Abubakar Alhaji, diplomat, and former minister of Finance, dies
An icon of the Nigerian public/civil service and scion of the Sokoto Caliphate, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, passed on yesterday in Abuja after wrestling with bouts of illness. Famously called ‘Triple A,’ many will remember him as a virtual embodiment of the Nigerian civil service where he rose through the ranks and served at various levels from the local to the federal. He was also a veritable partaker in the traditional power base of the inimitable Sokoto caliphate. That base, in addition to his Western education and privileged public service roles, made him a major pillar of what may be described as Nigeria’s deep state – that powerful combination of traditional clout, bureaucratic consequence and contemporary relevance. This power base made him a permanent feature of various changing regimes, especially during the military era.
Privileged background and diverse exposures also earned ‘Triple A’ a place of power among leaders of industry and the commanding heights of the private sector. At different epochs, he occupied several positions on the boards of major companies. At the height of his career, he became somewhat synonymous with the northern power block known then as the ‘Kaduna Mafia’ because of its overwhelming influence in championing northern regional interests, especially in the post- civil war era. Successive regimes, both civil and military, were known to seek the counsel and support of men like him. But it is also noteworthy that ‘Triple A’ was very well prepared for all the roles he played in our national life, given his education and exposure.
