Aminu Kano: A Women’s Rights Champion Who Picked Nigeria’s First Female Running Mate

The notion that Northern Nigeria opposes women in politics is unfounded as the region boasts of a trailblazer.

Late Mallam Aminu Kano, a Northern political giant, proved the naysayers wrong in the build up to the 1983 general elections under the Federal Electoral Commission of Nigeria (FEDECO).

The Presidential candidate of the defunct People’s Redemption Party (PRP) made a decision that jolted many and redefined the position of women in Nigerian politics.

Radical choice

The radical, vocal, critical opposition leader, teacher, poet, and playwright from Kano, surprisingly picked a female running mate, Mrs Bola Ogunbo from Western Nigeria, landing a punch on the liberalism of other political bigwigs. That was the first time a woman was selected as a vice-presidential candidate in the history of the country by a major Presidential candidate.

However, unfortunately, Mallam Aminu couldn’t participate in the presidential election as he died on April 17, 1983, a few months into the general elections. His ticket was handed over to his ally late Khalifa Hassan Yusuf. Yusuf and other political party candidates were defeated by the incumbent president Shehu Shagari with 48% of the total votes.

Early Life and Education

On August 9, 1920, Mallam Aminu Kano was born in the Sudawa ward in Kano State. He was a Fulani man and his parents were Rakaiya and Mallam Yusufu of the Gyanawa who were known for their Islamic scholarship and grounded in Islamic Law. Rakaiya gave birth six times but Aminu Kano was the only one to reach the age of 15 and the most successful in the family.

His first teachers were his mother and grandmother and he learned how to read and recite the holy Qur’an from them. After his mother passed on, he lived with his uncle Halilu who sponsored his Quranic education. A few years later, he was enrolled into Shehuci Primary School and later Kano Middle School before he was admitted to Kaduna College.

After securing a diploma in education at the Kaduna College now Barewa College, Mallam Aminu Kano furthered his education abroad at the prestigious University of London, Institute of Education where he was conferred a teaching certificate. In London, his idea of an ideal society was inspired by the works of Harold Laski, George Bernard Shaw, and Karl Mannheim.

Political Career

Mallam Aminu Kano: A Towering Figure in Nigerian Politics
Mallam Aminu Kano was a leading voice in Nigerian politics, known for his leftist ideology and vocal criticism of colonial and military regimes. He co-founded the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) and served in the Northern Region House of Assembly before becoming a federal lawmaker. Aminu Kano also formed the Northern Progressive Front (NPF) and strongly opposed the Northern People’s Congress (NPC).

A key architect of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Aminu Kano was a national leader and contested the 1978 presidential election against Shehu Shagari, though unsuccessfully. In 1983, he was to run for president again, this time with the historic choice of a female running mate, Mrs. Bola Ogunbo. Tragically, Aminu Kano passed away on April 17, 1983, just months before the election.

Famous Political Quote

Until his death, Aminu Kano was an unapologetic voice against oppressors and unpretentious in championing the cause of the commoners. One of his political quotes reads: “That this antagonism can be abolished only by the emancipation of the “talakawa” from the domination of these conduits, by the reform of the present autocratic political Institutions into Democratic Institutions and placing their democratic control in the hands of the “Talakawa” for whom alone they exist.”

Projects Named After Him

Since Mallam Aminu Kano passed on April 17, 1983, several projects have been named after him in appreciation of his exemplary leadership and key role in Nigeria’s independence. Some of the projects include Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Aminu Kano College of Education, Aminu Kano Community Commercial College, Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Studies, and the Aminu Kano College of Islamic Studies among others .

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