I will always remember with anti-nostalgia some years ago when Kano civil service was metaphorically dead, lacking respect, charm and appeal; when civil servants were not guaranteed fixed salaries due to withholding or reduction of their salaries at the end of every month; when recruitments and promotions were not based on merit, but nepotism and bribery; when job offers were allegedly being sold on the streets, resulting into recruitment of unqualified civil servants, who lacked the intellectual and mental readiness to serve the state, resulting in indolence, indiscipline in the civil service.
It was at that time of institutional decay that Allah responded to our incessant prayers by bringing a responsive and people-centered government personified in Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Upon assuming office, Abba Kabir Yusuf’s main task was to breathe life into the dying civil service, to restore hope in the hearts of civil servants and instill discipline, diligence and commitment into the system, ethics hitherto thrown overboard by the immediate past administration.
Easier said than done, for the governor’s dream to be realized, not only experienced person was needed, but also a man with a strong sense of duty, discipline, professionalism, diligence and commitment.
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After careful examination, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf got captivated by the compelling CV of an eminent personality, a travelling companion, an upright, faithful and seasoned civil servant, a man with track record of excellence and achievements, a man who sees opportunity where others see challenges; Abdullahi Musa is rightly and unbiasedly handpicked to head this most enviable and most coveted post.
Having successfully and meritoriously served in different capacities in the state service, Abdullahi has carried with him a world of experience into this post leading to the transformation of the system in a short period of time.
No sooner has he assumed office than all the policies of the Kano state government on civil service begin to take form; presence of government begins to manifest in all the state civil service structures.
His daunting assignment was to first crack down on unethical acts of withholding civil servants’ salaries and/or salary deduction, habits which styled and featured the immediate past administration and which surreptitiously tried to overlap into the current administration.
Having overcome salary related problems, Abdullahi, a blend of resilience and commitment, made a giant stride toward restructuring and redirecting the civil service system, which was weakened by eight years of misgovernance, by restoring the spirit of service delivery, professionalism and accountability in the system and by prioritizing efficiency and competence over mediocrity and sentiments, which pockmarked the previous government.
In the political sphere, Abdullahi was among the many civil servants who were inspired by the Kwankwasiyya doctrine and the very few who upheld the Kwankwasiyya ideals throughout the recent government, compromising his whole career of service.
Abdullahi’s commitment toward Kwankwasiyya struggle is unparalleled; his contributions remain unmeasurable. His unwavering loyalty to Kwankwasiyya is unshakable. Even when many high-ranking civil servants decided to swim with the tide thereby joining the crowd who decided to tilt their patronage towards the ruling party, Abdullahi remained faithful, a tough decision which exposed Abdullahi to blackmail from the previous government.
Of course, Abdullahi’s devotion and sacrifice didn’t go unnoticed to many Kwankwasiyya members at Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency. To reward this unusual sacrifice, many people had already started calling on him to contest for the House of Representatives seat, representing Kiru/Bebeji federal constituency. Abdullahi was so loyal that after Kofa was ruled out as the candidate, he silently withdrew and accepted the ruling with dignity.
On behalf of Kiru and Bebeji people, considering Abdullahi’s immense contributions and unwavering support and huge sacrifice to kwankwasiyya struggle, considering his meritorious years of achievements to Kano state as a reliable and faithful civil servant, we cannot but endorse and give our mandate to such a rare gem to represent us in the Federal House of Representatives of Nigeria in 2027 election.
Yusuf Shuaibu Yusuf writes from Kano and can be reached via: 07035176671 or yusufshuaibuyusuf@gmail.com
