Connect with us

Headlines

A salute to NEPU at 70 – Mahmud Othman

Published

on

Mahmood Othman

Today, 8th AUGUST, 2020 marks the 70th Anniversary since the formation of the defunct Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) political party.

It was on Tuesday, 8th August, 1950, that a group of eight dynamic, patriotic and restless young Nigerians met at No. 9 Ibadan Road, Sabon Gari, Kano around 4pm where they deliberated and resolved to form the first and only revolutionary political party in Nigeria

Though about 100 people were invited to the meeting, only eight very committed ones among the invitees showed up.

Some of those who could not honour the invitation claimed that it was the usual heavy rain of August that poured on that day that made it impossible for them to attend.

The indomitable and indefatigable eight who attended the inaugural meeting were: Abba Maikwaru, Baballiya Manaja, Musa Kaula, Abdulkadir Danjaji, Abubakar Garba Bida, Mudi Sipikin, Magaji Danbatta and Bello Ijumu.

The political party they formed, NEPU was used as a very strong platform for anti-imperialist, anti-fascists, pan-Africanist and anti-feudal struggle.

Its ideology was tailored towards the total liberation of Nigeria and the African continent from all vestiges of colonialism, imperialism and maladministration by the local bourgeoisie and their apologists.

Nigerians who identified with the party suffered from all forms of indignities from the defunct Native Authority (NA) warlords with the tacit approval of the British colonial agents.

They were imprisoned for no just causes, beaten up in public, sacked from their jobs, taxed arbitrarily, their properties destroyed and all sorts of unimaginable harassment.

What NEPU supporters suffered in Northern Nigeria was something more like what Palestinians and Rohingyas are experiencing from their modern day oppressors.

Despite all attempts of the powers that be to wipe out NEPU member and their just and noble struggles, the party still managed to win seats in both Federal and Northern Nigerian legislative councils.

As mentioned above, NEPU was formed on 8th August, 1950 and it operated for 15years and 161 days.

Or looking at it from another angle, we say that the party lived for 5640 days.

NEPU was among the 81 political parties and cultural associations Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi dissolved when he made his military coup speech on Monday, 17th January, 1966 through the Network Service of Radio Nigeria at 7am.

Some of the other political parties that were dissolved together with NEPU include: Action Group, National Council for Nigerian Citizens, United Middle Belt Congress, Niger Delta Congress, Borno Youths Movement, Republican Party, Dynamic Party, Midwest Democratic Front, Ilorin Talaka Parapo, National Emancipation League, Kano Peoples’ Party, Calabar-Ogoja-Rivers Movement, Communist Party of Nigeria, etc.

Some NEPU national leaders when it was alive include: Alh. Aminu Kano, Dr. Yerima Albatan Balla, Alh. Abubakar Zukogi, Alhaji Sadiq Abubakar Tanko Yakasai, Alhaji Yahaya Sabo, Alhaji Yahaya Abdullahi, Alhaji Lamin Sanusi, etc.

By the will of Allah (SWT) Alh. S. Abubakar Tanko Yakasai, former NEPU National Publicity Secretary, now in his 90s is the last man standing.

May Allah bless the soul of the departed and may Alh. Tanko live long and healthy.

Though NEPU was disbanded by military fiat more than 54 years ago, its spirit is still alive in all those who know what it was all about – love for equality, equity, justice, patriotism, pan Africanism, freedom, progress and development.

Mahmud Othman was Kano state commissioner for rural development during the 2nd Republic administration of late Muhammad Abubakar Rimi.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Headlines

Power Shift in Kano: Ganduje Family Bows to Emir Sanusi as Nephew Gets Turbaned

Published

on

In a dramatic political twist that may redefine Kano’s traditional power matrix, former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has thrown his weight behind Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, as the monarch turbaned Ganduje’s nephew, Alhaji Jamilu Sani Umar, as the new Village Head of Ganduje.

This development signals a major shift in political allegiance, coming from a family that once stood at the heart of Emir Sanusi’s 2020 dethronement.

The former village head, Alhaji Sani Ganduje — who was removed from office — had openly challenged the Kano Emirate over the legitimacy of his removal, deepening the rift between the Gandujes and Sanusi’s loyalists.

However, following the recent reinstatement of Emir Sanusi II by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, political equations in Kano have shifted rapidly.

In what many see as a move to realign with the prevailing tide, Dr. Ganduje reportedly convened a strategic meeting with his extended family and directed full support for the new appointment.

Rather than sending a delegate, the entire Ganduje family physically accompanied Jamilu to the Emir’s palace, a powerful public gesture of submission and allegiance to Sanusi’s throne.

Political analysts interpret this as Ganduje’s calculated pivot — recognizing Emir Sanusi’s regained influence and perhaps seeking to reposition himself within Kano’s changing political terrain.

The move also draws a clear contrast with the dethroned Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, who enjoyed close ties with Ganduje during his administration but is now increasingly sidelined.

By endorsing the turbaning and realigning his family under Sanusi’s leadership, Ganduje appears to be reading the political handwriting on the wall — that Emir Sanusi’s return is not just ceremonial, but a restoration of deep-rooted traditional authority with growing political resonance.

As Kano continues to balance tradition and politics, the Ganduje family’s public allegiance to Emir Sanusi may be the clearest indication yet that the old guard is adapting to a new power order.

Continue Reading

Headlines

Kano legislator, Masu dumps NNPP for APC

Published

on

 

Kano legislator Masu dumps NNPP for APC

 

 

 

 

A member of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and a member of the Kano State House of Assembly representing Sumaila Constituency, Hon. Zubairu Hamza Masu, has defected from the NNPP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

KANO FOCUS reports that Masu addressed his resignation letter to the Speaker, Ismail Falgore, and it was read during Monday’s plenary session.

 

However, Masu cited internal crises bedevilling the NNPP, including factional disputes and ongoing litigations, as his reasons for leaving the party.

 

He specifically emphasised the multiple claims of leadership within the party at both state and national levels, naming Dr Suleiman Hashim Dungurawa and Senator Mas’ud El-Jibrin Doguwa as those claiming control at the state level, while Dr Ahmed Ajuji and Dr Agbo Major were also asserting authority at the national level.

 

Masu’s resignation takes effect from 12 May 2025, and he pledged his full allegiance to the APC leadership at all levels.

 

Continue Reading

Headlines

Dangote donates N15billion to Kano varsity, offers Automatic jobs to best graduating students  

Published

on

 

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

 

Group President of the Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has announced the donation of a whooping N15billion to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil (ADUSTECH), Kano State. 

 

KANO FOCUS reports that. Alhaji Dangote, who is also the Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) was reappointed the Chancellor of the University.

 

In his speech at the 5th convocation ceremony, he said the University must be repositioned to lead the race of producing cutting edge research and highly skilled manpower that meets the requirements of market demands, industries and real problem solvers in the Nigerian society.

He said: “It is in this vein that I wish to use this opportunity to announce the launch of the 5-year Development plan which I envision for this institution.

 

“Over the next 5 years, we will commit the sum of N15 billion to the following projects: the design and construction of additional student hostels; the design and construction of a world class Engineering Lab; the design and construction of a world class multipurpose computer lab -open to all students of the institution which will also be equipped with 24-hour internet access to support academic research and the installation of a mini-solar plant to support access to power on campus.”

 

He added that: “We also undertake to design and construct a befitting Senate building that will house the administration of this institution. Finally, we will also reserve post-NYSC employment slots for the best performing graduates in Engineering and other related courses that form part of our areas of interest at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Plant and Dangote Cement Plants.”

 

Alhaji Dangote said the funding for such an institution places a significant burden on the government, which is why, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, it was able to offset the University’s electricity bill to ease the strain on their finances.

 

“Additionally, to support the infrastructural drive of the University, we built two blocks of Male and Female Hostels with 500 bed spaces each.

“We also ensured the availability of electricity in a specialized University like ours for continuous teaching, learning and research, via the connection of the University to a 33KVA line, and provided a 2.5 MVA transformer and six (6) step-down transformers. This, I believe, has gone a long way in solving the energy needs of the University.”

 

Dangote therefore congratulated the vision of those who dreamt of the institution 25 years ago.

“An institution that began with a student population of 88, today has a population of more than 21,877 students and this combined convocation has a total of about 18,000 graduates. This is indeed a milestone,” he added.

 

In his address, Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State commended Alhaji Dangote for contributing financially and morally towards the development of the University, adding that, “all of us will continue to remember you as a visionary and African illustrious industrialist.”

 

The University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasa said 18,000 students were being celebrated during the convocation ceremony, having graduated from the university in the last ten years to date.

 

Business mogul Chief Arthur Eze, founder of Max Air and billionaire Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, Senior Advocate Ahmad Adeniyi Raji, and oil magnate and founder of Amasco Oil Al-Mustapha Ado bagged honorary doctorate degrees.

 

The VC said the University has recorded significant strides in its academic journey to greater heights, including program accreditation and a mathematical digital model designed by a university product, Mahmoud Mubarak, for measuring deforestation density.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue Reading

Trending