A Tribute To Cp Faruk: Fmr Gov. Of North-West

                          
By Nurudeen Dauda
              
     
       Inna lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihim Rajiun.

His Excellency; Alhaji Usman Faruk, CON; retired Commissioner of Police; the former Governor of North -Western State comprises of Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Niger states has passed away today being the 18th day of December, 2020.

Permit me to pay my dues to this “great soul” who together with other Nigerians made a “great deal” of sacrifices to many generations yet unborn. In my view, he has paid his dues by not only being an “actor”, but by “documenting” his insider’s account of the Nigerian Civil War in his book called : The Victors and the Vanquished of the Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970: Triumph of Truth and Valour over Greed and Ambition published in 2011.

In my view, his book on Civil War as an insider is a must read. Unlike the “Biafran side”, the “Nigerian side” did not prepare for a war and was adamant to fight their brothers. It was initially called a “Police action” aimed at stopping the declared “secession”, but the Biafrans were determined to secede.

The Bianfran, in view of its well-oiled propaganda, got support from many external forces from Africa to Europe. Apart from that the “West” refused to sell arms to the Nigeria side. Nigeria had to turn to the “East” in order to save the day. It was through the co-ordination of late CP Usman Faruk as the then Governor of North -Western State that arms were procured and brought in which added to other strategists used to stop our country from disintegration.

He lived between 1935 -2020. He held the traditional titles of Jarman Gombe, and the Magajin Garin Pindiga. Late Usman Faruk was among the first police officers to be enlisted into the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and was later moved to what was called the X-squad, which served the undercover arm of the department, which later became the Department of State Services (DSS).

As a school boy in Barewa College, Zaria he suggested the change of  name of the then newly introduced Fertilizer from European Fertilizer (Takin Turai in Hausa ) to Modern Fertilizer (Takin Zamani in Hausa ) in order to be acceptable to our local farmers. He also recommended for the change of the trademark to be packed with the picture of Stork bird (Shamuwa in Hausa).

He was the first African to be appointed the Provincial Police officer below the rank of superintendent. He was the first officer to be responsible for admission of evidence in court in Nigeria. He was a member at the 2005 President Obasanjo’s Political Reform Conference and President Jonathan’s 2014 National Conference. He was a member of the delegation that escorted late Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to receive the famous King Faisal Award being the first Nigerian to be recognized for the said Award.

He was a Cop per excellence, a detective, an administrator, courageous, frank, fearless, truthful, eloquent, intelligent, deeply religious, morally sound, and an author. He authored the following  books:

(1) Usman Faruk, Budget Speech 1970-1971.(1970), (2) North-Western State of Nigeria Four Year Development Plan  1970-74 (in brief). (1976),(3) Bumper Budget (Budget Speech) 1975-1976 by His Excellency the Military Governor of North -Western of Nigeria Assistant Police Commissioner Usman Faruk (1977), (4) Usman Faruk, Family Planning Islamic Viewpoint (1980), (5) Usman Faruk (1992). The struggle of the national association for the creation of more states,

Others are (9) Usman Faruk, My vision (1995), (10) Usman Faruk, From farm house to government house: path of destiny. (2006), (11) Usman Faruk, The Making of Gombe State : A Historical Panorama (2009), (12) The Victors and the Vanquished of the Nigerian Civil War 1967-1970: Triumph of Truth and Valour over Greed and Ambition (2011), (13) The Life and Times of Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi : Lessons for the Muslim Ummah.( 2013), and An Overview of the Federal Character System for Nigeria’s future (2014).

May Allah forgive all his shortcomings, have mercy on him, and grant him Aljannah Firdausi. May He give his entire family members the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

My condolences to his immediate family members, Gombe state and Nigeria as a whole.

Adieu Baba Usman Faruk, CON.