---

---

Nigeria: The Yahaya Gusau I Know

Muhammad Nourah Bamalli

28 December 2008

---

opinion

Although I had come across the name Malam Yahaya Gusau many times earlier in my life, through the print or electronic media, my actual personal contact with him came sometime in 1995, during the time both of us were involved with the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF).

I was the Project Manager, IAA Funds Management Consultants, in charge of North West, while Malam Yahaya Gusau was a Board of Trustees member and Zonal Chairman of the North West Zone of the PTF.

During this time, until I left the assignment at the end of 1998, we had had series of interactions with late Malam Yahaya Gusau. We visited all the states of the zone and paid courtesy calls on all the Military Administrators and traditional leaders within the area. We inspected all the PTF projects, both completed and those then under construction. He singularly handled me like his own son and related very closely to me on many issues. On my part, I had made extra effort to get as close as possible with him, and the more he realized that I had always respected and appreciated many of his wonderful qualities, the closer our relationship had grown. Malam Yahaya Gusau was highly disciplined in all respects, he had demonstrated honesty in all facets of his life, he was straight forward and objective in all his actions and was down to earth and humble in transactions. He led by example on good manners and was humble and easy-going in his dealings. You could easily notice his calmness and efficiency the moment you had any dealing with him. His analysis on issues would always impress you, because of the logic and objectivity it contained. He was by all means a great man, full of wisdom and maturity - a perfect gentleman to the core!

I recall that we were at the Kebbi Presidential Guest House when the news of Diya's coup was announced on NTA. The news item caught my attention at the time we were having dinner; and I drew the attention of Malam Yahaya on the issue at stake. After series of reviews, he lamented over the action and said "it is very sad that these young men never learn their lessons". Soon after, our host, the Military Administrator of the State came in to tell us that they were all invited to Abuja on national assignment, but he insisted we should wait for him to return in the afternoon of the next day. Throughout the visit, Malam Yahaya received great respect from his numerous hosts. In all cases of our visit to the Military Administrators they would pay him a separate respect in his accommodation and use the opportunity to learn a few things from his cumulative experiences. Whenever he spoke, some knowledge was sent out; his spoken English was purely of the Queen and in the same vein, his native language remained unadulterated. In the course of my interaction with him, I came to realize that throughout his life, Malam Yahaya was financially prudent.

One day, on the trip, he said to me 'Bamalli, I have noticed how you changed dresses for every occasion and you look smart all the time. In this wise, how many houses and plots have you secured so far from the long period of your service?' Of course, the answer was negative and he started to rebuke all our generation for wasteful expenditure in preference to planning for the future. He said to me he had never borrowed a dime throughout his working life. At any time his salary for the previous month would spill to the next one. He said to me there was no month he would not save and invest from his salary. Where the amount was inadequate for his choice investment, he would save and add up in the subsequent months until he secured the right amount for the investment; and still he would save for the rainy days. He gave me an example on his life, when he was suspended from his teaching job during the colonial era. He and some colleagues had challenged the authority of the colonial principal and, pending investigations, they were placed on suspension. He said while some of the colleagues had suffered from cash flow, he remained undisturbed and survived purely on his past savings. When they were re-instated and paid arrears, he just went to town with more investments. To buttress his point, he remembered in one of our trips to his home town, to show me many of his houses in Gusau which he bought from his salaries. I noticed he was extremely pleased to show me around, with full sense of satisfaction and hoping that the message he wanted to pass on to me, that was to also be prudent myself, was duly registered. But alas, ours is just the spending spree!!!

One spectacular character of Malam Yahaya, which I noticed during this time, was that at no circumstance would Malam use the brand new Peugeot 504 of PTF for any of his personal activities. Instead, he would use this old 404 station wagon, which was my age or even older. He had a habit of going to his personal office every morning unfailingly by 8.30am and would close at 2.00pm. I was curious and asked him about his routine. Malam Yahaya invited me to his office, in Kaduna, above PZ, on Ahmadu Bello Way to see for myself. Immediately I entered the office, a lady secretary offered me a visitors' form to complete. I hesitated, but she made it clear that was the only condition of entry. I simply completed my name and address and avoided the columns of purpose, who to visit, any previous appointment etc, but this lady again reminded that without those details I could just as well go away. Now all protocols observed, I was ushered in and behold, Malam was there sitting behind a very neat desk, clean and spacious office, drinking coffee and reading newspapers! He told me that he had maintained the habit of coming to office, first of all, to remain fit and healthy and secondly to meet people. Above all, the office provided a good avenue for him to review the due rentals from his numerous properties; as well as dividends arising from his huge stock investments.

During my many visits to his home on Isa Kaita Road, Malam had discussed many issues of his life with me, not to impress me, but in the hope that I would learn and practice some of his ways of life. And truly, one has been able to pick a few of the doable ones and aspire to improve with time. In particular, I can recall the issue of how he assisted a businessman when he was in the Marketing Board and the man felt obliged to pay his dues, you know what I mean? When Malam Yahaya objected to cash collection, the businessman went to his bank and lodged the amount. Typical of Malam Yahaya, he told me, was that every time he went to his bank he would demand for his balance first and foremost. The balance issued would then be compared with the previous one he had collected in between the transactions. This time around, he immediately noticed some huge difference on the account. He drew the attention of the Manager on the mix-up, whereupon he was told of the transactions. To me at this point, it sounded as a neat and perfect job, without hassle! I said in my mind, case closed, signed, sealed and behold, delivered as well!!! But not for Malam Yahaya, he rebuked the Manager and demanded if the businessman had any loans in the bank. And indeed, the businessman was heavily indebted. Malam directed the Manager to debit the exact amount and reduce the indebtedness of the businessman. I said, again in my mind, if only our leaders can attempt to practice just a portion of these virtues, our country can go a long way!!!

I can go on and on about Malam Yahaya, but for the constraints. I seize this opportunity to condole his family, whom he had mentioned to me severally, but I never had the opportunity to meet any in person. May Allah (SWA) forgive him and reward him with Jannatil Firdausi and grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Be the first to Write a Comment!

---