Under this democratic dispensation, the name Rt. Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam surely rings a bell in Kogi politics and beyond.
Hon. Imam, who is the immediate past Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, is arguably one of the few bright minds and courageous lawmakers in the hallowed chamber of the Legislature in Kogi State. Ever since he won a seat into the Assembly, he left no one in doubt that he is one man who came into politics driven with a mind set to contribute his quota in the developmental efforts of making Kogi State, a State of our dreams.
His brief tenure as Speaker of the Assembly was highly eventful and impactful. He left no one in doubt that he is indeed a reference point in humility and purposeful leadership, as he piloted the affairs of the House with uncommon wisdom, pragmatism, and the fear of God.
Ahead of the forthcoming by-election to fill the vacant seat at the lower chamber of the National Assembly, sequel to the recent sudden death of Hon. Buba Jubril, the former speaker has thrown his hat into the ring to slug it out with three other aspirants eyeing the slot when INEC makes public the date for the by-election. As at the time of writing this piece, Hon. Imam was almost rounding up his wide consultations and getting ready for a successful outing in the forthcoming by-election.
The rich profile of the former Speaker obtained by this journalist indicates that the MAN Rt. Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam was born to the family of Alhaji Umaru Shafiyi and Hajiya Umaru (both late) of the Imam Shafiyi family in the traditional street of Ward D in Lokoja LGA of Kogi State on Saturday, 10th of October, 1970.
He attended Ma-ahadi LSMB Primary School between 1978 to 1983 where he discovered his talent early in life as a creative personality. As someone who was a bookworm and skillfully determined to conquer the literary world, the school authority noticed this God’s gift in him and made him library prefect. No doubt he became a cynosure of both his classmates and the teachers alike. Side by side his quest for western education, he was also doing his Quranic education.
On completion of his First School Leaving Certificate in 1983, young Imam had to stay at home for two major reasons. One, to complete his quranic education, which was and still is a pre-condition for any child born in the family, to fulfill before getting into Secondary school. The second reason was finance. A major determining factor, considering his humble background. Challenged by the reality on ground and inspired by those going to school while he was on that compulsory break, young man Imam engaged himself in several ventures that were both economical and creative such as trading of several commodities to support his mother in his own little way and also engaged in the game of football and fine arts to pass time. He was very good in both activities and made a lot of friends cutting across the five electoral wards that later in life shaped his interaction with the outside world as far as growing up was concerned.
In 1986, he was offered admission into Muslim Community Secondary school, Lokongoma, Lokoja where he was one of the brightest in his class, as evidenced in the comments of his class Teacher as well as school principal on his results when they described him as “All Rounder”. In fact, he was the Head Boy of his set. By 1992, he had completed his secondary school education and then came another challenge of sponsorship that required him to wait before getting admission into higher institution for further studies, an ambition he so very much worked hard for. Alas, fate had a different package for him. While his classmates were preparing for higher education, he was engaged by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Lagos to start a new life as a Public Servant. A fate he accepted against his ambition of becoming a scholar and an academic. It turns out that for 17 years that he served JAMB, God used him to affect the lives of his community, Lokoja) and all those that came his way, positively.
While in JAMB, his passion for his first love of being in the academics for at least equipping himself with some degree of education kept on resurfacing particularly his love for fine and creative arts, hence, he enrolled for a Certificate Programme in Fine Arts in Yaba College of Technology, Lagos between 1997 and 1998 where he graduated with merit. Having had that experience, his interest in getting further dose of the academics was ignited and so he applied for and was offered an admission to study History and strategic Studies in University of Lagos where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, 2nd Class Hons (Upper Division) in 2008. Pursuant to his resolve to undertake a career in academics, he decided to withdraw his services with JAMB and enrolled for his Masters degree between 2009 and 2010 where he graduated with Masters of Arts Degree in History and Strategic Studies.
Consequently, and as a mark of his proven brilliance, he didn’t just complete his Masters Programme in the shortest possible period, he finished successfully with a Ph.D Programme but because of his deep-rooted compassion for his Community’s development and progress, he choose to keep the academic pursuit in view to answer the clarion call to contest for the Kogi State House of Assembly election as Member representing Lokoja I Constituency, a responsibility he felt he hold his community so dearly.
There is no gain saying the fact that Rt. Hon. Umar Ahmed Imam is a man of humble disposition, honest, hardworking, development oriented, enterprising and filled with the fear of God. No wonder he is a man of many parts. Although, a lover of several sporting activities, he was an active footballer in his active sporting days. He attended several competitions within and outside the State, which helped in shaping his world view and horizon.
His political inclination has always been tilted towards the progressive, no wonder then that after due consultation, he finally pitched his tent with the All progressive Congress (APC), a platform he contested and won his election, with a landslide victory, into the Kogi State House of Assembly, as a Member representing Lokoja I Constituency in April, 2015.
As a member, representing Lokoja I Constituency and the minority whip of the House from May 2015 to February, 22016, Hon. Imam has not deviated from his initial plan to bring development to his Constituency. He has so far commenced a Youth and Women Empowerment Programme for his constituency known as Hon. Alfa Imam Skill Acquisition and Empowerment Programme (HAISAEP launched in 2015 and the back-to-school programme for public primary school pupils in Lokoja also launched in 2015.
He was until his election as speaker, chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation and Vice Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary. He was also a member of Several Committees which include the House Services, selection Committee, Education, Youth and Sports, and Culture and Tourism Committee.
He is happily married to Hajiya Hadiza and Hajiya Aisha and blessed with children.
– Otori Ozigi, a retired Public Servant, is a Journalist/PR Consultant.
