Aminu Kano: Beyond material legacies

Today marks thirty six consecutive years of Nigeria’s sojourn without the indefatigable leader of the downtrodden, Malam Aminu Kano. Malam or Mallam as was used to be called all by his admirers, was unarguably the most radical politician particularly in the first and second Republics northern Nigeria. Today, virtually all politicians from the North somehow […]

Today marks thirty six consecutive years of Nigeria’s sojourn without the indefatigable leader of the downtrodden, Malam Aminu Kano.

Malam or Mallam as was used to be called all by his admirers, was unarguably the most radical politician particularly in the first and second Republics northern Nigeria.

Today, virtually all politicians from the North somehow always try to identify with Malam. Most of them are totally are in dissonance with what he stood for, fought and died for. He’s entirely for the good of all regardless of their primordial identities.

Malam was never a governor, minister or president. Yet, he’s the most, arguably, revered politician in northern Nigeria of all time!

He’s a fearless leader that used to act what he believed in.

Today’s Nigerian politicians from the ruling class, the opposition and the masses have something to learn from the life and times of this legend that once lived in this ephemeral space.

Malam left behind NO MANSION, NO FLEET OF CARS, NO cash in his account that could purchase Dubai if it were to be sold. He simply lived a life of simplicity, humility, honesty and service to humanity in addition to worship of God.

But more importantly, a writer once described him as “he questioned every authority, policy or power that had a semblance of oppression; be it from the colonialists or from the native authority.” That’s Malam Aminu Kano.

The late Nigerian literary icon, Achebe once argued “ Nigeria cannot be the same again because Malam Aminu Kano lived here. “

It surely can’t. Rest in peace, Malam

Aminu Naganye, Kano