‘My life as chief engineer on presidential fleet for 18 years’

How did your military career start?
Right from the age of seven, when I started realizing my potentials, I wanted to be a soldier.  After my secondary school in 1974, I made attempt to join the army but they said I was below the required age. I decided to wait for another two years after my Higher School Certificate (HSC). I was around 19 or 20 years then. I saw an advertisement for recruitment of Nigerian Air Force cadet officers and applied. I went for the interview in March 1977 and by June 15 of that year I was enrolled as an Air Force cadet.  After six months of learning, drilling and weapons handling, I graduated in December 1977. From there, 12 of us were picked for training as aircraft maintenance engineers in the United States of America in April, 1978, after which I was awarded a Diploma in aircraft maintenance engineering. I came back at the end of 1979, a month before Shehu Shagari was sworn in as president. I was posted to Kano, where I did my practical on M21 fighter aircraft. In 1981, the Nigerian Air Force, again, decided to send me to Russia, then the Soviet Union, where I specialized in gas turbine engine and airframe system of M21 fighter aircraft. After spending 69 months in Russia, I did my theories and practical on fighter jets as an engineer and returned to Nigeria in November, 1981. By the time I came back the fighter jets were transferred from Kano to Markurdi because of the weather conditions. In March, 1982, I became a Second Lieutenant, so I was sent on another assignment in France as a specialist in airframe system and gas turbine on a aircraft called Falcon. I spent three months in France. But when I came back to Nigeria, they said the aircraft’s engines were to be serviced in Germany, so I had to be sent to Germany to specialize in gas turbine engine of the Falcon aircraft.
On my return from France, I was posted to serve in the Presidential fleet, a section of the Nigerian Air Force that is responsible for the maintenance, safety and flying of the Presidential jets. I started working on the Falcon aircraft in the Presidential fleet from 1982. In 1984, I led a team of 12 soldiers to British Aerospace in England, where I trained as a gas turbine engineer on HS125 aircraft. In 1989, I was sent to America with some soldiers for training on another Presidential jet that was carrying about 16 passengers. It was intercontinental jet. I trained there again as airframe and gas turbine engine specialist and returned to the Presidential fleet. In 1991, I was sent again to the British Aerospace to study on another intercontinental aircraft called BAE1000, also within the Presidential fleet.
When I was serving in the Presidential fleet as aircraft engineer, my duty was to maintain and service the Presidential aircraft. On an annual basis, we would ferry the aircraft to the manufacturers for annual inspection that would last for three to four weeks and I always remained with the aircraft, until they were certified okay.

How many years did you spend with the Presidential fleet?
Of my 33 years service in the Air Force, I served for 18 years in the Presidential fleet as an engineer. When my rank became too big for the position of Chief Engineer in the Presidential fleet, I was sent to Kaduna to as adviser to the Air Officer Commanding on engineering matters and aircraft maintenance. After serving for two years in Kaduna, I was sent to the Air Force Institute of Technology as Chief Instructor. I headed the place for two years; from there I was promoted to the rank of Group Captain and sent back to Markurdi, that was after 21 years that I had left the Markurdi station. I became the Commanding Officer of the Jet Aircraft Overhaul Centre in Markurdi for four years. I was later sent to the National War College and after graduating, I went to the University of Ibadan and did my master’s in Strategic Studies. I was later deployed to the Defence Headquarters as Deputy Director Engineering and Services from where I retired due to my age.
 What other qualifications did you acquire while in service?
I have Diploma first in English at the Defence Language Institute in America, I obtained another Diploma in aircraft engineering in America, a post-graduate diploma in Management from Ambrose Ali University, Epokma, a master’s degree in Public Administration from Benue State University and another master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Ibadan in 2010, before retiring from the Air Force on December 30, 2009. From January, 2010 I became a civilian and started wearing a red cap.

How was it like handling the Presidential aircraft?
 Well, my experience as Chief Engineer in the Presidential fleet is something I am proud of. The place is the highest security network in the country. This is where Mr. President travels. This is where his family travels. This is where any visitor to Nigeria whether local or international travels. I served in a place that you must be up and doing. You must know what you are doing before you will even be allowed to stay there.  I am proud of having that opportunity to serve in that capacity. I can raise my shoulder anywhere and beat my chest that I was worth my rank and I am worth where I was before I retired.

How many Heads of State and Presidents did you serve as Presidential fleet Chief Engineer?
I started when Shagari was there. After him Buhari came and later Babangida.  After Babangida left, Shonekan came and later Abacha, before AbdulSalam Abubakar came. When Obasanjo came I was posted out of the place, because my rank had over grown the position I was occupying there.
Could you recollect a particular incident that happened while you were in Presidential fleet?
I will not talk to the press on that.
  For 18 years you were in the Presidential fleet as Chief Engineer, what was your relationship with the Heads of State and Presidents that you served?
I grew in the Presidential fleet to become the Chief Engineer. I was close to many of the Presidents that came when I was serving there. I am still in contact with many of them and our relationship is cordial.

After your retirement, what were you doing before Kwankwaso appointed you as Director General of the Refuse Collection Board in Kano?
After my retirement from the Air Force I decided to meet General Muhammadu Buhari.  I had worked with him before. I told him that I just retired and wanted to join the Congress for Progressive Change and he prayed for me. Under the CPC, I contested for the House of Representatives seat for my constituency in Kano State. Unfortunately for me, the party was too young to contest for election at the time; I wouldn’t say I lost but another party won. At least I made an attempt. After CPC the merger came and I joined the merger. Today, see where I am, the merger has done a lot to me.
What inspired you to join politics?
What inspired me is belief in what I can do to my people. Government has spent a lot for me.  Let me be honest to you, I have toured the entire world and government had spent a lot of money on me. I am proud to say that people like me are not many in the society. God has done this for me; so what can I do to impart my knowledge and what God has given me in people? What can I do to help the society? But I thank God for using my former governor, Kwankwaso, to bring me to work under him. My desire is to leave a legacy behind, so that one day, if I am not there they can say, when I was there these are what I did. That is my ambition in life. I met some leaders that I still remember today. When I was in the military I went to serve in Benin; there, Ogbomudia’s name was written on many of the streets. This man served his people many years back but he was not forgotten because he did a lot for them. What I can do so that my name will be remembered by my people is what led me into politics.