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Sa’idu Barda: The First Civilian Governor of Katsina State

Katsina City News
26 Aug, 2024
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From the Citation of UMYU

Alhaji Saidu Barda was born on the 6th of February 1937 at Katsina. He had his early school education

at the Katsina Central Elementary School from 1944 to 1948. He thereafter proceeded to the famous Katsina Middle School from March 1948 to December 1950. Saidu Barda also attended Barewa Coilege Zaria from January 1951 to December 1956. He thirst for personal and professional development pushed him to pursue other qualifications, courses, and trainings, starting with:

1. Diploma in Treasury Accounting from the Institute of Administration Zaria from April 1957 to March 1958.

2. Administrative Service Training Course from the Institute of Administration, ABU Zaria, from October 1960 to August 1961.

3. Diploma in Development Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Engiand, from September 1966 to June 1967.

4. Certificate in Economic Planning and Public Administration from the International Summer School, University of Oslo, Norway, from June 1967 to August 1967.

5. Advanced Management Course from the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) and Royal Institute of Public Administration (RIPA) from September 1977 to December 1977.

6. Top Management Course from the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) and Brooklyn Institution, Washington, USA, from March 1978 to May 1978. Alhaji Saidu Barda had a track record of enviabie public service, He had served in many capacities over the last decades. Some of the important tracks in his service and administrative record are:

1. Inspector of Police in-charge of Finance and Administration. Katsina Native Authority Police from June 1958 to September 1961.

2. Administrative Officer at ine Northern Nigeria Civil Service, where he was posted to Benue Province, from September 1961 to March 1965.

3. Provincial Census Verification Officer at the Benue Province from August 1962 of December 1962.

4. And from 1965 to 1966, he served the Kaduna State in the Ministry of Works and Survey as an Assistant Secretary, Public Service Commission as Acting Senior Assistant Secretary, and in Ministry of Trade and Industry as Acting Principal Secretary.

5. Acting Senior District Officer at the North Central State from September 1967 to February 1968.

6. Administrator of Kaduna Capital Territory where he served as Secretary in the Ministry ofAgriculture and Natural Resources, Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Secretary in the Ministry of Health, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information from February 1968 to February 1973.

7. Also served as Chief Protocol Officer and Durbar Coordinator during the visit of Emperor Haille Sellasie of Ethiopia in Kaduna in December 1972.

8. Zaria Provincial Secretary from February 1973 to April 1974.

9. Seconded as Deputy Executive Secretaryin charge of protocol, reception, accommodation, and transport (PRAT) at the International Secretariat of the World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, Lagos, from April 1974 to September 1975.

10.De-seconded as Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Lands and Survey from September 1975 to March 1976.

11. Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Trade and industry, from March 1976 to February 1977.

12. Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Education, from February 1977 to July 1977.

13.Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Office of the Secretary to the Military Governor of Kaduna State, from July 1977 to June 1978

14. Executive Secretary, Nigeria Pilgrims Board, from June 1978 to February 1981.

15.Permanent Secretary. at the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Council Secretariat of the Cabinet Office, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. Ministry of Internal Affairs, Political Afairs Department of the Cabinet Office, and Ministry of Communication, from October 1982 to June 1988.

16. Director General, Federal Ministry of Transport, from June 1988 to December 1990.

Alhaii Saidu Barda voluntarily retired from civil service after putting in decades of service. And in January 1991, Saidu Barda joined politics, Won the candidature slot of National Republicar Convention (NROC) and contested for the Katsina State Governor under the umbrella of the party.

He won the election in December 1991. becoming the first Democratic Governor of Katsina State.He was sworn in as the first civilian governor on 2”° January 1992.

He was regrettably set-aside after the Military Coup of General Sani Abacha on 18” November 1993.

Three (3) years after the coup, Barda was appointed as member of the Vision 2020 Committee.

He served as the Vice Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum from 2002 to 2008. He also served as a Delegate at the National Conference from March to July 2005.

In 2005, Barda established the Saidu Barda Foundation and served as the Chairman.

In 2006, he became the Proprietor and Chairman, Governing Board, of Barda International College.

And to add feathers to his already decorated cap, Barda received the National Honours Award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on 14th November 2011.

Barda once again served as the Deputy Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum from January 2008 to December 2014.

And again, he served as a Delegate at the 2014 National Conference from 17th March 2014 to 13th August 2014.

Alhaji Saidu Barda is happily married with children and grandchildren.

He loves reading, playing lawn tennis, and walking.

This article was culled from the citation of honorary degree by Umaru Musa ‘Yar’adua University which took olace on 25th May 2024