Reminiscences with Alhaji M. K. Ahmed
Alhaji M.K Ahmed (MFR) is the Sarkin Yakin Lokoja and former secretary to the late Malam Aminu Kano. In this interview, the 85-year-old politician revealed how Kano was denied marriage more than 20 times because of his ideology as leader of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU). He also explained what he learnt from the late leader of the Talakawa, how he got into politics, why he married an Arab woman and how he initiated hajj by road, among other things.
You are 85 years old; how did the journey begin? I was born to the family of M. Mohammed and Malama Hassana Ibrahim Manko, daughter of the Chief Imam of Lokoja, Malam Ibrahim Manko in 1933 in Lokoja, former Kabba province and now Kogi State.
I studied Islamic education under the late Malam Sule, the son of Malam Yero of Unguwar Hamza. Later, I was enrolled in the Church Missionary Society (CMS), now called Ajayi Crowder Memorial College. Later, I proceeded to the Kano Holy Trinity School, now known as Danwaire Secondary School. However, because of my desire for education, I had applied for overseas course in London, where I obtained a diploma certificate on Personnel Management in June 1964. I also applied for another school in the USA University called Century University in Los Angeles, California, where I was enrolled in 1980. I got my Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1986. I was later elected as a member of the school’s alumni for two years.
I served in the defunct Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) at different capacities.
Also, at a time I was the national administration secretary of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU). I am also the founder of the Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Association of Nigeria. I visited a lot of countries, specifically for Da’awa. I was awarded a national honour of Member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) in 2003.
You worked closely with Malam Aminu Kano as his secretary, how would you describe the late politician?
Malam Aminu Kano was a complete gentleman, generous and hardworking politician who believed in fighting for the sake of the common man. No doubt, his relatives lost him, but to be honest with you, I personally believed that no one felt the pain of his death the way I did.
Malam Aminu Kano taught me so many things in life that are not obtainable, even in the universities. He was in constant contact with virtually all the African nationalists. He taught me the history of other nations’ struggles for liberation. He taught me a lot of things.
Members of the NEPU faced persecutions from government officials, as Aminu Kano’s secretary, what were the challenges you faced?
The challenges faced by NEPU members in the history of Nigerian politics are not hidden. However, I can personally tell you that one of the challenges we faced was that of getting a wives to marry. Whenever a NEPU member wanted to take a wife, the process was halted. For instance, Malam Aminu Kano was denied marriage more than 20 times because of his NEPU ideology.
I also made several attempts to pick a wife, but the NEPU stigmatisation worked against me. It may interest you to note that my first marriage was like a scene from a movie. It all started after my picture appeared on a front page of a newspaper during the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) by-election in Enugu where we went to support Nnamdi Azikiwe. It was on the pages of the newspaper that a good friend of mine, Dahiru Haruna Momoh from Auchi knew that I was in Enugu. The picture showed me dressed like an Igbo man, and my friend was asked by a lady if truly I was a Hausa man. From there, he figured out that the lady had interest in me and he asked her. She didn’t say anything but asked if it was possible for us to meet. Unknown to my friend, the lady sent an airmail card to me. So when I left Enugu I stopped at Auchi and searched for the lady. When I went to the lady’s house, I was told that she was in school. So, I proceeded to the school, which was not far from the village. When she saw me, she immediately left the school compound for their house and I followed her home. I was introduced to her family and I told them that I had come to take her as my wife. I was also made to perform all the tradition rites required to formalise our marriage after making them understand that I was a Muslim. From there, I took her to Okene and introduced her to my relatives as my wife and another wedding celebration was performed. She was given the name Fatima. After that, I took my wife back to Kano. She was my first wife and we had nine children.
I also married another woman from Egypt. What happened was that I travelled to Cairo and an Egyptian, Fahad Ghalal, was assigned to be my guide. When we met, I greeted him in Arabic, and because of that
he thought I was good in Arabic, therefore, he continued speaking to me in Arabic until I told him that I could not speak Arabic fluently. When one of the Egyptian ministers came to me the following day, I told him what happened between me and my guide the previous day and he asked if I wanted to learn the language, to which I replied yes. The minister, therefore, offered me three options. He said I should go to school to learn the language, hire someone to teach me, or I should marry an Egyptian girl to learn the language through her. That was how I got married to my Egyptian wife. I became very close to her people because they loved the way I spoke English.
What were the unforgettable lessons you learnt from Aminu Kano?
One of the things I learnt from Malam is the ability to adhere to due process. Malam taught me not to take or give bribe on issues that need adherence to due process. It wasn’t easy for all of us then, yet we took it upon ourselves, and finally, we succeeded. That is why I can’t give bribe to get something done if people were paid to do that same thing. I can remember when I was selected from the NEPU, Bashir Birnin Kudu from the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and another lady from the Action Group (AG) to visit the US on a political excursion. Malam Aminu Kano gave me two pounds to settle my family before travelling, but what I needed for the trip was about 200pounds. He also directed me to meet someone in Lagos to get me all the necessary assistance I needed. My preparation for the trip was successful and we all went to US without much ado.
Malam Aminu Kano’s foresight on issues was one of the qualities that endeared him to many people. Various things he predicted came to pass. I can remember one morning when the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero drove on speed through our office and Malam asked who he was. We told him it was the Prince Ado Middle (that was his name then). Malam asked me to deliver a message to him, that he should please stop over-speeding because he was going to be an emir. And that was what happened. I and the late Ado Bayero were very close before he became the Emir of Kano and all through his reign. I pray for his gentle soul to rest in peace, Amin.
What motivated you into writing the book, Chronicle of NEPU/PRP?
The idea was conceived many years ago. If I may recall vividly, it was on my visit to America when I was asked a lot of questions about my nation’s political happenings. That was when I resolved to put to paper, the history of our struggle. It took me nine years to write the book, but it was published sometime last year. It is a book on the history of the political struggles involving one of Nigeria’s most principled statesmen, Malam Aminu Kano Whenever we wanted to scold our teachers, most of whom were white men, we would just buy a copy of the West African Pilot and take it to school. Our teachers would say, “Be careful with these boys that read this newspaper because they will eventually become nationalists and send us out of their country.’’ That was how we began to learn politics.
Can you recall some of your friends in politics?
Some of my colleagues were professionals - Adam Beki, Audu Beki, the people I met were surprised when they saw a stranger, apparently because of what I was putting on. They asked who I was and I told them. They said, “Okay, he is one of us.’’ They asked me to have a seat. I met the late Magaji Dambatta and his brother Mustapha in the house. So I decided to sit together with Mustapha because he was my mate. Then one day, Malam Umar Maiturare met me and told me about a planned rally to be held at Fagge. He said I should try to attend because many big men of the party would be there to address us