Poorlitics

Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Sam Agha Egwu

Description

The story of the little boy from Goniri.  Bukar Abba Ibrahim first ran for Governor with only N20,000 (about $3,590) in his bank account in 1992. Yet he defeated well-resourced political heavy weights. How did he do it?  In Nigeria it is extremely difficult to succeed in politics without huge amounts of money, bribes and thugs, but Bukar did it.  He calls his method, Poorlitics, the politics of the poor, the ability to reach the masses of the poor through practical, project-based, Progressive Political Leadership.

This is the touching story of little Bukar growing up in the rich history and culture of a feudal, colonial Northern Nigerian village.  Desperately poor, it is remarkable how he even went to school, not to talk of succeeding so spectacularly as the longest serving Governor in Nigeria.  It gives insight into the strategies and intrigues of life and everyday politics in a developing African country from a master of his art.  His meteoric rise to become one of the most successful politicians in Nigeria is simply astonishing.

BASS Books, the Black and African Success Series, record the lives of successful black and African people.  Fascinating, packed with adventure and achievements in settings of vivid culture and history, through the eyes of living legends ... they are stories that must be told.

Bass Books are written in a simple exciting style without jargon for easy reading, to be enjoyed by all people who want to discover the real Africa and black people.  Glean gems of wisdom and practical steps to success as the narrators recount their experiences.  Learn the principles that made them so successful.

CONTENTS

Introduction: Discovering Bukar

BOOK 1 - PROLOGUE: BEATING THE ODDS

BOOK 1 - PART 1: THE EARLY YEARS

Chapter 1: Feudal Child

Chapter 2: Colonial Boy

Chapter 3: Independence Man

Chapter 4: University Days

Picture Stories

BOOK 1 - PART 2: POLITICS AND CHANGE

Chapter 5: The Civil Servant

Chapter 7: Governor, Military Years

Chapter 8: Governor, Democratic Years

Chapter 9: Governor, The Year Of Dreams

Picture Stories

BOOK 1 - PART 3: REFLECTIONS FROM THE SENATE

Chapter 10: Reflections

Chapter 11: Rise of The Progressives

Chapter 12: The Father of Yobe

Picture Stories

BOOK 2 – THE PROGRESSIVES’ MANIFESTO

Sujets

• Ethnic
• Cultural
• Yobe
• Biography
• Bukar Ibrahim
• Yobe State
• African American
• Regional
• Autobiography
• Borno
• Black

Informations

• Publié par: Bass Books Ltd
• Date de parution: 05 novembre 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781916407718
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Poorlitics
THE LITTLE BOY FROM GONIRI AND THE PROGRESSIVES’ MANIFESTO
(International Edition)
His Excellency
DR. BUKAR ABBA IBRAHIM
(CON, FNIQS, FNIAE)
Three times Governor of Yobe State
Three times Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Galadiman Gazargamo
Sardaunan Potiskum
Walin Gujba
Compiled, Edited and Written with Sam Agha Egwu
POORLITICS
THE LITTLE BOY FROM GONIRI AND THE PROGRESSIVES’ MANIFESTO
(International Edition)
First Published in UK for Nigeria in 2018 by BASS BOOKS as part of the Black and African Success Series.
Copyright © 2018 Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Sam Agha Egwu.
The right of Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Sam Agha Egwu to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
Paperback ISBN 978-1-9164077-0-1
eBook ISBN 978-1-9164077-1-8
Hardback 978-1-9164077-2-5
BASS BOOKS LTD
www.bassbooks.co.uk
[e-mail]
ABOUT BASS BOOKS
BLACK AND AFRICAN SUCCESS SERIES
…stories that must be told.
What do you often hear about Black and African people? Crime? Corruption? Disaster? Many mini Mandelas, Mo Ibrahims, Martin Luther Kings dot the African landscape and Black diaspora.
BASS BOOKS record the lives of successful Black and African people. Fascinating lives of adventure, achievements, culture and history. Scripted in a simple, exciting style, for all people to enjoy the lives of these living legends and the principles that make them so successful.
BASS BOOKS aims to distribute worldwide and like Chinua Achebe’s African Writers Series, all the people we record will be there for posterity and generations to come.
If you are a success, or know someone who is, and would like to be recorded for posterity, please contact us.
www.bassbooks.co.uk
[e-mail]
DEDICATION
“For me, I do not care whether power is in the North or South.
In fact, I do not want power in the hands of the North or South.
All I care is that power is in the hands of a Nigerian who cares for the North and South.”
- Bukar Abba Ibrahim
This book is dedicated to Nigeria
To my Mother, Ya Kellu Yawudima
To my biological Father, Abba Ibrahim Bello
And to my political father, Mallam Aminu Kano
CONTENTS

A BOUT BASS BOOKS
D EDICATION
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
M APS
B OOK L AYOUT
F OREWORD B Y S ENATE P RESIDENT D R . B UKOLA S ARAKI
I NTRODUCTION : D ISCOVERING B UKAR
BOOK 1 - PROLOGUE: BEATING THE ODDS
P 1 Perseverance Is The Key
P 2 Love Your People
P 3 Choose Honour
P 4 Combatting Corruption
P 5 Leadership and Corruption
P 6 Progressive Political Leadership
P 7 Poorlitics
P 8 A Progressive Political Future
BOOK 1 - PART 1: THE EARLY YEARS
C HAPTER 1: F EUDAL C HILD
1 . In The Beginning
2 . The Sultan’s Saga
3 . Flight To Goniri
4 . Goniri And Kanem-Borno
5 . Mai Anguwa
6 . Western Education Is Haram
7 . Battle Of Bukar
8 . Showdown At Shehu’s Palace
9 . The Breakthrough
10 . Aminu Kano: My Political Icon
C HAPTER 2: C OLONIAL B OY
1 . Poverty And Laughter
2 . The Civilised North
3 . Family Living
4 . Learning Judgement
5 . Family Trading
6 . Tasting My Future
7 . The Child Politician
8 . Biske Koljibe Plays
9 . The Railways
10 . Friends And Musketeers
11 . Independence
12 . Ahmadu Bello: Progressive Conservative
C HAPTER 3: I NDEPENDENCE M AN
1 . Lost In Kaduna
2 . My First Mentor
3 . Happy In Maiduguri
4 . Loving School
5 . Loving Teachers
6 . Loving Memories
7 . Painful Memories
8 . My Many Names
9 . University Dreams
10 . Echoes Of 1966
11 . Hangovers From War
12 . Ibiam, Ojukwu: Sacrificial Leaders
C HAPTER 4: U NIVERSITY D AYS
1 . Choosing My Career
2 . Games And Politics
3 . Bilharzia Operation
4 . Reminisces
5 . Ivory Tower Oasis
6 . The Youth Corper
7 . Orientation And Assignment
8 . The Death Of Murtala
9 . Payback Time
10 . Awo: The Social Builder
P ICTURE S TORIES
BOOK 1 - PART 2: POLITICS AND CHANGE
C HAPTER 5: T HE C IVIL S ERVANT
1 . Starting Work
2 . Quantity Surveying
3 . A Unique Role
4 . Corruption Clashes
5 . Maryam, My First Wife
6 . Wonders Of Europe
7 . Power To The People
8 . Naivety To Reality
9 . A Crop Of Progressive Leaders
C HAPTER 6: T HE C OMMISSIONER
1 . Dealing With Politics
2 . First Political Foray
3 . Commissioner Bukar
4 . Working For The Masses
5 . The Home Front
6 . Sowing Success Seeds
7 . Being Real
8 . Zik: The Great Emancipator
C HAPTER 7: G OVERNOR , M ILITARY Y EARS
1 . Political Rumbles
2 . The Armed Robbers
3 . Little Left, Little Right
4 . Maryam’s Vision
5 . Run Bukar Run
6 . Battle For Governor
7 . Governor Bukar
8 . Abiola And June 12
9 . Our Achievements
10 . The First Lady
11 . Aisha, My Second Wife
12 . End Of The Maradona
13 . Abiola: The Socialist Capitalist
C HAPTER 8: G OVERNOR , D EMOCRATIC Y EARS
1 . Second Governorship Campaign
2 . Three-Term Governor
3 . First Of First Ladies
4 . Bashir, Our Son
5 . Approach To Governance
6 . Assault On Poverty
7 . Security, Peace And Politics
8 . Primary And Secondary Education
9 . Higher Education
10 . Economy And Enterprise
11 . Waziri: Politics Without Bitterness
C HAPTER 9: G OVERNOR , T HE Y EAR O F D REAMS
1 . One State One Export
2 . The University
3 . Khadija, My Third Wife
4 . Presidential Campaign
5 . Chop Their Money
6 . Shades Of Democracy
7 . The Succession
8 . End Of The Duel
9 . Third Term Debacle
10 . End Of The End
11 . A Harvest Of Progressive Governors
P ICTURE S TORIES
BOOK 1 - PART 3: REFLECTIONS FROM THE SENATE
C HAPTER 10: R EFLECTIONS
1 . An Unblemished Record
2 . Journey To The Senate
3 . Duties At The Senate
4 . Awards And Titles
5 . Mockery And Legacy
6 . Neglect Causes Violence
7 . The Foolishness Of Bigotry
8 . Demons and Scandals
9 . Saraki: An Uncommon Leadership
C HAPTER 11: R ISE O F T HE P ROGRESSIVES
1 . A Short History
2 . The Buhari Paradox
3 . The Tinubu Phenomenon
4 . Magic Of The Merger
5 . Path To The Primaries
6 . Third Senate Campaign
7 . The Presidential Campaign
8 . Insurgency Campaign
9 . A Personal Dilemma
10 . Progressives In Power
C HAPTER 12: T HE F ATHER O F Y OBE
1 . My Families
2 . Gratitude To God
P ICTURE S TORIES
BOOK 2 – THE PROGRESSIVES’ MANIFESTO
T HE P ROGRESSIVE M ANIFESTO
M1. Principles For Progress
M2. SEE The Future
M3. Security
M4. Education
M5. Enterprise
M6. Breaking Barriers
M7. Building Bridges
M8. Unifying Opportunities
A PPENDIX
Family Members
Traditional Titles
Emirate Councils Of Yobe State
Glossary
Recommended Reading
About The Authors
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Firstly, I thank God for without Him nothing is possible.
Secondly, I thank my wives Hajjia Maryam, Hajjia Aisha and Hajjia Khadija. You have been the most excellent people and have made enormous contributions to this book by your lives and your words. Thank you. I also wish to thank our eighteen children.
Thirdly, I thank Sam Agha Egwu, who conceived this book, pushed me to do it for posterity, and then with his team, video-recorded, transcribed, compiled, edited and helped me to write it.
I would also like to thank those who helped me to produce this book: Victoria Uzowulu and Hilary Atuadu for the video recordings; Victoria Uzowulu, Eze Ibe, Oscar Osahon, Micah Audu for transcriptions; John Kamba and Victoria Uzowulu for interviews and editing; Chinelo Iwenofu, Victoria Uzowulu, Yusuf Ali and my children Mohammed, Ibrahim and Aminu for initial proofreading; John Kamba, Ike Anyaduba, Oge Ajuzie for final proofreading; Simi Vijay, Yusuf Salisu Bawa and Theophilus James for book cover design and Sam Agha Egwu for creative authorship and book design.
I would like to thank my staff Dr, Emmanual Iwueke and Yusus Ali, who encouraged me to carry out this enormous task despite many setbacks.
I would also like to thank His Excellency, Alhaji Aliyu Saleh Bagare, my most able Deputy in my second and third tenures as Governor, for his financial contribution towards the publication of this book.
And finally, Mr. Goodie Ibru, for facilitating the launching of this book. Without his provision of money and facilities it would not have been done.
MAP OF NIGERIAN REGION