Dr. Abubakar Adamu is one of the aspirants seeking to become chairman, Kaduna North Local Government Area , Kaduna State, Nigeria.In this brief chat, he speaks about his background and the reason why he has moved into the political arena,Excerpts
Q: Let’s start by asking you to introduce yourself.
A: I was born and raised in Kwaru, Majalisa of Badarawa ward in Kaduna North Local Government Area in 1982. I attended Nurdin Islamic Society Primary School from 1989 to 1994, and Government Secondary School Kurmin Mashi which is now Government Secondary School UngwanSarki Kaduna popularly known as ‘Black and White’ from 1994 to 2000. I obtained an Intermediate Certificate in Banking at the Prestigious Kaduna Polytechnic in 2011, and later went on to the Staff Development
Centre for an Ordinary Diploma in Accounting and Auditing (DPAA) in 2005 I later obtained my HND from the Federal Corporative College in 2009 and specialized in Corporative Economics and Management, and also a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from the National Teachers
Institute (NTI) in 2010 I topped it up with an MSC in Economics at Bakht Al-Ruda University in Sudan in 2012 and finally got my PhD in Economics in 2015. I began my teaching career immediately after my Secondary school education in 2001, teaching students of kindergarten and primary
classes at Excel International School Badarawa Kaduna. I later move to Malali International School in 2003, and then returned to Nuruddin Islamic Society School in 2005 on a friend’s invitation (Mal. Kamal) after he have seen the kind of inputs I had given to Malali International School.
And with the support of some vibrant teachers, we were successful in pioneering the establishment of the first Society’s Senior Secondary School at Malali called Nuruddin Islamee Society Secondary school in 2008. I served as the principal of the school from 2009 until 2011, after which I left for my MSc in Sudan in 2011. And this is where I was able to unleash my full potential.
After my MSc program in Sudan, I was given the opportunity to serve as a Principal and Academic Manager of one of the leading international schools; from 2012-2015 called Sudan Oxford Academy.
This turned out to be an opportunity that made me known and earned me a lot of respect both within and outside Sudan after I facilitated the elevation of the school into a recognized Cambridge University
primary and Secondary school recording excellent performance by the students after their first primary and secondary checkpoint and IGCSE. This means the school curriculum is accredited by the Cambridge
University. I was honored with an award of excellence by Sudan Minister of Education in 2014, and I resigned from my position voluntarily as the principal of the School in 2015 after I had acquired a PhD, and went into the University as an assistant professor in Economics where I currently serve.
ND: So how did you get into community service?
Dr: It goes a long way back, since our early days in Kwaru. We (my Friends and I) used to organize free extra lessons for students in JSS, SSS (WAEC/NECO) under the supervision of the district head Alhaji
Abdulhamid and his cabinet. We also had an inter-Schools Quiz competition in 2008 where 5 schools participated. The schools were Nuruddin Islamee Society School, Dariq International School, Malali
International School, Kaduna Capital School and GSS Badarawa at the end of which fabulous prizes were won. In a bid to foster long lasting relationships between the communities in Sudan and that of ours back here in Nigeria, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an organization in Sudan to provide 10 scholarships every year to our youths in 2011. And that very same year, I left to Sudan with over 15 students. We plan to have empowered and educated not less than 100 graduates and post graduate students that will set the pace in speeding up the educational revolution we desperately need in our society. We called it vision 2020; and that means, we hope to achieve this much number of educated and empowered generation of youth by the year 2020, which is in less than 3 years from now.
Alhamdulillah some of the beneficiaries of this scheme have started graduating from last year 2016 and have since been reintegrated back into the society and are creating impact and adding value.
Over the years, we have been able to establish one of the biggest skill acquisition centers in Khartoum Sudan called ‘Africa Beauty Fashion” to train and self-support our students studying in Sudan.
The center was established purposefully to support Nigerian Students in Sudan in achieving self-reliance, and supporting themselves while they study without necessarily relying on anyone or even their
parents.
Also on educational support, we have as one of our projects since from 2011 to date, the purchase of JAMB and Police Academy forms for students as well as given full scholarships to some outstanding
students studying medicine and Nursing in our local universities. When you consider that numerous challenges that exists in getting admission into colleges and universities within the country,
especially in some certain disciplines, you will agree with me that it can indeed be discouraging. So in order to address this, we also signed an MoU with one of the reputable University of science and
Technology in Khartoum Sudan, and affiliated one of our community Institutions with them; this ensures that our students will study at home with support of visiting professors in the field of Nursing &
Midwifery that we will invite every semester to come and teach them. And at the end of it all, our students will graduate with their complete qualifications. All modalities in this respect have been
concluded, only our own commitment from the participating Institution here in Nigeria is still pending.
We have also reached an agreement with one of the women training centers in Nigeria called Haske Foundation to train over 200 of our female youths across our 12 wards and build their capacity in Makeup, Hair Dressing, making of bed sheets, bags, shoes, Beauty Care, etc. It was in support of this program that we established a company called “Queens Planet” located along Kamsalem Road Malali Kaduna.
A: With all the successes you have achieved as an educationist, why are you moving into the political arena?
Dr: The reason why I am interested to run for the position of the Chairman Kaduna North Local Government is to enable me complement the efforts of state Government and foster an educational revolution and a sustainable youth empowerment to my people. Going into office will enable me work tirelessly and efficiently to take our society to the next level of development; and make sure that
their resources are use towards building a strong and ideal society. But since politics is not a do or die affair, but rather a means through which to serve one’s society and community, I am more than
ready to work with whoever gets to become the Chairman of Kaduna North Local Government in case I do not get elected without any grudges or ill feelings. After all, leadership is a responsibility that only
Allah gives to whomsoever he wishes. May Allah guide us on the straight path, Ameen.
