In the world of ornamental plants and flowers, the orchid occupies a position of primacy and pride as a gift item for honouring distinguished personalities, as well as acknowledging superlative performances by individuals.
The subject of today’s piece, Dr Adamu Fika (Waziri Fika), is a man who deserves as many bouquets of orchid as possible for any human being, having bestridden the country’s public space for the good part of six decades, through his serial, commendable performance in public service.
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For the purpose of clarification, Dr Adamu Fika has acquitted himself as a resourceful and consummate public servant under different administrations (both military and civilian), tiers of government, academic environments, categories of public institutions and commercial ventures, as well as varying locations across Nigeria and beyond.
That in spite of his humongous contributions to national development, this octogenarian is still viable enough to be called upon to lend his wealth of experience for the purpose of restoring the fast eroding dignity of the country, through serving in another position of high public trust and integrity, speaks volumes about his innate worth as a high-value citizen of Nigeria. It also points to how needy the country is of superlative minds to inspire rectitude and nobility, which are critical perquisites required to guide the country, in its march towards the proverbial next level.
Just last week President Muhamadu Buhari once more found it expedient to re-appoint Dr Adamu Fika as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, one of Nigeria’s ivy- league citadels of higher learning. From his humble beginnings as a Mathematics and Physics teacher at Barewa College in 1956, to his present mega status as veteran of several public offices including Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF – 1986), Chairman of the United Bank of Nigeria (UBA) in 1990, Clerk and Director General of the National Assembly system 1990 and currently the head of ABU, it has been a tale of progression from grace to grace, earned meritoriously through the dint of hardwork, personal discipline, commitment to public interest and infectious camaraderie.
In the annals of Nigeria’s public service, the name Adamu Fika remains an enviable reference point, as the bearer is associated with mentoring several generations of high calibre public officers of note, comprising serving and retired permanent secretaries at the federal and state levels, professors, judges, diplomats and sundry professionals, just to name a few.
In a Nigeria where the Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai once said that “politics trumps everything”, and virtually everything of value is now rated in terms of its utility for political expedience, it is refreshing to cite one individual who rose from his humble beginnings to superlative prominence in public life, solely through faithful service to country, courtesy of steady climb through the ranks of the civil service establishment. Perhaps, the only instance where Fika’s antecedents featured any close association with partisan politics was in 1990 when he was appointed the Administrative Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which with the National Republican Congress (NRC), were the two political parties established unprecedentedly by government fiat, by the General Ibrahim Babangida regime, in its ill-fated transition of the country from a military rule to civil administration. Even at that, Fika discharged his duties, purely as an appointed public officer.
This shower of accolades on Dr Adamu Fika is not intended to just flatter this trans-generational sage, even as he deserves such and even more. Rather the man’s persona and service track record qualify him as a candidate to represent a fast depleting stock of true, pioneer nationalists for whom the good of the fatherland – Nigeria means everything. As pioneer icons of Nigeria’s public service establishment, their commitment to the future good of the country needs not to be taken for granted even when their views may not trend competitively with the brainwaves of the younger digital generation. For just as any significant structure rests on a solid foundation so their intervention in contemporary public life of the country, offers invaluable correctness and value.
As for Fika, among his numerous stints in public service, his first and second coming to the National Assembly system standout in bold relief as highlights in his public service career. The first one was in 1994 when he was appointed by late Head of State General Sani Abacha, as its Clerk-Designate and Director General with the mandate to resurrect the country’s central legislature from the state of coma where the military had consigned it during the 1983, coup detat. A testimonial of his enterprise is the successful return of legislative enterprise to flavor the birth and sustenance of the present Fourth Republic.
Fika’s second missionary journey to the National Assembly system was in 2015 when he was appointed the Executive Chairman of the National Assembly Service Commission, where he also acquitted himself.
Hopefully too his return as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of ABU, will not be disappointing, for as the saying goes ‘good wine, only gets better with age’.
Congratulations our own Dr Adamu Fika as you address yourself to this new challenge of pointing the way forward for the great academic citadel, ABU.
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