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Recently, Sunday Vanguard's Godfrey Bivbere met the Executive Director, Corporate Services of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Alhaji Muhammedu Waisu Yaro, who spoke about his childhood, his career, life in general and his encounter with the late Sadauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello.
Recently, Sunday Vanguard's Godfrey Bivbere met the Executive Director, Corporate Services of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Alhaji Muhammedu Waisu Yaro, who spoke about his childhood, his career, life in general and his encounter with the late Sadauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello.
You look very youthful, could you let us know about your family background?
Well, I was born into the family of Alhaji Yaro Bodinga and Alhaja Zianab Bodinga, both of whom are still alive. I am the first born of 16 children. My grandmother, who is also still alive, brought me up in Bodinga where we lived up till 1969 when we moved to join my father in Gusau. Do not think my grandmother spoiled me? She did shower love on me but made me sit up in my studies and I was always topping my class.
I have two wives (Maria in 1983 and Mariam in 1993) and two children, Mohammadu Nazir and Fatima.
What in your opinion is the quality of a good leader?
For me, a good leader is someone who is able to identify the needs and aspirations of the people and is able to meet these needs even at the risk of losing his life. The dedication of leaders of the pre-independence period and a few present ones is unparalleled and worthy of emulation.
I was privileged to meet the late Saudauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Balewa, a meeting that helped shape my life because of his humble and humorous disposition.
Who is your role model in life?
My father is my role model. He is a disciplinarian and a very strict person who worked towards perfection and excellence in all that he undertook. He had been in business all his life e.g. transportation, manufacturing and real estate. He taught us (children) to be fair to all that we come in contact with in life. Both qualities have been my guiding principle.
There is no doubt that you are a man of means, have you considered giving back something to your community?
I am surprised when people talk of giving back to the community. What can one actually give back? Whatever you think you are giving back cannot be compared to what you have gotten from it in the first place. I love my community and that is why I have contributed the little I could. I have embarked on projects that will be beneficial to my people, specially the young ones. Some of these include, building of a public library in Bodinga, construction of several boreholes, offering scholarship to many indigent students.
What is your high point in life?
When I gained admission into the higher institution. Because it gave me some measure of freedom to express myself the way I wanted.
And your low point in life?
This was when I lost two of my brothers, Abdullahi and Ishaq, in the early 90s to liver related illness.
Which of all the positions you have held in your working career is the most tasking?
When I was placed in charge of the pension fund at NPA was the most tasking. Before my appointment, the fund was not only in a complete mess, records were not properly kept and the exact amount in it was not known. I had to re-organize the place by carrying out proper audit and discovered in the process about 1,000 ghost workers were benefitting from the fund.
Millions of naira was recovered from various investments made by the fund, which includes unclaimed dividends. I had to invite the police to check all the transactions of the fund in the capital market because in some cases, dividend warrants were diverted.
Registrars of so many companies were arrested and this is because the process of the management of the fund was so loose.
What are your aspirations?
I have always seen myself as one sent on a mission to serve. All the positions I have held in the past have been a privilege given to me by Allah who compels me to work hard to better the lot of people around me. The same principle would continue to guide me should God entrust on me greater position of authority.
Advice for youths?
Youths must shun all vices such as drug abuse, laziness and short cut to success. Parents hold it a duty to point and show their children the values of hard work and uprightness in all their endeavours, if they must succeed in life.