Vice President Kashim Shettima will launch a biography of the late Brigadier General Musa Usman. The event is set for Monday, 14 September 2026. Usman was the first military governor of the old North-Eastern State.
A press release from the family, signed by Hassan Usman, says the public presentation will happen at the NAF Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja. The event starts at 10:00 a.m. The book, titled “Brigadier Musa Usman (1940, 1991): Service and Impact,” is 363 pages long. It was written by two well-known journalists, Mahmud Jega and Theophilus Abbah. The book tells the story of Usman’s life, military career, and the impact he had on governance.
Usman served in the Nigerian Air Force and was the governor of the North-Eastern State from 1967 to 1975. The area he governed is now six states: Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe.
The statement mentioned that Vice President Shettima will be the Special Guest of Honour at the event. He will officially launch the biography. The ceremony will be chaired by retired Major General IBM Haruna, who was the former Federal Commissioner for Information. Another retired Major General, Ike Nwachukwu, will deliver the keynote speech.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum will host the event. He will be joined by the Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states. They will represent the states that were once part of Usman's administration. Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babagana Kingibe, will present the book. Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, is also expected to attend as a special guest.
The biography highlights how Usman built the foundation for the region's social, economic, educational, and healthcare systems. His vision during Nigeria’s early years created a legacy that still inspires governance today. The book also shares his humble beginnings and his quick rise through the military ranks, ending with his appointment as governor.
The book includes a foreword by former Head of State Yakubu Gowon. He praised Usman’s character. Gowon said, “Brigadier Musa Usman, who served as Governor of the North Eastern State, was known for his integrity and honesty. His administration achieved significant results, as evidenced by the substantial infrastructure present in the North East region of Nigeria today. He was responsible for investing in many of these developments.”
Former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar also reflected on Usman's career. He remembered how a young Major Usman was chosen to lead the Nigerian Air Force Station in Kaduna after the German experts left. Abdulsalami recalled, “The late Brigadier Musa Usman wasn’t my colleague; he was my boss. I was a cadet when the late Brigadier was posted to the Nigeria Air Force in Kaduna as Commandant. At the early stage of the air force, the authorities thought it necessary to bring a Nigerian officer to study the system under the command of the Germans to get the air force going… the authorities felt to bring an officer [Brigadier Musa Usman] to stabilize the system.”
To analyze Usman's life and his contributions, Abubakar Mohammed, the Director General of the Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, will review the book.
The event is free for everyone. Members of the public, students, academics, and media practitioners are invited to attend and honor the legacy of one of Nigeria’s important leaders.
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