Seven things you might not know about Balarabe Musa

It is no longer news that a former Governor of Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, died yesterday, Wednesday, November 11, 2020.

Here, according to a Channels TV report, are seven interesting facts you might not have known about the late Balarabe Musa:

Friend of the Poor

The late governor is popularly known as the ‘friend of the poor’ and close to people in the grassroots.

President Muhammadu Buhari in his condolence to the family of the late politician said he “will be sorely missed by all Nigerians, who have diligently followed his antecedents as a voice for the voiceless.”

Modest Lifestyle

He lived a modest lifestyle and many referred to him as the “poorest ex-governor,” a tag he did not bat an eyelid about.

According to him, it is better to be called a poor man than being labelled the biggest thief.

At different fora, he had reiterated that his orientation and background informed his decision to adopt a modest lifestyle. He said he took a loan to built his three-bedroom apartment.

Seasoned Politician

In 1979, he was elected as the Governor of old Kaduna State under the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), until he was impeached on 23 June 1981. The development was historic as he became the first civilian governor of the old Kaduna State.

A Marxist, Balarabe continued in active politics in spite of the impeachment and was, in the fourth republic, a leader of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), a coalition of opposition parties.

During the 2003 election, he contested for the presidency under the PRP before he retired from active politics on 31 August 2018 due to ill health.

First Impeached Governor

His impeachment in 1981 was historic. It was the first time a governor would be impeached in the West African nation.

Groomed in Kaduna

He was born on Aug. 21, 1936, in Kaya, Kaduna State and studied at Zaria Middle School from 1947 to 1952 from where he proceeded to the Institute of Administration, Zaria between 1952 and 1953. The former governor died in the State, also.

Teacher, Accountant

The late politician was an accounts clerk and a school teacher and had also held many management positions in the accounting field from 1960 to 1976.

He had further training in colleges in London, the United Kingdom, a move which saw him gain extra qualifications. One of such schools he attended was the Institute of Secretaryship in London.

Nine Children, Three Marriages

The late Balarabe married thrice and had nine children from these women. He believed that marrying more than one wife usually ends in conflicts which he did not want.

Islam, he believed, only permits marrying more than one wife if an individual fulfilled certain conditions.

The former PRP Chairman married his first wife at 20. His then-wife was 15 when they got married.