Maitama Sule’s Marble Words: “We Either Salvage Nigeria Together Or Watch It Sink — Choice Is Ours”
Today we remember golden words of true statesman, engraved like marble art — Dr Yusuf Maitama Sule, Dan Masanin Kano, 1929-2017 — May his soul rest in peace and Jannah be final abode.
He said: “I have a dream that Nigeria will soon be great — united, prosperous — lead rest of Africa — inspire blacks worldwide — we will come to love one another.”
He said: “Everyone has gift from God — northerner endowed with leadership, Yoruba with earning living and diplomacy, Igbo gifted in trade, commerce, technological innovation — God created us equally with purpose and different gifts.”
He said: “Think Nigeria first, place country above personal and pecuniary interests, be your brother’s keeper — that is when country will be salvaged.”
And final warning: “We can either come together to salvage our Nation or go our own ways and watch it sink. The choice is ours, and I hope we make right choice.”
Let this prick conscience of all our selfish religious/ethnic bigots, who don’t care about Nigeria.
Maitama Sule lived what 1956 founders preached — Dr Mainasara Umar told us how Sardauna, Zik, Awolowo rejected PM seat four times — Sardauna said “I will not be fair if people mistake my turban for whole nation” — Then chose smallest minority Bauchi — Tafawa Balewa — minority who would be afraid to cheat majors and be disciplined by manifesto — party discipline we lack today.
Maitama Sule was of that stock — 1954 parliamentarian, 1955-56 Chief Whip Federal House, First Republic Minister Mines and Power, Head Public Complaints Commission pioneer ombudsman 1975, UN Permanent Rep 1979 — Always: Nigeria first, not pocket first.
Today? Gladiators defend failed policies with polished poverty wearing mask of statistics — 4.43% growth on paper, 63% poverty — 140 million sinking — child with empty bowl behind rising chart — George O. Sylvester warned.
Why? Because we lost 5Cs:
Conscience — Maitama said leaders must have fear of God, account before God — today’s bigots use religion in constitution for division — Sardauna refused to use his.
Competence — Maitama celebrated each tribe gift — leadership, diplomacy, commerce, technology — competence distributed by God — today’s bigots say only my tribe competent — entrapment factory manufactures ZERO not HEROES — Prof Oloyede warned.
Character — Maitama: leaders not looters, will not steal, will not lie, will accept in public what they accepted in secret — character to say no to power like 1956.
Courage — Maitama stood against military dictatorship, all misgovernance — stood for peace, unity — even when unpopular — courage to say justice must be given irrespective of tribe, religion, political inclination.
Capacity — Maitama called for bloodless revolution like Gandhi — not Mao — re-orientation, change minds — mind restructuring from mind restriction — capacity to unite.
In fact religion should be expunged from constitution and governance? Maitama answer: Not expunge by law alone — expunge by mind — by justice and fair play — When justice given equally, religion no longer weapon.
I am Miniature Map — Ijebu, Born Enugu, Idoma Northern Mother — Yoruba bird, Igbo bird, Northern bird in one body — Which coop for me? Maitama’s gift theory lives in me — I have all three gifts — leadership, diplomacy, commerce — That is why his words prick me.
WITNESS 2026 will return to Maitama’s dream — united, prosperous, leading Africa at UNGA 81 like Ghana/Kenya — with 5Cs — POWER not POCKET.
From Bigotry to Brotherhood. From Watch It Sink to Salvage Together. From Divided Nation to Miniature Map.
_Richard Olanrewaju Odusanya — Author NIGERIA NEEDS NEW NATIONAL MODEL — Convener WITNESS 2026_
Credit: Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule, Dan Masanin Kano (1929-2017) — Centre for Black Culture Colloquium — The Nation — SundiataPost — Video: https://www.facebook.com/
