Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila

Abdullahi Aliyu SumailaListen^ⓘ (23 March 1946 – 11 January 2003) was a Nigerian politician and administrator. One of the first administrators to inherit the post first republican administrative structure instituted by the military, he served the Local Education Authority, Kano State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria from 1967 to 2003 in various positions.^[1]

He was born at Kofar Kudu, Sumaila, his father called Malam Aliyu-Talle Abdurrahim Sumaila, a farmer and Sugarcane Merchant descended from the Madinawan Kano Islamic religious leaders paternally, the family once held the position of Imam at Kadawa, Jumar Galadima Ward, Warawa Local Government of Kano State while maternally his father descended from Chango at Warawa and Jobawa Fulani Clan of Sumaila who once held the positions of Makaman Kano District Head of Wudil and Kingmaker in the Kano Emirate through Makaman Kano Iliyasu during the reign of Emir of Kano Mohammed Tukur.^[2]

His mother called Amina Idris Ali was from Kofar Yamma Sumaila, he was named after his father's maternal half-granduncle, Turakin Sumaila Abdullahi Maikili (the maternal grandfather of Dandarman Kano Aliyu, District Head of Wudil), after earning a Grade II teacher's certificate in 1967 he attended Advanced Teachers College, Kano under the Institute of Education ABU Zaria from 1968 to 1970 and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Department of Government (Political Science) from 1970 to 1974, where he earned a BSc social science degree in government (political science), he underwent his postgraduate studies at the Department of Political Science in the same university from 1976 to 1977.^[3][4]

The positions he held included deputy headmaster Tsangaya Primary School, assistant secretary cabinet office, assistant secretary Kano State Ministry of Home Affairs and Information, secretary to the Executive Council of Kano State, principal secretary to the governor, permanent secretary Ministry of Works and Transport, permanent secretary Civil Service Commission, secretary general People's Redemption Party, vice chairman III Social Democratic Party, deputy chairman United Nigeria Congress Party Interim Committee Kano State, chairman Kano State Hockey Association, chairman Aurum Nigeria Limited, director Precise Oil Resources Nigeria Limited, director Katday Modern Furnitures Nigeria Limited, director Dayekh Tiles Nigeria Limited, director Hayder Trading and Manufacturing Nigeria Limited, director United Confectionery Nigeria Limited, director Dayekh Ali and Sons Nigeria Limited, general manager and board director Arewa Steel Works, chairman Hadejia Jama'are River Basin Development Authority and chairman Kano State Television Corporation.^[5][6] Many of his administrative reforms were integrated into the bureaucracy of the Nigerian federation.^{[7][8][9][10][11]}

He was active in student politics and held the position of secretary general Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, Advanced Teachers College Kano, treasurer Third World Association Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and national secretary general Kano State Students Association.^[12]

In 1964 he campaigned for Musa Said Abubakar the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) Federal Parliamentary candidate for Sumaila Constituency who contested against Alhaji Inuwa Wada of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), in the 1983 elections he was the campaign manager of Abubakar Rimi the Nigerian People's Party (NPP) candidate for the post of the Governor of Kano State, he was elected as a Delegate representing Sumaila Constituency for the People's Front of Nigeria (PFN) National Convention, he was the political secretary of Alhaji Ahmadu Rufa'i when he contested for the post of the Governor of Kano State under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991, he was also the director of campaign North West of Shehu Musa Yar'adua in the 1992 SDP Presidential Primaries, in the 1993 Nigerian Presidential election Open ballot system he was a ten delegate from Tarauni Ward of Kano Municipal on the platform of the SDP and in 1997 he was appointed as a member of the National Contact and Moblization Committee of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), in 1998 he was a committee member of the Kano State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Gubnetorial and State House of Assembly Primary Elections Panel, he was a member of the Elders Committee of the PDP Kano State and served as the Director General of Hon Nura Mohammed Dankadai Campaign in the 2002 PDP Kano South Senatorial District Primary Election, he was a Delegate in the 2002 Kano State PDP Gubnetorial Primaries.^[13][14]

He served as member Blood Transfusion Services, secretary Kano State Government General Murtala Muhammed Memorial Committee, treasurer Dr Bala Mohammed Memorial Committee, chairman Kano State Government Committee Against Anti-Apartheid, financial secretary Wudil Teachers College Old Students Association, chairman Finance Committee Kano State Foundation Wudil Local Government Chapter, member Steering Committee Kano State Foundation Wudil Local Government Chapter, patron Kano State Chapter National Youth Council of Nigeria, member Kano State Government Sports Revival Committee, member Kano State Government Nigerian Constitution Co-ordinating Committee, member Kano State Government Transition Main Committee.^[15][16][17]

He was married to Mrs Saude Abdullahi Aliyu (nee Sarkin Fulani Abdullahi-Maikano Mahmoud Dawaki Bello Sarkin Wudil) and had seven children.^[18]