Yusuf Maitama Sule (1 October 1929 – 3 July 2017), known by his title Dan Masani of Kano, was a traditionalist Nigerian statesman and diplomat who was one of the foremost politicians from northern Nigeria between the independence period and early republic in the 1960s. He served as the first and only federal minister for national guidance, in which role he sought to bring into being an ethical revolution within the country.
In 1955-1956 he was the chief whip of the Federal House of Representatives. In 1960 he led the Nigerian delegation to the Conference of Independent African States. In 1976, he became the Federal Commissioner of public complaints, a position that made him the nation's pioneer ombudsman. In early 1979, he was the presidential candidate of the National Party of Nigeria but lost to Shehu Shagari. He was appointed Nigeria's representative to the United Nations after the coming of civilian rule in September 1979. While there he was chairman of the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid."UN launches anti-apartheid year," The Globe and Mail (Canada). January 12, 1982
After the re-election of President Shagari in 1983, Maitama Sule was made the Minister for National Guidance, a portfolio designed to assist the president in tackling corruption.Peter Blackburn, "Corruption in Nigeria: can it be ended in land of greased palms,"? Christian Science Monitor. December 5, 1983
Career Public Complaints Commission
The rise of economic nationalism during the 1970s led to the enactment of a decree stipulating minimum requirements for local content in many companies doing business in Nigeria. To capitalize on the benefits of indigenous control of the economy, many permanent secretaries, federal commissioners, state governors and their cronies established firms to conduct business with the government.Simone K. Panter-Brick, Soldiers and Oil: The Political Transformation of Nigeria. Frank Cass, 1978. p 123. It was with the intent of patching the revolving door and to stem small-time corruption that the Public Complaints Commission was created in 1975. It was meant to hear and tackle complaints by the common man in a simple and efficient manner. Sule, as head of the commission, was known to have taken his job seriously, partly because he was a potent political commodity and had a lot to gain from the good will of the people when a transition to civilian rule was in place.Simone K. Panter-Brick, Soldiers and Oil: The Political Transformation of Nigeria. Frank Cass, 1978. p 124. As a result of the commission's effort, corruption during the period was temporarily curtailed.
National guidance In 1983, Sule returned to a familiar role, this time under a democratic government as the head of a ministry to tackle corruption. The new but short-lived ministry was created solely to invest time in an ethical re-orientation of Nigerians. Sule, who had acquired a solid reputation as a tough U.N representative when he was chairman of a U.N. special committee on apartheid, was asked to lead the ministry. However, his appointment was not satisfactory to critics. Shagari's administration was removed by a coup, with the coupists citing corruption as a major reason for the incursion.
Polemical statement Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule said,
The aforementioned statement has been used by some to stir up fears of northern political domination in the country. The fear of northern dominance can however not be dismissed.David C. L. Lim, The Infinite Longing for Home: desire and the nation in selected writings of Ben Okri and K.S. Rodopi, 2005. p 24.
"May God give this country leaders not rulers, leaders with the fear of God."
"The former minister said: “The present-day leadership wants money. You can’t have money and honour at the same time. Our former leaders didn’t want money, they wanted to serve the country, and that is why they were respected.” Read more: https://www.legit.ng/1113234-11-major-comments-maitama-sule-lived.html"
Death Sule died on 2 July 2017 in a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, after suffering from pneumonia and a chest infection.
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