By Yusuf Shuaibu Yusuf
In the realm of Kano state’s civil service, Abdullahi Musa stands as a shining example of administrative prowess. As the head of the civil service, he was able to steady and bring order to a previously troubled institution in no time, expertly spearheading the execution of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s visionary policies. Under his leadership, the government garnered numerous accolades and awards within Nigeria and beyond.
A couple of months ago, before a new salary scale was fully implemented, I once ran into a long-time senior colleague of mine, one sunny afternoon. He was wrinkled and grey-haired from the stress of thirty-five years of tedious service to his dear state. He was about to bid farewell to working life and seemed to be full of vague and hopeless wishes that the retiring civil servants would be incorporated in the new salary scheme.
This was the yearning and longing that filled the minds of all the retiring civil servants in the state at that time. My old retiring senior colleague was just a symbolic image of hundreds of thousands of helpless civil servants devastated by the fears of being excluded from the new salary increment scheme.
Abdullahi Musa singlehandedly fought on behalf of these vulnerable civil servants and restored their hopes. A gigantic push that led to Musa’s presence in the state chamber to clarify the matter, a policy which was finally turned in favour of all civil servants, a policy which put smiles on the faces of thousands of families.
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It was evident that in the previous government, one could be promoted and even got a notification when due, but it could take two to three years before a Kobo was increased in one’s salary, an anomaly addressed by Abdullahi Musa on arrival. These were but few impactful instances out of numerous occasions where Musa had gone the extra mile to safeguard the civil servants’ rights.
Though, open and friendly, Abdullahi Musa is strictly uncompromising on issues bordering on principles and ethics. He is known to have a zero tolerance for mediocrity and indolence. His preference for competence, hard work and excellence is one attribute believed to be the secret behind his huge success at all levels in his career.
Despite the glimmer and urban charm, Abdullahi remains deeply connected to his community.His philanthropic endeavors have transformed the lives of many in Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency. Personally, he has facilitated the construction of dozens of boreholes to curtail the menace of water scarcity and constructed a feeder road from Kwanar Dangora to Diraman. He has also been instrumental to the employment of thousands of youths in Kano state. In Kiru/Bebeji constituency alone, he has created different job opportunities to several hundred individuals from local and state to the federal levels. Musa hasn’t stopped there, but rather extended his support during illness and childbirth especially when serious medical intervention is needed.
Politically, when talking about harmonizing civil service and political activism in Kano state, Abdullahi Musa will always come to the center stage. He is the only one who was able to successfully blend the stress and boredom of civil service life and the complexity of political adventure throughout the scorching political atmosphere of the previous government.
A Kwankwasiyya stalwart, Abdullahi Musa has always stood up for his conviction by being loyally faithful to the Kwankwasiyya cause, resisting the tides of change and staying true to his ideals despite the cost. Even when loyalty-shift seemed to be the popular trend among the politicians and the top-ranking civil servants, Musa’s resolve and conviction remained unfaltered and uncompromised, a principle which he had to pay with his entire career of service.
Musa’s groundbreaking work in Kano’s civil service and his timeless contributions to Kiru/Bebeji constituency have earned him a place in our hearts. He has always distinguished himself for his loyalty and devotion to Kwankwasiyya political movement.
Yusuf Shuaibu Yusuf writes from Kano and can be reached via:
07035176671 yusufshuaibuyusuf@gmail.com
