Yours comradely like other compatriots, received Wednesday morning November 11, the news of the death of Dr. Alh. Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, the first democratically elected Governor of Kaduna State.May Allah grant the late progressive statesman eternal grace and mercy than he was generously blessed in his 82 years on earth.
I recall that on the 3rd of July, 2018, compatriots, friends and comrades, nation-wide celebrated the 81st birthday of the late statesman with a book launch entitled “The Voice of the Masses” in Abuja in honour of Dr. Alh. Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa. The book chronicles the Life and Politics of ALhaji Abdul Kadir Balarabe, as seen by compatriots of both the political Left, which Alhaji Balarabe belonged, and the political Right.
As Marxist-Leninists, we were unapologetically far left of PRP but fascinated by its popular policies of abolition of Haraji and Jagali, tax, declaration of May Day as public holiday and commitment to national minimum wage among others. As one of the visible victims of the repression, my direct encounter with PRP government came through remarkable solidarity. PRP government condemned the mass expulsion of student activists, offered solidarity which started with my working media carrier first with Kaduna state broadcasting corporation and later Triumph NewsPaper in Kano set up by the late Abubakar Rimi, the PRP governor in Kano.
Alhaji Balarabe’s “weakness” was too much of principles NOT political opportunism. He was a member of the Northern Elements Progressive Union , the first political party in Northern Nigeria, founded in Kano on the 8 August 1950. He died a NEPU , member, unlike present day butterfly politicians who moved from one party to the other in search of cheap power and unearned money.