Celebrating Tambuwal at 54

Muhammed Bello extols the vision and character trait of Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State

Today, Rt.Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Governor of Sokoto State, clocks 54. Like previous years the day will be marked low key. Not that there are reasons to roll out the drums and call a feast to celebrate his birthday but he would rather quietly give thanks to his creator for His mercies over the years and the privilege to serve the people in various capacities.

Born on January 10, 1966 in Tambuwal Village of Sokoto to Mallam Waziri Tambuwal, he began his education at the Tambuwal Primary School, graduating in 1979 with his First School Leaving Certificate. He proceeded to Government Teachers’ College, Dogon-Daji, where he obtained the Teachers Grade 11 Certificate in 1984. He later secured admission to Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto to study Law. He graduated in 1991 with an LLB degree and was called to the Nigerian Bar the following year. With his call to the bar, Tambuwal became a legal practitioner.

As a man whose steps are ordered by God, Tambuwal found his way into the National Assembly in 1999, not as a lawmaker but a legislative aide to the then Senate Leader, Senator Abdullahi Wali. That was the training ground for his legislative career which began few years later.

In 2003, Tambuwal took up the cudgels and plunged into the murky waters of Nigerian politics. He sought the votes of his people in Tambuwal/Kebbe federal constituency to represent them at the National Assembly. His people saw in him a man who could provide quality representation and overwhelmingly, they gave him the mandate to represent them in Abuja.

In Abuja, he quickly gained the trust and confidence of his colleagues in the House of Representatives. First, he emerged as the Minority Leader of the House and later became the Deputy Chief Whip. He also served in various committees of the House including Rules & Business, Communications, Power, Judiciary, Inter-Parliamentary and Water Resources, and House Ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review.

While making impact in Abuja, he also touched the lives of his constituents and attracted federal projects to his area. No wonder the mandate he was given in 2003 was renewed in 2007 by his constituents.

The confidence and trust he enjoyed among his colleagues was further confirmed upon his return to the House in 2007 with his emergence as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. And for four years, he presided over the Green Chamber during which several laws and resolutions were passed for the good governance of the country.

Just as John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, noted, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader,” Governor Tambuwal has demonstrated again and again that he is a leader by the inspiration he brought to his previous leadership positions and continues to bring to his current office as governor of Sokoto State.

It was Alan Mullaly, the former CEO of the Ford Motor Company, that rightly noted that, “Leadership is having a compelling vision, a comprehensive plan, relentless implementation, and talented people working together.” That again Governor Tambuwal has demonstrated over the years as representative of the people of Tambuwal/Kebbe Federal Constitutency of Sokoto State, speaker of the House of Representatives and governor of Sokoto State. NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com