By Aliyu I. Kankar @Katsina Times

Each time I remembered Alhaji Adamu Yusuf, the late BBC London correspondent who was based at Kaduna I felt like tears trickling down my cheeks, I saw sky becoming darker, my body quakering, becoming gloomy, somber and so on. Adamu was regarded as an epitome of messiahness, hope and a connector. 

In a savvy and hard-hitting manner, Adamu had an unrivalled opportunity and hounds from God. But, dusky and twilight conditions ushered in when he suddenly kicked the bucket on 1/8/2007, with many of close allies leaving Kaduna with our tails twisted around our legs.

Affectionately, what were hugely known about him were his philanthropic and plenipotentiary characters, generosity and open-handedness, ready to assist anytime, in any given opportunity even under duress or intense condition, and irrespective of who you are. He was well known for a lot of positive things when he lived - rabid love for people, inviting people of diverse background (including the half-literates and destitutes) to his residence to discuss issues on many topics and look for solutions, facilitating, hunting and seeking for seats or Hajj fares to his poor allies and so on. Each year he took people to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage exercise. For instance, in 2004 we were about sixteen (16) in numbers who went to Saudi Arabiya to perform Hajj under Adamu’s influence. 

He was much needed; much desired by all categories of people especially the politicians and those vying for political positions. His character and mannerism were too attractive by all. Attractingly, Adamu was a small super-power and commander in all ramifications. Many successful politicians and businessmen used Adamu as an interface who catapulted their sojourn.  

To put it in a nut shell, the Premier of Northern Region, Sir. Ahmadu Bello and Adamu Yusuf shared a lot of similarities, have so many things in common. Both had deep-rooted love for people, especially the masses as shown in them. 

My relationship with him began in 1996 when Dr. Adamu Ibrahim Malumfashi launched a Hausa magazine at Arewa House, Kaduna. I was in attendance, as was invited by his brother, Malam Zubairu Abdu Jayawa (my senior at GCK, Katsina) As a broadcast journalist, my commentary there drew Adamu’s attention and was curious to know who I was. That was the first time I saw him. Then, in 1997, then I was a lecturer with Kaduna Polytechnic, a young Hausa book writer asked me to introduce him to Adamu to seek for assistance. I managed to. Again, that was the first time I was in his house at Bakin-Ruwa along Expressway, Kaduna. There, Adamu demanded that I should be visiting his house, the door was opened, that people do come to interact with each other. I promptly without hesitation agreed. 

From thence, I became a member of his colony, his party. We gathered at his house almost everyday, except when he was out of town. We ate, jubilate, cheered, discuss on issues. World was like a bob of a pig’s tail to us. We felt like jumping to hold the moon even, because we lost nothing, we got everything. World was like a frisk of lamb to us. Then, during the two sallah celebrations of each year, Adamu would kill and prepare rams and bulls, distribute the meats to us. Even in one’s absence, he would send it to your house, and likewise sallah dresses. Occasionally,  he distributes grains to us.  

Another remarkable character with Adamu was, being together with him was very synonymous to meeting and associating with prominent and even distinguished people, personalities from within. We were opportune to have met many people, in his house, like: Saifullahi Muntaka Kumasi, Alhaji Sule Kofar Sauri, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi (former Kaduna State governor), Alhaji Tukur Usman (former MD, New Nigerian Newspaper), Bilkisu Yusuf (who was killed by a loosed crane in Mecca during a stampede), Hajiya Laila Dogonyaro, Colonel Bala Mande (former Military governor and Minister of Environment), Professor Ladi Sandra Adamu Pankshin (ABU Zaria), etc. Through Adamu, I knew and interacted with many VOA and BBC broadcasters/correspondents, who frequently visited him when, and in Nigeria, like: Ahmed Abba Abdullahi, Abba Mohammed Katsina, Jamila Tangaza, Abubakar Kabir Matazu, Sani Abdullahi Tsafe (Dan Masanin Tsafe), and later, Alhaji Ahmadu Doka mai kukuma (who later became Sarkin Abakpa), etc. I never met Halima Jimraou (VOA) in his residence but he connected me with her over a phone. His closest associates and neighbors were Alhaji Kabiru Uba and late Alhaji Labaran Yawuri. They were always together, inseparable. 

Many prominent people sought Adamu’s assistances for one opportunity or the other, especially those who wanted to meet Ahmadu Chanchangi, General IBB, General Ali Gusau, Alhaji Shehu Shagari for an opportunity or otherwise. He was known to former Head of State, General Sani Abacha, but the relationship stood at far during 1997 and 1998. 

Adamu associated with Islamic clerics and preachers whom we vividly interacted with too, like late Malam Bawa mai shinkafa, Malam Dan Gungu, Sheikh Yusuf Sambo Rigachikun, Sheikh Mohammed Tureta, etc. Alhaji Ahmadu Chanchangi and Alhaji Garba Danshagamu were close associates to us simply because they were with Adamu anytime. 

Even the last interaction of Shata with Radio media, whom I wrote a biography was my will, for, I visited him at Funtua in April 1999 after his Jedda medical trip and discovered he was still bed-riddened. On returning back to Kaduna I told Adamu Yusuf. He, without having a doubled mind decided to go to Funtua and interview him. He did so and had his last interview that was on 27/4/1999. It was my effort. 

In my book – Zakaran Gwajin Dafi: Tarhin Adamu Yusuf BBC, his biography I talked about the migration of his dad, Alhaji Yusuf, who origined from Nupe tribe, to Kaduna from Wushishi in 1932 in search of greener pasture. I discussed about his birth (born on 6/6/1961), his childhood and primary school days, how he felt sick and abandoned his primary studies and his recovery. It was in the midst of that event that I visited his dear mother and interviewed her regularly, Hajiya Habiba, an old, calm, gentle and soft-spoken woman with Nupe ascent in her mouth. He instructed me to write his biography in 1998 after seeing my great effort and style of writing in Shata biography and other books.

I do remember vividly, it was on Monday, 8/6/1998 when I met him in the early hours for the start of our interview, that General Sani Abacha died around the same time, but was announced later in the evening of that day. With Adamu in his personal office we sat for over three (3) hours but unknown to us that something terrible was happening in the country, for, in my presence, he received no call from anybody from Abuja or within. 

Still in the book quoted Mr. Godwin Kadzgi, a sub-ambassador of Germany to Nigeria who had his office in Kaduna, and who became very close to Adamu then in around 1983. On return to Germany in 1985 Mr. Kadzgi invited Adamu and his friend there for a visit, where they spent two weeks. 

The book also told about how he started working with New Nigerian Newspaper in Kaduna in 1978 and how he bull-dozed his ways to start writing for columns in Gaskiya Tafi Kwabo, and his association with late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi. It was his friend Ado Saleh Kazaure who was with BBC that lured and cajoled him to start working with them as their correspondent, but with Abubakar Gumi’s intervention. He felt it was flamboyantly okay to consider Gumi’s advice by relinquishing his GTK job for BBC corresponding. Then, the rest was hysteria. He was close to President IBB and was among with those the former military ruler sent to participate in the Nigeria-Benin boundary adjustment in 1987. He was in Atlanta, Georgia State, USA in 1996 during Sani Abacha’s time. 

Fascinatingly, what stood to distinguish Adamu from other prominent and well-to-do personalities, feigns in Kaduna city were his open-mindedness, generosity, gift nature and concern for everybody that approached him. While most known people in Kaduna who were busy managing their mumu yacht were entanglemently  irreverent, nearly cantankerous, uncooperative, the forty-six (46) year old youth tried emulating Sardauna’s traits by permitting all categories of people to be in his house in all the times, eat, discuss issues and otherwise. 

Going down the memory lane, we need Adamu today more than what one can think, like searching for an oasis in a Sahara desert. North is faced or bedeviled by forceful and fantacy-insecurity and land-grabbing (brutal occupation and mayhem) by illiterate, heartless, indigenous fulani people. We are faced with incursions, carnage, ransom-paying and dispossession of properties and farms of innocent poor farmers, while dim-witted states and Federal Governments kept watching becoming adamant. The once agrarian and high-yielding fertile lands in northern Nigeria are now seized by bandits, and owners are forced to be beggars and IDP’s in Local Government headquarters.  

Today, in this economic reductionism era what north lacks are collaborative actions by the whole far-fetched citizens and prominent personalities with simplicity and generosity to move the region forward. 

Those who loved and care about north like Adamu are still lacking. Adamu foresaw those gullibles, shambles and cankerworms when he was alive on seeing the poor, sluggish attitudes of our northern leaders. Here, because he was not given proper support to implement his sound and commendable policies, Buhari had a whimper, nearly-wasted 8-year administration (2015-2023). He had nothing to show for the economic and infrastructural developments and sustainability in this bankrupted Nigeria.   

Rhetorically,  the near and far Adamu associates who remain to tell stories about him now live and glean days of frustration, anger and despair. The economic and security situations are further worsening, dilapidating in the profligate Tinubunomics era, which seems to be an elongated tenure of Buharism economic reductionism era.   

And, while trying to vent my anger and worrisome, I conclude that the invincible Adamu was a candle of hope that seemed to had held a magic wand - once you meet him you are illuminated. 

Aliyu I. Kankara is a lecturer at Federal University Dutsin-ma write this for Katsina Times

He can be reached at: 07030797630/08144196845 / ialiyu260@gmail.com  

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