To reciprocate the hand of fellowship extended to Katsina State and the North in general through rail projects and other infrastructural development, Chiemelie Ezeobi reports that the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, would soon be turbaned as the the ‘Dan Amanar Daura’, loosely translated to mean the ‘Trusted One of Daura’
Come Saturday, February 5, 2022, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi would be turbaned as the Dan Amanar Daura. The turbarning ceremony will take place at the palace of the Emir of Daura, Umar Farouq Umar.
His title, Dan Amana Daura which means ‘the trusted one of Daura’ was chosen to represent what Amaechi means to Katsina State and by extension, the North in general.
For those in the know, the honour was one well deserved given the level of development the minister had attracted to the state as well as the North, and by extension for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Some of the infrastructural development that influenced the honour was the monumental railway project that connects the North and most recently, the University of Transport sited at Daura.
Over the years, his love for the North has remained constant as is his staunch support for President Buhari. From being a two-time Director-General of Buhari’s Presidential campaign in 2015 and 2019, he was also first elected as Minister of Transportation in 2015 and reappointed in 2019.
For observers, the new title speaks volume on the esteem at which he is held in the president’s own state, a move political observers opine speaks volume about Amaechi’s place in President Buhari’s heart.
University of Transport
Touted as the first of its kind in Africa, the University of Transport in Daura is expected to bring rapid development to Nigeria’s transport sector and generate employment opportunities for Nigerians.
The university will, among other things, assist to build the capacity of Nigerian professionals, technicians and human resources in the transportation sector and also to fast-track technology transfer and Nigerian content in contracts, science, engineering and technology.
According to the minister, the project was part of the federal government’s efforts to develop qualified manpower that would manage the many railways facilities across the country and other transportation facilities.
The ground breaking ceremony for the project was performed by President Muhammadu on December 2, 2019 and according to the minister, the N18billion
( US$50million) university was gotten free of charge by the Chinese government as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
He further explained that the brain behind the university is to acquire technology needed to operate the railway system currently being built by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) when the Chinese withdraw.
Though not in the original plan, the minister also directed the contractors to include a primary and secondary school in the master plan to cater for schooling needs of children of families who will be working there.
Connecting the North
Another plus for the minister is how he connected the North through rail. Already, Portuguese construction company Mota-Engil has started working on the $1.8bn railway track that will link Nigeria and Niger in West Africa.
To kick it off, a ground-breaking ceremony was held at the site of a proposed station in Makira in Katsina State. When completed, it is expected that the North will be better off for it.
Also, according to the minister, construction of the 284 kilometres Nigeria-Maradi Standard Gauge Rail line will enable interconnectivity with countries in the West African sub-region for the promotion of trade and commerce.
The plan to begin linking the northern cities of Kano and Kaduna will be funded from the government budget while Chinese financing is awaited to boost it to completion.
Life Trajectory
To reach the height at which he is at now, his life’s trajectory began from his hometown in Ubima, Ikwerre in Rivers State.
According to Wikipedia, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was born on May 27, 1965. He previously served in Rivers State as Governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015 and Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2007.
Amaechi, who holds the national honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), belongs to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He had his early education at St Theresa’s Primary School from 1970 to 1976 and earned his West African Senior School Certificate in 1982 after attending Government Secondary School Okolobiri.
Amaechi received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Honours) in English Studies and Literature from the University of Port Harcourt in 1987, where he was the President of the National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS).
He completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps in 1988, and thereafter joined Pamo Clinics and Hospitals Limited owned by Peter Odili, where he worked until 1992. He also a director of several companies, including West Africa Glass Industry Limited and Risonpalm Nigeria Limited.
His incursion into politics began during the transition to the Third Nigerian Republic as he was Secretary of the National Republican Convention in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Between 1992 and 1994, he was Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili – his boss believed in Amaechi as a young man with potential in politics, and brought him under his wing.
In 1996, he was the Rivers State’s Secretary of the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) caretaker committee during the transition programme of General Sani Abacha.
In 1999, he contested and won a seat to become a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly to represent his constituency.
He was subsequently elected as the Speaker of the House of Assembly. Amaechi was elected the Chairman of Nigeria’s Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies. In May 2003, he was re-elected as the Speaker.
In 2007, Amaechi contested and won the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) primary for Rivers State Governor in 2007. His name was substituted by the party, an action which he challenged in court. The case eventually got to the Supreme Court. He became governor on October 26, 2007, after the Supreme Court ruled that he was the rightful candidate of the PDP and winner of the April 2007 Governorship election in Rivers State.
He was re-elected for a second term on 26 April 2011.
In 2015, following Muhammadu Buhari’s election, Amaechi was appointed to his cabinet as Federal Minister of Transportation. In July 2019, he was re-nominated for ministerial appointment.
With the forthcoming conferment of the royal title by the Daura Emirate as a mark of honour and reward for his outstanding services, the people of Daura through the Emir have spoken loud and clear of their respect and appreciation of Amaechi, the ‘Dan Amana of Daura Kingdom’.
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“His title, Dan Amana Daura which means ‘the trusted one of Daura’ was chosen to represent what Amaechi means to Katsina State and by extension, the North in general”
