Sule Katagum
Sule Katagum | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission | |
| In office 1959–1975 | |
| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Okoronkwo Kesandu Ogan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1927 Katagum, Bauchi Province, Colonial Nigeria |
| Died | December 17, 2017 (aged 89–90) |
| Political party | National Party of Nigeria (1979–1983) |
| Other political affiliations | Northern People's Congress (–1966) |
| Children | Audu Sule Katagum among others |
| Education | Bauchi Middle School |
Alhaji Sule Katagum OFR CMG[1] (1927 – 17 December 2017) was a Nigerian civil servant, statesman and businessman. He was the first Chairman of Nigeria's Federal Public Service Commission. He also held the traditional title of Waziri of the Katagum Emirate.[2][3]
Life
[edit]Sule Katagum was born in Katagum in the Bauchi Province of Colonial Northern Nigeria.[4]
In the early 1940s, he attended Bauchi Middle School, where he was taught by Aminu Kano and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. During his time there, he led a student protest against the alleged mistreatment of students, citing issues such as withheld pocket money and poor food quality. The protest escalated to involve the entire student body and drew the attention of the Emir of Bauchi. Following an investigation, the headmaster was dismissed and replaced by Balewa.[5]: 85–86
Upon completing his studies, Sule Katagum was admitted to the Institute of Administration, Zaria. While at Zaria, he formed a close friendship with Isa Wali, a cousin of Aminu Kano, who became his roommate.
In the 1950s, Katagum began his career in public service as a civil servant under the Katagum Native Authority.[6] By 1955, he had joined the Northern People's Congress (NPC) and was appointed Secretary of the party's Katagum branch.[7] In 1959, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, at the time Prime Minister of Nigeria, appointed Sule Chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).[8]
Following the January 1966 coup that brought the Nigerian First Republic to an end, Sule retained his position as Chairman of the FPSC under General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. After the counter-coup later that year and the assassination of Aguiyi-Ironsi, Katagum led a delegation of civil servants to persuade Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed and other senior Northern officers against seceding from the Nigerian Federation.[9]: 119–120 [10] He was also one of the main proponents of the creation of more states and played an important role in convincing Northern leaders to accept Yakubu Gowon's decree to replace the four regions with twelve states in early 1967.[11]: 205 [12]
Sule retired from the civil service after he was replaced as Chairman of the FPSC with Professor Okoronkwo Kesandu Ogan by Murtala Muhammad, at the time Nigeria's Head of State.[11]: 119 [9]: 188
During the Nigerian Second Republic (1979–1983), Sule became a leading member of the National Party of Nigeria.[13] After the military overthrow of the civilian government in 1983, he became a vocal critic of the regime led by General Muhammadu Buhari. Following an interview he gave to the New Nigerian in which he made statements critical of the military government the military government, he was arrested alongside Bukar Zarma, the paper's editor.[14][15] They were both released in August 1985 following the military coup led by General Ibrahim Babangida.[16]
Sule held the traditional title of Waziri of Katagum Emirate.[3][2]
Sule died on 17 December 2017.[3][2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Nigeria Government Gazette dated 1966-03-23 number 27". Gazettes.Africa. 1966-03-23. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
- ^ a b c Alkassim, Balarabe (2017-12-18). "Wazirin Katagum dies at 96". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
- ^ a b c Amos (2017-12-20). "Buhari, ACF, others mourn Sule Katangum, Gidado Idris". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2025-06-07.
- ^ Babah, Chinedu (2017-02-21). "KATAGUM, Alh. Sule (Late)". Biographical Legacy and Research Foundation. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ Feinstein, Alan (1973). African revolutionary; the life and times of Nigeria's Aminu Kano. Internet Archive. New York: Quadrangle. ISBN 978-0-8129-0321-8.
- ^ Adamu, Adamu (2015-07-24). "Adieu Sarkin Yakin Nigeria". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
- ^ Dudley, Billy J. (1968). Parties and politics in northern Nigeria. Internet Archive. London: Cass. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-7146-1658-2.
- ^ Nigeria in global politics : twentieth century and beyond : essays in honor of Professor Olajide Aluko. Internet Archive. New York : Nova Science Publishers. 2006. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-59454-997-7.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) CS1 maint: publisher location (link) - ^ a b Siollun, Max (2009). Oil, politics and violence : Nigeria's military coup culture (1966-1976). Internet Archive. New York : Algora Pub. ISBN 978-0-87586-708-3.
- ^ Luckham, Robin (1971). The Nigerian military; a sociological analysis of authority & revolt 1960-67. Internet Archive. Cambridge [Eng.] University Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-521-08129-0.
- ^ a b Siollun, Max (1978). Soldiers and oil : the political transformation of Nigeria. Internet Archive. London ; Totowa, N.J. : Cass. ISBN 978-0-7146-3098-4.
- ^ De St. Jorre, John (1972). The brothers' war; Biafra and Nigeria. Internet Archive. Boston, Houghton Mifflin. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-395-13934-9.
- ^ Joseph, Richard A. (1987). Democracy and prebendal politics in Nigeria : the rise and fall of the Second Republic. Internet Archive. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; New York : Cambridge University Press. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-521-34136-3.
- ^ Shagari, Shehu Usman Aliyu (2001). Shehu Shagari : beckoned to serve : an autobiography. Internet Archive. Nigeria : Heinemann ed. books (Nigeria) plc. p. 499. ISBN 978-978-129-932-2.
- ^ Olukoshi, Adebayo; Abdulraheem, Tajudeen (1985). "Nigeria, Crisis Management under the Burhari Administration". Review of African Political Economy (34): 95–101. ISSN 0305-6244.
- ^ "NEW RULERS IN NIGERIA ANNOUNCE SHAKE-UP OF MILITARY COMMAND". The New York Times. 1985-08-29. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-06-07.