*Photo: Isa Gusau*
Although, Malam Isa Gusau has insisted none of his associates or friends should bother about one lengthy thrash written by a clearly sponsored group, I feel obligated to put a challenge to that group.
I am asking those people today and now to be bold enough to name just one person and with supportive evidence that they can boast that he or she will do better than Isa Gusau as spokesman to Professor Babagana Umara Zulum in terms of understanding the boko haram crisis, capacity to write speeches of world class standards within the shortest request; in terms ability to flawlessly defend a Governor during live interviews on National and International media stations; in terms of sustained links and influences with more than 200 journalists across the country; in terms quick response to serious enquiries from international media stations like CNN, BBC, New York Times and the rest who always have interest on Borno state because peculiar challenges; in terms of the integrity that Isa Gusau has been known for because no one has ever associated Isa Gusau with any kind of fraud; in terms of Isa Gusau’s experience as a journalist who reported and analyzed, the Boko haram crisis in Borno state for many years, worked in different states in the northeast, worked in the north south and rose from a reporter to the rank of a deputy editor in a serious newspaper like Daily Trust; in terms of Isa Gusau’s professional background of being a certified public relations expert with first class degree from a prominent University in London and currently undergoing another masters degree in public relations in another University in UK; in terms of Isa Gusau’s training on different aspects of image making, media relations and political communication in Universities like Harvard in the United States, University of Cambridge in UK; Thompson Reuters in New York and many others within and outside Nigeria; in terms of Isa Gusau’s membership of numerous international and national professional bodies like the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in UK, the International Public Relations Association which the global body of reputation managers, the Public Relations and Communications Association in London and the Nigerian Union of Public Relations; in terms the consistency of commitment that Isa Gusau maintained from the day he was appointed up to the last minute of May 29, 2019; in terms of ability to work and efficiently manage over 300 men and women involved in social media engagements, responding to different members, solving problems where they arise to unite members and not for one day suspected with any hanki-panki; in terms of Isa Gusau’s enormous skills to instantly develop strategies in solving very serious media crisis and even serious political issues; in terms of Isa Gusau’s transparency, honesty and integrity because all the journalists in both the correspondents Chapel, the press crew and all the chapels in BRTV, NTA, Peace FM, the ministry of information, National Orientation Agency and even the NUJ have all attested to Isa Gusau’s transparency in dealings with them, not for once was he suspected of the slightest attempt to be dishonest.
In fact some of them said during his days as a journalist, Isa Gusau was known with integrity and he won an award from the Department of Mass communication in UNIMAID and he was the first winner of Daily Trust Chairman’s star prize for integrity and incorruptibility.
Please I beg all those people saying nonsense to name one person that Allah has blessed to combine all these unique qualities. I am not saying that malam Isa Gusau is indispensable. No human is indispensable. However, at every point in time, there are people that Allah blesses with many qualities that make them the most eminently qualified until a time when Allah brings those with more qualities to replace them.
A very senior person in government once told me that during his previous appointment most of the times if Isa Gusau brought files to the then Governor Kashim Shettima most of the files contained beautiful ideas and suggestions on policies, programmes and projects and that was why Kashim Shettima so much liked and respected him.
He even said that Isa was one of those who always told senior persons the realities on ground. He doesn’t mislead anyone by psychopancy. He believes is making you aware of problems and suggesting solutions.
Those saying rubbish against Isa Gusau tend to forget that Borno is not in ordinary situation. Borno is a state with a peculiar problem. We cannot afford any mediocre to speak for the Governor of a troubled state under our circumstance because one blunder by an incompetent spokesman on live interview can set Borno on fire.
For instance, an incompetent spokesman who lacks the capacity to think fast, who lacks understanding of the tricks of interviews or lacks composure can say something that will either incite citizens against the military or the military against citizens or the federal government against the state government or even say something that will challenge boko haram to slaughter people under their captivity. It is very delicate.
Borno is still facing crisis and it needs someone with the experience and expertise in crisis communication. Wallahi those of us who have worked with Isa Gusau know that you can call Isa Gusau by 3am and tell him a problem and insha’Allah, he will tell you an instant solution or something to start working on before morning.
Many times we call him with tension and he has a way of easing tension by simplifying serious problems. He is a master strategist and whoever worked with him knows this including some people that hate him.
I believe Prof himself and those who truly like him must have been praying that Allah should give him the best team of persons to work it and I see Isa Gusau’s coming as one of those because wallahi tallahi if the Governor is going wrong direction Isa will politely tell him. Everybody including politicians know Isa Gusau tells truth to power but he doesn’t do it openly. He protects outside but tells them their faults to fix.
By the way Isa Gusau was never interested in coming back to Borno. What else will he need that he has not seen in Borno. Fisabilillahi is it common for a first class degree holder from a university in London, holds training certificates from Harvard, University of Cambridge, holds masters degree and PGD, combines University and Polytechnic education amongst the three best graduates of his HND class, currently doing another Masters in UK, belonging to different professional membership, had practical experiences in both journalism in the north and south of Nigeria, has experience in image making under crisis have problems with getting employed by good paying organizations in Nigeria or even at the level of the United Nations?
People like Isa Gusau are blessed, wallahi, they do not lack jobs, rather, they select jobs and it the blessing of Allah which no one can do anything about. And yet Allah has made Isa Gusau very humble in the midst of rare successes. You never see Isa Gusau with luxury cars or clothes. He flies on economy class in most of his official and private trips.
He prefers to empower people. For those who may not know and I will challenge them to go and find out that as far back as 2005, 2006 and 2007, Isa Gusau had empowered more than 50 Borno Youths in Bulumkutu near the residence of late Lawali Bello.
The likes of Alhaji Murupza, an APC notable chieftain were his neighbors and they all beared testimony to how he helped youths. When he was transferred to Borno State in 2004, Gusau chose to live in poor neighborhood in Bulumkutu when he could afford the GRA. In that area where he lived as a journalist working with a good media house, making money from advert commissions and research works, he was able to set up businesses for dozens of youths. People with needs went to him like a politician. His house was always filled up and he never shied away. He set up a football club in 2005 which brought youths together.
He built a mosque from scratch and set up Islamiyyah which brought disagreeing groups together. He actually built about four mosques including a big one in Bulumkutu tsallake which is big enough for Friday prayers. He did that still as a journalist back in 2006 when those fighting him today, could never have thought about Borno let alone help anyone.
Gusau also adopted the education of some orphans, including one Hassan that he trained from primary school up to Ramat polytechnic and got him a job in the state government. Beside orphans, he regularly provided hundreds of bags food to widows and orphans. Perhaps that’s why haters have not been able to destroy him.
Isa Gusau’s current personal assistant was his neighbor in Bulumkutu. Many people assume they are related but they are not. Isa adopted him as a his brother back in 2004. In 2005, Isa Gusau was transferred to Yobe but he established a barbing saloon for that his P.A in Maiduguri same year, later on, he bought him a motorcycle in 2006 for his school, later got him admission into tertiary school, later on bought him a car, sponsored his marriage, took him to hajj, bought him a house and got him a job in the state civil service.
Beside his P.A, he bought a car for his personal driver, one Babagana in 2006 and bought a motorcycle for his office driver named AbdulSalam. These are all Borno citizens.
Anyone who doubts anything I mentioned should go and find out and come to contradict me. Isa Gusau is popular in Bulumkutu because of the philanthropy he started 15 years back and sustained till today. In fact in 2017, i was at the multipurpose hall of the government house during the NUJ press week and I was there when a member of the NUJ committee, AbdulKareem Haruna read a from a speech right in the presence of the Governor, the Minister of Defence and hundreds of journalists and he recalled that back in 2005, there was a time Isa Gusau gave a loan of N1.5m to the Borno correspondents chapel of the NUJ to finance their 2005 correspondents week.
They didn’t have money and he gave them a loan to pay him whenever they had and they paid him over time. He made that contribution as a journalist helping his own colleagues to succeed. Also, AbdulKareem said that Isa Gusau has always been selfless in helping the NUJ whenever he was given an assignment.
In 2007, Isa left Bulumkutu and moved to a 4- bedroom flat belonging to late Bukar Bolori on Damboa road. It’s a small estate of 9 flats that is opposite one international school. For many years that estate did not have a mosque, it was Isa Gusau that in 2009 built the only mosque that is still being used in that estate. There too, he established businesses for youths who had nothing doing and got 6 of them into the Civil defense, through his media contacts. He even got scholarship for one bright young man to study in Turkey.
This is the same kind man that some idiots are fighting. What have they done for Borno compared to him?
On working in Borno State, some of us are aware that Isa Gusau had already concluded his plans to relocate to the UK by July this year to work for a company as senior PR officer in a managerial level. The company is already interested in him. He wanted to work and be doing a PhD at the same time. He got a scholarship and a job. What more will he want? His plan was to go to the UK for at least four years. I am aware that he even got his biometric resident permit and looking for same for his wife and 3 children. He is tired of Borno and all of us know this.
But sometimes whatever are our plans, it is Allah that is the ultimate planner and Allah has created destinies for everybody. No one can change his own destiny let alone change the destiny of another person.
Kun fa Ya kun! That’s Allah decree. I hope those who are wise stop their fruitless attempts to fight Allah’s decree.