CHAPTER TWO
Cardinal Policy
Major General Ibrahim assumed office on May 10, 2019. He came like
someone who had been on leave from his duty post for years and was
now eager to make up for the lost man-hour. This might be true because
between 1996 and 1999, Major General Ibrahim, then a young officer,
served as the Military Assistant (MA) to the NYSC Director-General,
Brig-General S.M. Dule.
During that time, he learned the ABCs of NYSC management issues and
the handling of corps members and staff. A public officeholder who is
not on a job-training in a new office is expected to hit the ground
running when he assumes duty, and General Ibrahim did exactly that.
During the takeover ceremony from his predecessor, Major-General
Suleiman Kazaure, Ibrahim made a speech that doused the doubts in
every listener’s mind that he had a clear vision for the youth scheme.
In the speech, he unveiled his cardinal policy which was anchored on
the effective utilisation of the potentials of corps members for
optimal benefits. He said he would pursue a technologically-driven
NYSC to deepen effective service delivery, bearing in mind that global
economies are now knowledge-based. He also promised to improve on the
welfare and security of corps members and staff as well as
strengthening existing partnership with stakeholders and reinvigorate
the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED)
programme in line with the NYSC Act for greater impact.
The speech was so flowery that even optimists hardly believe he would
live up to expectation in a country where self-aggrandisement is
common among public officeholders.
Based on his cardinal policy trust as stated above, Ibrahim worked
towards achieving his goals with the strength of a lion and the
agility and accuracy of an eagle. It is even better if we liken him
to an eagle because it looked like he had wings; as he was all over
the 36 states of the federation on inspection, solidaity or condolence
visits. There is no gainsaying that his presence in NYSC orientation
camps and visits to important NYSC events enlivened patriotism in
Nigerian youths. People wondered if he actually had wings because if
he was flying in a helicopter, he would not have achieved his mission
due to the nature of landscapes he traverses to make sure everything
works in the orientation camps. He ensured that the safety of corps
members and the staff were guaranteed and their welfare adequately
taken care of. During election duty, he would observe sleepless nights
until the corps members successfully completed the national
assignment. Similarly during orientation camps, sleep would desert him
until the youths leave to their parents and guardians in good health.
The Workaholic
General Ibrahim’s itineraries forced the Youth and Sports Minister
Sunday Dare, during the symposium on the NYSC Trust Fund, to openly
acknowledge that Ibrahim’s youthful vigour had challenged his
strength. He said he thought he was a workaholic until he met
Ibrahim,who was more than a match.
I was present at the symposium which had the theme, “Consolidating the
Gains of NYSC in Youth Empowerment and National Development in the
Face of Current Economic Realities: Imperatives of an NYSC Trust
Fund”. The symposium was held in Abuja from October 24-27, 2021, in
Bon Hotel, Wuse II. At the symposium, every speaker poured glowing
tributes on the Director General of the scheme. The military
intellectual was so concerned with youth unemployment in his country
and swore to solve the problem.
The Symposium
At the symposium, General Ibrahim said that NYSC Trust Fund would
strengthen the operations of the scheme in the same manner as other
trust funds.
He described the proposed fund as a reliable and sustainable source of
business financing for corps entrepreneurs. He further said that the
fund would surely help to stimulate and accelerate the nation’s
economic growth and development as well as
ensuring drastic reduction in youth restiveness, violence and criminal
tendencies.
“Part of the resolutions of the 2021 meeting is the proposal for the
establishment of a dedicated fund that will be backed by law to
complement resource allocation from the three tiers of government. The
fund, which will be called the National Youth Service Corps Trust Fund
(NYSCTF) is expected to strengthen the operations of the Scheme in the
same manner the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the Police Equipment
Trust Fund and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund aid the
operations of tertiary educational institutions, the Nigeria Police as
well as the oil and gas industry respectively.
“When operational, the NYSCTF will help address infrastructural and
other logistic needs for the smooth conduct of orientation courses,
provision of corps lodges, corps transit camps and other essential
facilities for the welfare of corps members.
“In addition, resources from the fund will support staff training for
higher productivity as well as logistic requirements for special
aspects of our Community Development Service, such as the medical
outreaches conducted under the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural
Dwellers,”General Ibrahim said.
Further enlightening the audience on the importance of the fund in
tackling the challenges of the scheme, General Ibrahim said, “In a
very significant way, the Fund will also focus on making the SAED
programme of the scheme more functional through adequate provision of
training facilities. It will further serve as a reliable and
sustainable source of business financing for corps entrepreneurs that
would emerge from the programme.
“The ripple effects of this will be such that the benefitting corps
members will in turn create jobs for millions of other Nigerians
through either step-down of vocational training or direct employment
of youths of the host communities.
“At this juncture, I wish to once again appeal for the support of all
stakeholders, including the higher authorities, towards actualising
the NYSC Trust Fund.
“This will be one of the most valuable gifts of the nation to its
youths, in whose enormous potentials the hope of a greater Nigeria
rests.
“As managers of the scheme, we wish to assure the Federal Government
and, indeed, the generality of Nigerians that such a laudable
initiative will be justified through greater commitment to the success
of the NYSC mandate.”
After his speech, the applause was deafening. I clapped longer. I felt
like a proud father to a promising son.
On his part, the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, said the National
Youths Service Corps has the capacity to effectively drive Nigeria’s
economic recovery process. Represented by Director, Youth and Social
Development Secretariat of the FCT, Mrs Asabe Umar, Bello, he further
said the scheme could do that through the empowerment of its teeming
youth, given the budding talents at its disposal. He added that NYSC
is one of the most cherished national institutions bequeathed to the
country to foster unity, integration and national development after
the unfortunate civil war.
“Over the years however, the realisation of the objectives for
establishing the scheme has been hampered by myriad of challenges.
“They include funding, provision of infrastructure and lately start-up
capital for corps members trained through the NYSC Skills Acquisition
and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme,” the minister said.
Minister of Youth and Sports Sunday Dare, represented by Assistant
Director, Youth Rights and Leadership, Mr Despan Kwardam, said NYSC
had continuously lived up to the dreams and aspirations of its
founding fathers.
“This is evidenced by the numerous achievements of the scheme, though
it has not come without challenges.” Chairman, House Committee on
Youth and Sports, Yemi Adaramodu, assured that the National Assembly
would provide the legislative framework to facilitate the passage of
the proposed Bill.
Speakers and stakeholders showered General Ibrahim with encomiums for
his foresight to establish the NYSC Youth Trust Fund, and promised to
pursue the proposed Bill until passed into law.
In July 20, 2022, a coalition of religious groups and Civil
Society Organisations (CSOs) lauded the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal
Government for its efforts towards building a lasting legacy for
Nigerian
youths, singling out the NYSC Trust Fund, the brainchild of Nasarawa
state born General.
In a press release signed by the trio of Bishop Abel Kings (College of
Bishops), Sheikh Shehu Auwal Musa (College of Imams) and Comrade
Solomon Semaka (CSOs) respectively, and made available to journalists
the coalition hinted that the NYSC Trust Fund is one of few Bills that
has received the greatest support from all stakeholders.
“The NYSC Trust Fund is one of the few bills passed by the National
Assembly that received the highest number of memoranda from the
public in support of its passage. This mass appeal towards the bill
points to the acceptability of the trust fund chiefly because of the
role the NYSC scheme has played in shaping the Nigerian economy and
the lives of average Nigerians amidst scarce resources. The Trust
Fund, therefore, comes handy in consolidating funding lacuna in
order to actualise the vision and mission of the scheme especially in
the area of job creation and skill acquisition,”
Second National Service
It is apt to say that Major General Ibrahim’s NYSC duty as its
Director General was his second participation of National Youth
Service. As a historian, he might have read the Second Missionary
Journey of Mungo Park that linked him to the discovery of River Niger.
Ibrahim was also like a footballer who becomes the coach of his former
club. He now knew the weaknesses of the club and would now work on it,
bringing in technical knowhow that would make the team beat their
opponents and win watches.
The General therefore, worked as if Nigerian youths would hold him
accountable if the nation fails; and also Nasarawa state would be
blamed if the he fumbles, and Afo nation would sanction him for
letting them down, and his family would disown him for incompetency.
Even though NYSC is just a small fraction of public agencies, General
Ibrahim went about his business as if the political and economic
advancement of the country or otherwise rests on his shoulder.
Bearing this in mind, he made sure none of the cardinal policies he
had unveiled during his takeover speech was left unaccomplished. To
refresh your memory, here is his
speech:
Takeover Speech
“It is an honour and privilege that I stand before you here to express
my sincere and profound gratitude to, first and foremost, Almighty God
for making today possible. My ardent appreciation goes to the
President
and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of
Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR; Minister of Defence; Chief
of Army staff, for finding me worthy to be appointed DG of this great
scheme.
“I cannot thank the outgoing DG enough. He has done extremely well to
have lifted the scheme to higher level. I want to assure him that I
will strive to sustain his tremendous achievements and take the scheme
to another pedestal.
“My vision will be to sustain the effective utilisation of the
potentials of corps members, pursue a technological driven
organization, improve on the welfare of both corps members and staff,
as well as their security, strengthen existing collaboration with
stakeholders, and rejig the NYSC Ventures in line with the NYSC Act.
To whom much is given much is expected. I would want to urge the staff
to be committed to work, shun malpractices and corruption. Teamwork
and fairness to all will be my watchword.
“At this juncture, I want to once again thank the outgoing DG for his
service to the scheme and country, and wish him God’s guidance and
success in his future endeavours. I thank you all for witnessing this
historic occasion.
“Thank you and God bless.”
After studying what NYSC was before the coming of General Ibrahim,
Nigerians will agree that the Nasarawa-state born General, did not
disappoint Nigerians, but has thrown the NYSC to limelight as has
never been seen in its history; the most illiterate Nigerian now
knows what the scheme stands for and what the corps members do and
what qualifies one to be a corps member. Nationalism and patriotism
among
Nigerian youths increased tenfold and the nation was rejuvenated
despite growing mutual suspicion among ethnic groups and faith-based
institutions.
Also, unlike other public servants, elected or appointed, who make
promises with partial or without fulfillment, General Ibrahim made
sure he exhausted all areas during the call of his official duties in
order to accomplish his set goals. In some cases, he even added some
very important dimensions to his cardinal points, and each orientation
camping brings with it new visions for the scheme.
General Ibrahim tapped and utilised the potentials of corps members as
would be seen during the COVID-19 Lock Down and the attendant
difficulties of the era.
With renewed patriotism and nationalism, the corps members bring in
their best in their chosen career. And why wouldn’t they do that when
the Chief Corps Member renewed his allegiance to the nation in all
activities in the office and on the camps.
In deference to my kinsman, I went on personal research to see those
public officeholders in Nigeria from 1999 to date, who performed
extremely well and were afterwards rewarded for their reforms and
achievements in previous offices by their compatriots. I was convinced
General Ibrahim is one of those true patriots, standing with them
shoulder to shoulder in awe, rewriting their country’s history.
Stars of Nigeria’s fledgling Democracy
Here I am looking at heads of Ministries, department and Agencies
(MDAs) who had made their marks in the present democratic
dispensation.
In all governments in power, the activities of some ministers or heads
of agencies overshadowed their contemporaries and colleagues and give
credibility to the government of the sitting president. In Nigeria,
we find such personalities in Malam Nasir el Rufai as FCT Minister;
Prof. Dora Akunyili as NAFDAC Director General; Prof. Charles Chukwuma
Soludo and Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, as Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN) governors, and in recent times, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim.
Let us see how they help to shape the course of Nigeria’s
developmental
journey.
El Rufai
Malam Nasir El-Rufai is now governor of Kaduna state. He was elected
in 2015, and re-elected in 2019. He was Minister of the Federal
Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007.
In July 2003, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed el-Rufai
Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT). During his tenure, he
radically transformed Abuja, whose original master-plan was badly
distorted. Many buildings were built on waterways and the reserved
green areas were destroyed. He demolished houses built on unapproved
areas of the FCTwithout regard to their owners’ socio-economic status
in the society.
for this, he was mercilessly criticised but remained focussed and went
on to sanitise the federal capital city.
He established Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS). With the
establishment of AGIS, Abuja became the first metropolitan city in
Nigeria
with a computerised land register and information system. On the AGIS,
all valid lands and their owners are captured, so any claim of land
ownership outside of AGIS is invalid. He also chaired several
high-profile cabinet committees, especially one that led to the sale
of
Federal Government’s real estate in Abuja.
During the twilight of the Obasanjo administration, Nuhu Ribadu, EFCC
chairman, described el-Rufai as the “de facto No. 2 official,”
especially when the honeymoon enjoyed by President Obasanjo and Vice
President Atiku had ended.
In 2014, el-Rufai declared his intention to govern Kaduna state on the
All Progressives Congress (APC) platform. Because of his antecedents
in the FCT, he won the governorship election by landslide, with over
one million votes, to defeat the incumbent governor of the state,
Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP). In 2019, he was re-elected after the controversial
Muslim-Muslim ticket, defeating his closest rival by over 200,000
votes.
Akunyili
In 2001, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed
Prof. Dora Akunyili Director General of National Agency for Foods,
Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). She served in that capacity
till 2009. During this time, Akunyili engaged the country’s
counterfeit drug barons in a fierce battle. In 1988, she had watched
her younger sister of 21 years, die
after being given injections of fake insulin as part of regular
diabetes treatment.
Smarting under the bitter experience, she put together a team of
pharmacists and inspectors and fought against counterfeit drugs. Her
effort ssaw many medicine markets across the country closed down.
NAFDAC, under her leadership, broadcast jingles on radio and
television to create public awareness regarding the dangers of
substandard drugs, while also publishing lists of counterfeit products
regularly in the newspapers.
As of June 2006, she was reported to have secured convictions for 45
counterfeiters. Her efforts led to increased public awareness about
counterfeit drugs and more direct and purposeful surveillance at the
Nigeria customs Service.
In 2008, Akunyili was appointed Minister of Information and
Communications. Here, her solo efforts helped to rebrand Nigeria. She
died in June 2014 in India.
Prof. Akunyili, before her death, had received over 900 awards
throughout her career.
Ribadu
The name, Nuhu Ribadu, in Nigeria is synonymous with Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The name strikes terror in the
dark world of Nigerian financial criminals.
Malam Nuhu Ribadu is a retired Nigeria police officer. He was the
first executive chairman of EFCC, the commission mandated to counter
corruption and
fraud in the financial sector..
President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Ribadu chairman of the EFCC in
2003 and reappointed him in 2007. He also promoted him to the position
of Assistant Inspector General of Police. The promotion on April 9,
2007, lasted three weeks before the newly
elected President Umaru Yar’Adua was sworn-in. The promotion was
later challenged on the basis that it was “illegal, unconstitutional,
null and void, and of no legal effect.”
During the course of his duty, Ribadu had stepped on big toes,
therefore his persecution was expected in a new government.
Ribadu escaped two assassination attempts in Nigeria before he left
the country for the United Kingdom early in 2009.
Soludo
In 2003, President Obasanjo appointed Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo as
his Chief Economic Adviser . In 2004 he was chairman of the central
Bank of Nigeria (CBN). In January 2008, in a speech to the Nigerian
Economic Society, he predicted consolidation in the private banking
industry, saying “By the end of 2008, there will be fewer banks than
there are today. The restructuring of the banking industry has been
attracting funds from local and foreign investors, which have
increased banks’ ability to lend to customers.”
Before the appointment of Soludo, banking industry had become agents
where fraudsters fleeced Nigerians of their hard-earned money. He
changed the lower denominations of the currency notes to polymer to
avoid wastages. With the Soludo reforms, cases of bank liquidation and
loss of deposits by commercial bank customers were solved.
His vision was to see Nigeria become Africa’s financial hub. To do
this, he considers microfinance banking important to the Federal
Government’s economic policies.
In November 10, 2021, the former Governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) won the Anambra governorship election on the platform
of
the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), polling a total of 112,229 votes.
Sanusi
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was appointed Governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria in June 2009 and served until February 20, 2014.
On June 3, 2009, Sanusi was appointed governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. His appointment came during
the global financial crisis.
In Nigeria, the effect of the global financial crisis hit hard at the
economy and the banking system. Stock market collapsed by nearly 70
per cent. It was in the midst of this crisis that Sanusi led the
Central
Bank to rescue top tier banks with over N600bn of public money. He
dismissed and imprisoned Chief Executives of commercial banks who had
mismanaged customers’ deposits, and dealt with banks found responsible
for financial crimes.
Sanusi attributed the crash in the capital markets to “financial
illiteracy” on the part of Nigerian investors. He also introduced a
consolidation process which reduced the number of Nigerian banks
through merger and acquisitions, in a bid to make them stronger and
more accountable to depositors. His efforts also led to increasing
level of investment in infrastructure and support for small and medium
enterprises.
Sanusi developed the template for cashless policy, whereby financial
transactions are conducted without physical money but rather through
the transfer of digital information between the transacting banks or
financial
institutions. Sanusi had clashes with the National Assembly, over its
budgetary spending of 25 per cent of all government revenue; and
rejected the International Monetary Fund (IMF) insistence for currency
devaluation. He also advised the Federal Government to remove fuel
subsidy, which he argued engendered a culture of high level corruption
and economic
inefficiency.
His reforms received both criticism and commendations from the
industry. The Banker magazine recognised him as the “2010 Central Bank
Governor of the Year”, for his reforms and for leading a radical
anti-corruption campaign in the sector.
In December 2013, Sanusi, in a leaked letter to President Goodluck
Jonathan, revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) failed to remit US$48.9bn of government oil revenue to the
Central Bank.
In February 2014, after a series of public investigations and raising
the alarm on the US$20bn NNPC scandal, Sanusi was suspended as
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria by President Jonathan.
On June 6, 2014, Emir Ado Bayero of Kano died and a succession crisis
loomed amongst the royal family. On June 8, 2014, Sanusi, who is a
grandson to former Emir Muhammadu Sanusi I, emerged as the new Emir of
Kano.
Ibrahim
Like his counterparts above, Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim has brought
unparalleled reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). His
reforms culminated in laying the foundation of Nigeria’s
socio-political and technological leap by his vision of the National
Youth Service Trust Fund (NYSCTF). In reading this book, readers will
see why General Ibrahim towers among public officers in the Buhari
administration and deserves a higher place in the national history.