By Bayo Ogunmupe
A voluminous book of 458 pages, Bukar
Usman's My Public Service Journey: Issues in public policy and administration
in Nigeria is an expository memoir on the Nigerian public service. The book is
the perspective of a civil servant who rose through the ranks, climbing to the
pinnacle of a career in the public service of the federation. He was permanent
secretary for 11 years in a career spanning 34 years. Usman the author, retired
in 1999 and since then he has been globe trotting, thrust into the forefront of
public discourse through his numerous books and monographs. Usman's creative
endeavors include short stories, folktales, an autobiography; his many books in
Hausa and his exegesis on Leadership, Security and National Development.
The book is in two parts; with three sections per part. This volume is
Usman's counterpoise to his earlier work: My Literary Journey. This book in
review is the judgment of an insider rather than one peeping into the public
service of the federation from outside though now in retirement. Though
guarded, there is no mistaking the author's desire to bequeath to history the
service operated by a retinue of conscientious servants of the people. In his five
page foreword to the memoir, the former super permanent secretary and minister
of Petroleum Resources Chief Philip Asiodu, called the book a primer for the
study of the Nigerian Public Service and the state of the public service today.
Usman starts each chapter by defining the concepts and issues to be
discussed. This gives the reader the necessary background and the gist of his
message, enabling the reader to "appreciate the issues and the era being
discussed." This book had to be autobiographical because Usman became
enamoured with the public service from childhood. Work in the private sector
never appealed to him. In section one, the author identified four categories of
public policy: Substantive Public Policy, Regulatory Public Policy, Distributive
Public Policy and Capitalization Public Policy. There is a basic assumption in
his definition of public policy.
Accordingly, Usman's definition of public policy states that: "The
prime goal of all policy instruments is to solve problems efficiently, effectively
and in fairness to all." This was true of the service inherited from
colonial rule and the immediate post- Independence Nigeria. This was the
service of the Prime Minister, the regional premiers, the other leaders of the
First Republic and which prevailed beyond the Civil War of 1967-70. However,
that old type civil service had to be adapted to the needs of U.S type
presidential system which Nigeria adopted with the 1979 Constitution. My Public
Service Journey contains the essential characteristics of the legacy of the
British Civil Service document signed by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello,
Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Malam Aminu Kano and Professor Eyo Ita at the 1954
Constitutional Conference.
That document required non-partisan, non political officials which are
never removed after change of government. The service is a service which is
objective, merit driven, professional and permanent as it is under British
Parliamentary system. The new system after the adoption of the American style
Presidential system with which they run the U.S government by only 12
departments. There, those who depart with their appointees are the secretaries
of state; deputy secretaries and assistant secretaries. In the Parliamentary
system Ministers, ministers of state, Parliamentary secretaries and
Parliamentary under secretaries alone depart after a change of government. But
these days, Presidential advisers, ministers, think tanks are appointed from
outside the civil service.
In his memorandum to President Umaru Yar Adua's Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, now a member of
President Buhari's think tank, the author deals with problems which are still
current. Among of these problems are the degraded state of the civil service as
regards competence, training, honesty, integrity, insecurity, corruption, law
and order and conflict of interest. At section 111, Usman's lectures on ethics
and accountability heralded his thoughts on accountability between politicians,
the public service and the general public. He describes corruption as embracing
a wide range of deviations from correct conduct.
Bukar Usman decried nepotism, bribery, looting of pubic funds, contract
fixing, conflict of interest, police brutality, manipulation of electoral
process and various due process violations. He says the main problem in Nigeria
is the weak enforcement of anti corruption law. In part B comprising sections
1V, V and VI, Usman deals with many issues of great concern to the public.
Among his recommendations is the need for local government police as we had in
the First Republic. He discussed the demand for the creation of more states,
the restructuring of the country and the people's desire to acquire greater
share of oil revenue, which some called resource control. He opposed the
creation of more states because the majority of the existing states are
unviable.
In a speech before the 2011 elections, the author demanded free and fair
elections which he considered very important. He said: "It is and
understatement to say that although Nigerians yearn for democracy, we have not
been fortunate to have a settled political structure in the last 50 years which
Nigerians and well wishers will be proud of. Instead, we continue to tinker
with the Constitution while electoral transparency eludes Nigeria." Though
we have survived the elections of 2011, 2015 and 2019, we still need a long way
to go to ensure "free, fair and universally accepted election
results." But Dr Usman insists that we still need our political campaigns
to be issue oriented, campaigns proffering ideas on the Nigerian dreams and the
future greatness of Nigeria.
Usman believes we need to get to the situation observed by the former
Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mr Justice Alfa Belgore, when he said at a summit
meeting at Asaba, Delta state in 2010 which he quoted as: "The electoral
system had failed due to the lack of the acceptance of the rules of electoral
process by all stakeholders, including the citizens, the candidates and the umpires."
He hoped a day would arrive when such a
situation will no longer apply. For his "Closing Thoughts," Usman
looked back on 57 years since independence in 1960, assessing Nigeria's place
in the comity of nations. In his assessment, he rated Nigeria low, having been
outpaced by nations like Indonesia, South Koria and Taiwan.
He assessed our living standards, arriving at the damning and true
conclusion that our score card was not impressive. He stressed two issues: our
inability to conduct free, fair and credible elections and the grossly
inadequate power supply. That assessment is as valid today as when he said it.
He opined that it is critically necessary to give the two issues top priority.
And the response of Buhari's Attorney General, Abubakar Malami to the vexed
gubernatorial election in Kogi where the Women leader of the Peoples Democratic
Party in the state was burned to death means Usman might be getting a hearing.
In the said Kogi election, Malami disagreed with the Inspector General of
Police on the ignoble role of the Police in the election.
Of great interest are two books given to Usman in October 2011. The
first, Africa: Altered States, Ordinary Miracles, by a journalist Richard
Dowden. The second: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by a spy and former
operative of the U.S National Security Agency, John Perkins. Dowden's book has
a section on Nigeria where he highlights issues dealing with tourism,
corruption and elections. From Perkins book, Usman got the disturbing role of
economic hit men who apply devious economic methods as directed by the U.S
government to ensnare or overthrow nationalist presidents, thereby causing
regime changes in target countries of particular interest to the United States.
The countries targeted were Iran, Indonesia, Guatemala, Panama,
Colombia, Iraq, Venezuela and Libya. The Halliburton Bribery Scandal was the
means by which Angola and Nigeria were targeted at that time. And that scandal
and the Malabu Oil deal are still hanging
afire on the necks of the administrations of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo,
Umaru Yar Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. The books were lucid, and thought
provoking portraits of corruption in high places for the author to digest. They
constituted part of the public service experience of the author; enabling him
to bring forth issues concerning progress and development in Nigeria.
Bukar Usman was born in Biu, in the Boko Haram ravaged State of Borno,
Northeastern Nigeria in 1942. After his primary school in Biu, he proceeded to
his state capital of Maiduguri for his secondary education. He did his Higher
School Certificate at King's College,
Lagos. Thereafter, he obtained a degree in Public Administration at the Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria. Then, he joined the federal civil service as a clerical
officer; rising to become a super permanent secretary for 11 years. He retired
from the Presidency after 34 years of meritorious service in 1999. He now
devotes himself to writing. My Public Service Journey was published this year
by Klamidas Communications Limited, Utako, Abuja. This paperback volume has 32
pages of pictures; showcasing the author as the recipient of many awards:
doctorate degrees and national honours. His round the world cruises on the ship
Queen Elizabeth, visiting the Moorish Minaret , Cadiz, Spain were shown. The
book has 14 appendices and 21 pages of index to make it easy reading for
students, politicians and civil servants as well.
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