THE LABARAN MAKU I KNOW!

Few years ago, my path with that of Prof. Lassa, a retired professor of Mathematics-Education from the University of Jos, crossed. From the name, of course you don’t need a soothsayer to tell you that he hails from Lassa village in the present day Borno state. I met the retired Professor in company of my good friend, Stephen, who by origin hails from Michika, in Adamawa state. After exchanging pleasantries with the old Don, he began to cross examine us. Immediately he realised that my friend is from the north east, the conversation turned local and they started to converse using native tongue.

Then he turned to me, but before he could say anything, I told him and am Eggon from Nasarawa state and he asked, do you know Labaran Maku? I replied, “Who doesn’t know him”. He asked again, I hope you are not as stubborn as he is? At this point I smiled and again replied, “Sir, he is not stubborn, he only insist and ensure things are done rightly, he is just a courageous personality with huge passion for leadership”.

The Professor told us he was the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) when Maku was in University of Jos, and reeled out some of the “troubles” he (Maku) gave the University management as student union leader. But the old man, however, said something that stroked my mind. He said “the Labaran Maku I know is not only intelligent, strong-willed, focus, but he is someone with vision, and means well for Nigeria. Those days he stood firmly for his fellow students, indeed he is patriotic Nigerian”. He added “As a student leader, some of the crises he had were because he insisted that the right things be done”. The old man held us for hours telling us many things about his former student.

Few months ago, again I came across Mr. Peter Dama, a retired Director in the Federal Ministry of Information. Dama served under Maku when he was Minister. This time around, it wasn’t just my friend and I, but I was in company of multitude of colleagues. We had a lengthy discussion that bothered on our national life and soon we delve into politics. By this time, he had realised Maku is my kinsman. Then he asked “How is Labaran Maku, is he still contesting for the governorship?” And typical of me, I replied, “He still remains the only credible candidate to occupy the number one seat in the state”. But nodding his head, the retired director said “Yes, Maku is credible, incorruptible, a man full of vision and has the desire to lead. He has all it takes to be a good leader, but I pity him because he lacks something; and that thing is Money”. When he ended, I couldn’t utter a word because I know his assertions were nothing but the naked truth and no need debating it. Of course, I am familiar with fact that money play key role in our present day political circle, but again, only leaders with poor mission and short-sighted vision, with virtually nothing to offer uses money to get to power. But my curiosity made me ask further. “Sir, what makes you think Maku doesn’t have money when he was a minister of information for six years, and also supervised the Defence Ministry as well?
He replied “Anything I am telling you about Maku is coming from an authoritative source. I worked with him for years, and there are certain things I can vouch that he won’t do.

“Look, this a man who had all the opportunity to amass wealth but never did. He is always contented with what he legitimately acquired and touching public funds is against his personal principle of life, hence a no go area.

“When we started the Good Governance Tour, I took a proposal of vehicles we are to buy for the project, but he refused to approve it saying it was just a waste of public funds.

“Do you know that immediately he resigned from the Federal Excutive Council, he returned all official vehicles in his possession to the ministry, including the utility car meant for local errands in his house?
“So, I am telling you on a good authority that Maku didn’t temper with public funds, which why is he left office with virtually nothing. But I am proud of him, because today he goes around with his shoulders high”,

Dama’s position further confirmed some stories my younger sister, Ruth, told me. She lived with Maku for over two years, and most often she said he had severally rejected gifts of different kinds. She said one day, he personally drove them out for an outing, then she summoned the courage to ask him why he often rejects gifts anytime they are brought to him, he smiled and told her “I will not accept any gift that will hinder me from standing and speaking the truth when the need arise”. As tempting as those gifts were, my sister said to best of her knowledge, he never succumbed to accepting any.

My uncle, a University Professor, in our leisure will reel out Maku’s antecedents when they were undergraduates. He said Labaran Maku is the only student’s leader that could assemble his fellow students within a “tinkle of an eye”. This epitomises his leadership qualities and inherent charisma.

My uncle told me that Maku hardly attends lectures because of his deep involvement in unionism. He mostly travels to other states to ensure “Aluta is Continua”, but he (Maku) will always pass exams with higher grades over those he relied on their lecture notes to write the exams. With all these, he still made a second class upper division. This simply means Maku is an intelligent follow, and to the best that I know, a combination of intelligence, wisdom and vision makes a good leader.

The professor recounted how the university authority wanted stopping Maku from writing his final exams, after a frantic but aborted effort to rusticate him from the institution. He said students would abandon their day’s activities and surround the exams hall just to ensure Maku was not arrested or harmed. He said the school authority even contemplated giving him additional years, but some top officials advised he should be allowed to graduate to enable them rest from his “troubles”. This also means he has people who believed in him and the course he pursued, to the extent that they were ready to put their lives on the line for him.

I recalled Maku personally telling us the story of a peaceful demonstration he led during his days at Zawan Teacher’s College (Now College of Mary Immaculate), in the present day Jos South Local Government Areas of Plateau. I cannot vividly recall what he said sparked the demonstration, but of course it must be against some injustice meted on the students. The protest meant to be peaceful turned tensed and school properties were destroyed to the extent that a panel of enquiry chaired by the then Gbong Gwom Jos, Da (Dr) Fom Bot (Late) was constituted to investigate the matter. No doubt he led the protest, and everyone had the feelings that he will be expelled from the college. But to the amazement of his classmates and teachers, the panel recommended that he should assume the role of a prefect in the college. No doubt Maku’s sterling leadership qualities span from childhood; he is indeed a leader from birth.

Few days ago my ex student (now a good friend) and I got talking about politics and she threw this question at me “Sir, why do you believe so much in Maku, is it because he is your kinsman? And I simply told her, “No, not because he is my kinsman, not even because we share same faith, but he has my total support and loyalty because he poses the requisite qualities I want in someone that should lead me” She asked further, “What are these qualities”? I replied, he has the vision, the political acumen, and the experience to take Nasarawa state to the next level, if not Eldorado. I added “he doesn’t have the primitive accumulative tendencies like most leaders do; hence will not divert state resources meant for the benefit of all for his personal aggrandisement. Indeed his simple nature and easy approach to life continue to endear him to me.

The Labaran Maku I know will not steal from public treasury, he will not convert state properties into personal ones, and he will not divert what is of the people for his family, friends or cronies. The Labaran Maku I know will not waste state resources on frivolities, rather funds would be judiciously utilised for the overall interest of the people. He will not build roads only to areas where he has personal investments or those of his associates, but he will construct roads to connect communities so as to boost economic and agricultural activities. He will not site public projects in his native home – wakama, against popular demand, but projects will be domicile where they have comparative economic advantage. He will also not allow workers wallow in abject poverty, hunger and squalor by denying them their right to wages. He is someone who sees things with human face and this is why he has in many occasions demonstrated that power, money and fame can only change weak men. This suggests why great men like him don’t fight for power, but they pursue the vision they have and live by the purpose and fight for justice. It was W. Buffet that said “Look for three things in a person; intelligence, energy and integrity”. No doubt Maku is an embodiment of the aforementioned qualities.

The Labaran maku I know is not a saint; certainly, he has his shortcomings, but he remains a mentor to many. He has touched lives in great measures, and has uplifts and moved many from obscurity to the pinnacle of glory. Today, some of us can walk with our shoulders high because of his support and mentorship. What is “leadership” without “mentorship”?

The Labaran Maku I know identifies with people at their moments of merry and also of grief. As a burns patient in JUTH in 2014, Maku made it a point of duty to speak to me every morning to pray and encourage me before he set out for the day’s activities. Don’t forget, he was a minister then with very tight official schedules, yet, he still creates time to visit the sick and those who lost their loved ones. This expressly shows that power never intoxicates him; he remains him with or without power.

The Maku I know will use his wealth of experience as Commissioner, Deputy Governor and later a Minister, to change the face of things; he will put smiles on the faces of the people, he will make the people in all strata have a feel of what good governance entails. Just as God raised him from “nothing to something”, he will also support many into becoming shining stars.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you “The Labaran Maku I know”.

Polycrap A Auta, writes from Jos.THE LABARAN MAKU I KNOW!

Few years ago, my path with that of Prof. Lassa, a retired professor of Mathematics-Education from the University of Jos, crossed. From the name, of course you don’t need a soothsayer to tell you that he hails from Lassa village in the present day Borno state. I met the retired Professor in company of my good friend, Stephen, who by origin hails from Michika, in Adamawa state. After exchanging pleasantries with the old Don, he began to cross examine us. Immediately he realised that my friend is from the north east, the conversation turned local and they started to converse using native tongue.

Then he turned to me, but before he could say anything, I told him and am Eggon from Nasarawa state and he asked, do you know Labaran Maku? I replied, “Who doesn’t know him”. He asked again, I hope you are not as stubborn as he is? At this point I smiled and again replied, “Sir, he is not stubborn, he only insist and ensure things are done rightly, he is just a courageous personality with huge passion for leadership”.

The Professor told us he was the Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) when Maku was in University of Jos, and reeled out some of the “troubles” he (Maku) gave the University management as student union leader. But the old man, however, said something that stroked my mind. He said “the Labaran Maku I know is not only intelligent, strong-willed, focus, but he is someone with vision, and means well for Nigeria. Those days he stood firmly for his fellow students, indeed he is patriotic Nigerian”. He added “As a student leader, some of the crises he had were because he insisted that the right things be done”. The old man held us for hours telling us many things about his former student.

Few months ago, again I came across Mr. Peter Dama, a retired Director in the Federal Ministry of Information. Dama served under Maku when he was Minister. This time around, it wasn’t just my friend and I, but I was in company of multitude of colleagues. We had a lengthy discussion that bothered on our national life and soon we delve into politics. By this time, he had realised Maku is my kinsman. Then he asked “How is Labaran Maku, is he still contesting for the governorship?” And typical of me, I replied, “He still remains the only credible candidate to occupy the number one seat in the state”. But nodding his head, the retired director said “Yes, Maku is credible, incorruptible, a man full of vision and has the desire to lead. He has all it takes to be a good leader, but I pity him because he lacks something; and that thing is Money”. When he ended, I couldn’t utter a word because I know his assertions were nothing but the naked truth and no need debating it. Of course, I am familiar with fact that money play key role in our present day political circle, but again, only leaders with poor mission and short-sighted vision, with virtually nothing to offer uses money to get to power. But my curiosity made me ask further. “Sir, what makes you think Maku doesn’t have money when he was a minister of information for six years, and also supervised the Defence Ministry as well?
He replied “Anything I am telling you about Maku is coming from an authoritative source. I worked with him for years, and there are certain things I can vouch that he won’t do.

“Look, this a man who had all the opportunity to amass wealth but never did. He is always contented with what he legitimately acquired and touching public funds is against his personal principle of life, hence a no go area.

“When we started the Good Governance Tour, I took a proposal of vehicles we are to buy for the project, but he refused to approve it saying it was just a waste of public funds.

“Do you know that immediately he resigned from the Federal Excutive Council, he returned all official vehicles in his possession to the ministry, including the utility car meant for local errands in his house?
“So, I am telling you on a good authority that Maku didn’t temper with public funds, which why is he left office with virtually nothing. But I am proud of him, because today he goes around with his shoulders high”,

Dama’s position further confirmed some stories my younger sister, Ruth, told me. She lived with Maku for over two years, and most often she said he had severally rejected gifts of different kinds. She said one day, he personally drove them out for an outing, then she summoned the courage to ask him why he often rejects gifts anytime they are brought to him, he smiled and told her “I will not accept any gift that will hinder me from standing and speaking the truth when the need arise”. As tempting as those gifts were, my sister said to best of her knowledge, he never succumbed to accepting any.

My uncle, a University Professor, in our leisure will reel out Maku’s antecedents when they were undergraduates. He said Labaran Maku is the only student’s leader that could assemble his fellow students within a “tinkle of an eye”. This epitomises his leadership qualities and inherent charisma.

My uncle told me that Maku hardly attends lectures because of his deep involvement in unionism. He mostly travels to other states to ensure “Aluta is Continua”, but he (Maku) will always pass exams with higher grades over those he relied on their lecture notes to write the exams. With all these, he still made a second class upper division. This simply means Maku is an intelligent follow, and to the best that I know, a combination of intelligence, wisdom and vision makes a good leader.

The professor recounted how the university authority wanted stopping Maku from writing his final exams, after a frantic but aborted effort to rusticate him from the institution. He said students would abandon their day’s activities and surround the exams hall just to ensure Maku was not arrested or harmed. He said the school authority even contemplated giving him additional years, but some top officials advised he should be allowed to graduate to enable them rest from his “troubles”. This also means he has people who believed in him and the course he pursued, to the extent that they were ready to put their lives on the line for him.

I recalled Maku personally telling us the story of a peaceful demonstration he led during his days at Zawan Teacher’s College (Now College of Mary Immaculate), in the present day Jos South Local Government Areas of Plateau. I cannot vividly recall what he said sparked the demonstration, but of course it must be against some injustice meted on the students. The protest meant to be peaceful turned tensed and school properties were destroyed to the extent that a panel of enquiry chaired by the then Gbong Gwom Jos, Da (Dr) Fom Bot (Late) was constituted to investigate the matter. No doubt he led the protest, and everyone had the feelings that he will be expelled from the college. But to the amazement of his classmates and teachers, the panel recommended that he should assume the role of a prefect in the college. No doubt Maku’s sterling leadership qualities span from childhood; he is indeed a leader from birth.

Few days ago my ex student (now a good friend) and I got talking about politics and she threw this question at me “Sir, why do you believe so much in Maku, is it because he is your kinsman? And I simply told her, “No, not because he is my kinsman, not even because we share same faith, but he has my total support and loyalty because he poses the requisite qualities I want in someone that should lead me” She asked further, “What are these qualities”? I replied, he has the vision, the political acumen, and the experience to take Nasarawa state to the next level, if not Eldorado. I added “he doesn’t have the primitive accumulative tendencies like most leaders do; hence will not divert state resources meant for the benefit of all for his personal aggrandisement. Indeed his simple nature and easy approach to life continue to endear him to me.

The Labaran Maku I know will not steal from public treasury, he will not convert state properties into personal ones, and he will not divert what is of the people for his family, friends or cronies. The Labaran Maku I know will not waste state resources on frivolities, rather funds would be judiciously utilised for the overall interest of the people. He will not build roads only to areas where he has personal investments or those of his associates, but he will construct roads to connect communities so as to boost economic and agricultural activities. He will not site public projects in his native home – wakama, against popular demand, but projects will be domicile where they have comparative economic advantage. He will also not allow workers wallow in abject poverty, hunger and squalor by denying them their right to wages. He is someone who sees things with human face and this is why he has in many occasions demonstrated that power, money and fame can only change weak men. This suggests why great men like him don’t fight for power, but they pursue the vision they have and live by the purpose and fight for justice. It was W. Buffet that said “Look for three things in a person; intelligence, energy and integrity”. No doubt Maku is an embodiment of the aforementioned qualities.

The Labaran maku I know is not a saint; certainly, he has his shortcomings, but he remains a mentor to many. He has touched lives in great measures, and has uplifts and moved many from obscurity to the pinnacle of glory. Today, some of us can walk with our shoulders high because of his support and mentorship. What is “leadership” without “mentorship”?

The Labaran Maku I know identifies with people at their moments of merry and also of grief. As a burns patient in JUTH in 2014, Maku made it a point of duty to speak to me every morning to pray and encourage me before he set out for the day’s activities. Don’t forget, he was a minister then with very tight official schedules, yet, he still creates time to visit the sick and those who lost their loved ones. This expressly shows that power never intoxicates him; he remains him with or without power.

The Maku I know will use his wealth of experience as Commissioner, Deputy Governor and later a Minister, to change the face of things; he will put smiles on the faces of the people, he will make the people in all strata have a feel of what good governance entails. Just as God raised him from “nothing to something”, he will also support many into becoming shining stars.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you “The Labaran Maku I know”.

Polycrap A Auta, writes from Jos.

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THE LABARAN MAKU I KNOW!