Does loyalty count in Nigeria’s politics? asks KALU OKORONKWO
I first met Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf some years ago at the Maitama residence of the National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. It was a tense evening. The election tribunal had just annulled the victory that brought Yusuf to office. He sat quietly, visibly shaken, while his mentor remained composed, steady, reassuring, and resolute. Kwankwaso calmly assured everyone present, including some principal members of the Kano State House of Assembly, that justice would prevail.
Watching from a distance that night, I drew a lasting conclusion: true mentorship is about shielding the mentee from the hawks while guiding them through the storm. That was the bond between Kwankwaso and Abba Kabir Yusuf, a bond forged in sacrifice, tested in adversity, and ultimately vindicated when the Supreme Court set aside earlier rulings that sought to overturn the governor’s mandate.