Atiku Abubakar is a seasoned leader with a vision to unite Nigeria's diverse ethnic and religious groups through inclusive governance, economic reforms, and national reconciliation. Fellow Nigerians, rally behind his presidential ambition for a stronger, prosperous nation.
Episode 2: Atiku’s Life – Going to School
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Atiku Abubakar’s father, Garba Atiku Abdulkadir, was deeply devoted to his son. He envisioned a future for him rooted in tradition as an Islamic scholar, herdsman, farmer, and trader, just like himself. A deeply religious man, he regarded Western education with suspicion, convinced that it could corrupt the minds of young people and erode cherished values.
Because of this belief, he was strongly opposed to Atiku attending school. Determined to shield his only child, he attempted to hide him from Native Authority officials who were enforcing a compulsory mass literacy campaign across the region.
Yet, the tide of change proved impossible to resist. Atiku’s maternal uncle, Kawu Ali his mother’s elder brother who had gained some education through adult literacy classes, took a decisive step. In January 1954, he enrolled Atiku at Jada Primary School under the name Atiku Kojoli.
Garba Atiku Abdulkadir’s resistance had consequences. For attempting to prevent his son from attending school, he was arrested, charged before an Alkali court, and fined ten shillings. He refused to pay, insisting he had no money, and was consequently detained for several days. It was Atiku’s maternal grandmother an industrious woman who made local soap for sale who eventually raised the money and paid the fine, securing his release.
Despite his freedom, Atiku’s father remained deeply unhappy. He felt wounded and angry that his only child had been taken from him and exposed to what he considered a strange and dangerous world. To him, Western education threatened their traditions and way of life. Like many others of his generation, he reacted to the sweeping changes in Nigeria with fear and uncertainty. People often feel safest within the boundaries of what they know, viewing change as unsettling and disruptive.
Jada Primary School itself reflected the humble realities of the time. The school was basic and rudimentary, made up of small, round huts with thatched roofs. Some lessons were conducted under trees, while several classrooms had neither doors nor windows. There were no desks or chairs, and for the first two years, pupils wrote on the bare floor. Exercise books were not introduced until Primary Three.
The school was organized into junior and senior primary sections. Pupils spent five years in junior primary school and two years in senior primary school. Junior classes ended at noon each day, allowing pupils to help their families with grazing livestock or working on the farms. Boarding facilities were available at the senior level.
Boarding pupils slept on wooden beds covered with locally made straw or palm-fibre mats. Meals were simple but nourishing, consisting of rice, guinea corn, bean cakes (kose), yam, and a custard-like drink known as kunun, made from guinea corn flour. The food was prepared by school cooks and served in small bowls in the dining hall.
Jada Primary School was an all-male institution built and run by the Native Authority. No tuition fees were charged, and uniforms and learning materials were provided free of charge. The teachers were all men drawn from the local community.
Each day began with early morning chores cutting grass, sweeping the compound, and watering the garden. These routines instilled discipline, hard work, and respect for the dignity of labour. After about thirty minutes, a bell signaled the start of morning exercises to prepare the pupils physically and mentally for the day. Breakfast followed, after which pupils assembled for “fall-in,” the school’s term for morning assembly.
During assembly, teachers inspected pupils for neatness and addressed complaints against those who failed to perform their duties. Offenders were called out, tried, and punished, with caning commonly used as a disciplinary measure.
Lessons followed in subjects such as Arithmetic, English Language, Literature, Geography, Science, Religious Studies, and Handicraft. The remainder of the day was filled with lunch, siesta, dinner, private study often by the glow of kerosene lanterns and bedtime.
It was at Jada Primary School that Atiku began learning to read and speak Hausa. Although he had grown up speaking only Fulfulde, Hausa was taught to the predominantly Fulfulde-speaking pupils. He later came to understand that Hausa served as the lingua franca of much of Northern Nigeria the language of trade, administration, and everyday interaction.
His Father’s Death
Three years after Atiku began school, tragedy struck. In December 1957, at the age of eleven and just as he was about to begin senior primary school as a boarding pupil, his father drowned while attempting to cross a small river known as Mayo Choncha, on the outskirts of the neighboring town of Toungo. Heavy rainfall had caused the river to swell beyond its banks.
His father’s body was recovered the following day and buried in Toungo according to Islamic rites. He was not yet forty years old. Many years later, Atiku built an Islamic primary school at the site of his burial to honor and immortalize his memory.
After his father’s death, the responsibility of raising Atiku fell to his mother, Kande, her childless sister, Azumi; and members of his father’s extended family in Kojoli.
Though surrounded by kindness and care, no one could truly fill the void left by his father. As a result, Atiku often felt lonely and deeply saddened by the loss.
The tragedy left a lasting mark on him. It strengthened his determination to work hard, remain focused, and succeed in life so as to make his father proud. He believed his father was watching over him and resolved not to disappoint him.
In later years, he would often wish that his father had lived long enough to witness the profound impact Western education would have on his life.
STOLEN VEHICLE ALERT
Toyota Hilux
Color: White toyota hilux( 2014 model)
Plate No: APP 645 KT
Stolen in Jos on 24th Jan 2026 at owners house
Please report any sighting. Reward if found.
Call: 07064378217
Good afternoon everyone, my hilux vehicle was just stolen from park infront of my gate in abbatoir. Registration number APP 645 KT it is white and tinted. Please help me re-tweet and help me find it.
@rundriveng Thank you. With shame on us, we want Atiku to be the candidate of ADC, because he is the only aspirant who can beat Escobar. Thank you for thinking right.