Alhaji Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi (PhD, FNIM, Sa’in Jama’are): A Journalist, Administrator, and Community Leader
“His heart was as great as the world, but there was no room in it to the memory of a wrong ” Ralph Waldo Emerson
By Shehu Ahmed Buwayi, Bakin Kasuwa, Azare, Bauchi State
The Jama’are born effulgent Journalist with perspicacious mind, orator, eloquent and witty, Dr Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi, FNIM is popular in Bauchi State and anywhere he has served. His belief demonstrates an enviable support to people in all the positions he held.
I developed an interest in writing to recognize the contributions of Sa’in Jama’are deeply and thoroughly for long, though I scratched the surface when I wrote a few paragraphs about him during the Jama’are Students Association recognition of his achievements in documented form a few years back.
Over the years, I watched from afar the career development of Sa’in Jama’are, since 1991 when he was Managing Director/Director-General of the erstwhile Bauchi Radio and Television Authority (BARTV). My years as a student of Teachers College Jama’are (1975 to 1979), afforded me an insight into Dr. Adamu’s family. A cousin Sister of my Grandmother’s – Hajiya Baba Dija (both grand children of Sarkin Udubo Jatau) was Sa’in Jama’are’s Step Mother. I was instructed by my grandmother then to visit her during the weekends. Also, Dr Adamu is a close friend to my Cousin, Alhaji Sagir Maibarno, that I respect very much. These two contacts made me to know some things about Sa’in Jama’are.
This time around, I have deemed it necessary to bring to public knowledge the little I knew about Dr Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi. Recall that, I wrote severally on some of the important personalities that excelled in their fields of endeavor just like this one which is targeted specifically to Sa’in Jama’are. I wrote to Congratulate Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmad on his appointment as the Pro Chancellor ABU Zaria; to draw Government’s attention to Malam YM Baba; and then Dr Musa Babayo during the Commissioning of Hospital Ward built as Jiziya to his parents. I also wrote something on my classmate and friend, Professor Ashom Musa Maisamari, among others.
It’s therefore apt to examine, albeit briefly, the value system under which Sa’in Jama’are was brought up and that guided his inner beliefs, conception of events, expression of thought, conduct, attitudes and choice as a basis for his excellent performance in positions he held and the networking and his assistance to people with joy. The son of ‘Alkali Ahmadu Dandada, of blessed memory, a Sharia Court Judge that transversed the former North East State, the young Adamu grew up under the care of his late brother in law, Senator Aliyu Mohammed Gani who was married to their eldest sister, Dada.
The late Senator, an education Administrator of repute was posted all over the country for official assignments, no wonder, therefore, that Adamu attended at least thirteen (13) different primary schools spread across the county, took his Common Entrance examination which he passed in flying colors at the Central Primary School New Bussa then in Kwara State and passed out from the Tudun Wada Primary School Kano.
He attended the famous Rumfa College from 1970 to 74 and had his basic and CAS education in the College of Arts and Science (Kano CAS). It is a known fact that children from the Alkali families in Northern Nigeria, are versed in both Islamic and western education. Therefore, Dr being the third out the of 23 children of the late Alkali Ahmadu, possesses and translates the ethics and virtues, like, discipline, loyalty, honesty, courage, courtesy, co-operation, skill, industry ,rendering help, kindness, efficiency, and exercises a lot of prudence in spending, especially public funds. These qualities assisted Sa’in Jama’are to attain greater heights in his career.
The Sa’i also attended the New York Institute of Technology, USA, University of Jos, St. Linus University Philippines and St. Louis University Benin Republic, as well as numerous courses, seminars and conferences both within and outside the country where obtained the following qualifications: WASC, IJMB, BFA (Communication Arts), M.A. (Theatre Arts), and two PhDs in both Business Administration and Public Administration.
In addition, I painstakingly goggled to access some of the Sa’in Jama’are’s Academic, Professional Trainings and Courses attended home and abroad, which includes but not limited to; Masters in Transport and Logistics (Aviation Management), and IATA-Diplomas in both Airport Strategic Management and Civil Aviation Management at St. Louis African University, Benin Republic and International Air Transport Association respectively.
His publications and thesis were in – i) The Confluence of Ritual and Drama in Bori Spirit Mediumship (MA Thesis) 1987 and ii) 25 Years of Television in Nigeria: A Case Study of the NTA (BFA Thesis) 1980. His interests and qualifications earned him Membership of the following Professional Bodies and Associations: i) Fellow Institute of Professional Financial Managers, August 2011, ii) Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, August, 2011, iii) Fellow Institute of Public Diplomacy and Management, November 2014, iv) Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), August, 2023.
To update his knowledge, he participated in the following Professional Seminars and Conferences both at home and abroad: – i) Human Resources Management Seminar, Geneva, Austria August, 2004, ii) IATA Airport Strategic Management Course, Montreal, Canada October, 2004, iii) International Public Relations Institute, Dubai, UAE, May, 2005, iv) Manpower Planning & Budgeting as a Tool for Productivity Management in the Public Service, Lokoja, Kogi – State, August, 2008, v) Policy, Strategy, & Leadership (Pre-SEC) Course, NIPPS, Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, September, 2007, vi) Best Practices in Human Resources Management, New York, USA, October, 2008, vii) IATA Airport Strategic Management II Course, Montreal, Canada, August, 2010, viii) Management of Aviation Quality and Services Course, IATA, Singapore, October, 2010, ix) Advanced Airport Commercial Management Course, IATA, Singapore, August, 201, x) Airport Marketing Course, IATA Geneva, Switzerland, September, 201, xi) Senior Civil Aviation Management Course, IATA, USA, December, 2013, xii) Planning and Strategic Management Course IATA, Singapore, December, 2013, xiii) Managing Aviation Policy and Regulation IATA, Singapore, November, 2014, xiv) Air Transport Economics IATA Geneva, Switzerland, January, 2016, and xv) Innovative Leadership Bootcamp for Business Executives, Milton Keynes, UK, November, 2023.
There’s no wonder that equipped with the above qualifications and skills, Dr Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi successfully managed the offices assigned under his care. He began his career at NTA Kano as an Announcer in 1977, then Production Assistant in 1978, and Transmission Controller in 1979, then to Programme Producer (during NYSC Service at NTA Bauchi) 1981, promoted to Head of Television Operations at NTA Kano, 1982, then Senior Producer in 1984, promoted to Programmes Officer, NTA Headquarters Lagos in 1987, appointed Controller of Programs at Bauchi State Television in 1988, promoted to General Manager, Bauchi State Television in 1989.
He was appointed the Honourable Commissioner for Information and Culture and Member Bauchi State Executive Council in 1990. He served as the Managing Director/Director General Bauchi State Radio & Television Authority in 1991, and later appointed the Executive Director (Admin and Finance), New Nigerian Newspapers Limited, Kaduna in 1992. He gained appointment as the Honourable Commissioner (Representing Bauchi State) at Federal Character Commission, Abuja in 1999. Later he served in the following positions at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Lagos as GM (Servicom), GM (Human Resources)/SA to MD/CEO, and GM (Public Affairs)/SA to MD/CEO. Appointed General Manager (Corporate Services), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Lagos in August 2006. Appointed as General Manager (Staff Welfare & Training) Nigeria Meteorological Agency, Abuja and returned to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria as General Manager (Human Resources) for the second time in March 2007.
He was promoted to the rank of Director (Consumer Protection) Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Lagos in 2009. Dr. Adamu served as Project Coordinator for the Bauchi International Airport Project by Bauchi State Government in September 2011 at the request of the State Government. He returned to Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority as Director, Consumer Protection in March 2013. He was appointed Executive Commissioner Operations at Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in December 2020, and Acting Executive Vice Chairman Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission in January, 2024. Currently, the Executive Commissioner Operations Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
Philosophers said, success is doing the best with what you have. Success is doing not getting. Success is the personal standard that makes one accomplish his dreams. All these philosophical narrations applied to Sa’in Jama’are, reason for his recognition wherever he went in any capacity for his humility and service, for instance, i) he was recognized with ‘Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges’ in 1981. ii) and also honored with the ‘Centre Award in Communications Arts – Metro Centre (NYIT)’ in 1981. Sa’in Jama’are has many awards and recognitions that I am yet to gather, searching for them will delay the release of this piece, hence I suspended it.
Hardwork, discipline and prudence are an inspiration that will give you wings to fly as witnessed with the attainment of lucrative positions by a Journalist that turned to an astute administrator and lately a Regulator of Competition and Consumer Protection in an agency that has attained global reputation and accolades.
This is a Commission that has challenged international conglomerates headlong and ensures that best practices are upheld.
Change, they say is inevitable and a ladder to the promised land. In the actualization of change, there is no gift from parents to offspring more precious than good moral training; no gift from school to society more than functional education; and as well, no gift from predecessors to successors worthier than creative inspiration. Sa’in Jama’are possesses all these positive gifts, and, he translates them to the subordinates and the community. Go through his CV, his education was not sponsored by Bauchi State Government, yet he concentrates his gestures to his home state.
He influenced appointments of hundreds of Bauchi State Indigenes in almost all the MDAs that he worked, and also provided technical support for the actualization of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport Bauchi. His struggle for the actualization of the Air Force take over of Azare Airstrip (built by the Abacha Administration) was frustrated by some unforeseen circumstances. All the same provides support to those he knows are in need as well as the vulnerable and needy he comes in contact with.
Dr. Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi, Sa’in Jama’are is a household name in Jama’are Emirate; he built bridges with the neighbouring Emirates of Kano, Bauchi, Katagum, Misau, Hadejia, Dutse and Fika, and indeed all over the country and beyond. Some years back, he was installed by His Royal Majesty, Oba Olufemi Adewumi Ogunleye, Arole Oluwa of Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta, Ogun State as AROBA OF OWU KINGDOM.
Dr. Adamu Ahmed Abdullahhi has demonstrated this super quality of leadership when he briefly served FCCPC as the Acting Executive Vice Chairman/CEO for seven months. To Nigerian consumers, Those seven months were the highest point for Nigerian Consumers as it was a period when the Commission was manned by a veteran protector of consumer rights. The FCCPC bubbled with activities targeted at achieving its mandate. He recorded remarkable feats within a very short period of time. Discussing his achievements in detail as Acting EVC will certainly require a whole article.
FCCPC’s proactiveness and responsiveness under his watch could be seen in several moves by the Commission in many areas of its mandate. We saw how the Commission carried out Operations all over the country. Several dawn raids including the one on Iron Rod manufacturing companies were carried out in an attempt to address the quality issues that have been leading to loss of several lives of Nigerians due to collapsed buildings. Addressing consumer complaints leading to sealing up of many erring supermarkets that engaged in false, misleading, and deceptive practices such as disparity in price display at the shelf and charges at the till as well as other anti-consumer business practices were curtailed. Expired products and those sold under false pretense were evacuated from both formal and informal markets.
Under his watch the Commission concluded two major investigations involving two international giants, the Meta Parties (WhatsApp and Facebook, etc) and Coca-Cola/Nigerian Bottling Company. Final Orders were released imposing penalties on both for engaging in anti-Competitive practices and consumer rights violations.
One critical aspect of consumer protection is consumer and business education. Dr Adamu took this seriously due to his media background hence the Commission organized several advocacy engagements with both consumers and the businesses. There were different fora to tackle forced ripening of fruits and adulteration of food products such as Palm Oil.
He also took international cooperation seriously. To him, FCCPC as a competition authority, and to properly deliver its mandate, cooperation and collaboration with other competition authorities is critical, hence the signing of MoUs with other competition authorities. One critical MoU in this regard was the one signed between FCCPC and Federal Monopoly Service of Russia.
To crown it up, it was Dr Adamu that was certainly in mind when Mr Tunde Irukera, the former EVC declared after he was sacked that “I leave behind a strong institutional advocate in the FCCPC and an outstanding team of soldiers who work there daily for the cause of fair markets”, and he was proved right by this brilliant Fulbe son from Marai!
It is not surprising that the good people of Jama’are Emirate (and even beyond) have been calling on Sa’in Jama’are to step into politics. Given the remarkable qualities outlined above, it is clear that the public sees compelling reasons to believe he would deliver effective and quality representation—whether as a Member of the House of Representatives, a Senator, or even as the Governor of Bauchi State. To many people, Sa’in’s strong educational background and proven track record in service to the people present a unique opportunity for transformative leadership and good governance—an opportunity society can ill afford to miss.
Certainly, Dr Adamu Ahmed Abdullahi needs to be immortalized by Jama’are Local Government Council, either naming a street or building after him to serve as a role model to those coming behind.
Wish the Sa’in Jama’are all the best in life
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