Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has described, late Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi, the first civilian governor of the state as a democrat and leader with foresight and sincere to a purpose.
Speaking at the 8th anniversary of late Rimi, held in Kano yesterday, governor Ganduje said was a revolutionary who was truly worthy of title the limamin chanji.
Ganduje, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, said the giant strides made by late Rimi and members of his cabinet in all passage of human life became a role model for the upcoming politicians to emulate.
He said, “His dynamism was attested to by his ability to work with individuals and groups that were even opposed to the PRP ideals but ho were capable of contributing to the development of Kano. This pioneering legend would remain relevant being the first to create and subsequently provide a lead for other states and federal government to adopt in the creation of development, oriented, intervention agencies and programmes.
“These include introduction of adult education programme through Agency for Mass Education, the Science and Technical Board, the Primary Education Board, Kano state Environmental Protection Board, Rural Electrification Board, CTV now Abubakar Rimi Television and Triumph news paper.
Ganduje recalled that it was Rimi-led government that was first introduced a conditional grant scheme of paying secondary school students a stipend of N9.50k monthly to attract and retain school attendance, provided of school buses for children, granted oversees scholarship for bright Kano citizens to advance their education and skills and declaration of every May 1st as workers Day.
The governor added that Rimi’s intelligence was also attested by his ability to chart a course towards driving Kano to becoming a self-reliant state so that it would stop relying on handout from the FG.
He pointed out that the former governor had achieved tha through an agricultural development policies and commercial activities transforming through creation of Kano State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO) and Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA).
In his remarks, the former Governor of Jigawa state, Alhaji Sule Lamido said “Today anybody in Nigeria, either civil servants from ordinary messenger to the permanent secretary, from the president down to the governors and council chairmen have all got their freedom for democracy from the legacies of Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) and Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU) which late Rimi lived to promote.
“Life is a lesson itself. So, if our politicians are failure, they know and if they are performing they also know. I am happy that NEPU and PRP have cleared all forms of nepotism and made people to be human being with honour and pride.”
Earlier in the morning, thousands of Muslim faithful had converged at Umar Ibn Khattab Juma’at Mosque, Gyadi-Gyadi where they recited the Holy Qur’an and offered special prayers for the former governor.
Shortly after the prayer session, the crowd moved to the grave of late Rimi at Tarauni cemetery and offered supplications for his gentle soul according to Islamic injunctions.
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