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By Abu Michael.
Friday 30 November, 2007 will always remain a sad day when news filtered in that one of the formidable backbone of Northern Nigeria and the Aro of Mopa, Chief Sunday Awoniyi has passed on in London.
Chief Sunday Awoniyi was one of the staff who directly worked with the esteemed Sardauna of Sokoto and the Premier of the Northern Nigeria. Late Chief Sunday Awoniyi served Sir, Ahmadu Bello as his Secretary.
No doubt, all what occupied the mindset of late Sunday Awoniyi, while he was alive, was the North and the prosperity of the people of Northern Nigeria. Chief Sunday Awoniyi does not have anything than to see to the corporate existence of the north and the entire people of Northern Nigeria.
Chief Sunday Awoniyi, a christian, served the late Premier of Northern Nigeria Sir, Ahmadu Bello diligently and to the best of his ability. A great intellectual and seasoned administrator, the late Ahmadu Bello found Chief Sunday Awoniyi worthy, trusted him to be the Secretary in the Cabinet Office of the Premier.
Chief Sunday Awoniyi’s honesty in service was unrivaled, this endeared him so much to the late Premier such that, his inputs, which were frank, sincere, were, always a great value addition In any decision taken by the Sadauna.
Improving the skills of second generation of Northern civil servants to work in the civil service then is one of the positive value addition of late Sunday Awoniyi, as Administrative Secretary. His contribution to the people of northern origin to embrace the civil service, who gradually and on merit, Later having understudied the ropes, took over the main stream civil service, is a legacy he enjoys till date.
The Mopa Chief, it would be recalled was the one who wrote a comprehensive blue-print to the Premier, who without hesitation, received his approval. That was why, a lot of the second generation civil servants in the regional service of the Northern Nigeria were sent on scholarship to various countries of the world and on their completion, where absorbed into the civil service.
Chief Sunday Awoniyi is an epitome of peace. He was more interested in anything that would bring peace especially, uniting the entire Northern Region. The North in Awoniyi, lost a great gem who throughout his life, especially in the service of his country ensureed that, Nigeria and Nigerians live in peace without rancour.
Chief Sunday Awoniyi, ten years after his demise, would best be remembered as one of the apostle, that spent time and energy propagating the gospel of “SARDAUNANISM” because of his conviction, that he had, that it is the late Sardauna of Sokoto Sir, Ahmadu Bello that make and made what is today known as Northern Nigeria.
Without mincing words, the likes of Chief Sunday Awoniyi carried to the latter the Northernization policy of the Premier. Ten years after his demise, so much has happened to the one north, with telling the truth and making policy formulation that is centered on the people, a policy of northern leaders, past gone. Awoniyi, has gone, but his ideals, principles are now more manifest.
Chief Sunday Awoniyi, is one of the trusted aides of the Premier of Northern Nigeria who have all gone, taking into account, the passage of people, like Alhaji Maigari Gwamba, Alhaji Mahmud Attah, Alhaji Adamu Suleiman and others too numerous to mention in this tribute.
As friends and associate gather in Mopa, to honour a man who helped carved a niche for the north, ten years after he has gone, a special recognition had to be made for what Chief Sunday Awoniyi was able to do to the North and the people by all the northern states.
Kogi State government a place of Awoniyi’s origin, in the opinion of many, need to immortalize this true northerner. The late sage’s life is a collection for the younger generation to open and study in transparency, honesty, hardwork, and his works which are in all archives, would be made a research document by those, who want to know more about the civil service and contributing to one Northern Nigeria at pre and post independence level.
Chief Sunday Awoniyi, has touched severally the lives of so many prominent Nigerians especially the role, he played when the late Gen. Murtala Mohammed was about to be dismissed. That of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters when he persuaded him not take a drastic action on Obasanjo. In the emergence of Obasanjo as the President of this country in 1999. Chief Awoniyi is the principal actor for the fielding of Obasanjo as the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). Adieu Chief Sunday Awoniyi a true Northerner. May God bless his soul. Amen.
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