Writing the review of the biography of Senator Dr Alex Usman Kadiri, is like writing the story of all young pupils of Northern Nigeria before and after independence. Dr Alex Usman Kadiri went to school during the administration of late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto and Premier of Northern Nigeria 1954-1966.
Sir Admadu Bello major policy was tagged War Against Ignorance (WAI) and he had as allies to prosecute this policy: Alhaji Connase, Yahaya Gusau etc. Realising the fact that ‘’ Development is about people” and sure that Education is the bedrock and beacon of development, he established WAI in order to fight ignorance among the Citizens of all the 13 provinces that made up Northern Nigeria.
Dr Alex Usman Kadiri was a beneficiary of WAI at Igala Native Authority that granted him right to education in Igalaland and later to Kabba Provincial Secondary School Okene in the old Kabba Province with Headquarters in Lokoja.
It was at Kabba Provincial Secondary School, he imbibed the following virtues which stuck to him in his adult life. The character traits of a PSS pupil in the 1960s include the four Discipline, Devotion, Determination and Diligence. These are the character traits or virtues that stand PSS Okene pupils wherever they are found in the helm of affairs all over the world. The word stand out is a recurring phrase in the Biography of Dr Alex Usman Kadiri. Standing out appeared more than 15 times in the Biography. PSS Okene bred the likes of the late Prof Femi Kayode, Wilson Aiyepeku, Francis Idachaba of University of Ibadan, Dept of Economics, Dept of Information economics, respectively, Francis Idachada of Agric Economics Dept, Prof. Jimmy Olufegba and Prof. Kingsley Ologe, Timothy Ilugbuhi, Chief James Olu, Arc Musa Tanko, Alfa Wali, Prof Beita Yusuf of Kano State, Mamman Daura, Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle, Onoja and Ahmed Mohammed Daku GOC, first Division Kaduna from Katsina, Senator Grigri Lawan of Borno, Alhaji Aliyu Dasuki of Sokoto State. PSS Okene pupils who rose to the pinnacle of their careers are Ignatius Nwange and James Kumbe of Benue State. We also the have following ambassador: Edward Aine (Paris), Wisdom Beiye (Dakar), Kole Adebola and Tomes Ajayi.
But can we say this of the present day drifting youths who have lost their sense of direction? The answer is No. The main purpose of writing this review is to show today‘s youths the life and Times of Dr Alex Usman Kadiri as a worthy ambassador that made him who he is today. The thread that runs through his life are: forgiveness, love, joy kindness, peace with detractors, meekness, patience (not the spirit of desperation) in his life Trajectory.
A great old boy of a school that won Isa Keitan Cup for best HSC result from 1960s for keep, called The Lion of the North. Nigerian youths are to emulate the qualities of other PSS Okene pupils like Prof Jerry Gana, Dr Atanu, Umar Abubaky and Milverton Ali. Makele, General A.B. Usman who were Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Regime after regime in Nigeria, it has always been a reign of greed selfishness insalubrious -and depraved immorality both financial and physical. One regime takes over from the other to plunder and steal the national wealth, which they stalk in European banks instead of a focused national economic reconstruction projects that will usher in a future of peace and plenty.
Its corollary is the sisyphus myth of cyclic ploy of one tragic fall at the point of expected great expectation, the expected breakthrough. The Military instead of the Commander Staff, it is the customs- made bullion type brief case intended to plunder our nation‘s wealth and the presence of armoured vehicles to gag the voice of reason to submission that is the order of the day. But Dr Alex Usman Kadiri made the difference when he boldly, wrote an open letter to General Buhari in 1984 giving voice to the voiceless and demonstrating his humanity by giving his seat to Mrs. Gambo on an airplane. It is because of his people orientedness and selflessness virtues that are rare commodities in our policy today that we willfully uphold his God-given virtues that stand him in good stead in his life journey from Odu in Dekina Local Government Area of Benue State, passing through Kogi State to the national stage. We say Hurrah to a patriot nationalist and a good Christian whose life is the Bible the present day youths, need to read.
The life of Senator Dr Alex Usman Kadiri tells us that there is hope in our cherished values. That there is sin as well as nusery in our fallen World. His is to show case the fact that there is a mighty struggle between darkness and light, sin versus righteousness which he typifies at every station in his life. His overriding principle is that of forgiveness extended to those who wrong him. He is like the prodigal son’s father, who through love waited patiently for the return of the prodigal son by love in order to give his stray child a second chance. So reading Dr Alex Usman Kadiri ‘s biography we have a great hope that love will afterall triumph over the forces of wrong, greed and selfishness and darkness in Nigeria 2023 and beyond.
To be continued tomorrow
Professor Timothy-Asobele is of the Dept of
Foreign Languages, (French Unit), Lagos State University Ojo, Lagos State.
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