Since he joined the mucky waters of the Nigerian politics in 2003, Ibrahim Shekarau has not looked back. Unlike many politicians who have no second address but politics, Shekarau is a man that had traversed other sectors of the nation’s economy before going into politics.
He started life as a humble classroom teacher and rose through the ranks to a director in the ministry of education. He also taught as a lecturer in one of the institutions of higher learning in his native state of Kano.
So, he has played in the private sector and public sector. His long years in the education sector must have been responsible for his appointment in 2014 as the 45th minister of education by the Goodluck Jonathan administration. He held the position till the end of that administration in 2015, following the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
As governor of Kano State between 2003 and 2011 Shekarau changed the face of education in Kano. He was said to have removed Kano State from the list of Educationally Less Developed (ELD) states through the provision of instructional materials, infrastructure and manpower to schools and scholarships for 33,000 undergraduates studying in various institutions nationwide.
Before his arrival on power stool, Kano had 3,421 primary schools, 20,526 classrooms, 1, 026,300 pupils with 22,084 teachers. But he changed the narrative. Enrolment improved by 80 percent. The Shekarau administration also established additional 364 primary and 241 secondary schools.
Shekarau was said to have initiated some large scale development projects in Kano State. He also hosted some world leaders like the former German Chancellor Schoeder, Prince Charles, among others. The Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero conferred on him, the title of Sardauna of Kano, now of the leading emirate councillors.
Major controversies
Although brilliant and well exposed, Shekarau could not draw a line between religion and politics. He tended to mix up everything, hence the controversy that greeted some of his moves and pronouncements.
As governor, he opposed polio vaccination campaigns on the allegation that they were attempts to make Moslem women infertile. This position fetched him a barrage of criticism and the World Health Organisation (WHO) screamed foul and profusely denied it.
While Kano was under his watch, he created a local religious police, the ‘Hisbah Guard’, which enforced sharia law irrespective of the residents’ religions. It was very insensitive.
Eyes on the ball
Former governor Shekarau is said to have determined to, once again, throw his hat into the ring this time around. It was gathered that he has since informed his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of his ambition and has also communicated his political ambition to various elders, community leaders, opinion leaders, political associates and religious leaders regardless of their ethnic and party affiliations.
Reports quoted letters said to have been written by him to many of his former aides, stating: “Since after the 2015 general elections, there have been various calls by individuals and groups from many quarters, nationwide, urging my humble candidature for the contest of the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the next general elections, due in 2019.”
“In response to these calls, and in view of the seeming intricacies and the boundless complexities involved in such a national assignment, I have consulted across all the geo-political zones and different interest groups, who examined and appraised the issue and advised me accordingly,” he further said.
According to him, “I have therefore decided to accept the clarion calls, and will in due course and in accordance with the guidelines of my party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), offer my humble self for the contest of the presidency during the forth-coming 2019 general elections.”
A vocal politician, not amused by APC style
Recently, SaharaReporters quoted Shekarau as saying that the APC was confused and had been lying to Nigerians about bringing change to their living conditions.
He was said to have described the “change” mantra of the party as a ruse.
“When Nigerians asked: ‘When are we going to see the change we voted for?’ They were told to wait until after swearing-in ceremony. After the swearing-in, they heard silence without change and they asked, when will this change come? The answer was until they resume office and they subsequently resumed office and nothing happened,” said Shekarau.
He added that when the masses asked again when to expect the change promised, they were told to wait until the appointment of the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF).
“After three months, the SGF was appointed and the people asked again: ‘Where is the change?’ The answer was they should wait for the change after the appointment of Chief of Staff. The masses got worried and said, please when will this change come? The answer was, until ministers are appointed. After six months, they appointed ministers,” Shekarau said mockingly.
Following the appointment of ministers, said Shekarau, the APC promised that change would come when the budget was prepared and told the masses to wait for the budget. And when they got the budget, he added, Nigerians were told they would have the change after the National Assembly must have gone through the budget.
“Suddenly, the National Assembly approved and the people asked again: ‘Can see and feel the change?’ Their (APC) reply was until the President signed the budget. After he signed, there was no change, we asked. They said, the President’s ear is paining him and we should wait until he was healed,” said the former governor.
The masses, he said, were prepared to wait and rejoiced that the President could hear well and had returned.
Again, the APC did not deliver the change, shifting delivery to when fuel subsidy was removed. “They suddenly tripled oil price and they kept quiet and we talked. They said we should be patient that change will come. While Nigerians were waiting, they now came again that the President was sick. They said we should wait, we waited and he came back from the first trip. They said we should pray and when he returned, they celebrated and we all secretly prayed for him, that Allah should heal him. When he returned they said we should give him time to fully recover,” stated Shekarau.
He alleged that the APC started playing games, saying doctors said the President should return to London, where he stayed for 103 days before returning.
“We said when will the change come? They said until they drive away rats from his office. We are hoping, they will come and apologise and say the change will come when I (Buhari) return in 2019,” Shekarau stated.
His profile
His birth, early life and education
Shekarau was born November 5, 1955 in the Kurmawa quarters of Kano, the son of a police officer. He was educated at Gidan Makama Primary School (1961–1967), then at Kano Commercial College (1967–1973) and finally at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1973–1977) where he received a Degree in Mathematics/Education.
After finishing his Degree, he went into the civil service. Later on, he started his career as a Mathematics teacher at Government Technical College, Wudil in 1978. Two years later he became Principal at Government Day Junior Secondary School, Wudil. In 1980 he was transferred to Government Secondary School, Hadejia, then to Government College Birnin Kudu in 1986, then to Government Secondary School, Gwammaja and then to Rumfa College in March 1988, all as the school’s principal.
Career
Shekarau became Deputy Director of Education in charge of Bichi Zonal Education Area in 1992. One year later, he was promoted to Director Planning, Research and Statistics in Ministry of Education.Two year later, he became Director General (Permanent Secretary), Ministry of Education and Youth Development.
In January 1995, Shekarau was transferred to Ministry of Water Resources, Rural and Community Development, then back to Ministry of Education in January – May 1997 before he was asked to move to General Service Directorate of the Cabinet Office, all as Permanent Secretary. By February 2000, he was on the move again to Civil Service Commission, where he stayed for only four months before the civil service commission under Ado Gwaram Government sent him to the State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies (CASRS) as Chief lecturer (Mathematics) at the Department of Physical Sciences, in May 2000. Shekarau remained in this post for 17 months before he voluntarily retired from the services of Kano State Civil Service on 2 October 2001. Sometime after quitting his post as Chief Lecturer, he decided to work as a secretary to businessman Aminu Dantata. He was employed under Dantata until he became a contender in Kano State’s 2003 gubernatorial elections.
Presidential bid
Governor Ibrahim Shekarau was one of the candidates for the presidential election of 2011. He contested on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).
