BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The first Civilian Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, is dead.
His death was confirmed on Wednesday morning by a leading member of his People’s Redemption Party (PRP), and former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani.
Born on August 22, 1936 in Kaya, Kaduna State, the elder statesman, a one time leader of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), a coalition of opposition parties in the country, died in Kaduna at age 84.
Senator Sani confirmed the sad news on Twitter handle saying; “Alhaji Balarabe Musa has died. May Allah forgive his soul and grant him Aljanna Firdausi. Amin.”
A progressive and leader of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in the 4th Republic, the Elder statesman stepped down as the Party Chairman in 2018 due to his deteriorating health status.
The outspoken and fearless left-wing politician was elected Governor of Kaduna during the Second Republic and held office from October 1979 until his impeachment on June 23, 1981 by the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) populated State House of Assembly.
According to Wikipedia, Musa continued to be active in party politics and was the PRP presidential candidate for the April 2003 general elections
Speaking as CNPP Chairman in February 2004, Musa described President Olusegun Obasanjo’s policies as “phantom and mirage”, doing nothing for the people and serving only to enrich politicians and government officials.
The CNPP backed Muhammadu Buhari as a credible alternative to the PDP candidate Umaru Yar’Adua during the 2007 general elections.
In February 2009, Musa said “Capitalism is returning us to the era of slavery. The solution to the current crisis is the abolition of greediness and antagonistic competition in our economic systems”
For his early education, young Balarabe studied at Zaria Middle School from 1947 to 1952 and the Institute of Administration, Zaria between 1952 and 1953.
He served as an accounts clerk from 1953 to 1955 and a school teacher between 1955 and 1960. He also held various managerial positions related to accountancy in the period spanning 1960 to 1976, while studying at different colleges in London to gain additional qualifications.
More to come later…
