Unsung Hero :: Alhaji Saka Sa'adu OFR Lives On
The death of some individuals can never obviate their lofty memories.This reality is not often because of their "persons" but rather informed by their personalities,unique achievements and the lasting impressions they bequeathed to their societies.
One of such illustrious individuals in the annals of Ilorin Emirate was Alhaji Saka Sa'adu, who died three years ago,to be specific on 23rd January,2017.
The late Alhaji Saka Sa'adu,a distinguished educationist,foremost scientist, exemplary technocrat and outstanding community leader, was born on 8th April,1938 at Ibadan,the Oyo State capital,to the family of Alhaji Sa'adu Asileke,who,prior to his death in 1988,was the Imam of Okekere Mosque,Ilorin.
The young Saka Sa'adu,as precocious boy, started his formal western education at the instance of the pioneer Grand Mufti of Ilorin,Sheikh Muhammad Kamaldeen MFR, OFR,ORSA,(1905-2005), as he was one of the pioneering pupils of the Ansarul Islam Primary School,Okemale,Ilorin,which first opened its blessed gate on the 1st of January,1947. He also attended Pakata Primary School,Ilorin, and Baboko Senior Primary School,Ilorin.
He,thereafter,proceeded to the then Ilorin Middle School,now known as Government Secondary School,Ilorin.His academic brilliance fetched him admission into the famous Barewa College,Zaria.He had his pre-degree programme at the then Nigerian College of Arts,Science and Technology,Zaria,which later became the Ahmadu Bello University,Zaria.The late erudite scientist was eventually admitted into the premier University of Ibadan where he earned a B.Sc degree in Chemistry in 1965.
Alhaji Saka Sa'adu,probably influenced by the career of his mentor,Shaykh Mohammad Kamaldeen Al-Adaby, pursued teaching as his career,instead of going into the then emerging petro-chemical and manufacturing industries,which could have been more materially-rewarding for him and his immediate family.
As a young graduate teacher,Alhaji Saka Sa'adu taught Chemistry at his alma mata,G.S.S,Ilorin,and other schools.He was a founding Member of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria(STAN) and one of those who helped in designing the syllabus and authored reading books on Integrated Science when the subject was introduced into the nation's school system in 1971.
Alhaji Saka Sa'adu had a robust career in the public service as, even at death, he remains the only Kwaran who had the uncommon privilege of serving as a Permanent Secretary,Honourable Commissioner,Secretary to the State Government and as an Honourable Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Alhaji Saka Sa'adu was,unapologetically,an"Ilorin-centric" personality throughout his public service career as he did everything within his capacity to assist in the catalyzation of the development of the Emirate.
For instance,when the responsibility of serving as the Kwara State Coordinator of the Universal Primary Education Programme fell on his shoulder, he did ensure that more indigenes of Ilorin Emirate were enrolled both as pupils and teachers to ensure maximum benefit from the scheme without denying other segments of the state of their rights and privileges.
On his appointment as the State's Commissioner for Lands and Housing and later as the Commissioner for Health,Alhaji Saka Sa'adu was instrumemtal to the successful take-off of the University of Ilorin with the allocation of a large portion of land for the permanent site of the Better By Far University and the establishment of the Adewole Housing Estate,Ilorin, which was designed to serve as an alternative Government Reservation Area.
He also assisted the Kwara State Government in establishing the Baboko and Pakata Markets,(now respectively known as Oja Tuntun and Ipata-Oloje), among others, to pave way for the economic development of the state and ensure the expansion of the Ilorin Township Roads for the benefit of all.
Following the irreconcilable crisis of confidence between the military government ,which he was serving,with the leadership and people of Ilorin Emirate,this glowing patriot,along with his compatriot,Alhaji Aliyu Alarape Salman SAN (b.1942),resigned from the administration as a way of canvassing,projecting and defending the interests and positions of Ilorin Emirate to the consternation of other members of that government and the admiration of members of his community.
To the suprize of many,he not only went back to his first love, teaching,thereafter, but was also posted to far-away Lokoja as a Science Teacher.It was from there that he was appointed as the Principal,Government Secondary School,Omu-Aran.
Alhaji Saka Sa'adu was subsequently transfered to the administrative cadre of the Kwara State Public Service and consequently promoted to the rank of Permanent Secretary and thereafter served in different Ministries and Parastatals.He also served as the founding Director of the Directorate for Food,Roads and Rural Infrastructure(DFFRI),an intervention agency established by the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida.
While on that position as the DFFRI Director, he assisted in opening-up several hitherto rural dwellings across the Ilorin Emirate to urbanization.Among the sub-communities, which benefited were Mandi and Warrah, which are now sprawling settlements.
In 1988,Alhaji Sa'adu was deservedly appointed as the Secretary to the Government of Kwara State.He was the third indigene of Ilorin to attain that pinnacle of public service.The first was Alhaji AbdulRasheed Salman Alada(b.1938),who held the office between 1979 and 1983, while his(Saka Sa'adu's) mate at the University of Ibadan,Dr.Abdulkadir Salman Oniyangi,OFR (b.1935) held the office between 1984 and 1985.It was from that exalted position that he retired from the services of the Kwara State Government in 1990 after two and half decades of meritorious public service career.
Eight years after,to be precise in 1998,Alhaji Saka Sa'adu was appointed as the Honourable Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Education by the last military administration headed by General Abdulsalam Abubakar GCFR(b.1942).
The career of Alhaji Saka Sa'adu was interwoven with the all-round progression of Ilorin Emirate and it will not be an adulation to submit that Alhaji Sa'adu's career epitomised the corporate interests of Ilorin Emirate.
Apart from his role as the UPE Coordinator and his services as an Honourable Commissioner,Alhaji Saka Sa'adu's desire to see Ilorin climb the ladder of progress led to the establishment of the "Ilorin Foundation". His response to the challenge placed on his beloved Ilorin Emirate Community by the then Military Governor of Kwara State,Air Commodore Ibrahim Alkali,while he was serving as the Secretary to the Military Government of the State,inspired him to convoke a meeting of the "Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders" during which a decision was taken to establish a trust fund that will address all-round developmental challenges of the Emirate.
The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union(IEDPU),being the most formidable and the acknowledged supreme socio-cultural organization of the Ilorin Emirate used her banner to establish,float and ensure the flourish of a trust fund nomeculated as the Ilorin Foundation.The foundation was used to raise money for the attempted infrastructural development of Ilorin Emirate as kick-started by the moribund Ilorin City Hall.How I wish that the surviving elders and emerging elites of the Emirate would, once again,team-up together to turn around the facilitate as a way of honouring their departed compatriot,the late Saka Sa'adu!
It was also not a mere coincidence that the emergence of Prof.Shuaib Oba AbdulRaheem (OFR) and Prof.AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON) as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin,between 1997 and 2002 and from 2012 to 2017, respectively, while Alhaji Saka Saadu was a Member of the Governing Council of the University at the time of their appointments.He was not only involved but actually coordinated their appointments and did the magic on the two occasions.
Alhaji Sa'adu,who was a one-time Vice-President of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union,was a recipient of several honours and awards including the Officer of Order of the Federal Republic(OFR).
Alhaji Saka Sa'adu,who was happily married,was blessed with reputable children who are doing very well in their various callings. His intimate friends included the late Alhaji S.B.Pakata(1938-1995),Alhaji Yinusa Ayinla Folorunsho,Alhaji Sabi Idris,Alhaji AbdulRasheed Salman and Alhaji Aliyu Alarape Salman SAN,to mention a few.
Despite seeing all and having been to everywhere as far as public administration was concerned,Alhaji Saka Sa'adu was very humble,humane,humorous and hospitable to both his privileged and under-privileged compatriots.
Those who interacted intimately with him,however,noted that Alhaji Saka Sa'adu was an uncompromising gentleman whose forgiveness is guaranteed as he smiles easily once the name or appellation of his revered mentor,Shaykh Kamaldeen Al-Adaby,was mentioned to calm him.
While I pray Allah to continue to shower His mercies on the gentle soul of the late founder and Proprietor of the Abuja-based Unity International School,it is my hope that current and younger generations of indigenes of Ilorin Emirate would emulate the patriotism of the late Alhaji Saka Sa'adu by offering selfless services to their community, which is in dire need of such interventions from well-meaning indigenes to ensure the progress and development of the Ilorin Emirate.
Abubakar S.Imam mnipr
National Publicity Secretary,
Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union
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