Our meetingwa scheduled on the programmed visiting day for those intending to have either private or official discussion with the then Federal Permanent Secretary, Dr. Muhammed Kyari Dikwa. Dikwa is quintessential public servant with a golden heart whom many across the length and breadth of Nigeria describe as a unifier civil servant and a philanthropist par excellence. As a frequent visitor to his office, it wasn’t a surprise for me to see a multitude of people from all corners of Nigeria and even beyond just to have audience with the man, seen by many as the most humane and God-fearing person among his peers.
However, I became mystified due to the unexpected crowd I met on that fateful visiting day, which I learnt was the last visiting day for Dr. Dikwa in his capacity as a top-notch federal civil servant. Without a doubt, the atmosphere was tensed. Men of all categories were on ground to bid the man whom God had tremendously used for more than 35 years to make positive impact on their lives through human, financial and infrastructural empowerment.
As a professional pen user, I keenly put my ears on ground to listen to some of the discussions among those waiting to see him! As envisaged, my ears caught a very pertinent discussion from Uche Kennedy and Akinbade Oladimeji, the men whom I later found out had tremendously benefited from the large heart of MK Dikwa for well over two decades.
According to Uche, Dr. MK Dikwa is not just an indigene of Borno state but a thorough bred administrator and a unifier with astute leadership prowess with a penchant to make positive impact on the lives of Nigerians. His humanitarian gesture is devoid of ethno-religious or affiliation. Uche’s positive narrative about the humanitarian gestures of Dikwa is just one out of many who trooped out to pay the then permanent secretary a visit to express their utmost gratitude over his positive contributions to their lives either directly or indirectly.
To be sincere, if am to download all the encounters I had with the multitude of people that trooped in from all walks of life to bid farewell to Dikwa, aptly described as a man of the people, honestly space won’t be enough for me. Lest, I forget the revelation of an Ibo woman who hails from Imo state, whom I later learnt has been a widow for about 17 years with five children. She said Dikwa single-handedly sponsored all her five children to become degree holders from Nigerian universities. The widow couldn’t hold her tears of joy and heartfelt gratitude to the Almighty God for using Dr. Dikwa to change her life and those of her five children for better.
Like I said earlier, computing the positive narratives of the thousands of Nigerians, whose lives Dikwa positively impacted, is not an easy task. Therefore, let me in brief express my little knowledge about the leadership qualities of Dr. Dikwa which he excellently displayed at both government and private organizations right from his home state of Borno up-to federal level where he finally retired as the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, the main engine house of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Though, some people who are familiar with his landmark achievements may feel I have not in clarity stated all his earth-shaking achievements. Of course, they may be very correct because this piece is meant for the newspapers which is more like a summary of the achievements of Dr. Dikwa as a civil servant, technocrat, human development expert, and a detribalized Nigerian. So, constraint of space will not allow me to do a comprehensive analysis of his achievements. Suffice to say, Dikwa is humane, brilliant, humble, kind, generous, benevolent and thorough bred human affairs manager.
Dikwa is also a teacher with a penchant for the development of the educational sector. He has established schools including nursery, primary, secondary and higher institutions. He is also using his national and international connections to improve the lives of millions of poor and vulnerable Nigerians. This is being achieved through the establishment of Al-Ansar Foundation, which rights activists, human development experts, political and public affairs analysts describe as an outstanding life transforming NGO in Nigeria. The foundation’s main objective is to positively transform the lives of the millions of people displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east.
Dikwa, in his quest to instil discipline and orderliness in the society and especially in among Muslims, single-handedly built a magnificent mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno so capital. He also used his links to establish private radio and television station in Maiduguri to ensure the economic, social and spiritual transformation of the populace. Although, Dikwa is out of public service, his efforts to give back to society is legendary. This justifies the pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari to again find Dr. Dikwa worthy to bring his highly resourceful, professional and vast experiences into government. Dikwa’s records and achievements both in the public and private sectors are impeccable. So, Dr. MK Dikwa, where are you? The Buhari government direly needs your services.
Edache writes from Abuja.
