The M. D Yusufu I knew
It could not have been truer when news filtered in that something tragic had happened on that fateful April 1, 2015 afternoon when I got the news about the passing of a great man and foremost law enforcement agent, Alhaji Mohammed Dikko Yusufu popularly known as MD Yusufu. This is so because being “April Fool’s day, I had thought that someone wanted to play a fast one on me knowing my relationship with “daddy” as we called him. But as the day wore on, what I thought was a crude joke, began to unravel. To my chagrin, what I believed was not true did not only turn out to be sadly true, the reality of his passing after that night hit me like a thunderbolt because I was in the midst of several bad news at the time… there was the preparation towards the 12th anniversary of the death of my two children; and the electoral misfortune that had befell my party of which I was an active participant.
While filtering all these sad moments was already a heavy burden, now to add the loss of “daddy” became a completely different proposition. It took me quite a while to come to terms with the reality that indeed I was not going to sit and share ideas and recall fond memories gone by. Alhaji Yusuf was a man everyone will want to have as a father or grandfather. Although, he was not my biological dad, there is no other way a dad can function better than how he took me and my siblings in spite of the fact that we only shared the same country otherwise, I am neither from Katsina nor am I a Muslim. His friendship with Dr. John Sodipo, my dad was what brought us all together. My dad who had worked as the personal physician to Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Tafawa Balewa, had t cause to have met quite a lot of government workers at the time. One of them was Alhaji Yusufu. His humility betrayed the aristocratic royalty that was his pedigree. You could not tell from mere acquaintance or even deep friendship what background molded this great man.
Then again, he was one of those who blessed my marriage to my husband, Chief Edwin Clark. Both are friends and going by their age, are mates. They also worked for the country around the same time. So while I mourn him as a father and friend to my dad; I also mourn him as a colleague of my husband and friend till death. For me it’s a double tragedy.
His greatness thus was not measured by the circumstances of his birth or the career choices he made, rather it was more about the grace and brilliance which he exuded and by which he did everything. He was princely. He was a quintessential gentleman who preached and practiced “live and let live”. He also used his work as a police officer to settle disputes where necessary and did not shy away (at the same) from prosecuting those whose malfeasances were beyond appeasement. Alhaji Yusuf was the third indigenous Inspector General of Police in Nigeria. His tenure was marked by independence of thought and operation. Although he worked as Inspector General of Police during two military regimes of Gen. Murtala Mohammed and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo between 1975-1979, yet he was able to discharge his duties to the dictates of the laws setting up the Nigeria Police Force; which obviously brought him to face-up with the military rulers at the time.
Alhaji was born in 1930 in present day Katsina state. Although he was better known for his 17 years in the police force where he served among others as IGP but earlier as commissioner of police northern region; Yusufu actually enlisted in the civil service where he preferred to work in the Foreign Service. His ideas, ideals and political philosophy were honed under the tutelage and influence of Mallam Aminu Kano. As we recall, Mallam Aminu Kano was a different kind of politician. You may call him a welfarist socialist you won’t be wrong. After retiring as IGP, he returned home to Katsina and hoisted the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP’s flag in front of his home. Other aristocrats like him frowned at this. This is so because Aminu Kano was a friend of the Talakawa. The traditional set-up in that part of the country had a somewhat strict social class. But Mallam Kano and indeed M.D Yusufu were different. Both enjoyed the company of the masses. Alhaji was not in any way interested in the bourgeoisies. And to be radicalized and be a follower of Kano meant suicide. But that’s the stuff daddy was made of.
Without a doubt MD Yusufu was a man of courage. In the 1990s when the country was ravaged by never-seen-before brand of dictatorship, he was among the few men that stood up to General Sani Abacha. While others either kept quiet in the face of despotism or fled the land into exile, Yusufu was among those who threw their weight into the ring. While other political parties were “five fingers of a leprous hand” (apologies to Chief Bola Ige) because of those parties’ determination to foist Abacha on the nation as a sole presidential candidate, daddy spearheaded a party that made him stand as a presidential candidate.
Of course this stance made him an enemy to the then maximum ruler. But he he had guts. Some commentators then wrongly thought he was fronting for the head of state, little did they know that the man was made of sterner qualities. His party, Grassroots Democratic Movement, GDM was well known and loved among Nigerians. He in company with others founded another political party when this republic took off. It was called the Movement for Democracy and Justice, MDJ. He ran for president again in 2003 and lost. Although he challenged the result of the election but by June of the same year he did not only wish the winner well in accordance with his personal peaceful disposition he urged others to let go of the elections. on international relations, M.D Yusufu condemned the asylum that President Olusegun Obasanjo granted then president of Liberia, Charles Taylor. He said the action did not accord with “justice, common sense and therefore an impeachable offence”.
He used his guts and persona to attract like-minded politicians who also risked their lives to defy Abacha. It was a miracle looking back to imagine how his political activities was funded. What was more, his grasp of political, social and economic realities of our country! He was practical as he was idealistic. He foretold events that later happened which in some circles should elevate him to a veritable philosopher. His determination to excel in the political game and the type of solutions he proffered to our country’s problems made Nigerians to see police men from a different light. He was fresh in spite of his age. He was versatile even with his aristocratic upbringing. He was sure footed, but at all times exuded humility. Perhaps it was that last quality (humility) that ensured he physically survived the brutality of those times. When you hear the man, and see the man there is no way you will want to hurt him. He truly could not hurt a fly.
Daddy studied at Oxford University’s Christ’s Church College, England. He was appointed chairman of the board of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas ltd in 1994, among others several other companies. Daddy was cerebral. He was chairman of the socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum in 2000. Daddy was handsome. Daddy gave his time and resources. I will miss him. I pray God to continue to protect his loved ones. May He grant him Al-jannat Firdaus.
He was a quintessential gentleman who preached and practiced ‘live and let live’. He also used his work as a police officer to settle disputes where necessary and did not shy away (at the same) from prosecuting those whose malfeasances were beyond appeasement