By Saidu Abubakar
Former Military Governor for Borno State, Col (rtd) Abdulmumini Aminu, was today at Ahmadu Bello University where he had a chat with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed.
A statement by Auwalu Umar, the Director, Directorate of Public Affairs in the office of the Vice-Chancellor, ABU, recalls that Col. Aminu was the military governor of the old Borno State between 1985 and 1988.
The retired Nigerian Army Colonel, now the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Federal University Birnin Kebbi, called on the Vice-Chancellor today – Monday, 18th August, 2025.
He spoke largely on the polarisation of northern Nigeria along the ethnic and religious lines, stressing the once united region should restrategize for unity.
The former military governor who was also chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFA) between 1996 and 1999 as well as President, West African Football Union (WAFU) between 1999 and 2003, lamented that the region was so disorganised that they could not speak with one voice, the statement further said
He further said the people of the region needed to have a change of attitude by respecting each other’s tribe and region as it used to be in past. “Today, we are not serious at all as a region as we are so polarised, so divided; we don’t respect each other.
“We fear each other; and we also have discovered that we are no longer as strong as we used to be.
“And, until we get this off us we cannot go anywhere as a region. So we need to restrategize in the interest of region and Nigeria as a whole”, he said.
The former military governor, who believed in one united north, stressed the need for parental guidance which he described as “more impactful” in societal reorientation.
The retired Nigerian Army Colonel urged people of north to embrace each other irrespective of ethnic and religious backgrounds for restoration of unity to the region.
Col. Aminu, according to the statement, also called for the provision of quality education in all public schools in the north, particularly at primary and secondary levels.
He expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and Management staff of Ahmadu Bello University for the warm reception accorded him.
Welcoming the former military governor, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, said they had learned a lot from the experience the retired military leader shared with them.
The Vice-Chancellor was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Ahmed Doko Ibrahim.
Prof. Adamu Ahmed, who explained that the north was the architect of its own problem, said the north was poor and it accepted to be so. The Vice-Chancellor also said the north’s polarisation had deeply affected the country at large.
Prof. Ahmed thanked the former military governor for the visit and pledged to invite him to talk to the wider audience given his wealth of experience as a leader.
