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The United Action for Democracy (UAD)
suffered a major loss with the death of
its North East Zonal Coordinator,
Comrade Muhammad Ali Biu. He died in
Maiduguri in the early hours of
yesterday, June 7th 2009 after a brief
illness. Born 52 years ago,
Comrade Biu as is popularly acknowledged
by compatriots in the UAD was the Borno
State Chairperson of the UAD from May
2005 to July 14, 2007 when
he was elected the North-East Zonal
Coordinator at the 6th National
Convention held
in Bauchi.
Early condolences from
his compatriots in the UAD such as the
South East Coordinator, Comrade Chilos
Godsent and North-West Coordinator,
Comrade Musa Yahaya extolled Comrade Biu
as a devoted cadre who will be greatly
missed. The Gombe State UAD Coordinator,
Comrade Muhammad Wayas described him as
a beloved member and prayed that his
soul should rest in peace. Equally, the
General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade
John Odah said “this is indeed a sad
loss”. Comrade Biu’s loss becomes
the more painful to us as it evokes sad
memories of the big and irreparable loss
of the inaugural North-East Coordinator
of the UAD, Comrade Dr. Bala Jibril
Muhammad who while in the service of the
organisation was killed in
an accident about 9 years ago.
Comrade Biu’s greatest attribute is his
humility, commitment and consistency as
a patriot to the struggle for
socio-economic transformation of Nigeria
. Despite long distances between his
Maiduguri base and some venues of
meetings of the UAD that were held in
Ilorin, Benin, Lokoja, Owerri, etc.,
Comrade Biu excelled as an early arrival
and a stickler for promptness. At the
last National Coordinating Council of
the UAD held in Owerri, Imo State in
February 2009, he was despite his
failing health and difficulties the
first to also arrive, traveling the long
distance through the day and night.
As a matter of fact and
unknown to us that his time to leave us
has come, Comrade Biu was the subject of
discussion between me and the National
Administrative Secretary of the UAD
Comrade Olawale Salami (Don) on
Thursday, June 4, 2009 while putting
finishing touches to the list of
delegates for the forthcoming UAD
Convention scheduled for Akure, Ondo
State, July 10 -12, 2009. Comrade Don
had saluted Biu’s consistency and
commitment to the struggle, while
recalling the pitiable sight Biu was
subjected to by the long distance travel
on his arrival in the early hours on
February 20 at the Owerri meeting. Don
said that if fund
constraint would affect the numbers of
participants from the northern zones at
the next UAD Convention, he is sure that
if no one would come, Comrade Biu will
certainly be there, even it means coming
through trailer/tanker. Such is just a
few compliments of the kind of love and
patriotism Comrade Biu has for the cause
of advancing humanity in Nigeria .
Quiet at meetings and
with occasional interventions on crucial
issues, Comrade Biu with his few words
is always concerned on how the UAD would
mobilize and organise the downtrodden
people in his North-East constituency to
challenge the corrupt and backward
rulers in government that are making
lives miserable for the people.
Until his demise, our Comrade Biu works
in the Borno State Ministry of Land and
Survey. Also, he serves as the Borno
State Coordinator of the Transition
Monitoring Group (TMG) among other civil
society networks, and facilitates their
presence in the State. Muhammad Biu is
survived by a wife and four children.
Adieu Comrade Biu, our last discussion
was on the coming nationwide rallies by
the
Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO)
which holds on June 23rd in Maiduguri
against the Yar’Adua wicked policy of
Deregulation, and the just demand by
Nigerian workers for a LIVING WAGE. We
had hope to see there, but gone you are
from us. We salute you for your humanity
and humble contribution. May you live in
the heart of our struggle for the TOTAL
INDEPENDENCE of our country – Nigeria !
Comrade ABIODUN AREMU
Convener, UAD
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