I Suppose Leadership At One Time
Meant Muscles, But Today It Means Getting Along With People.
-Mahatma
Gandhi
This is just what Mallam Ali Waliki believes and I start with it because
it went along with what I am about to say about my first meeting with the
distinguished senator one day at his Bauchi residence. Mal Ali Wakili is a very
nice, displined and cultured person despite him being a senator.
Unlike many of his peers who
prefer to be given a ‘kingly treat’ by their people, the distinguished senator
is the opposite. One day I followed my friend to visit the senator at his
residence, we were taken to his living room by his one of his aides and within the shortest time he came out
smiling (not leaving us decay under the AC), we exchanged greetings and we
started to discuss the issues concerning the country then, the senator said something and I said my
opinion concerning it and immediately one of his aides who was also with us in
the living room interrupted and said to me that ‘’if the senator said this is
black, then let it be, don’t debate’’. The senator then laughs and said to me
that, ‘’Yusuf, don’t listen to him, I will only go along with you if you debate
me and not when you blindly follow me’’.
What the senator says gives me more energy
and a lots of confidence that we charted with him for almost an hour or so
before we depart. With this I hold a very huge respect for him and admire the
senator for what he is, a very cultured man. He sees all people equal
regardless of their economic, social, educational, ethnic or even geographical
background.
As a former Secretary of Gamji
Club, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, I have read and heard all the characters
and the characteristics of Sir Ahmadu Bello sardaunan Sokoto and our nationals heroes
which includes Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikwe
And The Likes who sacrifices everything for the good of the common man, and i
am telling you that SEN ali wakili also emulates their character and regard
them as his
mentors and predecessors that is why he sees all as one entity without any
distinction or bias.
