FIRST NORTHERN PHYSICIAN, FOUNDER OF THE NPC RA..B Dikko was born on the 15* of J'une 1912 in Wusasa, Zaria. His birth in a Missionary stronghold promised good educationforyoung Russelandhe acquired it. Hefirst attended Church Missionary School Wusasafrom 1922 to 1929 and went to the elite King's College, Lagos between 1929 and 1931 from where he obtained his Oxford School Certificate. He proceeded to the United Kingdom and the University of Birmingham 1932-39 and on passingthe Medical Examinationsof theLondon Co-Joint Medical Board which gave him License to practise as aMedical Practitioner, he returned to Nigeria and was appointed Medical Officerfrom 1941-53 making him the first Northern Doctor and Medical Practitioner. He was transferred to Lagosformore experience in 1946. Resumed duty atBauchi in 1950. Heattended Committee Meetingof the Northern Education Fund in Kaduna, 1951. He convened with others and attended the first ever Conference of Northern Peoples Congyess 1951. He was presented with Queen Elizabeth Coronation Medal in 1953. He was among the Nigerian delegates to the 9th <& 10th WHO Assembly in 1956 and 1957. He was promoted Principal Medical Officer, endemic diseases in 1957 where he worked with the Curative Service Division from 1960 to 1962. His Services were invaluable in the management of Health Services in theNorth since he was the first Northerner to qualify andpractice asaMedical Doctor. In 1962, Dr. ILA.B. Dikko was appointed as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health the post he heldtill 1967 when he was appointed as Federal Commissioner for Transport and memberof the Federal Executive Counciltill 1975 when the government was overthrown in a bloodless coup. Dr. Dikkoasoneof the authorsof Northern Consciousness had founded earlier in 1948 theJami'iyarMutanenArewa which later transformed into theNorthern Peoples Congress, the NPCwhich laterformed the Federal and Northern Nigerian governmentsat independence. His withdrawalfrom Politics was to enable him concentrate on serving the people professionally asa Medical Practitioner anda Civil Servant. His love to his duty and devotion made him one of thefirst batchof Northerners to attain the Senior Service Status in the government. Dr. Dikko was decorated with an Honourary Degree of Doctorof Science by the Universityof Lagos in January 1974. He died inApril1977.
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