MALAM IBRAHIM SHEKARAU (GOVERNOR OF KANO STATE)
Below is the first published official biography of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, which appeaed in the publication titled the Burden of Trust:
Malam Ibrahim Shekarau was born and bred in the heart of the ancient city of Kano. He was born in Murmawa quarters on the 5th of November, 1955. He hailed from Giginyu village in Nassrawa local government area. H e was educated at Gidan Makama Primary School (1961-1967), then at Kano Commercial College (1973-1977) and finally at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1973-1977) where he bagged a Bachelor in Education (B.Ed) in Mathematics/Eduaction.
Malam Ibrahim Shekarau came from a humble background. His father was a renowed, honest, police officer, who was able to instill in the young Ibrahim and his three other children the discipline of modesty, respect for elders and dedication to their studies at school and to their duties at home. Although today, the mind ot Malam Ibrahim Shekarau has expanded and his experience deepened through the rhythm of life, he has managed to cling tenaciously to those teachings he receieved from his father. Needless to say, they bcame ingraind traits of his character. They remain the torchlight that illuminates his path as he pursues his career in life.
God destined Malam Ibrahim Shekara to go into the civil service. While in the civil service, Malam served his state diligently. He started his career as a Mathematics teacher at Government Technical College, Wudil in 1978. Two years later he became Principal at Government Day Junior Secondary School, Wudil. In 1980 he was transferred to Government Secondary School, Hadejia, then to Government College Birnin Kudu in 1986, then to Government Secondary School, Gwammaj and then to Rumfa College in March 1988, all as the schools' principal.
Malam Ibrahim Shekarau became Deputy Director of Education in charge of Bichi Zonal Education Area in 1992. One year later, he was promoted to Director Planning, Research and Statistics in Ministry of Education. Two year later, he became Director General (Permanent Secretary), Ministry of Education and Youth Development.
In January, 1995, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau was transferred to Ministry of Water Resources, Rural and Community Development, then back to Ministry of Education in January – May 1997 before he was asked to moved to General Service Directorate of the Cabinet Office, all as Permanent Secretary. By February 2000, Malam was on the move again to Civil Service Commission, where he stayed for only four months before the Government of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso decided to send him back to classroom as Chief lecturer (Mathematics) at the Department of Physcial Sciences, Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies (CASRS) in May 2000. The reason for Govenor Shekarau's open support of the people's clamour for the implementation of Shari'ah, much to the chagrin of the then administration in the state. Malam remained in this post for 17 months before he voluntarily retired from the services of Kano State Civil Service from the 2nd of October, 2001.
Election of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau
Many analysts agree that a materially wealthy man never became the Governor of Kano State. Those who have so far won the election did so because of some higher values cherished by the people of the state. The first elected governor of the state was Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi, whose, populist party the PRP won the election against the wealthy NPN. With the break-up of the PRP, many though those ruling the state who, decamped to Nigeri Peoples Party (NPP) will win the election, but Sabo Bakin Zuwo the PRP candidate eventually emerged the winner. Even during the aborted third republic, the unexpected happened when Alhaji Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya won the election under the banner of the NRC because the SDP was divided and was unble to arrive at a consensus. In 1999, there was a consensus of the leading political eities of Kano who were in the PDP and even within that party, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso the less materially wealthy candidate won the primaries over the wealthier candidates. His major quality at that time was the ability to build consensus within the party by bringing major stakeholders at the state and national levels to his side.
Kano and other states of northern Nigeria with Muslim majority were swept by a current of legal reforms that incorporated the provisions of Shari'ah Criminal law as interpreted by Maliki School of Islamic Law. Ahmad Sani Yarima, the Governor of Zamfara State spearheaded this movement and all the other states had to follow, even though reluctantly. In Kano, the PDP government under Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was forced to launch the Sharia'h. The government gradually became unpopular because some key sections of the society were antagonized. These were a sections of the Ulama, whose antagonism was compounded by the government's a nti-Shariah posture an pensioners as well as many civil servants. The PDP national government was also very unpopular because of its – northern posture through the victimization of northerners in the public service as well as worst case of corrupt practices in Nigeria's history as assessed by transparency international. General Muhammadu Buhari, the leader with the best public record in Nigeria was forced to join partisan politics to undo the damages done by the PDP led Federal Goverernment. He joined the ANPP and he clinched the party's presidential nomination. The hitherto obscure ANPP was thus revived.
Malam Ibrahim Shekaru has been associated with Islamic activities since his secondary school days when he was an active member of the Muslim Studies Society. He continue with these activities at the university and after when they formed the Muslim Ummah Organization, which in Kano became famous with the establishment of the Hudaibiyya Foundation. His Islamic activities included presentation of lectures and offering general assistance to various categories of needy people. He remained always at the frontline of various efforts of societal reformation. Therefore, when the efforts reforming the legal system to incorporate the Shari'ah came to lime light, he became one of the leaderswho provided inspiration for the organisers of public advocacy endeavours. This led the Kano State Government under Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to demote him from the position of a Permanent Secretary to that of a schoolteacher. This boosted his image and public esteem mor, especially when government agents kept on witch hunting him while he was a teacher.
Malam Ibrahim Shekarau voluntarily resigned from the public service and joined the private sector from where he also resigned and plungeded into partisan politics. His major asset was the social capital he acquired over the years. Social capital is defined here as "an instantiated norm that promotes cooperation between two or more individuals". This shows that the norms that constitute "Social capital can range from a norm of reciprocity between two friends" up to "the complex and elaborately articulated doctrines". He was an active and successful president of the All Nigeria Conference of Secondary Schools Principals (ANCOPS), which isn one of the bodies that contain the largest number of educated people. He was also one of the prime movers of Inuwar Jama'ar Kano (Kano Forum), one of the most successful Non-Governmental Organisations in Kano. With this network of goodwill in addition to several years of experience as a distinguished civil servant who rose to the position of Permanent Secretary, the highest professional position, he was well prepared for the diffiult task of leading the state.
Malam Ibrahim Shekarau joined the ANPP and his supporters began to strategize for him to win the gubernatorial nomination. Other candidates also emerged in the party. They were Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Amin, Engineer Magaji Abdullahi, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, Alhaji Muhammad Bello and Alhaji Bashir Garba. In th end only Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and Alhaji Ibrahim Ali Amin (popularly known as Ibrahim Little) were able to buy the nomination forms. The other aspirants also used their aspiration as a platform to further their political careers. During the crisis as a result of irregularities in the nomination procedure the national secretariat of the party felt that Malam Ibrahim Shekarau was a better candidate for the governorship of Kano State based on his wealth of experience as apublic servant and an active member of the civil society. Several other people made desperate attempts to snatch the ticket of the ANPP because of the realization that with General Muhammadu Buhari the party was poised for victory. They did not give up their intrigue until at the last rally in which General Buhari presented Malam Ibrahim Shekarau as the candidate of the party.
The PDP made all attempts to rig the elections in Kano but to no avail because the people were determine to unseat that party. The security situation was tense and any attempt to upturn the elections in Kano as was done in other states would have led to major bloodshed and in the end they had to announce the winner in person to Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau. The volatility of Kano and Laqgos saved them from the grand design of the PDP to take over all states of the federation. The PDP accepted defeat in Kano and did not even go to court and Malam Ibrahim Shekarau was sworn in as the elected Governor of Kano State on the 29th of May, 2003.
He was re-elected in 2007 for another 4-years term, breaking the jinx to became the first elected governor to serve twice. |
