I Was Targeted For Assassination as DG Maritime Authority – Yariman Zazzau
Alhaji Munir Ja’afaru, the Yariman Zazzau, is the son of the late Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ja’afaru Dan Isyaku. His father was also known as Sadaukin Sarki (brave emir). He has served as commissioner in different ministries in Kaduna State. He also served in different federal parastatals. In this interview, the prince recalled his life in public service and how he combined that with royal duties, among many other issues.
Alhaji Munir Ja’afaru, the Yariman Zazzau, is the son of the late Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Ja’afaru Dan Isyaku. His father was also known as Sadaukin Sarki (brave emir). He has served as commissioner in different ministries in Kaduna State. He also served in different federal parastatals. In this interview, the prince recalled his life in public service and how he combined that with royal duties, among many other issues.
From Isa Sa’idu, Zaria
Can we know your biography?
I was born in the 1950s. I am a lawyer by profession. I worked in many places after graduating from the university. I lectured at the university. I worked at the then Nigeria Universal Bank. I worked as commissioner in different ministries in Kaduna State, including Local Government and Community Development, Ministry of Information, Home Affairs and Culture, and finally, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
I resigned and took up appointment with the Federal Government. I was the secretary of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in 1990. In 1991, I went to the Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS) for the Senior Executive Course, Number 13. After the course, I was bestowed with the membership of the institute, MNI.
After that, I was appointed the DirectorGeneral of the National Maritime Authority, from 1992 to 1996. While serving as the DG of the Maritime Authority, I was also the chairman of the Nigerian Unity Bank. I was Director of the FSG Bank International. I was Director Leasing Company of Nigeria. At the end of my tenure in October 1992, I started private practice. I opened a chamber and a consultancy company. I became the chairman of AG Alliance Insurance Company and NEM Insurance Company. I served as director for many organisations.
When Obasanjo became president, I was appointed the chairman of the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA). During this period, we started the project in Faniso, Kano State. We commissioned the Calabar Export Processing Zone during my tenure.
I was given the award of the Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) in 2005. I was appointed the district head of Hanwa because I was made the title holder of the Yariman Zazzau by the Emir of Zazzau in 1995.
I did my primary school in Anchau Takalafiya Primary School in the present day Kubau Local Government area. From there, I moved to Government Secondary School (GSS), Zaria, which was renamed Alhudahuda College. From there, I moved to the College of Arts and Science, also here in Zaria. After passing out from the college in 1976, I went to the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) from 1976 to 1979 and obtained my LLB degree. From 1979 to 1980, I went to the Nigerian Law School in Lagos, where I qualified as barrister and solicitor. I did my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in the university, and after that I took up a lecturing appointment. During that period, I did my LLM, that is masters in law. Presently, I am the chairman of PAN in Kaduna.
As somebody with royal background, how did you start your academic pursuit?
It is the tradition of most Muslim homes to combine Qur’anic school with Western education. Therefore, in the morning we usually went to primary school, while in the evening we attended the Islamiyya school, which was known as Makarantar Allo. In the Makarantar Allo, we also used to have classes in the night. Your father was one of the prominent emirs the Zazzau Emirate had; can you
recall your time with him?
Well, as destiny had it, I spent only three years with my father. I mean my father died when I was only three years old. Therefore, I can’t say much about him.
So you cannot render an account of your father’s lifestyle?
It would amount to self glorification to start telling you that my father was this or that. The account of his life is in the history of the Zazzau Emirate for any interested person.
As a prince, did you attend a special school?
Not at all. This is one of the good attributes we had. Every child, irrespective of his background, goes to the same school. Therefore, we related with other pupils without any feeling that I am this or that.
Because of the demise of my father, I grew up in the house of his elder brother. The training was that we should respect all and sundry. This made us to interact with our mates freely. We visited them and they visited us.
This continued, even at secondary school. Perhaps, one’s mates may tend to give you certain respect because of your
background, but largely, there was nothing to show that one was different from others. I can remember that I had friends who were not even Muslims and we related very well with them. We still maintain that friendship up till today. This was the type of orientation we had. That was why there were minimal quarrels then.
How did your teachers in primary and secondary schools treat you?
Our teachers were mostly not Nigerians. Some of them were from Asia, Europe and some African countries. Up till now I still get in touch with some of them. I am still in touch with one of our principals who is presently in Canada. He is now very old but still remembers some of us. This is one of the good attributes of our teachers. They knew all of us by our names.
Discrimination based on one’s background was completely not in the characters of our teachers. In fact, they discouraged students from showing up. All of us were seen and treated equally.
What about the learning environment then, compared to what we have now?
There is an adage in Hausa that says, ‘In dambu yayi yawa baya jin mai,’ literally translated from Hausa to mean, ‘When challenges are too many, their solution is difficult to find.’ This is what we have now. Our challenges are too many and our population has risen astronomically. During our time, students were very few. So, we had a conducive learning environment, and that led to qualitative education. It is not the same thing now. Even the teachers’ commitment is not the same now. During our time, teachers had zeal for teaching. They always wanted to impact knowledge on their students. They were always in school at the right time and very committed to their responsibilities.
Without mincing words, most of these attributes of our teachers then are difficult to be found now. This adds to the problem we have now. We have a large number of students but very few committed teachers. This affects our education sector.
Another issue is that government does not have the resources to develop the infrastructure the sector requires. Where the resources are available, you would find that the will is not there.
How did you feel coming out from the palace everyday to attend school with other children?
We were taught to live like others. We were taught not to see ourselves as superiors. Therefore, it was a normal thing for us to mix up with other children. In fact, I always happily went to school every day because I saw myself as a pupil.
The training we received did not allow us to look down on others. This was why I have friends that cut across different classes in the society. Our parents taught us to work hard. They always said that working hard was the only route to success, not family background. So we competed with other students because we were taught that it’s only when we worked hard that we would be able to maintain whatever status we have.
We tried to be responsible because that was the instruction we always got from home. We were meant to understand that family background doesn’t count if one is not responsible and hardworking.
The impression most people have is that it is always very difficult to graduate from the Nigerian Law School, but you said you completed yours within a year; how did you do it?
Graduating from Law School wasn’t difficult at all during our time. There were a lot of incentives for the students. For example, the Kaduna State Government took very good care of us. I had a house and a car as a student, among many other incentives. These motivated us to work hard.
Also, there were good and qualitative teachers, whose target and goal were the success of their students. This also helped us. Therefore, we found things very easy and we were able to make it within a year.
You worked in many places; what would you say is your most difficult experience in active service?
Working in the National Maritime Authority was the most difficult aspect of my career. It was not easy working there because there were a lot of people who wanted you to compromise the standards of your duties. We had problems with people bringing fake papers, receipts, and so on and so forth. These people expected us to compromise so that they can defraud the revenue of the government.
It’s either you agreed with them or you faced their wrath. An attempt was made on my life while I was the DG of the Maritime Authority, but Allah in His infinite mercy saved me. My orderly was, however, not lucky because he was killed in the episode. This was in 1996.
This is to tell you that this issue of people wanting to compromise standards set by government did not start today. However, the ability of civil servants to stand firm and defend the integrity of the service is usually what matters. When civil servants compromise the rules and regulations guiding their activities, it is usually a big problem.
On the other hand, I had good experiences while in service. One of them was when I served as commissioner under the administration of Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (retired), the then military governor of Kaduna State. It was an exciting experience because the then military governors were more democratic than some of the civilian governors we have now.
At that time, it was not the governor that decided what happened at the council meeting. All commissioners were allowed to present whatever issue they had. These issues would be openly debated. And usually, it was a superior argument that everyone, including the governor, would adhere to. There was never a time the governor imposed his memo on his cabinet. He usually accepted the decision of the majority. There was never a time the governor would bring a memo for formality sake.
When Dangiwa left, General Sarki Mukhtar came in, and the same thing continued. It was exciting to see a military governor succumb to a superior argument of his civilian commissioners. This is why I always count this as one of my best experiences.
Was there any difficulty merging royalty with public service?
There was nothing special about merging the two. If you were in office you knew you were an employee like any other person. Therefore, the issue of royal display did not arise. But when royal duties came up, you discharged that separately. When I was a commissioner, I never mixed up my duties with royal activities because I knew the two were distinct. What I am saying is that during service I devoted all my time to my duties; I did the same thing for my royal activities. So there was no conflict.
Most Zaria residents know you for your unique display of royal regalia during Sallah durbars. Why do you always want to appear exceptional?
Well, I don’t know what you mean by exceptional. All I know is that it is something I like very much. Again, our people like those durbars very much. It reminds them of their tradition, values and customs. Therefore, since it is something our people like, I feel it is a duty for me to serve my people with what they like. So, anything I spend in the service of my people is not a waste, as far as I am concerned.
This is why I always try my best to give the community what they want. I put in my best and do everything to the best of my ability to make our durbar colourful because our people are always proud of that. It is something that promotes our values, not only in Nigeria but in the comity of nations.
On many occasions, your entourage emerged as the best during Sallah durbars. Is there any challenge associated with that?
Well, whatever I do, I make sure that I do it very well. This is my philosophy in life. There is no challenge because it is something I didn’t ask for. I only try to contribute my own quota. So, if somebody somewhere decided to recognise my efforts, I don’t think there should be any problem.
Has the emir ever called you to appreciate your display during durbars?
Yes, he does and I always feel honoured.
What role do you think traditional leaders like you should play in maintaining peace in Nigeria?
I think we should continue to play advisory role. However, political leaders should always take our pieces of advice seriously. Traditional and religious leaders are closer to the people at the grassroots therefore we know the problems and the needs of our people more than those in government. Therefore, emirs should always be consulted in whatever government wants to do for the citizens.
How do you enjoy your retirement?
Honestly, I enjoy it very much. I wake up the time I like and go to my office. I do whatever I want to do at my convenience. Therefore, for me, life in retirement is very peaceful and relaxing.
You are seen as being very close to President Muhammadu Buhari. If he calls you out of retirement to serve, would you accept?
It is true that I have been close to the president. We became close when he was released from the prison. But as you can see, I am getting old now, so it is very difficult to participate in government unless it is absolutely necessary. Moreover, I am not a politician.
All I want now is to continue to serve my creator and my community. I want to continue to live in peace, and at the appointed time, return to my creator, Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala.