Ahmadu Ali
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ahmadu Ali | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the PDP National Working Committee | |
| In office 2005–2007 | |
| Preceded by | Audu Ogbeh |
| Succeeded by | Vincent Ogbulafor |
| Minister of Education | |
| In office 1975–1978 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1936 |
| Awards | Commander of the Order of the Niger |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Nigeria |
| Branch/service |  Nigerian Army |
| Years of service | 1963–1979 |
| Rank |  Colonel[1] |
| Battles/wars | Nigerian Civil War |
Ahmadu Adah Ali // ⓘ (born 1 March 1936) is a retired Nigerian military officer, a physician and a politician. He was born in Idah, Igala Kingdom.[2] Ali served as the Deputy Director of Army Medical Services and Chief Consulting Physician of the Military Hospital, Kaduna. In 1973, he became the first Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, a position he held until 1975 when he was appointed Minister of Education. He served also as Chairman of the PDP National Working Committee from 2005 to 2007.[3][4]
Ali was born to Mallam Ukuteno Ali Anaja, a member of the ruling house of Attah of Igala and Hajiya Aideko Maimuna. He attended Dekina primary school and then Okene middle school. Following the death of his father, Ali was sponsored through school by the Attah of Igala. He had his basic education in Idah and went on to secondary school in Zaria (now Barewa College) in 1949. He graduated from Barewa College in 1954 with the best O'Level results of that year.[5] He proceeded to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology Zaria for his GCE A Levels.[6] He was an active student unionist and became the general secretary of National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS).
He gained admission into University College Ibadan to study Medicine. His unionism influenced national politics; As the NUNS secretary of University College Ibadan, he formed a club which invited Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and Premier of the Northern Region, to give a public lecture at the Trenchard Hall of the University of Ibadan. This lecture stirred Southern support for Ahmadu Bello.[6] Speaking on his experience at Ibadan, Ali said “Ibadan has meant everything to me. It has helped to shape my life in a very long way. That Ibadan provided me with meal ticket is not as important as what it stands for in my life. I not only passed through the portals of the University, the University also passed through me! Ibadan defined who I am and what I would become.”[6]