Tribute to a fearless politician, Lili Gabari

Alhaji Lili Gabari, a renowned Kano politician, died on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 after a protracted illness. The activist of the defunct Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) died at the age of 86. He was among the major financiers of the activities of NEPU. The late Gabari, who was a […]

Alhaji Lili Gabari, a renowned Kano politician, died on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 after a protracted illness. The activist of the defunct Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) died at the age of 86. He was among the major financiers of the activities of NEPU.
The late Gabari, who was a popular groundnut dealer, represented the people of Jahun/Aujara constituency in the National Assembly on the platform of NEPU. He was among renowned Kano politicians who believed in going against the tide in their political undertakings.
The fearless politician was also among the few politicians who fought for the freedom of the masses on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). He was a diehard supporter of the late Malam Aminu Kano, the leader of the Talakawa.
He also served as an advisor to the former governor of Kano State, the late Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi, on Assembly matters.
When democracy returned to the country in 1999, the late Gabari joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was among the diehard supporters of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was among the few people who stood behind Obasanjo during his failed third term agenda. Though he was not given any appointment under the Obasanjo administration, he contributed immensely to its success.
Announcing Gabari’s death, his nephew, Alhaji Hamza Darma, said there were a lot of lessons that could be learnt from his life. “Over 60 years of his life was spent in politics and struggle. His politics was that of ideology. All through his days in politics, he was on the leftist side. That was why he was subjected to different hardships by different governments in the country,” Darma said.
He disclosed that during the Ironsi coup, Lili Gabari was sent to jail. The same thing happened when General Muhammadu Buhari staged a coup and ousted the then President Shehu Shagari in 1983. Gabari and some of his party members, such as the late Ammani Inuwa and Danjani Hadejia, were sent to jail at a Lagos Island.
He said: “The cell where they were detained was meant for criminals, but they were sent there by the Buhari-led military administration. They spent over one year in that jail. I was the only member of his family who was allowed to visit him under strong police escort. But that did not deter him from sticking to his political ideologies. Honestly, my late uncle was a politician with a difference. He believed in his principles and always stuck to them no matter the consequences.”
He, however, said that despite his rigid ideologies, he did politics without malice. “I was not in the same party as him, but not even once did he show any anger towards me for that. He allowed me to hold my own and only tried logically to convince me to reconsider my stand,” he said, adding that politicians should eschew the politics of bitterness and malice.
Also speaking on the late Gabari’s political life, Alhaji Tanko Salihu Yakasai said he was among the few Nigerian politicians who sacrificed their lives and resources to set the common man free from the bondage of slavery in this country. He also fought for the nation’s independence.
“He was among the second class members of the NEPU while people like Alhaji Abba Babur, Alhaji Ibrahim Yayi and Alhaji Garba Lulu were among the first class members of the union. The contributions of the late Gabari to the development of politics, not only in Kano but in the whole country, were enormous,” Yakasai added. He said the late politician had left a vacuum that could be difficult to fill.
Alhaji Shehu Shayi, the Madakin Sarkin Bai, who is Gabari’s childhood friend, said they went to jail several times and suffered political persecution together, but despite that, they refused to waver.
He described the late Gabari as a courageous person who had no iota of hypocrisy in his mind. “If he liked something he would show it, and if he did not like it, he would show the world that he did not like that thing, no matter what would happen to him.”
He said though they had parted ways politically at some point, that did not affect their friendship. “I would go to his house, abuse and oppose his party, but that did not affect our relationship. He was such a courageous and persevering type that imprisonment did not make him change his position.
Shehu Shayi said, “I really lost a friend. His death is a great loss, not only to his immediate family members, but to so many people, including me. We have been together for many years, and now, he has gone forever. I was really shocked when I heard about his death. May Aljannah Alfirdaus be his final abode. That’s all I can say about my good friend.”
Another childhood friend of the deceased, Alhaji Awaisu Gabari, said: “Lili Gabari was of good character. He was patient, courageous, resolute and intelligent. On many occasions he proffered solutions to some issues that were very complex and difficult to resolve.
Awaisu, who got married the same day as his friend, Gabari, said Lili’s brand of politics was without malice. According to him, his friend offered sincere advice to everyone who needed it, not minding the person’s ideology.
He charged politicians to emulate the type of politics practised by his late friend, adding that money politics is dangerous to the future of the country.
He said: “As a friend, he would tell you the truth, whether it would hurts you or not. The late Gabari was one of the few people with a strong heart of maintaining good relationships, no matter the difficulties. Alhamdulillah, we were together for many years despite our political differences.
“He was such a politician that believed in practising politics with principles. He would never force you to abandon your political ideology and accept his. He would only encourage you to uphold truthfulness, transparency and sacrifice.”
Gabari has since been buried according to Islamic rites.