Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked, leadership is defined by results not attributes – Peter Drucker
The above profound statement from a great writer perhaps best fits the personae of Prince Abubakar Audu, the first and second civilian Governor of Kogi State who passed on to the great beyond on Sunday, November 22, 2015.
As governor of a relatively backward state, Prince Abubakar Audu brought out the state from its relative obscurity into limelight. He did not only ensure that he laid a solid foundation for social and infrastructural development, he did so with satorial elegance–a brand that stood him out from his peers till he breathed his last.
Audu had an amazingly large cult followership in his lifetime. He also had some diehard critics who would never see anything good in him. While many deified him, other hated him with passion. Indeed, the Prince of Ogbonicha, adoringly called Adoja (servant of the people) by his people, was unarguably an enigma who bestrode Kogi state politics like a colossus.
Born on 27th October, 1947 to the family of His Royal Highness, the late Pa Audu Oyidi, Orego Attah of Igalaland and the Paramount Ruler of Ogbonicha–Alloma in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Prince Audu began his career as a junior worker with First Bank and with a dint of hard work caught the fancy of his bosses who promoted him to officer’s cadre in no time.
An ambitious prince who would not be content with just an A’ level certificate, Audu proceeded to London between 1975 and 1978 where he studied Banking and Personnel Management, obtaining professional qualification as a Certified Secretary and later bagging the prestigious fellowship of the Association of international Accountants of London.
He later capped his academic laurels with fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Industrial Administration of Nigeria. In all, Audu spent a total of 25 years with First Bank, formerly Standard Bank, where he distinguished himself in different capacities at management levels. Among others, he broke record with his appointment as the first black senior management staff of Standard Chartered Bank of London and New York as well as being the highest paid black man in the bank in both the United Kingdom and the United States of America (USA).
Audu’s rich credentials soon fascinated the government of the old Benue State in 1986, which appointed him Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning.
He later returned to First Bank as General Manager and was appointed Executive Director of FSB International Bank Plc. before he was drafted into the world of politics.
In 1992, Prince Audu contested for governorship under the platform of National Republican convention (NRC), and against the run of political calculation of that time that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) would run away with victory, he won the election.
Audu’s government was to run for 22 months after which the military terminated the administration. He however recorded monumental achievements within the period, especially in the area of roads, education, housing, electricity and healthcare services, among others.
With these achievements, it did not take long before the electorate voted him back to power again on January 9, 1999 following the restoration of democracy by the military through the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) and was sworn-in on 29th May, 1999 as the second executive governor of Kogi State.
One of the major highlights of the first tenure of Prince Audu was the establishment of three unique housing schemes for public officers consisting of no less that 1,500 housing units in Lokoja, He also embarked on about 80 electrification schemes, 50 water projects, transformation of Lokoja township roads with Asphalt, street lights and beautifully designed roundabouts.
Aside these, the action governor established Kogi State Polytechnic, television station, Radio Kogi, The Graphic newspaper, transformation of the colonial office of Lord Lugard into an ultra-modern Government House Complex, construction of shopping arcade complex and construction of office blocks for ministries, among others.
During his second stint as governor, the visionary Audu wasted no time in sourcing for prospective investors to harness the numerous mineral resources lying waste in the state.
The effort resulted in the establishment of the biggest cement factory in Africa, Obajana cement factory, now Dangote Cement Factory. Other major milestones were the establishment of Kogi State University Anyigba, construction of the five-star Confluence Beach Hotel; 200 units housing estate, Eye Specialist Hospital, 350 borehole schemes, 300 Kilometres of township roads, mass transit buses and several rural electrification projects, among others.
Speaking on the shocking death of Prince Audu, his running mate, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, described him as “a great man and founder of modern Kogi who put in his best in developing the state into what it is now”. He stated that the late Audu died at a time when the downtrodden masses of Kogi needed him most to get them out of the clutches of maladministration and underdevelopment.
For Audu’s son, Mohammed, he was “a father’s father; a hard-working dad who all through his life built bridges across cultural and political divides; an amazing administrator whose love for Kogi was unparalleled.”
On his part, President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki said Audu died “a dogged and visionary leader” while Musa Wada said “Prince Audu was endowed with vision, energy, intellect, eloquence and humanity… He was a gentle man in all the finer senses of the word. Maybe not so much a gentleman in terms of style and deportment. He was a bit too flamboyant on that score… deceit, intrigue and treachery were alien to his nature.”
Indeed, for this writer, Prince Audu was a man of taste who caused ripples with his satorially designed flowing gown which remained his brand till he died. He was also quick to discover talents when he saw one. This writer recalled an episode as a journalist plying his trade with TELL Magazine in Lagos when Prince Audu sent emissaries to him in 1993 to return to Kogi State to help turn the state’s Ministry of Information around as a commissioner. Though this writer declined the offer owing to the fact that he was still a bit naïve about politics and was deep in civil society activities, the offer touched a chord in his heart – The man knew how to fetch talents to help him drive his dreams.
Prince Audu was an enigma in life and in death. It is very unfortunate that in an inexplicable twist of faith, he died while on his way to victory in the November 21, 2015 governorship election in Kogi State. For many, it was a very bitter pill to swallow that the Adoja himself was gone. Such was the situation that the rumour of his resurrection reverberated round the whole country like wildfire. The masses would simply not believe that their “emancipator, political benefactor and political leader” was gone.
Described as the “Best Governor” by the Media Tour Team between1999 – 2003, Prince Audu was indeed a great leader and a great brand that bestrode Kogi like a colossus.
For many, nothing short of declaring the November 21, 2015 governorship election conclusive would serve as a befitting gift to the late Audu who toiled so hard that Kogi may progress.
Adieu, Audu!
- Hon. Duro Meseko, a former Member of the House of Representatives, is Director, Media, Audu/Faleke Campaign Organisation.