Propellers of the Yar’Adua Wheel!

Lamido Sanusi Aminu Sanusi, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria

Lamido Sanusi: New Central Bank Governor, until his appointment was the Managing Director of Nigeria’s biggest bank, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc. He became the bank’s MD last January. Considered a risk-bearer in the banking industry, Sanusi began his banking career in the mid-1980s after quitting lecturing at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria where he also obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) and Master of Science (M.Sc) degrees in Economics.
Sanusi’s banking career started at the defunct ICON Ltd., in the field of Merchant banking. He worked for about seven years with ICON where he gained experience in Issuing House activities, Financial Advisory services, Privatisation, Debt Conversion as well as credit and marketing. Thereafter, he joined the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc as a Principal Manager and became a General Manager in 2003.
While at the UBA Plc, Sanusi initiated the transformation of the previous Credit Risk Management Division into an Enterprise-Risk Management sector. He also was the arrowhead of the UBA’s Basel 2 focus, establishing the framework, polices, processes and systems necessary for compliance with the guidelines of the New Capital Accord.
Dr. Mansur Muhtar: Nigeria’s Minister for Finance, took over from Dr. Shamusudeen Usman who oversaw the ministry before a cabinet shake-up by President Umaru Yar’Adua last year. Muhtar was born on September 21, 1959 in the ancient city of Kano, his home state. Having attended Kings College, Lagos where he made Grade one in the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) in 1976, Muhtar proceded to the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria where he studied Economics and graduated with First Class in 1981. In 1983, he made a distinction in his Masters in Economics, and Politics of Development (M.Phil) degree from Cambridge University, United Kingdom. He further bagged a doctorate degree in Economics from the University of Sussex, Brighton in 1988.
A career civil servant, Muhtar worked with the UBA Plc between 2000 and 2001 as a Deputy General Manager, Strategic Management and Economic Division. He also worked as an executive director at the African Development Bank (ADB) in Tunis, Tunisia, from where he was appointed to the Finance Ministry.
Between 2001 and 2003, Muhtar worked at the Debt Management Office (DMO) as its director-general. While at the DMO, he was appointed into the team of Nigeria’s technocrats who worked out Nigeria’s exit from the Paris Club of Creditors.
Dr. Shamsudeen Usman: The current Minister for National Planning was formerly the Finance Minister in President Yar’Adua’s cabinet. He was affected by the cabinet reshuffle of last year which saw him drafted to the National Planning Ministry. Many believe that it was due to perceived non-performance that made President Yar’Adua to “demote” Usman by redeploying him to a relatively lower ministry.
Usman served as deputy governor (operations) at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), under Professor Soludo former CBN Governor before his appointment as a substantive Minister (Finance) in 2007. Born on September 18, 1949 in Kano, Usman attended Government College, Keffi between 1963 and 1966 where he made Division one in the WASCE. He also obtained a Higher School Certificate (HSC) from Kings College, Lagos under the supervision of the Cambridge University, United Kingdom. From there, Usman bagged a B.Sc in Economics from ABU.
The former Minister for Finance also obtained masters and doctorate degrees in Economics from University of London between 1976 and 1981. He worked in Kano State Ministry of Economic Planning, and also lectured at ABU, Zaria. He worked as a General Manager in NAL Merchant Bank (NIDB), 1985-1988. Usman was also a controller at the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (1981-1985). Between 1992 and 1993, he (Usman) was an executive director, Corporate and International Banking, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. He was one time director-general of the Technical Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation between 1989 and 1991.
Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi: He is President Yar’Adua’s Chief Economic adviser. A radical in his own right, as a student of Bayero University, Tanimu was the National President of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in 1980. He was rusticated from the university, following unrest by the students. Respite however came his way via the defunct People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in the old Kaduna State which gave him scholarship to continue with his university education abroad after the Shehu Shagari government had ordered all Nigerian universities at that time not to admit him.
He thus bagged Bacherlor of Science in Economics and MBA in finance from Wagner College, Staten Island, New York, in 1984 and 1986. Upon his return to Nigeria, he did mandatory youth service in Ogun State where he emerged the overall best corps member. During President Yar’Adua’s tenure as Kastina State governor, he was commissioner for finance between 1999 and 2003. In the run-up to the 2007 presidential election, Tanimu was appointed finance director of the Yar’Adua campaign organisation. Upon his principal’s success at the poll, Tanimu surfaced at Aso Rock as the president’s deputy Chief of Staff. It was from that post that the President lifted him as his Chief Economic Adviser.
Abba Sayyadi Ruma: currently the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, was the secretary to the Kastina State government between 1999 and 2003. He later became minister of state education, under Dr. Oby Ezekwesili. He however stepped into Ezekwesili’s shoes as the senior minister in the education ministry when the latter left to take up World Bank job.
MD Yusuf: He was the Inspector-General of Police and Federal Commissioner for Internal Affairs, from 1975 to 1979, in the government led by the late General Murtala Mohammed, and later by General Obasanjo. Born on November 10, 1931, Yusuf is the apostle of the late Mallam Aminu Kano, though during Second Republic, little was known about him as he was not active politically. His seeming political fortune however changed during the despotic rule of late General Sani Abacha. For the sudden death of the maximum ruler, Yusuf would have probably challenged the dictator to an epic presidential electoral contest as he (Yusuf) was primed at contesting the presidency on the platform of the defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM).
A recipient of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), at the return of democracy in 1999, the former IG threw his hat into the political ring with the formation of the Movement for Democratic Justice (MDJ), a party in which platform he contested the 1999 and 2003 presidential elections.