By Dalhat Hassan Dalhat A nephew and a mentee of the late Alhaji Maccido Dalhatu, CON There are some people whose lives are remembered not merely because of the offices they occupied but because of the difference they made in the lives of others and in the institutions they served. Alhaji Maccido Dalhatu, CON, was […]
By Dalhat Hassan Dalhat
A nephew and a mentee of the late Alhaji Maccido Dalhatu, CON
There are some people whose lives are remembered not merely because of the offices they occupied but because of the difference they made in the lives of others and in the institutions they served. Alhaji Maccido Dalhatu, CON, was one such person.
Born in Zaria in 1933, Maccido devoted his life to public service and left an indelible mark on the administrative history of Kaduna State and Nigeria. His was an extraordinary career, spanning some of the most formative periods in the political and administrative development of Northern Nigeria. He rose through the civil service to become a Permanent Secretary, Secretary to the Military Government (SMG), the first indigenous Secretary to the Kaduna State Government and Head of Service, and later a Minister for States and Local Government Affairs. During the transition programme of the Babangida administration, he subsequently served as Secretary for States and Local Government Affairs. He had worked under many military Governors, including Air Marshall Ibrahim Alpha, Group Captain Usman Jibril, among others.
He died on 6 March 2012 at the age of 79, while receiving medical attention at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria. He was buried in Zaria, the city of his birth.
Early Life and Education
Maccido Dalhatu was born in Zaria in 1933 and received his secondary education at the renowned Government College, Zaria, popularly known as Barewa College. He belonged to a remarkable generation of young Nigerians who passed through Barewa College and went on to occupy important positions in Nigeria’s military, civil service, politics, diplomacy and other spheres of national life. It was a generation that came of age at a defining moment in Nigeria’s history. The country was moving towards independence, and there was a growing need for Nigerians who could take responsibility for the administration of the emerging nation. Maccido was one of those Nigerians. The education, discipline and exposure he received at Barewa College provided a solid foundation for the distinguished career that followed.
A Remarkable Rise in the Civil Service
Maccido rose steadily through the Northern Nigerian public service. By 1973, he had attained the position of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, North-Central State. The Nigeria Year Book 1973 records his name as “Mallam Macido Dalhat” in that capacity. He served during the administration of Brigadier Abba Kyari, the Military Governor of North-Central State. His contemporaries in the senior administrative establishment included prominent figures such as Umaru Dikko, Sani Zangon Daura, Garba Ja-Abdulkadir, Gidado Idris and Hassan Rafin Dadi, among others. Being a Permanent Secretary was no small responsibility. The Permanent Secretary was the professional head of a ministry and was expected to provide stability, experience and institutional memory, particularly at a time when political leadership could change abruptly. The professional civil service served as an important buffer between political transitions and the continuing machinery of government. Maccido’s steady rise demonstrated the confidence placed in his competence and judgement.
An Extraordinary Display of Courage and Professional Integrity
One of the most remarkable accounts of Maccido’s character as a civil servant is contained in the autobiography of Alhaji Abbas Dabo Sambo titled, My Life and Public Service Career. Sambo was himself a Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in the North-Central State civil service. His account is particularly important because it provides a first-hand account of an incident involving Maccido and the Military Governor, Brigadier Abba Kyari.
The incident occurred during a meeting of the State Executive Council. According to Sambo, the Governor asked Maccido, who was then Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, about the posting of a female teacher to Funtua Secondary School. The school was reportedly short of English teachers.
The request had apparently originated from some Katsina indigenes who had approached the government after they were unable to get Maccido to act on the matter. When the issue came up, Maccido explained that there was an established procedure for such postings. The Principal of the school was expected to make the request to the Ministry, while the Chief Inspector of Education had the responsibility of ensuring that schools were adequately staffed.
Maccido’s position was that it would create confusion in the administration of the Ministry if the Governor began directing the posting of particular officers to particular schools without following the established procedure. The Governor nevertheless insisted that he was directing Maccido to post the lady.
Maccido’s response was brief and unequivocal:
“I will not.”
The response was remarkable, particularly considering the person to whom it was addressed. According to Sambo, the Governor became angry, got up and began to walk out of the Executive Council Chamber.
It was at this point that Alhaji Mamman Nasir, the Attorney-General, intervened. He followed the Governor and urged him to return and close the meeting in the proper manner. The Governor returned to the Chamber, sat down and formally declared the meeting closed. The matter did not end there. The Governor subsequently asked Mamman Nasir to remain behind for a short meeting. Nasir reportedly considered the incident unfortunate and expressed the view that such a situation should not happen again. A meeting of senior officials was therefore proposed for later that evening, at about 9pm., to discuss the matter and find a way of ensuring the smooth functioning of government. The meeting was to be chaired by the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Baba Jimeta.
Abbas Dabo Sambo was present at that meeting and participated in the discussion. In his contribution, he referred to the Code of Procedure of the Northern Nigeria Government, which provided guidance on the relationship between Ministers or Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and other civil servants.
The importance of this account cannot be overstated. It provides a remarkable insight into Maccido’s understanding of public service. His refusal was not simply an act of defiance. He was standing by an established administrative procedure and the professional responsibility attached to his office as Permanent Secretary. This was a period when military governors exercised considerable authority, and it would have been easier for a Permanent Secretary to simply comply with a direct instruction. Maccido chose otherwise.
His position demonstrated his understanding that the civil service had rules and procedures that needed to be respected. The professional civil service was expected to provide continuity and serve as a buffer between political authority and the permanent machinery of government.
The incident therefore says much about the man Maccido was. It demonstrates courage, discipline, confidence and a deep sense of responsibility. It also shows that he was prepared to defend what he believed to be the proper administrative procedure, even when doing so meant disagreeing directly with the Governor. For me, this account is one of the most important historical references to Maccido’s character as a public servant.
Source: Abbas Dabo Sambo, My Life and Public Service Career, pp. 123–124.
Secretary to the Military Government
Maccido subsequently became Secretary to the Military Government (SMG) of North-Central State. This was one of the most influential administrative positions in the state. The SMG was at the centre of government business, working closely with the Military Governor, commissioners and senior civil servants.
In an environment of changing political leadership, the professional civil service served as an important buffer between political transitions and the continuing machinery of government. Experienced administrators such as Maccido provided the institutional memory and continuity needed to keep government functioning.
His appointment to this position was therefore a recognition of his experience and capacity.
The Creation of Kaduna State
The creation of new states in 1976 brought another major turning point. North-Central State was reorganised, and Kaduna State emerged from the restructuring. Maccido was among the experienced administrators who helped provide continuity during this important transition. He subsequently served as Secretary to the Military Government of Kaduna State.
A World Bank archival record from the period identifies “Alhaji Macido Dalhat” as Secretary to the Military Government.
The new Kaduna State needed experienced hands who understood the workings of government and could help establish an effective administrative structure. Maccido was one of those hands. His contribution during this period formed an important part of the foundation upon which the Kaduna State public service would continue to develop.
Kaduna’s First Indigenous Secretary to the State Government and Head of Service
Maccido later attained another historic distinction by becoming the first indigenous Secretary to the Kaduna State Government and Head of Service.
This was a significant achievement in the history of the newly created state. The position of Secretary to the State Government is central to the coordination of government affairs. The SSG works across ministries and departments to ensure that government decisions are properly coordinated and implemented. As Head of Service, Maccido was also at the apex of the professional civil service. He therefore played an important role in shaping the administrative foundations of Kaduna State at a formative stage of its development.
His former schoolmate and contemporary, the late Alhaji Sani Katsina, later recalled him in this capacity and described him as Kaduna’s first indigenous SSG.
This was another remarkable stage in Maccido’s career. He was not merely occupying an important office; he was part of the generation that helped establish the administrative structure of the new Kaduna State.
A Man Successive Governments Could Rely On
One of the remarkable features of Maccido’s career was that his experience continued to be valued by successive administrations. In 1984, during the administration of Air Commodore Usman Mu’azu, he was appointed Chairman of the Kaduna State Capital Projects Review Committee. The committee was tasked with reviewing the state’s capital projects, including their locations, commencement dates, original estimates and revised costs.
The assignment reflected the confidence placed in his experience and judgement. It also demonstrated that his value to government extended beyond the particular offices he had occupied. His knowledge of administration remained useful long after he had served at the highest levels of the civil service.
From Kaduna to the Federal Government
Maccido’s distinguished career eventually took him to the Federal Government. Under General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, he was appointed Minister for States and Local Government Affairs.
The appointment was particularly fitting given his extensive experience in state administration. Having spent much of his career at the heart of state government, Maccido understood the practical realities of administration at the sub-national level. He also understood the relationship between political leadership and the professional civil service. His federal appointment represented the culmination of decades of administrative experience. During General Babangida’s transition programme, the structure and nomenclature of the Federal Government underwent significant changes. The political heads of government departments who had previously been designated Ministers were redesignated Secretaries under the Transitional Council. Maccido consequently became Secretary for States and Local Government Affairs.
The change in title did not mean that he had moved to a different portfolio. It was part of the broader restructuring of the Federal Government during the transition period.
Contemporary records distinguish his position from that of Secretary of State for States and Local Government Affairs, a position held by Mrs. Emily Imoukhuede. This distinction is important because the change in nomenclature has sometimes led to confusion in subsequent accounts of his career.
His Contemporaries
Maccido’s career brought him into contact with some of the most influential Nigerians of his generation. During his years in North-Central State, his contemporaries included Brigadier Abba Kyari, Umaru Dikko, Garba Ja-Abdulkadir, Abdulrahman Nakano Rafindadi, Sani Zangon Daura, Gidado Idris and Hassan Rafin Dadi, among others.
At the federal level during the Babangida transition, he served alongside prominent Nigerians including General Sani Abacha, Bello Kirfi, Aminu Saleh, Uche Chukwumerije, Clement Akpamgbo, Umaru Baba, Laraba Dagash, Philip Asiodu, Francis Oji, Air Vice Marshal Nura Imam, Hassan Hadeja, Barnabas Gemade and Emily Imoukhuede. He was also connected to an extraordinary generation of Barewa College alumni who would go on to occupy some of the most important positions in Nigeria.
Beyond the Titles
It is easy, when writing about a public servant of Maccido’s stature, to concentrate on his impressive list of appointments. But there was a man behind the titles. Those who knew him personally remembered him as an experienced administrator, an elder and a person whose advice was valued. He belonged to a generation of public servants who regarded public office as a responsibility rather than merely a privilege.
For many who encountered him, Maccido represented qualities that are sometimes difficult to preserve in public life: discipline, humility, wisdom, integrity, restraint and a deep sense of duty.
The account recorded by Abbas Dabo Sambo provides a remarkable illustration of these qualities. It shows that Maccido’s commitment to administrative propriety was not merely an attribute ascribed to him by family members or admirers after his death. It was demonstrated in the course of his public service, in a difficult encounter with the highest political authority in the state. These qualities, perhaps more than any official title, explain why his memory has endured.
His Death and Funeral On 6 March 2012, Maccido died at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, while receiving medical attention. He was 79 years old. His death was widely mourned in Zaria, Kaduna and beyond. Members of his family, former colleagues, senior public servants, political leaders, traditional figures, professionals, friends and associates from different stages of his life came together to mourn him and pay their respects.
Among those who publicly paid tribute to him was the then Sokoto State Givernor, Aliyu Magatagarda Wamakko, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, then Speaker of the House of Representatives. Leadership Newspaper reported his tribute under the headline “Tambuwal Extols Dalhat’s Virtues, Preaches Peace.” The then Governor of Kaduna State, the late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, also paid a condolence visit to the family home on Jabi Road, GRA, Kaduna.
His funeral and the condolence visits that followed demonstrated the breadth of relationships he had built throughout his life. He was eventually laid to rest in Zaria.
Yahaya Mahmood, SAN, and the Family’s Loss
The loss was deeply felt within his immediate and extended family. The late Yahaya Mahmood, SAN, who was Maccido’s son-in-law, spoke about his death and the loss suffered by the family.
Such personal recollections provide an important complement to the official record of his career. They remind us that the man who occupied senior government positions was also a father, father-in-law, uncle, elder, friend and mentor.
A Personal and Family Connection
My connection to Maccido Dalhatu was both familial and personal. My father, the Cigarin Zazzau, Alhaji Hassan Dalhatu, was a sibling of the late Alhaji Maccido Dalhatu. I therefore had the privilege of knowing Maccido not only as an uncle but also as a mentor whose wisdom, experience and counsel had a meaningful influence on me.
His death was also a profound loss to my father who is presently the last surviving child of their father, and the passing of Maccido was therefore much more than the loss of a brother. It was the loss of another important link to their shared childhood, family history and generation. For my father, Maccido’s death marked the departure of a sibling and one of the last remaining companions of the family generation into which they were born.
For me, the loss was equally personal. I was privileged to benefit from Maccido’s guidance as a nephew and mentee. I saw in him qualities that went beyond the impressive positions he held: wisdom, composure, humility, discipline, generosity and a strong sense of responsibility.
His influence on me remains indelible. I am therefore writing this account not simply as a historical appreciation of a distinguished public servant, but also as a personal tribute to an uncle and mentor whose life left a lasting impression on me.
A Name Immortalised in Kaduna
Perhaps one of the most fitting tributes to Maccido came a decade after his death. In 2022, the then Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, named the Kaduna State Secretariat after him as part of the renaming of important public facilities in honour of distinguished citizens. The decision was particularly meaningful because Maccido had been the first indigenous Secretary to the Kaduna State Government and Head of Service.
The Secretariat was the very kind of institution in which he had spent a significant part of his professional life. It now bears the name Maccido Dalhat State Secretariat Complex. There is something profoundly appropriate about this.
A man who devoted his working life to the organisation, coordination and administration of government now has his name permanently attached to the administrative centre of the state he helped to build. The honour is both remarkable and fitting.
A Life Worth Remembering
Maccido Dalhatu’s life coincided with some of the most important changes in Nigeria’s history. He witnessed the transformation from the Northern Region to North-Central State, the creation and development of Kaduna State, and the continuing evolution of Nigeria’s federal system.
He served at both state and federal levels and worked through different administrations. He was a Permanent Secretary. He was Secretary to the Military Government. He became the first indigenous Secretary to the Kaduna State Government and Head of Service. He chaired an important state review committee. He became a Minister of the Federal Republic and later a Secretary under the Babangida transition.
Yet his greatest achievement may be something that cannot easily be captured by a list of titles: he earned the trust of successive governments and the respect of the people with whom he worked.
The testimony of Abbas Dabo Sambo adds another important dimension to this legacy. It shows Maccido not simply as an office-holder, but as a public servant who understood that the strength of government depends upon institutions, procedures and professional responsibility.
His willingness to stand by those principles, even in a difficult encounter with the Governor, provides a powerful example of the character of the man behind the titles.
That kind of reputation is not conferred by office. It is earned over a lifetime.
And that is why the life and legacy of Alhaji Maccido Dalhatu, CON, deserve to be remembered.
