By Rayyanu Bala

There are certain things people say about others that may sound like ordinary compliments, but when you look closely, they reveal a great deal about the character of the person being discussed. One such observation was made by Dr. Aliyu Bello, Chairman of the APC in Nasarawa State, during the inauguration of the Presidential and Gubernatorial Campaign Council held last Tuesday at the Aliyu Akwe Banquet Hall, Lafia.

While speaking about his relationship with Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, Dr. Aliyu Bello made a rather interesting remark. He described their relationship as an age-long one but added that, despite their closeness, it was hardly possible for them to spend five minutes together without disagreeing over something. Interestingly, within that same five minutes, they would settle their differences, agree and move on as if nothing had happened.

To me, that statement says a lot about Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu.

What Dr. Aliyu Bello was trying to communicate, beyond the humour in his observation, that Wadada is a man who does not allow familiarity, friendship or closeness to prevent him from speaking his mind. You may be his friend, associate or someone he has known for years, but that does not mean you can say or do something he considers wrong and expect him to keep quiet simply because of your relationship.

If he disagrees with you, he will tell you. If he believes you are wrong, he will challenge you. He does not necessarily consider your closeness to him a reason to compromise his position on an issue.

But there is another interesting side to this character: once he has expressed his disagreement and made his point, he moves on. He does not carry the disagreement into the future, nor does he allow a moment of anger to define an otherwise cordial relationship. In many cases, he may not even remember the disagreement unless you bring it up again.

I am not saying this from a distance. I have had a personal experience that confirms what Dr. Aliyu Bello was saying.

There was a time I did something wrong to him, though inadvertently. Senator Wadada was in Abuja when he called me and expressed his displeasure in very strong terms. He said all sorts of things, and honestly, I became quite worried. His words stayed with me, and I felt the need to draw someone’s attention to what had happened.

However, when we later met in Lafia, something interesting happened. Wadada said to me in Hausa:

“Rayyanu, Ashe baka sanni ba. Ni ba na ɗaukar abubuwa marasa kyau gaba. Abubuwa masu kyau kawai nake ɗauka gaba.”

In other words, “Rayyanu, it appears you don’t know me. I don’t carry negative things forward; I only carry positive things forward.”

That statement made me understand something about him. Apparently, what I had continued to worry about was already behind him. He had expressed his mind, made his point and moved on. There was no bitterness to sustain, no grudge to nurture and no reason to allow yesterday’s disagreement to affect today’s relationship.

That, in my opinion, is one of the interesting aspects of Wadada’s personality.

Of course, one can argue that his greatest weakness, if it can be described as one, is his inability to conceal the truth as he sees it, even when that truth is unpleasant. Wadada is not the type who will tell you what you want to hear simply to make you comfortable. If he thinks something is wrong, he will say so. He can be blunt, direct and sometimes harsh in his choice of words.

This is perhaps why some people perceive him as being too harsh or not sufficiently respectful in his interactions. But I believe there is a need to distinguish between a person’s momentary expression of anger and his enduring attitude towards others.

Wadada can be very strong in expressing his disagreement, but that does not necessarily mean he holds anything against you. His harshness, in many instances, is momentary. Once he has said what is on his mind, he is ready to move on.

And perhaps this is what makes Dr. Aliyu Bello’s observation particularly significant. It takes a certain level of understanding to maintain a relationship with someone with whom you can disagree passionately within five minutes and still find a reason to agree and continue your relationship within that same five minutes.

Politics, especially, needs people who understand this distinction. Disagreement should not automatically translate into enmity. Being challenged should not be interpreted as being hated. And having an argument with someone should not mean the end of a friendship or political association.

For me, this is an important lesson from Wadada’s personality. He is someone who, as I have personally experienced, can tell you uncomfortable truths without necessarily allowing those disagreements to become issues between you and him.

As Nasarawa State continues to discuss the kind of leadership it desires in 2027, I believe these aspects of Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu’s personality are worth considering. A leader must be able to speak honestly, confront uncomfortable realities, question what is wrong and make difficult decisions when necessary.

Of course, Wadada is someone who is not afraid to speak the truth, who does not encourage unnecessary pretence and who can disagree without holding grudges.

Wadada is the kind of person who may disagree with you today, tell you exactly what he thinks, and still relate with you tomorrow as though nothing happened.

That is why I found Dr. Aliyu Bello’s account of Wadada both interesting and truthful. It reflects a personality that is straightforward, outspoken and, above all, willing to move beyond sentiments.

In my view, Nasarawa State needs a governor who is not afraid to speak plainly, confront issues directly and move forward without being imprisoned by personal grudges.

From my personal experience with him, Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu is undoubtedly a man whose character and personality embody the qualities of good leadership that Nasarawa State deserves.