I was billed to travel out of Nigeria on Friday, July 1, instant, but such is the influence of Rotarian Yusuf Alli, managing editor, northern operations, of The Nation newspapers on me and thousands of other media professionals that when he called to inform me of his impending investiture as the 11th president of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, I immediately decided to postpone the trip to enable me attend the event in person.
If I am asked to mention only three persons, apart from one’s parents, that I regard as the best human beings I have come across in my over five decades sojourn on Planet Earth, Yusuf Alli’s name is going to feature prominently. He is our go-to personality in the Nigerian media landscape, and Yusuf is always there for anyone that approaches him for one help, guidance or the other.
There is this story I always tell about my magical victory in the biennial election of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Lagos five years ago. I was contesting for the post of deputy president, having served earlier for two terms as the vice-president of this apex organisation for the profession of journalism in Nigeria. Under normal circumstances, and based on the tradition of the NGE, my election should have been seamless, as I was just rounding off a tenure as VP.
But some powers-that-be thought otherwise and decided to serve as clogs in the wheels of progress. They sponsored another formidable editor to confront and defeat me in the election. Alli saw the clear injustice and decided, in concert with very many editors, to resist it. He and four others led my campaign and ensured I emerged victorious, even though it would have been a lot more convenient for them to go by the dictates of these men of power that wanted someone else.
It was time to prove who was principled and who was not. In spite of all kinds of pressure for him to abandon me to what was thought as my ill fate, Alli clung on to me, even when it looked like I was all set for an embarrassing defeat. He helped me win that election to become the second highest ranking editor in the NGE.
Anyone following Alli’s life will see a man of very deep conviction who does not and cannot just follow the crowd because it is the fashionable thing to do. As of today, and I know he will in his trademark humility object to this, there is hardly any editor in Nigeria that draws as much influence as Alli, not just because of his deep professionalism but also because of his uncommon honesty and unimpeachable integrity.
So, it was with high expectations that I got set for the investiture. Three days to the time, I received a call from a very eminent jurist of distinction, Justice Olukayode Ola Ogunjobi, of the Lagos High Court, informing me he was attending the investiture to honour Alli. It was with this great jurist who I consider a true leader and guide that I attended the ceremony in Abuja.
The investiture was chaired by a former governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima, who a few days later was chosen by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2023 presidential election. Incidentally, Shettima was one of very few governors I did not get to meet in person throughout his tenure of office in Maiduguri Government House. But on that day, he was there in person, carrying no airs, and until he was introduced, not everyone knew such an important personality was in attendance. Alli obviously asked Shettima to serve as chairman on the occasion because he shares so many rare qualities as him, not least of which is honestly, loyalty, integrity and dedication.
From one speaker to the other, Alli’s virtues were extolled to high heavens. Former Governor Shettima, now a senator of the Federal Republic, said what all of us gathered at the occasion already knew, which was that Yusuf Alli’s life is a study in dedicated professionalism, service, and a deep sense of duty, adding that “these were the essential building blocks of the life Rotarian Yusuf Alli has lived over several decades as a journalist par excellence.”
“Today, he has been recognised as a leading authority in investigative journalism in our country. His colleagues, from far and near, recognise the incredible hard work he puts into every story he pursues and the excellent quality of his outputs in the professional field. If all that Rotarian Yusuf Alli has done in life is the exemplary service that he has given to journalism in our country, we would be forgiven to conclude that he has done enough for a lifetime.
“But here we are today to witness his investiture as the 11th president of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama. I think the lesson to draw from that is that Yusuf Alli is very dedicated to community good, not only in journalism. By reaching the height he has attained today, as the 11th president of a body like the Rotary Club, we can similarly underscore the fact that his dedication to community good reaches beyond his calling as a journalist,” Shettima said.
In his acceptance speech, Alli categorically said that, if this country and its teeming populace were to embrace the ideals of Rotary, 80 per cent of the nation’s problems would be solved because “Rotary promotes the truth; it pursues fairness; it builds goodwill and better friendships.”
Rotarian Yusuf Alli appreciated the rare privilege offered him to be in the driver’s seat of the Rotary Club, Abuja Maitama, adding that he has never aspired to lead.
“All I wanted was to serve in my little way. I came from a family with a deep passion for service and giving. I also married from a family which loves to share and give. So, I saw myself only living up to type in the Rotary Club.
“It does not look extraordinary. I need to explain this to clear doubts about my resilience for service in the Rotary Club. As long as I serve humanity, I do not expect anything in return. If I have my way, I will recommend that all Nigerians should join Rotary International, an organisation with 1.4 million members all over the world.
“If we live in a world with respect for our diversity; if we place priority on equity; and if inclusion is our lot, the world will be better for all of us. Nigerians, especially our leaders, should learn from Rotary International to overcome our problems. We need to respect our diversity, uphold equity and justice and provide opportunities for all.
“Unless all Nigerians have equal access to basic needs, we won’t be able to make it as a nation. We have abundant human resources, but our souls are weak and malfunctioning. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? This is a food for thought for all of us.”
The Rotary Foundation, founded more than 100 years ago, has spent more than $4 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects. “The Rotary Foundation helps Rotary members to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty. What impact can one donation have? For as little as 60 cents, a child can be protected from polio.
“$50 can provide clean water to help fight waterborne illness. $500 can launch an anti-bullying campaign and create a safe environment for children.”
Even with the very busy nature of Rotarian Yusuf Ali’s work as a leading editor of distinction, the next one year of his stewardship promises to be great for the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama. It is bound to attract more credible membership and most importantly, funding for more human-angle projects.