The Saudi authorities have introduced an electronic system into the stoning of the three devils at Minnah after Arafat day.
The Representative of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tanko Aliyu, told journalists today, August 4 in Minnah that the system is aimed at monitoring the movement of pilgrims to ensure orderliness and check stampede in the 2019 pilgrimage.
At an inspection of Nigerian pilgrims’ tent in Minnah, Tanko Aliyu said: “the new idea is necessitated by the fact that previous stoning was not without some negative developments.
“Some pilgrims were known to have missed their bearing in the process of stoning the three devils among others.”
He called on NAHCON officials and their counterparts in the states to swing into action by educating the pilgrims on the need to adapt to the new system.
According to him, stoning devil is a crucial process leading to acceptable Hajj as well as being the climax of the pilgrimage.
NAHCON’s representative noted that controlling movement of pilgrims during the event cannot be overemphasized.
Tanko Aliyu promised the pilgrims that they would be conveyed in the buses to areas earmarked for the event, to ease their movement, adding that pilgrims will be in groups, with a specific time to carry out stoning to avoid a stampede.
He said that a particular road leading to the stoning of the devil had been dedicated to Nigerian pilgrims, given the fact that Nigeria constitutes one-third of the population of non-Arab countries performing pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia every year.
NAN reports that Nigeria’s tent is set to receive its pilgrims while security personnel were seen guarding the tents, 24 hours to check breach of peace during Arafat day.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has banned the staging of the ‘RevolutionNow’ protest in the state. He directed all Local Government chairmen in the state to report any suspected activity to the authorities.
A statement by the Governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, quoted the governor as sayig: “Rivers State is not part of the ‘Revolution Now’ protest and whatever illegal agenda it sought to pursue.
“Rivers State does not subscribe to what the ‘Revolution Now’ protest represents and Rivers State is not part of the protest.”
The Governor has already ordered the security agencies in the state to arrest and arraign for prosecution anybody who gets involved in the protest.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, has said that whether anyone liked it or not, RUGA has come to stay as the sum of N2.2 billion has already been budgeted for the programme in 2019.
He advised states in the southern part of the country to support the implementation of the proposed RUGA cattle settlement programme by making land available.
Ita Enang, who was speaking today, August 4 in Abuja, to students of the law school from Akwa Ibom, said that Ruga is not a derivative of Hausa or Fulfude, but an acronym for Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) which was initiated in 1956 during the colonial era, and that it is not intended to Islamise or colonise anybody.
Ita Enang cited the 2019 federal budget, volume 1 under the ministry of agricultural and rural development item number ERGP 5208 where the sum of N2.258 billion was provided for the grazing programme.
He said that members of the national assembly were not against the programme because they were aware of it and had approved funds for its implementation.
He said that besides funds provided for the programme, the sum of N300 million was also budgeted for water sanitation; N400 million for development of sweet potatoes and N350 million for ginger farming.
Ita Enang said the objective of the programme is to promote cattle breeding and meat production.
He said that there was another sum approved by the national economic council for states that would make land available.
“The idea of Ruga graduated in 1978 into the Land Use Act which states that a portion of land has to be reserved for grazing to avoid the destruction of farm produce by cattle,” he said.
“Over time cattle roamed and destroyed farms hence the introduction of the policy to address the issue.’’
He also said every year there have been monetary allocations for the continuous funding of grazing areas.
He added that the programme was a response to the herder-farmer crisis in the middle-belt and in some states in northeast and northwest.
Coalition Northern Groups Kaduna Spokesperson Malam Abdul Azeez | Credit: DailyNigeria
Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has disassociated the North from call for revolution protest against the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, beginning from tomorrow, August 5.
The spokesperson of CNG, Malam Abdul-Azeez Sulaiman, in a statement issued in Kaduna today, august 4, said that organizers of the revolution protest are being sponsored by foreigners as part of destabilization plot against Nigeria.
“We are quite aware of the covert and overt machinations of some western supremacists to achieve the final destabilization of Africa by targeting some key African nations which may not exclude Nigeria.
“The similar foreign agenda that unfolded with the ugly scenarios of destruction in Libya, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Egypt and others are very fresh for us to realize the futility of jumping on a flight without knowing its actual destination,” the coalition said.
The group said that after carefully reviewing the calls, it had arrived at conclusion that the ultimate aim of the proponents of the march who are at best couriers of a foreign destabilization plot, has not been clearly and satisfactorily defined, which renders the whole exercise suspect.
“The CNG remains unshakable in its understanding that every civil disagreement can be resolved through honest, sincere and open discussions without unnecessary recourse to actions liable to further inflame tensions without achieving lasting results.
“CNG is not disposed to participating in, supporting, encouraging or in anyway promoting actions that are potentially violent, sponsored by obscure organizations with suspicious motives.
“We have failed to see how the interest of, particularly the northern people, can be served by a movement led by those who have been directly or remotely connected to the decades-old agenda for the emasculation of the North.
“The CNG calls on all northerners to disregard the calls and resist the temptation of being dragged into participating in any way, in a movement that would turn out to the disadvantage of the region.
“While the CNG categorically dissociates itself from the organization, promotion and participation in any conduct capable of worsening the already dicey situation the country, in particular, the North, is in today.
“We reassert our commitment to the propagation and protection of the rights of all northerners and never to fall into the traps set by its traditional internal and external traducers in whatever guise.”
The Department of Security Services (DSS) has made it clear that it would not sit by and watch someone like Omoyele Sowore, the Publisher of Sahara Reporters and founder of the African Action Congress (AAC), to take Nigeria for granted by turning it into banana republic.
The Services spokesperson, Peter Afunaya, who admitted that Sowore is in their custody, said that he (Sowore) crossed the red line after he called for a revolution over alleged bad governance, insecurity and corruption, among other national issues. At a media briefing in Abuja today, August 4, the DSS said that the proposed revolution march instigated by former Presidential Candidate of AAC will threaten public safety, peaceful co-existence and social harmony. He said that as a responsible security agency, DSS will not just sit idly and watch any individual, group and their cohorts rise and threaten the peace, unity, and constitutionalism of the country. Afunaya who described revolution as insurgency, revolt, insurrection and forceful takeover of government, added that Nigeria is not a Banana Republic and cannot be made one by the likes of Mr. Sowore. He emphasized that DSS will not allow self-centered and violence-inclined persons to take law into their own hands. “Though there is apprehension and anxiety among citizens already, we wish to assure friends of Nigeria, and other law-abiding citizens, that there will be no revolution of any kind come Monday, August 5, 2019. “A democratically elected government is in charge, and we cannot allow any person or group to foment chaos or fan the ember of revolution.”
Meanwhile, it is gathered that the security agencies in Nigeria are concerned about foreign interest in the agitation for the planned revolution protest.
Nigeria’s Presidency has challenged those that are operating behind the Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria, whose members are planning to stage a revolution march tomorrow, Monday 5th August, to show their faces.
“Those making the revolution call hide behind the veil of social media modernity. But without revealing the identity of their sponsors this shadowy campaign is no better, and no more democratic, than the days of old.
“The President calls on all those who seek to use and hide behind everyday citizens to attain power through undemocratic and violent means, which has been alluded, to come out clearly and be identified. They should lead their march in person. Only then will they begin to have the right to call themselves leaders before the people of Nigeria.”
A statement today, August 4, by senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, emphasized that the organization championing this planned action is not fronted by any serious public faces.
He called on the sponsors and organizers to have the decency “to come forward and make their identity known – out of respect to all Nigerians – so that Nigerians can be fully aware in whose name this “revolution” is being proposed and who the beneficiaries may be.”
He reminded the faceless group that there is a difference between peaceful call to protest and incitement for a revolution.
He made it clear that the government of Muhammadu Buhari respects and upholds the right of every Nigerian to peaceful protest and civil campaign– whether to raise awareness on issues, and even oppose the government.
“It is the inalienable right of all citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to do so.”
He recalled that Nigeria held simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections less than six months ago, saying that both contests were won resoundingly by Presiden Buhari and his All-Progressives Congress party (APC).
“The campaign was observed, and results were confirmed by international election monitoring groups and observers. The result was even contested by the losing presidential candidate and his party in Court.
“The ballot box is the only constitutional means of changing government and a president in Nigeria. The days of coups and revolutions are over.
Garba Shehu also criticized supposedly respected Nigerians for supporting the call for revolution.
He referred to Professor Wole Soyinka, who had been one of the critics of government when things were going wrongly with law and order in the country.
“They say the police are not doing their work. They raise their voices, asking that “the culprits to be booked and expeditiously punished in the most severe manner.”
“The police under a new leadership is now rising to the occasion, saying “we cannot take any more atrocities against the law in our country and they are saying don’t do anything. They are calling out President Buhari and comparing him to autocratic leaders.” This is an unpardonable blackmail that cannot stop Police and other law enforcement agencies from doing their work.
“A Nigerian is by right empowered to call for a change of government using constitutional means; to protest peacefully against government policies and decisions. But to call for the violent overthrow of a democratically elected government and president and worse – were those calling for it to attempt to do so – is not acceptable under any law in Nigeria. Violence will ever be accepted again as a way to change governments in this country. Those days are gone.
“Nigeria has a well-crafted Constitution and elaborate laws governing elections that guide an orderly succession in government. We have a judicial system that actively serves as a watchdog of the people’s rights.
“Yet, we are daily witnesses to obscene display of delight in the killing of our soldiers and policemen, an open contempt for the country’s laws and its people, accompanied by loud cheers from the so-called New Media. Is this the way to grow a country?”
In almost every palace, there is someone who connects the dots of history. There is always a household name that lights up faces and readily provides guidance and answers on operations and etiquette. Unarguably, late Malam Tijani Yusuf, mostly known as TJ, fitted the picture of the point man in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Until his death on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, TJ was the Special Assistant (General Duties) to the President. He retired from Public Service as a Director/Special Assistant (Special Duties) to the Permanent Secretary in 2016 and was given another appointment for his invaluable contributions. But for ill health, Nigerians would have seen TJ on television for the last time on July 24, 2019, when President Muhammadu Buhari swore in Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, at the Council Chambers. For many years, TJ had been the constant face at the swearing-in, oath taking and inauguration ceremonies. Rarely noticed, he effortlessly provides the Bible, Quran, registers and guides personalities on where to sit, stand, sign and how to recite the ordinances.
Reticent by nature and unassuming in character, TJ was the most popular name in the Villa for many years. Hardly in the limelight, but regularly mentioned, TJ is known among gardeners, stewards and cleaners, Presidents’ and Vice Presidents’ families, and he seamlessly befriends and connects the more visible operational tripods of the Villa; security, protocol and media. TJ knew the Villa history and operations by heart and experience. Since the 90s, he was there when First Families moved into their official living quarters, known as The Residence, and was most likely there when they moved out. TJ knew the joys, tensions and lowest moments of the First Families in the Villa.
He was among the first to be called to work when a President drew his last breath, and was around as Presidents’ moved their personal belongings from the Commander-In-Chief’s Office. He knew when there was a light cut, when taps stopped rushing, and was regularly on hand to ensure decorum and decorations for various ceremonies, including visits by Heads of Government and envoys. TJ was a constant.
For his diligence, TJ had many handshakes with both sitting and visiting presidents. And he made history in the Villa and public service by receiving two national awards. In 2006, he was honoured with Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by President Olusegun Obasanjo and six years later, 2012, TJ was honoured by President Goodluck Jonathan with Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). Preceding the awards, Tijani had smiled home with commendation letters for hard work and dedication from former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Archbishop of the Canterbury, Justin Welby.
In a 2014 interview with an in-house magazine, VillaScope, the quintessential workaholic recalled:
“For the two national honours, I was just sitting down in my office then I was called upon that the President had approved that a national honour be bestowed on me. I didn’t canvass for it, I didn’t go looking for it, I was just doing my job and I didn’t know people were watching. I was just called one day that the President had approved that I be given MON and I was told to bring my Curriculum Vitae. The then Chief of Staff, Gen. Abdullahi Mohammed, also called me and told me about the President’s decision.
“The next one, OON, honestly I didn’t know how it came about. I was just told that President Goodluck Jonathan said that I should be given OON. I was asked if I had a national award before and I responded that I was given MON before. The then Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe, said the President said I should be given another national honour.
“I should think it’s for humility, hard work, perseverance and endurance in doing your work. Honestly, like everyone else, I do my work. I dedicate myself. I do all that is before me, go home and come back the next day to make sure there’s no failure. My thinking is that if there’s failure in this house, then the country will be a failure. I make sure nothing fails.’’
The former Director, who was a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, graduated with a B.SC in International Studies, and relished his work, especially the private times spent with visiting Heads of Government, like United States President Bill Clinton. According to him, the contacts served as motivation and broadening of horizon, including the local and international trainings, conferences and official visits on the Federal Government’s delegation.
Like a typical public servant, Tijani hardly talked about personal life. But he once gave a glimpse. “All through my primary school I was a class monitor and in secondary school I was a class prefect and eventually became a Senior Prefect. Even in my advanced studies, School of Arts and Science in Sokoto, I was the Secretary of the Student’s Union. I was also the Financial Secretary to the Niger State Students’ Association in 1979 to 1980. All along, I have been building myself and the society has been building me as well. And when I finished my university, just like a carry over, God has always been with me in leadership.’’
For many years TJ coordinated swearing-in/oath-taking ceremonies of chief justices, ministers, permanent secretaries and commission members. He handled meetings of the weekly Federal Executive Council and other sundry issues relating to the President’s office and Residence. TJ worked with house-keepers on domestic issues in the Villa. Most meetings, he recalled, were not easy. “I remember standing from 9.30 am to about 5pm when President Olusegun Obasanjo swore in sixty ministers in 1999.’’
TJ lived a life of sacrifice, friendliness and diligence. As news filtered into the Villa that he passed on after a brief illness, the reality was obvious to every staff and political office holder that certainly a gap had been created. TJ was a recurring decimal – a human constant — that will surely be missed by all.
Oche Echeija Egwa is a Press Officer in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity.
The immediate past National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega may be eying the Presidency in the 2023 election via a leftist political party, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Jega recently joined the PRP, which was originally formed by late Aminu Kano, a socio political redeemer of the common man in the second Republic.
The ready-to-be-reformed PRP is being led by the SWOT analysis committee and is listed among the prominent Northerners to reposition the party against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 polls.
Those among the new entrants into PRP is the publisher and Chairman of the Trust Group of Newspapers, Kabiru Yusuf, who is also a member of the committee that was mandated to critically examine the strength of PRP, its weaknesses and the opportunities available to the party as well as threats to its existence and wellbeing.
Other members of the committee include Professor Momodu Kassim Momodu. Dr. George Kwanashie, Ayo Sando, Dr. Obi Osisiogwu and Professor Nath Abraham.
According to a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abdul Gombe, the decision to constitute the committees was reached at the party’s 62nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Kaduna.
The statement said that the committee is also to recommend to the party strategies to adopt for its survival and growth. Other committees set up include the Membership Mobilisation Committee and the Finance and Funding Committee.
Gombe said the committees are also expected to review the performance of the party in the 2019 general elections with a view to repositioning the party for better performance and facing new challenges of Nigerian politics.
The Membership Mobilisation Committee is headed by Alhaji Sule Mohammed with the Group Managing Director of Leadership Newspapers, Abdul Gombe, as a member among others, while Alhaji Falalu Bello is the Chairman for the Finance and Funding Committee with other six members.
The statement said the committees are to be formally inaugurated in Abuja on August 17 and are expected to file in their reports within two months from the day of their inauguration.
It also requested party members with ideas to contribute to the committees to do so.
A group going by the name “Third Force Movement of Nigeria,” operating under the umbrella of Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM) has vowed to defy police by going ahead with revolution march, in form of nationwide mass protests against bad political system and malgovernance in Nigeria starting on Monday, August 5.
In a statement today, August 3, the National Publicity Secretary of the Third Force Movement, Dr Olusegun One, said: “for the avoidance of doubt, this historic Nationwide Revolutionary Action initiated by Nigerian Masses and Youths under the banner of Coalition For Revolution, CORE is purely aimed at overthrowing the corrupt and warped political system being operated by the country as well as changing the oppressive ruling class in Nigeria “Therefore, we have directed all our members, allies and supporters in the third force Movement, especially of the Nigeria Intervention Movement, NIM, Alliance for Defence of Democracy, ADD and some revolutionary political parties to join and support the historic mass action for a New Nigeria as already endorsed by icons like Prof Wole Soyinka, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Dr Oby Ezekwesili among others “It is for this reason that we condemn in unequivocal stance the subversive arrest and detention of one of the key Facilitators of #Revolution Now!, Sowore Omoyele; the Leader of the Take It Back Movement, TIB, who was forcefully abducted in his home at about 1.25 am today, Saturday and whisked away to an unknown destination “We hereby demand from the Nigerian Presidency and its witch hunting Department of State Security, DSS apparatus, the immediate release of Omoyele Sowore, as his continued incarceration will not deter our forces and Cadres from embarking on the planned mass action against the oppressors of the Nigerian peoples on Monday as earlier scheduled “Finally, we wish to state strongly that peaceful protest or public demonstration against State or government policies is a Constitutional right of every citizen of Nigeria and so, it is illegal to criminalise or victimise any Citizen of Nigeria for openly expressing contrary stand against government’s policies and programme as currently being done by the Nigerian Presidency against the Monday mass protests of the Nigerian peoples.”
The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has faulted the Senate over its directive to Governor Godwin Obaseki to repeat the proclamation of the Edo State House of Assembly.
The court, therefore, restrained the Clerk of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, their servants, agents, officers or privies from interfering or taking over the legislative functions of the Edo State House of Assembly.
The court also granted an order restraining the inspector General of Police and the State Security Service, their servants, agents, officers or privies from sealing up the Edo State House of Assembly, or obstructing activities at the Edo Assembly.
The court said that the orders followed requests sought by the deputy speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, Hon. Yekini Idiaye and a member representing Ikpoba-Okha Constituency in the Edo Assembly, Hon. Henry Okhuarobo, who are the plaintiffs.
In the obtained order paper dated August 2, 2019, the court said: “The plaintiffs/applicants are granted an order of interim injunction, restraining the 1st-3rd Defendant/Respondents (Clerk of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives), their servant, agents, officers or privies from interfering or taking over the legislative functions of the Edo State House of Assembly pending the determination of the substantive suit.”
The court also granted an order of interim injunction restraining the 4th-5th Defendant/Respondents(Inspector General of Police and the State Security Service), their servant, agents, officers or privies from sealing up the Edo State House of Assembly or obstructing the Plaintiffs/Applicants in whatever manners in the performance of their constitutional duties as members of the Edo State House of Assembly, pending the determination of the substantive Suit.
“The Plaintiffs/Applicants are granted an order of interim injunction restraining the 6th Defendant/Respondent (the Governor of Edo State) from issuing any fresh proclamation for the holding of another first session for the Edo State House of Assembly pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit” the court said.
The plaintiffs, Hon. Yekini Idiaye and Hon. Henry Okhuarobo had prayed the court in Suit Number FHC/PH/CS/159/2019, to restrain the Clerk of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police and the State Security Service; ( all defendants) from taking over the duties of the Edo House of Assembly.
Prior to this, a High Court in Benin City last month gave a restraining order to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State and Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC Publicity Secretary, from interfering in the constitutional duties of members of the Edo House of Assembly.
Justice M. Umar gave the order following a motion ex-parte, filed by Alhaji Yayaha Audu Omogbai, Clerk of the Assembly and the Edo State House of Assembly.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has banned the staging of the ‘RevolutionNow’ protest in the state. He directed all Local Government chairmen in the state to report any suspected activity to the authorities.
Nigeria’s Presidency has challenged those that are operating behind the Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria, whose members are planning to stage a revolution march tomorrow, Monday 5th August, to show their faces.
A group going by the name “Third Force Movement of Nigeria,” operating under the umbrella of Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM) has vowed to defy police by going ahead with revolution march, in form of nationwide mass protests against bad political system and malgovernance in Nigeria starting on Monday, August 5.
The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has faulted the Senate over its directive to Governor Godwin Obaseki to repeat the proclamation of the Edo State House of Assembly.
Death Of Presidency Point Man, Tijjani Yusuf, By Oche Echeija Egwa
Until his death on Wednesday, July 31, 2019, TJ was the Special Assistant (General Duties) to the President. He retired from Public Service as a Director/Special Assistant (Special Duties) to the Permanent Secretary in 2016 and was given another appointment for his invaluable contributions. But for ill health, Nigerians would have seen TJ on television for the last time on July 24, 2019, when President Muhammadu Buhari swore in Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, at the Council Chambers. For many years, TJ had been the constant face at the swearing-in, oath taking and inauguration ceremonies. Rarely noticed, he effortlessly provides the Bible, Quran, registers and guides personalities on where to sit, stand, sign and how to recite the ordinances.
Reticent by nature and unassuming in character, TJ was the most popular name in the Villa for many years. Hardly in the limelight, but regularly mentioned, TJ is known among gardeners, stewards and cleaners, Presidents’ and Vice Presidents’ families, and he seamlessly befriends and connects the more visible operational tripods of the Villa; security, protocol and media. TJ knew the Villa history and operations by heart and experience. Since the 90s, he was there when First Families moved into their official living quarters, known as The Residence, and was most likely there when they moved out. TJ knew the joys, tensions and lowest moments of the First Families in the Villa.
He was among the first to be called to work when a President drew his last breath, and was around as Presidents’ moved their personal belongings from the Commander-In-Chief’s Office. He knew when there was a light cut, when taps stopped rushing, and was regularly on hand to ensure decorum and decorations for various ceremonies, including visits by Heads of Government and envoys. TJ was a constant.
For his diligence, TJ had many handshakes with both sitting and visiting presidents. And he made history in the Villa and public service by receiving two national awards. In 2006, he was honoured with Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by President Olusegun Obasanjo and six years later, 2012, TJ was honoured by President Goodluck Jonathan with Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON). Preceding the awards, Tijani had smiled home with commendation letters for hard work and dedication from former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Archbishop of the Canterbury, Justin Welby.
In a 2014 interview with an in-house magazine, VillaScope, the quintessential workaholic recalled:
“For the two national honours, I was just sitting down in my office then I was called upon that the President had approved that a national honour be bestowed on me. I didn’t canvass for it, I didn’t go looking for it, I was just doing my job and I didn’t know people were watching. I was just called one day that the President had approved that I be given MON and I was told to bring my Curriculum Vitae. The then Chief of Staff, Gen. Abdullahi Mohammed, also called me and told me about the President’s decision.
“The next one, OON, honestly I didn’t know how it came about. I was just told that President Goodluck Jonathan said that I should be given OON. I was asked if I had a national award before and I responded that I was given MON before. The then Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe, said the President said I should be given another national honour.
“I should think it’s for humility, hard work, perseverance and endurance in doing your work. Honestly, like everyone else, I do my work. I dedicate myself. I do all that is before me, go home and come back the next day to make sure there’s no failure. My thinking is that if there’s failure in this house, then the country will be a failure. I make sure nothing fails.’’
The former Director, who was a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, graduated with a B.SC in International Studies, and relished his work, especially the private times spent with visiting Heads of Government, like United States President Bill Clinton. According to him, the contacts served as motivation and broadening of horizon, including the local and international trainings, conferences and official visits on the Federal Government’s delegation.
Like a typical public servant, Tijani hardly talked about personal life. But he once gave a glimpse. “All through my primary school I was a class monitor and in secondary school I was a class prefect and eventually became a Senior Prefect. Even in my advanced studies, School of Arts and Science in Sokoto, I was the Secretary of the Student’s Union. I was also the Financial Secretary to the Niger State Students’ Association in 1979 to 1980. All along, I have been building myself and the society has been building me as well. And when I finished my university, just like a carry over, God has always been with me in leadership.’’
For many years TJ coordinated swearing-in/oath-taking ceremonies of chief justices, ministers, permanent secretaries and commission members. He handled meetings of the weekly Federal Executive Council and other sundry issues relating to the President’s office and Residence. TJ worked with house-keepers on domestic issues in the Villa. Most meetings, he recalled, were not easy. “I remember standing from 9.30 am to about 5pm when President Olusegun Obasanjo swore in sixty ministers in 1999.’’
TJ lived a life of sacrifice, friendliness and diligence. As news filtered into the Villa that he passed on after a brief illness, the reality was obvious to every staff and political office holder that certainly a gap had been created. TJ was a recurring decimal – a human constant — that will surely be missed by all.
Oche Echeija Egwa is a Press Officer in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity.