Late Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno was Nigeria’s FIRST Minister of Petroleum and OPEC president but died with only one house, a house he obtained through loan of N40,000 (Instalmental payments) …..
He was also Minister of Air force (1965-66), minister of trade & power (1967-71) respectively.
in 1974 he wanted to build House in Maiduguri, He applied for N40,000 bank loan , the bank wanted a guarantor. He approached his boss, General Yakubu Gowon, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief, for a letter to this effect. Gowon refused, saying that it would amount to abuse of office for him to allow him take a loan to build the house .
Shettima mulled his options.
Julius Berger was already well established then. He approached them to build the house for him.
They agreed. On one condition:
Julius Berger would build the house and then rent it out for the number of years it would take to recover the N40,000 from his Salary .
Shettima agreed. That was how he built his bungalow in Maiduguri.
He was M.P in Borno state as of 1959, Education secretary and councilor for education, works and social welfare Borno, local Government 1959-65.
- Federal minister for Air Force and internal affair 1965-66,
- Federal commissioner for trade and industries 1967-71,
- Minister mines and power, petroleum and energy 1972-75.
- President of OPEC, 1972/1973.
He was Presidential Candidate during the Option A4 Elections in the early 1990s in Nigeria.
He was also a leader of Nigerian delegation to UNCAD II New Delhi in 1968 and member Nigerian delegation to United Nations for over 10 years.
He received keys to the cities of New York City , Louisville, Kentucky , USA; Quito, Ecuador; and Lima , Peru .
Yet he didn’t have the resources to build a house!.
He could only do it via a BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) arrangement with Julius Berger .
Why can we have such men in power today again?
The answer is known to you and I.
Meanwhile, adieu Shettima Ali Monguno!.
May God judge our leaders quickly!”..
Shettima Ali Monguno, CFR (1926 – 8 July 2016) was a Nigerian educationalist and politician, born 1926 in Monguno- Borno state. He attended Monguno primary school , Teacher’s College Bauchi and Katsina , college of arts, science and technology Zaria, Moray House college of education and the University of Edinburgh.
He died in Maiduguri on 8 July 2016….
may his soul rest in Peace
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