Born
Alhaji
ALI
Akilu
M.B.E CFR FIRST INDIGENOUS SECRETARY TO THE PREMIER AND HEAD OF THE NORTHERN CIVIL SERVICE AliAkilu was bom in Chafe in the old Sokoto Emirate on March 23, 1928. This great man of history started Education at the Gusau Ekmentary School in 1932 and finished there in 1938. He was in the Sokoto Middk Schoolfrom 1938 andin the Kaduna Colkgefrom 1942 to 1945. He started a career in the Civil Service ina humbk capacity and worked steadfastly so that by qualification and merit he rose to make his positive mark on the Civil Service. He first worked with the Gaskiya Tafi Kwabo in Zaria in 1946from wherehejoined'the Labour Departmenifrom 1946 to 1953. Between 1953 and 1957, Malam AliAkilu was in London School of Economics, UK from where he bagged a Degree in Economics. One of the earliest Northerners to achieve thisfeat. On his return, he was transferredfrom the Federal Service to the North Regional Service as an Administrative Officer Class IV Againfrom that sameyear 1957 to 1958, he was seconded to the Federal Government asPilgrims Officerinjeddah, Saudi Arabia. By this time, he was already an inspiration to the young up and coming Officers in both services-Federal' and Northern. And for demonstrating that he was a man ofgreat ability and experience, he earned the confidenceof the old in the services who also respertedhis wisdom and counsel. His promotion to Administrative Officer II came in 1959. Twoyears later in 1961 he became Resident, Zaria Province and sameyear he was promotedPermanentSecretary andpostedto theMinistry of Economic Planning. What can be considered the Zenith ofMalam AliAkilu's career in theNorthern Nigeria Civil Service was his promotion in 1963 to the post of Secretary to the Premier and Head of Civil Service (he was thefirst Northerner)of Northern Nigeria. His task was particularly difficult because of the immense probkmsof the Civil Service and the country generally following the attainment of independence. The task was not made easier by working witha Premier with a forceful and towering personality. It was generally believed that since 1963, the Civil Service of the North was guided by MalamAliAkilu and Malam Ahmed Talib, two men of considerabk mo'desty and a firm conviction of the rightness of the commonwealth approach to honesty and loyalty to Civil Service. After the 1966 coups, he remainedin service and attended the allpeace talks with the secessionistsand'the Nigerian Government inAburi, Ghana; Kampala, Uganda andAddisAbaba, Ethiopia. Alhaji AliAkilu remained Headof the Civil Service even after the military take overof governmentin 1966. He later became the Secretary to the Internal Administrative Council of Northern States when the States were createdin 1967. A newspaper editorial summed up: 'The measure of his selflessness and efficiency lies in the way he executed the mostfundamental political decision that this nation ever took since the achievement ofpolitical independence. We referto the creationandestablishmentof States, six of which were carved out of the then Northern Nigeria. It remainsa matterof mysteryandbewildermentto many that he, who was more or less the heartof the Northern Civil Service willdismantle it and establish the successor administrations..... when he compktedthis crucial assignment in the interestof the country, he retiredfrom the civil service ". Though he retired in 1968, his services continued to be sought bothin thepublic andprivate sertors. He was Chairman Bank of theNorth, Chairman, Boardof Governorsof Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Chairman Zamfara Textiks Limited, and Member ABU Council, Adviser, United Nigeria Textik Limited Alhaji AliAkilu was decorated withMBEin1959 andCFRin1964forhismeritorious services to the nation.He died ina motor accident on the eveningof Wednesday20thJanuary, 1971 ahng Zaria Kanoroad He was on state service. The British took ten years to consolidate and establish their authority and when they finally did in 1910, their administration was based on a system adopted earlier by the first and greatest Champion ofNorthern Nigeria Sneikh XJsift an Dan Fodio. This was the Indirect Kule System.. Only history will judge the^ wisdom or unwisdom of the action of Northern leaders in all or each of the crisis that feed this country in thepast One thing cannot now be disputed however, and that is that these men have created and kept intact a Northern Nigeria for good many years, whatever the internal struggle's. This is not sayingthat our leaders were saints while those of the other; regions ivere sinners in the past political life of Nigeria...
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