Shehu Shagari,GCFR[1925-2018]

We are deeply saddened by the news of the death of Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, the first and only President of Nigeria’s Second Republic
(1979–1983).He died at about 6:30pm, on December 28, 2018 from a brief
illness at the National hospital, Abuja, aged 93. Flags were to be
flown at half-staff in honour of a great statesman, politician,
administrator and humane gentleman. At his death, he had served
Nigeria and humanity for several decades both in private and public
office.
Born on February 25, 1925 in Shagari village founded by his
great-grandfather, Ahmadu Rufa’i, and took the name Shagari as his
family name. His father’s name is Aliyu and his mother’s name is
Mariamu. He was the sixth child born into the family, but the father
died five years after his birth. The late elder statesman started his
education in a Quranic school and then went to live with relatives at
a nearby town, where from 1931-1935 he attended Yabo Elementary
school. In 1936-1940, he went to Sokoto for middle school, and then
from 1941-1944 he attended Kaduna College, now known as Barewa
college, Zaria. He worked as a science teacher for a brief period
before entering politics in 1951 and in 1954 was elected to the
federal House of Representatives.
The zeal to serve the people brought him frontally into politics and
by 1951, he became the secretary of the Northern People’s Congress
(NPC) in Sokoto Province and in 1954 he was elected a member of the
House of Representatives. In 1956, he became the parliamentary
secretary to Nigeria’s first and only prime minister, Sir Abubakar
Tafawa Balewa. He was to take part in all the conferences that gave
birth to the Richard and Macpherson’s Constitutions at both federal
and regional levels.

It is on record that the late elder statesman served seven times in a
ministerial or cabinet post as a federal minister and federal
commissioner from 1958–1975. First, he was appointed as minister for
commerce and industries (1958-1959), minister of economic development
(1959-1960), minister of internal affairs (1962-65) and minister of
works (1965-1966), among other key positions. And when the military
junta in 1966 struck and brought an abrupt end to the First Republic,
the new military rulership appointed him secretary of the Sokoto
Province Education Development Fund in 1967. This was followed by yet
another appointment as commissioner for establishment in the North
Western State (1968-1969). He was soon elevated to the position of
federal commissioner for economic development, rehabilitation and
reconstruction in 1970 by General Yakubu Gowon. Other positions held
by Shagari under the Gowon military regime included federal
commissioner for finance and governor in the 37 member committee of the World Bank and
International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the period he was commissioner for finance.

Unarguably, he was Nigeria’s most humble, unassuming, selfless,
experienced, and less-controversial former President. His
reconciliatory and permissive nature, and bridge-building propensity
marked him out as an exemplary leader. The elder statesman drew a lot
of strength from humble background, teaching profession, philanthropic
gestures, and public service cutting across education, economy,
finance, and internal affairs among others. This attributes no doubt
paved the way for his emergence as the presidential candidate of the
National Party of Nigeria, NPN, in 1979, of which he went on to win
the election proper to become the first civilian president of the
country. He repeated the feat in 1983 with a wider margin. The party’s
motto was “One Nation, One Destiny” and was seen as the party best
representing Nigeria’s diversity.

We recall that before the 1979 presidential poll, Shagari’s desire was
to go to the Senate, but some NPN leaders, and his supporters,
dissuaded him, and handed him the nation’s topmost job-The Presidency.
He was also noted for his simplicity. For instance, when he was sworn
in as the first executive President, he decided to take the Vice
President’s residence instead of the one meant for him because he felt
the residence meant for the President was too luxurious for him and
his family. The former President cared less about comfort or luxury.
Knowing the self-enrichment legacy of African leaders, it is indeed,
pleasantly shocking. He didn’t have the legacy of greed and impunity.

Gentle mannered and principled, Shagari exemplified modesty while in
government and outside government. that as President he rejected the
presidential residence, which to him was too big .Even the 1983 Buhari
–led military coup,he returned to Sokoto into the property along Shehu
Shagari Crescent Road, which is also known as Gidan Shagari, among the
local folk, regarded as the only property built by Nigeria’s first
Executive President. He resided at the property until 1995, when the
government of the late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, rtd, built a
befitting home for him in an upscale area, along Sama Road.

During the oil boom, Shagari made Housing ‘’Shagari Low cost
housing’’, Industries, Transportation and Agriculture” Green
Revolution “, the major goals of his administration. In
transportation, he launched some road networks across the country. In
1980, with the oil revenue, Shagari completed the Kaduna refinery,
which started operating that year, as well as the construction of an
additional steel plant and three rolling mills at Ajaokuta, Delta
Steel complex in 1982,, Osogbo steel rolling mill and in 1983, he
created the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria at Ikot Abasi.

His passage, no doubt, leaves a void difficult to fill. We therefore
join the civilised world in sending our condolence to his family, the
good people and government of Sokoto state, and particularly Nigerians
.His sterling qualities is worthy of emulation, and this is one of his
numerous attributes that endeared him to all. We pray that God will
grant his gentle soul rest. Nigeria and indeed Africa has lost a
statesman and democrat whose wisdom, experience and sterling qualities
of honesty are needed in these very trying moments of our national
life. He lived and died a proud Nigerian.