By Sulaiman Maijama’a
I did not know Dr. Ladan Salihu before 2015, perhaps because of my young age or lack of exposure to the Media. When I finished Secondry School in 2015, I became ardent listener of radio and thus, I developed interest in becoming a Journalist, particularly a Broadcaster. Coincidentally at the moment, there were hundreds of youths in Bauchi who secured appointments with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). I asked who was the driving force for this rain of appointments coming to Bauchi, and I was told that it was Malam Ladan Salihu who was, then, the DG, FRCN.
It is impossible for me to mention all that I personally know to be beneficiaries of the Ladan’s appointments, but to mention a few, Alkasim Bala , Murjanatu Musa Maidawa , Buhari Abubakar Jaɓɓo, Abdulsalam Sani, Musa Ahmad Muhammad among others are still working with the FRCN.
This was, to me, an encouragement to keep my dream (of becoming a journalist) alive. I, therefore, chose Mass Communication as a course of study at the Abubakar Tatari Polytechnic, Bauchi (ATAP), in 2015.
In 2018, when Late Malam Ali Wakili (Senator representing Bauchi South) returned to his Creator, there was a Clarion call for Dr. Ladan to venture into the political arena of Bauchi State and contest for the Bauchi South Senatorial Bye Election to be conducted, in order to continue with his selfless service to humanity. When he agreed after consultations, it was, to me, a glad tidings and I lent my name to his support.
I received many requests from politicians to support them, to be writing for them, but I turned down. This is because politicians are masters of exploitation. They open door for callow youths to come in, in order to use their naivety. For Dr. Ladan Salihu when I met him for the first time, I was expecting him to talk to me about his political ambitions, but to my surprise he asked me about my life, the school I attend, the course I read and other things related to my personal development as a young man. From experience, interaction between politicians and young people, is like slaves and their masters but, my bond with Dr. Ladan is a father and son type. He has never asked me to abuse anyone, neither to write lies.
There was a time, in one of my writings, I used a hash word on the former Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar, Dr. Ladan was the first person ask me to edit. ( Find below the screenshot of his text in the comment box). This among other reasons strengthened my allegiance to him , because I believe he would not exploit me.
One beautiful Wednesday evening in 2020, when he was a Chief of Staff to Governor Bala, I visited him in his office. After a fruitful discussion as usual, I was about to leave when he offered me a gift book among other valuable items to support my education. A gift of book is a gift of knowledge. This is the best gift I have ever received from any politician, because I feel for a politician to give you a book, he is indirectly telling you to read and become a responsible person for a better tomorrow. For others, they are interested only in young people who are ready to kill themselves for them (politicians) and their children to survive.
I must, without prejudice, confess that since when I know Dr. Ladan, there is no single time I resumed Bayero University, Kano without him supporting me financially, and I know he does the same to many. There is no single time we meet without him asking me about my studies. Sometimes he calls during a semester and asks how I was coping with studies and life on campus. The next thing is alert. How many politicians do that? Are all these not worth reciprocity?
These are the type of people we need to have at the hemp of public affairs for a better society.
Maijama’a, Faculty of Communication, Bayero University, Kano
sulaimanmaija@gmail.com
