Lagos — In a lot of ways, his upbringing has a reflection in the way he carries on. He abhors the title- His Excellency. In preference, Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu is referred to as the Chief Servant of Niger State. Accustomed to addressing governors as 'Your Excellency', this reporter got several, yet quick corrections from aides of the governor who, from all indications, are now aversed to hearing their words 'His Excellency'. But one can understand Babangida Aliyu's stand from the prison of his childhood experience. Being the 11th of the over 29 children of his father, although, the first of his mother, Aliyu grew up in such a humble setting with low financial capacity. Poverty may not be the ideal word, but as it seemed, it was their closest neighbour. It was such a large family, yet with an air of royalty.

The culture of living and eating together had been inculcated into him from childhood. Despite the size of the family which included uncles and their kids alike, eating together was the rule. But it certainly was not the best life could offer. Yet, it afforded Aliyu the rare opportunity to see life from an interesting perspective. This however instigated the zeal to want to succeed and the desire for a better life style with corresponding educational background.

The appointment with Governor Aliyu was fraught with uncertainty. Initially billed to hold in Minna, Niger State, it was later rescheduled to Lagos and finally, Ibadan, Oyo State where it eventually held. At some points, giving up was an option. But the governor's media aide would not give up.

As he walked in casually to the palatial sitting room of the Presidential lodge of Oyo State Government House in Agodi, Ibadan, where he was lodged, the governor, his usual manner reflected his upbringing. He had just finished eating at the other side of the lodge and requested to have his agbada (called Babariga in Hausa) given to him before the interview commenced. Aliyu had barely finished requesting for his agbada when no less than five people rushed to get it for him. But this was not in the character of the governor. Immediately, he wondered for how long such pampering would continue. But he could only draw an inference: that it is part of the reasons people tend to perpetuate themselves in office.

Aliyu believes in moderation and the need to develop human capital. This, he also claims, drives his philosophy in life. He was scheduled for an engagement at the University of Ibadan, last Thursday morning when the interview held. And so, there was no time to waste. Quickly, the Niger State Governor ran through his upbringing in a somewhat reflective mood. He shared some of these interesting times with Olawale Olaleye...

The talk about his upbringing often brings back memories. Some are fun to recall while others fall within the frame of deep reflection. The Chief Servant of Niger State, Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu nurses no regrets whatsoever about his upbringing. Instead, he believes the way he was raised has impacted positively on his person. Besides, growing up in such environment and circumstances has further shaped his view about life; his perception as well as understanding of situations. From childhood till date, Aliyu has continued to pick a lesson from life as a result of his upbringing- the imperative of human capital development. If attention is paid to this issue across the strata of the Nigerian society, not a few things would remain the same, the governor would say with a sense of optimism.

At Inception

As he sat back to recall his childhood, Aliyu said he could not say exactly how he was born, but "I know that I was born on November 12, 1955 to the family of Seriki N'yaki. Our family compound is actually known as Seriki Hausawa compound in Minna. I am and still the 11th child of about 29 to 30 children that are now alive from my father and the first of my mother. She had about eight children and it's a big compound of so many uncles and each of whom has 22, some of them 30 children. I grew up in large family.

"So, you start knowing people and liking them right from childhood. That became a mindset while growing up in such a family and more so, in our eating together as children. Sometimes, the little meat you have, you must sure immediately you sit down, everybody holds his own, otherwise one of the brothers will take his own and your own share. Sometimes too, because the food is cooked by certain sections. We used to known when a section of the house cooks a particular meal because we could see the quality and other things and sometimes, don't be surprised because of the number of children, when you come back and your step mother says oh, we have forgotten you, so you go look for food somewhere or if you are lucky, your mother has kept something for you in the room, then you dash there. So with all these things, you begin to learn; grow and observe things like that. And in my family compound too, being a traditional compound, there is a stint of royalty.

"I grew up with a horse. I had a horse to my name since I was about five or six and up till today, I have continued to have a horse to my name. I have about 100 to 200 horses now in my farm, and for some of those things that we do like dabur and people also come to rent if we can put it that way. So, growing up was fun", he said.

His Education

For him, he thought it was as a result of luck that he attended about four primary schools. This is because some of the schools are significant and also played their parts in shaping his educational career. "I was fortunate to have gone to about four primary schools because of the movement of my father and as a result I met friends. Some of my primary schools are in remote villages, but don't worry we are making them look good now. I went, to a primary school in Katin Koro. Now, it's called IBB, but it used to be central primary school. IBB attended that school; Abdulsalami attended that primary school. So, virtually it's like the main men attended that public school. So, anybody from around that place, one way or the other has found himself there. So I started there, when I was in class two, we moved to Kuta, Kuta Central Primary School. Then I came back to Minna, the same central primary school when I was in class five. Then, I moved to Sultan Ward Primary school in Sokoto, from primary five to six, then came back to Minna to finish the primary seven in Minna Central Primary School.

"The present Emir of Minna was my classmate in primary school and the Sultan of Sokoto was my classmate in primary school and so many others like that. I went to Arabic Teachers College with scheme of studies. They call it Shekomi Secondary School, Sokoto, from where I went to Advanced Teachers College. They also call that Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto. And then, I went to Bayero University for my first degree after the NCE. I later went back to school for my Master degree and PhD. I was lucky I went to the University of Pitmark and did my master degree from 1985 to 1986 and then, I did my PhD between 1986 to 1989 and by March 1990, I was back home.

Life on Campus

My life on campus was interesting. At a time on campus, I was disqualified to run for the president of the student union government because I was already the chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress in Niger. But I was the president of the student union of Advanced Teachers College, College of Education, Sokoto. Infact, I broke a record there, because you are not supposed to be speaker of parliament in the first year, but when I came in, they elected me the speaker. By second year, I was the president of the students union. The interesting thing was that my brother and mentor who you can call the guardian angel in terms of my education, Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu wanted me to study Architecture, but because I knew the following year, he wanted me to move to the University of Maiduguri, and I was going to contest for the presidency of the student union, believe me, I declined, I know he wasn't too happy, but I know he has forgiven me now.

Career and Service

"During my service year, I was able to make enough friends too. And I have been interested since then in labour 77/78. I came in contact with the likes of Hassan Sunmonu and you know that was the time, the military was reorganising the labour movement. So, I was able to take the Nigeria Labour Congress to Niger state and I had the opportunity with a few of my friends to resuscitate the Nigerian Union of Teachers there in Niger state and then to establish the Nigerian Labour Congress. I participated actively in labour activity because I was the first secretary of NLC in Niger and then became the chairman.

"I moved after two years of teaching, I went back to the university to get the first degree and I went to Bayero university. During the final year, I was approached by the people of Minna to come and contest for the House of Representatives and it was during my final examinations actually, but I took it in the way we have been taught- don't look for public office, particularly elective positions, unless the people really invite you and I looked at it as an invitation, because a delegation was sent to ask me whether I wanted to contest, and I accepted. So, I was campaigning and at the same time going back for my examination. I will come down to Minna, campaign and go back to Kano and sit for my examinations and I was lucky to have passed the two exams. I was elected a member of the House of Reps and I had my degree intact. This was in 1983.

"So, I came to the House of Representatives and about three months after we heard "fellow Nigerians". These people do not know how to do the work, but that gave me an opportunity actually, because after the coup, I had my first degree in my hand and given another perception of people, whenever you are in high position, the impression is that you have made some money or you are in money and people never care that I spent only three months and I didn't have much and the status is so high. When I returned after my PhD, I went back to the service that I knew- the civil service.

"I was appointed acting assistant Director and I was appointed Director and later on I was appointed permanent secretary where I got to serve about six ministries, and that gave me the exposure to appreciate government and governance. To me, most of the things that I am doing at the moment are not new things, these are things people should learn and lucky enough, as a result of my exposure also educationally, I don't find it difficult to take in new ideas. I go regularly for refresher courses, one week, two weeks courses, I do that. I just recently came back from John F Kennedy School of government, Harvard University, for a one week programme on politics in the 21st century and it gave me a chance to be out of the box. It gave me a chance to be on the balcony and look at what could I have done better that I didn't do? What was it I should have and did not do? Who was it that I offended as a result of my zeal to achieve certain things? Why all the noise sometimes that you hear about certain things that you are not aware of, that you have not thought of and it gave a perspective to appreciate the kind of things that were on ground and I encourage my colleagues time to time to pick up, not to go on vacation.

"When you are going to a school, you found out its almost like a vacation, because it's a different pressure, rather than going for a vacation and getting tired of buying perfume and what have you and buying rags sometimes that you never wear. So, my impression and generally governance, I think it has to do with a lot of socialisation. That was why yesterday (Wednesday last week) when I had an opportunity in Lagos, I said please let us educate our women, let us educate the girl child, because the quality of the population is dependent on the way we were brought up. If you are brought up in an abusive family, believe me, there is nothing that will make you any better, unless you are lucky, but majority of those who have grown up in a particular environment, it manifests itself and then perpetuates itself, because the same children will continue to behave that way when they become parents.

"But an educated woman will know how to bring up her child and in the process, we will have quality population and we will have a population that will be development-oriented and the society will be stabilized and stable. Those are some of the things I think we should be thinking of in terms of governance", he said.

Raising a Family

At that time the NCE holders were also serving in the NYSC scheme and I served in Lagos state. Yesterday, in one of my speeches, I made reference to how I had to change the date of my marriage because I was posted to Lagos. I taught at Jubril Martins Model Grammar School and Lagos was far away from Minna in terms of culture. So, when I went back home, I changed the date of my marriage. I brought it forward. And my wife, I met during my days in teaching practice but surprisingly I was able to know when I saw her that, that was the one I will marry. When I was in form three, I went to a particular house and I saw her picture and I picked it up and I said where did she come from, and when I was told I said, this is my wife. I never knew; believe me I just said it and here I was in College of Education, I was posted to her secondary school. Then Girls College, Minna and I saw her there. And from there I nurtured it but as a teacher, I didn't talk then, till after my teaching practice. Being in Minna, and we live in the same area. So, I talked to her and I think she must have been shocked that day, because she was looking at me more as senior brother and teacher than a potential husband. But then, we kept on. Then two years after, by 78, after my NYSC. We finished the NYSC in August by October, I started work and by December 15 we were married, so December this year we will be 30 years that we have been together as man and wife. Believe me I am so glad but indeed some of the wives of my brothers, have been asking whether we quarrelled. Yes we do, we have made it a point never to let a third party get involved in our affairs and whatever it was, when we come down to the living room, well you may see some tension in our faces, but you will never know the cause of the tension. So, nobody ever came to say, I understand you are quarrelling, please be patient with this and that. And I have always advised people that, it is because you are in love that you are married. Please be patient, unless if it is really something irrebukable, otherwise don't let other people come into the picture. So, we have six children, two girls and four boys.

Three have graduated; three are in secondary school now. For more marriages that's not for me. But as a Muslim, I've not closed my door. I promised her if we reach 25 years of marriage, no more additional marriages for me, but again you don't want to be tested by Allah. So, that's why you leave it open, but believe me at my age now, by November I will be 53, I don't think I need to have more. I have enough on my hand already, so I don't think I need more to it.

Philosophy

My philosophy is essentially to help people. You know I told you I grew up in a large family. To some, it may seem so negative, but to me, I saw it as a positive thing and I grew up with this desire to assist. Whenever I see people smiling, I am very very happy. People as well as children relating with you- children have a way of getting into your heart. If you have a pure thinking, you'll discover that children rush to you. But no matter how you pretend, if you are bad, you find children running away from you. So, mine is to help people and I have this desire to help people. It is a very strong desire in me. So, if you see me sometimes being abrasive or a little rude, it is because I have seen you on my way to making people do something, but you think selfishly, we must do something else. To me, I really get mad about that. Again, it is the fear of God. This is because whatever happens, at the end of it even if people do not know what you have done, you will be questioned. You know I told you I went to Arabic Teaching College and studied Quran at home. So, this principle of: 'You will account for whatever you do; you must be transparent in whatever you do and you must make people participate' drives me. And I have learnt this rule through my school system, through my education that if you allow people to know what you are doing, when you make a mistake, they can forgive you easily. But if you hide it and there was a mistake, it would no longer be a mistake; it would be that you had done something deliberately. Also, sense of development- ability to measure where we are today. That is why some of us are still annoyed that 48 years after independence, when our country was one of those that majored in the '60s to be one of the developed states by now. We are still grappling everyday- we don't plan anything and we just wake up and start shooting at things and then, by tomorrow, we found that we have made mistakes. I think we must stop this. All those in charge- from the councillors to chairmen and governors to the legislators and the presidency must be planning things ahead so that people will know and can measure well whether we are succeeding or not. They can measure well where we have gone wrong and where we can correct some mistakes."