yorubas and other ethnic groups who have successfully assimilated into the societal life of the city, have some of their members appointed into Mallam Shekarau’s cabinet. It is a cabinet where Hausa, in addition to English, is officially encouraged as language of communication likewise it is permissible on the floor of the State House of Assembly. Notwithstanding, their passion for their language, state has a record of highly educated and talented indigenes that the nation can boast of; the likes of late political sage Mallam Aminu Kano and erudite orator of international repute Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule just to mention but a few.

The election pattern has always been dynamic in Kano where electorates have consistently demonstrated uniqueness on the choice of their leaders. They know how to chop free money from politicians but vote purely on their convictions. They have this radical and progressive ideology as the capital of Talakawa (masses) politics promoted by late Aminu Kano of blessed memory. Money doesn’t influence electoral victory in the state, once one speaks their language, respects their culture and convinces them with sincerity of purpose. All the past elected governors and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau deployed those strategies. The governors were the charismatic Abubakar Rimi in 1979, the maverick Sabo Bakin Zuwo in 1983 who was alleged to be unlettered by the press, Kabiru Gaya in 1992 who was never in contention but sprung surprises to win gubernatorial seat in 1992, the young politician Dr. Musa Kwankwaso in 1999 and lastly poor Mallam Shekarau’s emergence in 2003 without spending a penny from his pocket.
To retain the office or break the jinx over the second term, ardent supporters and fanatical opposition to the aspiration of Mallam Shekarau were engaged in fierce battle of wit, songs, parables, comedies, poetry and folklores rendered in Hausa language.

Though some messages can be derogatory against the opponents they were more of comic relief. They also pass coded messages to describe unfolding events. For instance when Federal government changed the resident electoral commissioner and the police boss in the state, just a week to the election, the catchy word is an kau da kai… kafa ke tafiya (literarily meaning they touch the head but it’s the leg that works) because field electoral officers and divisional police officers were not affected. When a popular Islamic cleric, Sheik Adam Jaafaar was also assassinated that week, the traditional rulers, religious leaders and government officials rose to the task. They simultaneously went round to pass a single message Ba’a amfani damu don kazamar buri (we can’t be used for evil game). That was to douse the impression that the people of the state are fanatical.

The elections in the state were peaceful not even on the day imported thugs were seen in some places like Giginyu Ward of Mallam Shekarau where yandabas (Kano version of areaboys) had a field day ranting, Chanji dole, (change of the administration is a must) against that of the youths of the area chanting Babu Chanji sai tazarce (no change, only continuity). But the elders kept their cool with munsan nagida ba’a yaudararmu (we know our own nobody can fool us).

The message I am trying to pass here is that while we accept foreign language as the main official language, we can develop strategies to make our local languages very popular. Today while other Nigerian languages are heading for extinction, the Hausas are very proud of their language that their educated emirs only speak it in their domains and even on visits by highly important dignitaries. Emir Ado Bayero of Kano, for instance, spoke Hausa to the Queen of England and President of United State of America on their separate visits to his palace.

As they proudly promote their language through interaction and communication, today Hausa services are provided in foreign broadcast stations like British Broadcasting Corporation, Deuchwelle of Germany, Voice of America, China Radio International, RFA of France, Egypt Radio amongst others. That is the reason why an illiterate Hausa listener addicted to those foreign broadcast stations can easily disappoint students of international relations in a debate/quiz on global politics. Today at Bayero University Kano where Hausa language is studied to Phd level people from outside the country, troop in to study the language. In fact early scholars in Hausa language were/are Britons and so far there are many foreign professors in Hausa language and culture than any other indigenous languages in West Africa.

So what happen to other vernaculars in Nigeria? They simply have lackadaisical attitudes to their dialects. Some of their elites detest speaking their language in public and scornfully respond to their people who speak to them in their native language. They view those who engage them in the local language as cheats and too local for their liking. I think the Ohaneze, the Afenifere, the Ijaw and other ethnic group should work towards promoting their languages like the Hausa and Swahili people in Africa.
It is a welcome development that a renowned ifa scholar and former Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Wande Abimbola recently raised alarm over the relegation of some Nigerian languages and their cultural values. At a lecture organized by the Olaniwun and Adunola Foundation for the promotion of Yoruba languages, the scholars and traditional rulers at the event criticized the elite for promoting English and western values at the expense of our local languages. They noted that unless concrete steps were taken to reverse the trend, Yoruba, Igbo and other local languages might become extinct. They noted that is a pity that our children are being brought up with English language, English songs and related literature.

They are right, but I think they can take the cue from the Hausa elites and ordinary people who start their day with Ina Kwana, instead of the ‘good morning’ and akwana lafiya instead of the ‘goodnight’ in their daily communication routine.

Back to Malam Ibrahim Shekarau. Since it is obvious that, in the first tenure, he has squarely addressed the WANTS of his people through his popular and welfarist programmes, he should ensure that the breaking of the jinx on his second tenure is to address other NEEDS through capital development, investment and industrialization in line with speaking the economic language for the people. It worth the sacrifice of all.

This article by Yushau A. Shuaib was originally published in Leadership June 11, New Nigerian June 13, Vanguard June 14, Weekly Trust June 16, Sunday Tribune June 17 And Daily Sun July 12, 2007

In life one comes across different kinds of people: some grow and rise in fame, others dwindle in fortunes and name. Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, known widely as the Billionaire from the moon but who the section of the media calls the Mystery Investor, belongs to the former category. He is an enigma that even some old friends and family members cannot cease wondering about his rocket speed and astronomical increase in wealth.

Having been close to him as a friend for more than a decade, I am extremely reluctant to disclose my association with him which is borne out of the fact that many would think I am in his class of opulence, ignoring the fact that I am a public worker and still proud to mind my business in the service. Like my boss uses to say every person has a destiny in life, one should strive on personal gift from God to excel instead of depending heavily on others for prosperity. He may be funny, not a fool, but smart to know what is going on around him.

As people debate on his sources of wealth, some of the facts I would give here may interest many on Jimoh Ibrahim who just clocks 40 years old on February 24, 2007. I didn’t intend to drop name, but the fact may not be clear in chronicling his past as a friend. As he is proud to be born into a family of a bricklayer father and a fish-selling mother, he started making millions in his mid 20s. How indeed could this have been possible?

I was introduced to Jimoh by former Finance Minister of State, Alhaji Abu Gidado, the man known in the ministry as incorruptible and highly principled (upto date) whom I had served as Personal Assistant. Jimoh was like an adopted child to Alhaji Gidado’s uncle, the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Bello.

When people talk about Jimoh Ibrahim as a whiz kid out of the blues, I wonder if it is not the same person who was the Chief Launcher at my book launch ten years ago. Precisely on October 10, 1997 at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, he came to the venue in a convoy of Jeeps (four runners) which was not in vogue then and signed a blank cheque asking me to fill in any amount not exceeding six digits. Alhaji Gidado rejected the idea, insisting that the donation should be clearly written by him and also should not be outrageously higher than that of the Hon. Minister of Finance, Chief Anthony Ani who was the Chairman of the occasion. But for Alh Gidado, I could have scribbled down N999, 999! The ceremony had in attendance top functionaries including the present Principal Private Secretary to the President, Mr. Stephen Orosanye, a humble personality who was also supportive of my recent book last year.

Before then Jimoh Ibrahim was in the habit of inviting us to some of his training workshops for top public functionaries at all tiers of government. It was through one of those seminars that I suspected he learnt about the huge amount of revenue Nigeria lost to withholding tax by big oil companies. His further research made him to submit his findings in form of a proposal that he could recover the funds as a consultant to the federal government but with a specific percentage as his commission. After diligent consideration by the ministry and approval of his submission, within a short period of time he was remitting billions of Naira to the account of the federal government. If Nuhu Ribadu of EFCC were a consultant and legitimacy entitled to some commission from the billions he recovers from fraudsters he could have become richer too. That is one of the major differences between working as public officers who earn salary and private consultants who receive commissions.

On close examination, Jimoh Ibrahim is an aggressive businessman who pursues his desires passionately, no matter what it takes. Every time one sits with him, ideas on how to make real money come to mind in torrents. To him business is business and leisure is leisure. He doesn’t mix the two. I was with him on several occasions, when he pays and receives receipt for fuel from his filling stations, even sometimes as little as N200. On another occasion, we were at the bar of one of his hotels in Lagos, where the then MD Trade Bank, Mr. Tunji Adeniyi and others came on a mission for Jimoh to salvage the bank from liquidation through investment. After the business discussion that reached far into middle of the night, everybody paid a bill on consumption from the bar, except me because I couldn’t pretend to be a businessman.

One thing I learnt from his business acumen, is how one uses money to make more money through financial instruments. I had cause to accompany him to a very powerful and respected woman banker in her modest and simply furnished office. The bank which is one of the major financiers of his companies has full confidence in the young businessman because he always meets the stringent financial requirements and deadlines. Obviously, that is the reason he hardly spends his wealth on frivolities or invests in business that would not yield returns, though he has special endowments like a foundation that provides scholarship for thousand of indigent students annually.

He is open to take to genuine and critical advice even if it is against his position. I once advised against buying a telecommunication company which price I believed was incredibly high after he had signed the agreement. I also advised him against suing a media house that published a libelous material against his company (NICON) after he had contacted his lawyers. My reason was that nobody, no matter how powerful or rich, can fight the media and win easily in a law court in Nigeria. Though we do sometimes disagree, a true friend, I believe, is the person that states the obvious boldly through constructive criticism, with a clear conscience.

Ibrahim may be prudent in managing resources, but when it comes to competition, he could be daring to a fault. In his desire to ameliorate the suffering of his people, he contested for the governorship of Ondo State under the platform of ANPP in 2003. Apart from having invested in the local communities and donating to worthy causes in all the local government councils, he bought dozens of brand new luxury cars (Bora) and buses which he shared out for his campaign. Yet he lost to Chief Agagu of the PDP. He always laughs over the experience afterwards. But the fortune lost in that expedition was enormous.

I think what scares him stiff is death. An incident happened when he was Special Adviser to the first Military Administrator of Bayelsa State. He was about to take a flight to Lagos one evening from the Port-Harcourt International Airport when he aborted the trip after a call from his boss that there was a message he had to take along. As he returned to the airport the following morning, he learnt that the plane he had bought its ticket a night before had crashed into a lagoon. The tremor from that experience forced him to stop flying local airlines for several years and rather travelled around the country in his jeeps.

Many people may not know that he was a member of the exclusive Federation Account Allocation Committee and was Chairman of FAAC News, the first monthly magazine that published the activities of that Committee. He was Special Adviser to the First Military Administrator of Bayelsa State; Principal Partner of Law and Justice chambers; Executive Secretary, African Center for Policy Studies; Consultant to various bodies and multilateral institutions and Chairman Global Fleet Companies before his foray into acquisitions of privatized companies that makes his name stand out lately as a maverick entrepreneur. Some of the companies he acquired or invested heavily on cut across those in the public and private sectors of the economy. They are mostly in the insurance, hospitality industry, airline, real estates, oil sectors, banking, etc.

An author and publisher, he attended public schools up to the University of Ife, before he attended Harvard University where he came out as a distinguished graduate and expert in international tax law. A Nigerian by all standards, his parents are devout Muslims while he and his wife are Christians. For his three children, they have a free choice. That is the Jimoh Ibrahim I know.

This article by Yushau A. Shuaib was originally published in Leadership February 25, 2007