Journalists Of Fortune -By Saifullahi Attahir

“It’s not where you start but where you finish that counts” ~Zig Ziglar

The name of this piece was culled from a book written by the Historian Max Siollun called ‘ Soldiers of fortune’ in which he gave a detailed narration on the lives of some ordinary officers (Army officers) whose lives turned through destiny becoming this country elites. Soldiers of fortune was about the life history of people like Buhari, Babangida,Obasanjo, T.Y Danjuma, Sani Abacha, and Abdussalam Abubakar.

Its a story of how ordinary soldiers that under normal circumstances would have ended up either in the barracks or battle field, but found themselves through sheer providence as the sole architect of Nigeria’s structural and economic map.

These group of half a dozen individuals dominated the governance of this country for over 3 decades. All this happen at a time when most of their colleagues were not fortunate enough to attained a level near to theirs. Indeed destiny was at play plus the fact that those people possessed some few qualities that might have help in their ascension to power. Some of these factors include; they are highly ambitious, coming from the ruling class, their political mind, their timing, and above all God’s providence.

This piece called ‘Journalist of fortune’ would highlight the lives of some well known Journalists in Nigeria that were once began as humble low level carrier men but were fortunate to attained high offices in the country’s governance. This happen at a time that many of their former colleagues at work were not as ‘fortunate’ as they were.

Garba Shehu was born in 1962 in Dutse town of Jigawa state. He attended Barewa College for his secondary education before later graduating from Bayero University Kano studying Mass Communication. He started his carrier at NTA in 1984 as a low level staff before joining Triumph newspapers. He worked for many years at Triumph until he roses to the position of Managing Director a the age of 33. His taste in mainstream politics began when he was elected the president of Nigeria Guild of Editors at the age of 37. All throughout that period he was a columnist and political commentator until 2003 when he joined the Atiku Media Organization (AMO). This position took him to work directly for the vice president Alh. Atiku Abubakar at the Presidential Villa. Unfortunately, his appointment was short live due to political altercation that erupted between President Obasanjo and his deputy Atiku Abubakar, leading to Garba Shehu exit just after 6 months.

Garba Shehu remains in the Atiku media team and continues his other journalism activities contributing to many papers such as Premium Times and others more as a critic of the PDP administration during the Goodluck Jonathan era.

After the merger of the opposition parties that birthed APC and winning of General Buhari at the APC Presidential primaries, Garba Shehu among other colleagues were asked by their bosses to joined the Buhari Campaign leading him to emerged as the new Director General of APC Presidential Media campaign.

Fortunately for Garba Shehu, after the historic defeat of the PDP, Buhari handpicked Garba Shehu to remain his Media Aide for the next 8 years. This was how the life of this ordinary Journalist from Dutse began before culminating as one of the strong voices in the country enjoying all it’s vantage and challenges.

Sha’aban Sharada was born in Sharada Kano in 1984 attending Salamta primary school before proceeding to Government Technical College in Kano municipal. He began his carrier in the newly established private radio station called Freedom Radio in Kano around 2004. Sha’aban who had natural oratory and journalism talent soon established his niches among colleagues by airing many religious and political programs at Freedom radio. He was fortunate to interview and interact with many high and low level politicians within and outside his home state Kano, this in no doubt have contributed to his political acumen earlier in life.

The young Sha’aban insatiable appetite for journalism knowledge led him to earn a degree in Mass Communication between 2007- 2011 at BUK. While in BUK, he contested for the publicity secretary under the National Association of Nigeria Students Kano chapter. He was active in the RATTAWU ( Radio and Television and Arts Association in Kano) politics throughout his Freedom radio days.

Sha’aban passion for journalism coupled with his hardworking spirit, oratory and ambitious soul were the main engine behind his popularity and promotion at Freedom radio. As fate have it, out of no where he was appointed by the President Buhari as the new Special Assistant to the President on broadcast Media. He held this role between 2015-2019, and indeed was very instrumental in propagating the activities of the Buhari administration to the large Hausa speaking audience in the Northern Nigeria. He was successful in depending every move of the Buhari actions especially at a time when the government was continually under attack due to insecurity, health of the President, and other political matters.

This role gave the bold Sha’aban the unprecedented access to powerful bigwigs of the party especially in his home state Kano. The young and ambitious Sha’aban took another calculated risk and contested for the position of House of Representative for the Dala constituency. In a surprise and controversial circumstances he won the seat. Soon Sha’aban was no more a political novice and was all over the country partying with the those who call the shots. He later became the Chairman House committee on National Security and Intelligence among other national roles.

He later contested for the Kano Governorship race under the APC and then ADP ( a move that I personally consider too quick for the potential politician, he should have opted for the Senate or House of Reps again). He was appointed the pioneer Executive Secretary of the Commission for the Almajiri and out of school children.

Other individuals who experienced similar trajectory include ; Femi Adesina, Segun Adeniyi, Abdul Aziz Abdul Aziz, Reuben Abati, Reno Omokri, Mahmud Jega, Olusegun Osoba, Senator Bala Muhammed, Dr. Nurudeen Muhammad (Columnist), Adamu Adamu (Columnist), among others.

Saifullahi Attahir is a Medical Student of Federal University Dutse, Jigawa State.
saifullahiattahir93@gmail.com