How Sultan brought me back to trading at a time I’m retiring from doing business – Bafarawa

By KEMI KASUMU

“After the award, which has with it a N1 million prize, I called somebody and gave him the N1 million and told him to trade with it and that after one year, whatever profit is on top of it will be shared between me and him. This is how the Sultan has successfully brought me back to trading at a time that I am retiring from doing business.”

Governor of Sokoto State (1999-2007), His Excellency Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa while reacting to his emergence as winner of this year’s Sultan Siddique Abubakar III’s Award Prize for Public Service, has described the development as worthy of commendation.

The award was one of the major highlights of the Shaikh Usman Bn Fodiyo Week 1446AH/2024, which was the 11th edition of the series, held at the International Conference Centre, Kasarawa, Sokoto State on Saturday November 2, 2024.

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Emir of Argungu, His Royal Highness Alhaji Samaila Muhammadu Mera, was also among the winners of this award prizes at the annual event where the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, was Chief guest lecturer for the weeklong occasion.

Following the event, the Garkuwan Sokoto told Our Reporter that it speaks to the fact that no contribution one makes to building the nation and developing humanity at any level is in vain and unnoticed.

Bafarawa, a former Presidential Candidate in Nigeria, was speaking in Sokoto during an exclusive chat with The DEFENDER, when he said the N1 million that the award prize comes with is significant.

The first Fourth Republic Governor of Sokoto State, North West Nigeria, said, “Look at this award prize by the Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar. To me, it is not only worthy of commendation that such endowment is ever established to appreciate contributors of greatness to the nation and humanity in our great country but also, I agree with you, it is significant.”

Although he had turned down the idea of a prepared media interview, Bafarawa who spoke – unrecorded – with The DEFENDER that Saturday November 2, 2024, said, “After the award, which has with it a N1 million prize, I called somebody and gave him the N1 million and told him to trade with it and that after one year, whatever profit is on top of it will be shared between me and him.

“This is how the Sultan has successfully brought me back to trading at a time that I am retiring from doing business,” the former governor said with display of happiness and satisfaction all over his face.

On why he turned down idea of an interview, Bafarawa said there was nothing that needed to be said about moving Nigeria forward that he had not said.

He, however, hoped that those in charge operating the Nigerian system currently would look at those good pieces of advice by well meaning Nigerians and apply them for the good of the nation and betterment of the generality of Nigerian people.

On his “giving back to the people” programme which he started with an endowment of N1 billion he said should be utilised for the social and economic upliftment of his people, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa said, “When I sit down in my house sometimes I ask myself, people who amass wealth in billions at the expense of good living system of their people, how do they feel with themselves?

“If you say because you have billions and go for the best car in the world, the man who enjoys that car is not you that sit at the back seat but the man, who drives the car from the driver’s seat.

“You are just sitting down behind the car like a bag of rice and you are the one who will get tired of sitting but the driver will not be tired because, as he drives he is exercising his brain and joints and doing a lot of calculations how to avoid potholes, how not to hit an oncoming car, how to accelerate, match break, etc. He is the one who enjoys the car not you.

“So, why are people so obsessed with amassing wealth in billions while the people around them have no hope of what to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner and their children are unable to go to school due to high cost of living? It baffles me to note.

“I realise that when one dies, no matter how much his billions, he will be left with not more than N10,000 or less, which is the total cost of coth that will be bought to wrap him in preparation for his janazah (funeral).

“To me, the only one room I occupy in this house, I don’t even fill in the whole space. So the best thing I can do is to give back to my people and that is what will remain with me when I meet my Lord,” the shining black, slim, tall and highly intelligent international business mogul, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, said.

Watch out for detailed report on Shaikh Usman Bn Fodiyo Week 1446AH/2024 in The DEFENDER www.thedefenerngr.com soon