Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule: A man of integrity and discipline
When the news of the passing away of Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule, a one-time minister and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations was made public, the sad news was received by me with philosophical calmness and equanimity.
I have no doubt that Dr. YMS, even in death, will continue to be a reference point whenever the history of who is who in Nigeria on integrity, honesty in service to the people and humility is written whether now or in the future.
To say that Dr. YMS stood out among living and dead Nigerian elder statesmen is to say the obvious. He served his country with all honesty without the temptation of amassing wealth for his children and the unborn generations. It would be recalled that Dr. YMS was appointed a minister in the First Republic at a very youthful age but the getrich-quick syndrome that is characteristic of today’s youths was never his portion. How I wish our youths of today, as future leaders of tomorrow, can emulate him.
In a paper presentation to a group of youths in 2013, I made an appeal, among other things, to the audience on that occasion to imbibe the good character of Dr. YMS by making a reference to an interview that was granted to him in the January 2, 2011 edition of Sunday Sun newspaper. I told the youths who he was introduced in the preamble to the interview as “a minister in the First Republic, who was so poor that he couldn’t build for himself a hut and that in fact when the civil war broke out and he had to evacuate his household from Lagos to Kano – his town of origin – he had to rely on friends and family members for the fare”. I also drew the attention of the audience to the fact that the experience of the minister happened at a time when there was accountability and probity in public office.
I went further to draw the attention of the youths on the need for them to shun extravagance as the future leaders of tomorrow by quoting what the late elder statesman said on this which is as follows:
“Oil has become both a blessing and a curse. A curse because it has made us develop a negative culture of extravagance. As a result of oil find, we have formed the habit of sending our girl friends to do their hair in Paris, do their shopping in London and spend holidays in New York. We steal oil money and compete in buying V-boot cars for our girl friends. With oil money, we build mansions and palaces in the midst of ghettos; sometimes we have no access roads to them. We steal the money, go abroad, and buy most expensive American limousines only to drive them on the rough, dusty roads of Nigeria – negative culture, culture of extravagance.”
Dr. YMS will forever be remembered as a Nigerian who lived an exemplary life as a disciplined Nigerian and who shunned greed even when he had unfettered access to public money. He is worthy of emulation by the present and future generations of Nigerians and the Black race as a whole! Adieu, Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule. Continue to rest in perfect peace.
Odunayo Joseph, Mopa, Kogi State 08053488121 odunayo_joseph2006@yahoo. com