Me and my 20-year-old Peugeot car – Balarabe Musa

You may know him. A one time governor of one of the powerful states in Nigeria, a state reputed to be Home of Generals. This is the old humbled and modest Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa. Neighbours say it was not uncommon few years ago to see the down to earth, simple and principled former governor […]

You may know him. A one time governor of one of the powerful states in Nigeria, a state reputed to be Home of Generals. This is the old humbled and modest Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa.

Neighbours say it was not uncommon few years ago to see the down to earth, simple and principled former governor struggle to make his old station wagon Peugeot 505 car come to live in the middle of the road.

Musa’s friend to the rescue

Worried by the trend, a friend gave the 76-year-old former governor of Kaduna a Toyota Corona car. But even with the donation, Musa, who is the leader of his party, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), is still in love with the rickety Peugeot car he bought in 1992 through auctioning at the port.

“I bought it at N250,000. It was second hand because I could not afford to buy a brand new car. Even at that time, a new car was expensive. I didn’t have millions. I could only buy a car of between N250,000 and N400,000.

“My Peugeot car is down now because I don’t have N150,000 needed to repair it. I have more pressing needs. Before it broke down I had donated it to my party, the Peoples Redemption Party. During the 2011 governorship election in Kaduna, the car was used for campaigns in local government areas. I will repair it as soon as I have money,” Musa explained.

On how he maintained the car for over 20 years, he said, on the average, he spent N20,000 monthly for its maintenance. He said regular maintenance makes a car durable and reliable.

How Musa maintains his car

Asked why the car broke down often, he said, “There is nothing bad for somebody’s car to break down in the middle of the road. Even a new car can break down in the middle of the road. I have never had more than one functional car at a time.

“When I was campaigning to become governor of Kaduna State in 1979, on several occasions, my car broke down. In fact, almost at every traffic junction.  When a friend, who is a chartered accountant like me, heard of it he donated a car to me. At the end of the day, I won the election. Ours is not money bag politics.

“Recently, when my Peugeot car was giving me problem, a friend gave me this Toyota Corona I’m using.”

How many cars has Musa?

On the number of cars he has, he said, “I have only one functional and two non functional cars at the moment. I don’t have a fleet of cars because I have limited desires in life. From my youthful days, when I left school, I’ve never wanted more than what I have now. I had opportunities to have more than what I have now, but I didn’t because I detest corruption.

“I don’t have jeeps or a fleet of cars, like the present day former governors, because that is their own choice; it’s not mine. All I wish is that they acquired them legitimately.

“Also the political pension I started receiving at the twilight of Makarfi administration is only enough to maintain myself,” he said.

Musa’s mechanic

Commenting on the former governor’s car maintenance habit, his mechanic, Murtala Sulaiman Habib, said even though the car is over 20 years, it can still be used.

“Baba [as the mechanic calls Musa] is a very good motor user. You know he drives himself. The Peugeot car is old but it can still be used because of the way Baba maintains it.

“Two years ago when the car broke down in the Southern part of the state, I was called and it was repaired,” he said.

Musa’s political exploits

Musa was governor of Kaduna State between 1979 and 1981. He was impeached by the state House of Assembly. During his tenure, he initiated many projects for the transformation of the old Kaduna State, comprising the present day Katsina State. He governed without forming a cabinet.

He was the presidential candidate of his party during the 2007 general elections. But, in 2011, he went for the governorship seat of Kaduna State. He was defeated by the incumbent governor, Mr Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa. Before then, he was the chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP).

At the moment, the former governor is a full-time farmer. He owns two farms, covering 1,200 acres of land in Kaduna State. Daily, he drives himself to the farms, along Jaji-Zaria Road, and along Jos Road.