Umaru Dikko aspired to be SGF

Shehu Shagari invited us to sit down and join us. He expressed deepest appreciation to Umaru Dikko for his personal efforts in winning the elections for which he is now ready to appoint him a minister of the federal government. Umaru thanked him very much for the offer but said bluntly that he was not […]

Shehu Shagari invited us to sit down and join us. He expressed deepest appreciation to Umaru Dikko for his personal efforts in winning the elections for which he is now ready to appoint him a minister of the federal government. Umaru thanked him very much for the offer but said bluntly that he was not interested in becoming a minister. Shehu Shagari then asked him to indicate areas of his interest. Where upon Umaru said his preference would be for him to be appointed the Secretary of the Government of the Federation which position would be in line with what obtained in the United States of America. He said the tradition there was for all appointments to be at the discretion of the leader of the successful election campaign. Shagari noted the request without any commitment. As it was appreciated that Umaru Dikko did not have any administrative experience for such a very important position, Alhaji Shehu Musa was appointed to occupy it. Umaru Dikko was deeply disappointed and it took some time for him to forgive and forget and return to full and active support for Shagari.
Umaru Dikko was younger brother to late Yahaya Dikko, former pioneer Chief Executive of the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) which later became Nepa, recently unbundled. Yahaya was later on a special adviser to Shehu Shagari. Their families are descendants of Sultan Mohammed Bello and their ancestral home is Chacho, a town situated between Wurno and Rabbah in Wurno Local Government of Sokoto State. Their father, Abdurrahman Dikko, was sent by sultan to Wamba in present-day Nasarawa State as Alkali (a judge) at the request of the community there. It was during his tenure in Wamba that Umaru Dikko was born there. They later settled in Zaria where the family was favoured with the title of Turaki Babba. This title still subsists in the family. It was conferred on Umaru Dikko himself years ago but it was agreed that the turbanning ceremony would take place after Umaru’s exit from active politics.
Our presence together in the United Kingdom made it possible for us to know each other better. Umaru was a full-time member of staff for the BBC Hausa Service together with late Ibrahim Tahir and Adamu Mohammed Hadejia. They were the second batch of Hausa staff to work for the BBC after the first set that included Bagudu Bida. I myself also got involved with the BBC. Initially as an outside contributor to the Hausa service until eventually I got my weekly English programme on World Events and other programmes. It was through these programmes that I met Mr Jim Bailey, the South African publisher of the Drum Magazine.
About this time Umaru Dikko got married and we had a nice party for him in my flat at Number 6 Dunraven Street in Mayfair. With him and other northerners we combined to establish the United Kingdom Branch of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC). Late Mohammed Kaloma Ali was the chairman and I was the secretary general. The Sardauna of Sokoto was so happy about it that he encouraged us to organize a reception for him and his entourage on the occasion of his visit to the United Kingdom.
On his return to Nigeria at the end of his stint with the BBC Umaru Dikko got employed by the newly created Northern Nigeria Investment Limited (NNIL). He was there when Governor Hassan Usman Katsina summoned a meeting of prominent northerners under the umbrella of Leaders of Thought. Alhaji Sule Katagum was the chairman. Among the important decisions reached was to recommend to General Gowon the creation of more states. It was also decided that Aliyu Makaman Bida, formerly of the NPC, Malam Arninu Kano of NEPU and Mr J.S. Tarka of the Middle Belt Congress should forget their political differences and together undertake a region-wide tour of the North encouraging and emphasizing the absolute need to unite. Umaru Dikko was appointed the secretary of the group. That was how for the first time he got into limelight.
President Shehu Shagari and Urnaru Dikko had a very close relationship of mutual admiration. But Umaru Dikko had the feeling that Shagari was too soft and kind, often against his own interest. I remember one night when I was with President Shagari at the State House, Lagos. He was visibly exhausted and complained of a headache after a hectic day of meetings and functions. He had just sat down to have his dinner when information came from the gate that KO Mbadiwe was at the gate requesting to see the president. I called the ADC and told him that the president was not available and then cancelled all his scheduled appointments for the evening. President Shàgari initially reacted with a protest that I was taking control of his discretion to see visitors, but later as he relaxed he expressed appreciation for the gesture, admitting that he really needed to rest! When I told Umaru Dikko of this incident later he was elated, saying that was good for the president because he often acted against his own interests. Dikko was very dedicated to Shagari and loyal to the NPN.
May Allah forgive Umaru Dikko and bless those he left behind. Amin.