Born some six decades ago, in a remote town of Jada in Adamawa state, from a humble family of local merchants; the Turakin Adamawa, is exactly fifty-nine (59) years old, this 25^th day of November, 2005.  Despite the hurdles and thorny path of his early days as a young man in the then northern Nigeria, Atiku keeps on striving to be a man, in 1969 , he enlisted into the Nigerian Customs and Excise service, where he served for 20 years, retiring in 1989 at the rank of Deputy Director, his service years in the custom was an embodiment in a class of it own; he exhibited one rich quality, patient.

 

His political career can best be described as full of adventures and puzzles; and his strategies in politics are always beyond the thinking of ordinary politicians; in 1992 he doggedly supported the late MKO Abiola despite MKO’s breached of their gentleman agreement; in 2003 he refused to succumb to pressure to dump President Obasanjo, despite having all odds in his favour, he won the governorship of Adamawa state in 1999, but left the position to contest the presidential slot with Obasanjo , his styles, are audacious. His first taste of politics was when he took part in the radical student union politics of the 60’s, serving as President Emeritus of the Student's Union of the School of Hygiene, Kano, and later as the Assistant Secretary General of the Ahmadu Bello University Students Union, as well as Deputy Speaker of the Students’ parliament. He ventured into national politics in the late 1980s at the advent of the Fourth Republic, when retired General Shehu Musa Yar'adua launched a novel political association, People's Front of Nigeria (PFN), which metamorphosed to today’s People’s Democratic Movement. His adversaries see everything surrounding his political strategy as controversial, while his supporters say, his, are unique, his recent st and on the tenure of the present government, was described by his opponents as naked disloyalty, whilst his adherents called it a sign of true democrat, onlookers described it as braveness, few veepees can be such bold. Chief Obafemi Awolowo is known for his consistency in opposing bad governance, Zik in his believe for a united Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello in the welfare of his people, Atiku is exhibiting one unique character, the believe in Democracy, despite his being a politician in Nigeria, he has never participated in any military regime, and this that make him a distinctive example among the Nigerian politicians 

 

This man, is today fighting a new political war of his life, a battle that he has to fight from many angles, every a spirant for the presidency, every supporter of the so-called third term, every ambitious politician, sees him as the only obstacle; the ‘almighty’ PDP have to completely deregistered many of her members, many have lost their jobs for just aligning to this five lettered name, Atiku, the anti graft ‘monster’ had to knocked at the doors of many; their crime, supporting this man, some people have knelt down for the opposition ANPP to come and take over the PDP in this man home state of Adamawa, just to accomplish one task; stop this moving truck, but MKO Abiola once stated “ only a fool can try to stop a moving truck”.  Coincidently, as 2007 is approaching, Atiku is past becoming a kind of ‘James Bond 007 ‘ of today’s Nigerian politics; at the end of the day he will be, first past the post; as Rev. Father Mathew Hassan Kukah once asserted at a reception in honour of the Vice President, h eld on 18^th November 2003, at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna State: “… permit me Mr. Vice President to say that God has placed you where you are today having no godfather, having no father, having no mother, having no brother, having no sister and to that extent it should be evident to all of us that God and God alone is the only Godfather. Let us hope that where God has placed you today that you will be able to work harmoniously with those around you, to transform this country …”

 

This man, has amazingly crossed many intricate difficulties, which many people, if found themselves there, cannot scale it, this writer is of the believe, this man, achieved such, due to one reason, he knows no barrier, as Sultan Of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido pointed out at the occasion of the reception 2000 organized in honour of the vice president on 18^th November, 2000 in Kaduna “… Glory be to the Almighty Allah for making us see this day on which honour is being accorded to one of our Illustrious Son and a distinguished Nigerian: Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar. This great son of ours was able to cross the great divide and reached out to other sections of the country socially and politically, thereby practically demonstrating his faith in the unity and the indivisibility of Nigeria”. Atiku’s home is a simple example, his wives, are Nigeria’s picture; Amina Titi, a Yoruba, Princess Hajja, a Fulani, Fati, a Kanuri, and Jamila, an Igbo. Every thing this man does, is contemporary; as Alh, Musa Garba, a philanthropist in Adamawa, said: “Turaki is a person in whom you see five e’s:  Efficiency, Efficacy, Excellence, Ethical and Empathy”