Lebanese eyes Senate seat  
Thursday, January 18, 2007

Engr. Abbas Hajaig? That name may not ring an instant bell in the ears of many Nigerians. But in Jigawa State and environs, as well as the Nigerian business community, it is a household name. An engineer by profession, his company has a reputation of delivering jobs undertaken on schedule.

But this is not what stands Abbas out: he is Lebanese by birth, and Nigerian by naturalisation. And now, having made positive strides in the business world, Abbas has thrown his hat into the political fray.

He wants to be a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In fact, he is the PDP senatorial candidate for Jigawa Central Senatorial District. At the PDP retreat for all its candidates, Abbas was the cynosure: A Lebanese-Nigerian running for the nation’s Upper Legislative House?

If Abbas clinches the prestigious seat, he will certainly be making history as the first immigrant Nigerian to be elected senator, a no mean achievement.

Nigeria would also be joining the enviable rank of advanced democracies, including the United States of America, which has produced immigrant leaders in all spheres of life including the governorship. For example, the talented actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the present governor of California, the largest state in America, is himself an immigrant from Austria. Senator Barrack Obama of Illinois is also an immigrant from Kenya. Carlos Saul Menem who ruled Argentina from 1989 to 1999 is the son of an Arab immigrant from Syria.

Abbas draws inspiration from the stories of these men in his dream of achieving his senatorial ambition. If it happened in other places, it should happen here, he says. “We must show to other parts of the world that Nigeria’s democracy has come of age. I believe this (his election) will no doubt go a long way in showcasing our democracy to the world as having given the chance to our naturalised citizens to exercise their rights as bona fide Nigerians.”

Born September 25, 1961 in Nigeria, Abbas attended BirninKudu Central Primary School, 1967-1972; Government Secondary School, (Now Government College) BirninKudu 1972-1977; Kaduna Polytechnic 1977-1980; Kaduna Polytechnic 1980-1982 (HND). He eventually went for his NYSC programme in Calabar, Cross River State in 1982/1983. He also holds computer certificate of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.

Abbas, who speaks flawless Hausa, tells you that he has no other country but Nigeria. And at a time many Nigerians are giving up on their country, he rhapsodises about the goodness in our land.

“Whatever anybody says, this is a great country. I love Nigeria, everybody who knows me knows this. I believe in our country.

This is the only country I know. I was born here, I have always lived here amongst the people. I do my business here, I have my house here. I can count the number of times I have been to Lebanon. This is the home I know.”

Tracing the family’s sojourn in Nigeria, Abbas revealed that his forbears have always been part of the Jigawa community as far back as to the World War 11.

His words: “My late father, Abduljalil Hajaig, came to Nigeria soon after the World War II. This was after his decommissioning from the French Army having actively served as a Legionnaire. He sailed along the West African Coast and settled in Western Nigeria, namely Abeokuta and Ibadan in the old Western Region. He moved to Kano in 1954 and finally settled at Birnin Kudu (in present Jigawa State) in 1959. He applied and was duly naturalised as a citizen in 1975. Naturally, after attaining the age of 18, I applied for mine and got the approval in 1990.”

There is something interesting about Abbas and the Hajaig family. Having been brought up at Birnin Kudu, the family have over the years been holding the traditional title of the Zanna of Birnin Kudu.

“This started with my late brother, Hassan Hajaig and after his death the title was transferred to me. This is no doubt in recognition of our contribution to the development of our community with which we fully identify at all times and on all occasions as true sons of the community.

Our late father was one of the closest persons to the late Sarkin Kudu Yakubu and was involved in the final movement of BirninKudu from the old town (Tsohon Gari) to the present location. This can be confirmed from the whole chapter dedicated to my family in the book Tarihin BirninKudu (The History of Birnin Kudu).”

On his motivation to seek electoral office, Abbas says his desire to give back to society what it has given him, is his major driving force.

“As to what motivated me to offer myself to serve despite the modest success I have recorded in business, it is the fact that having been a beneficiary of free primary, free secondary and even enjoyed scholarship award at college level, I am of the belief that the best way to pay back to the community that played a major role in making me what I am, is to come out and serve fully in the collective effort of improving our people’s lot.

Secondly, the current reform programme of the government, the absolute war against corruption and the recognition accorded people with commitment to improve the welfare of the people is the driving force behind people like me and others with similar ideas to offer themselves to the service of the people. You see, there is no justification any more for people to sit on the fence and criticize those in leadership position. Anyone who has something to offer in the collective effort of reducing poverty in the land, to move the country forward, to help achieve the president’s Vision 20-20 should please come out.

The vision 20-20 is a global target and should be seen as such. We have realised that other countries will not be waiting for us to be among the 20 most industrialised nations by 20-20. They also have their agenda.”

You can’t leave Abbas without asking him his view about the negative perception of the Lebanese in Nigeria. Are the Lebanese dishonest as generally believed? He says it won’t be right to classify every Lebanese, Indian, Nigerian or any other country as bad. Just as there are bad Lebanese, there are equally good ones.

“You see, it is not fair to group any national of any country as dishonest,” he argues. “If you look at Nigeria, there are so many foreign nationals who have been here for over a century and contributing meaningfully to the economy and by extension to the wellbeing of our people. Many of them have naturalised and have sincerely adopted Nigeria as their first home. Such people as Faysal Khalil, Mohammed Ali Fadlallah, the Moukarims, the Solomons, the Dayekhs, the Hajaigs, the Shours, the Lababidis, the Leventis, the Aswanis and more numerous to mention have impacted positively in their fields of businesses.”

Asked to comment on the recent policy retreat by the PDP for its elected candidates, the senatorial candidate says: “It has afforded me the opportunity to know the country better. A lot of statistics were made available to participants in preparing them for leadership roles. But what I found interesting is the question of party loyalty and discipline that is desirable for any party to serve the mandate given it by the electorate. Political parties all over the world are established on philosophies as enshrined in their manifesto. So, it is mandatory to such a party to implement the programmes upon which it was elected. And the only way to achieve this is by getting all its elected representatives to ensure full compliance with the party leadership’s directives.”

Abbas is confident that at the April polls, he will coast home to victory, all things being equal. As one analyst of our national politics puts it: Engr. Abbas Hajaig has opened a new chapter in our politics and we should from this point look forward to people who have adopted our country as theirs to come out and contribute meaningfully to our development.

The candidate says: “It is my desire to eventually fly the PDP’s flag for the Jigawa Central Senatorial District and subsequently win the seat for the party.”

Robot  Villager

# 1 Lebanese eyes Senate seat Thursday, January 18, 2007 ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 18.01.2007 16:43

planet1899  Villager

# 2 If it materalizes, it is good and will be well deserved and hope that he can uplift his people....point of correction ---Barack Obama is not an immigrant from Kenya. He was born in Hawaii to an immigrant (studentg) Kenyan father and a white American mother from Kansas. An immigrant is someone who wasn't born in the US. Posted by planet1899| 18.01.2007 16:56

bababoyz  Villager

# 3 According to the stated place of birth in this article, he is a Nigerian by birth and not Lebanese as erroneously stated in the first paragraph by the writer. It is a welcome development and I sincerely hope he wins based on his political manifesto and not because of his color. Posted by bababoyz| 18.01.2007 17:27

planet1899  Villager

# 4 Beingt bo9rn in Nigeria to foreign parents doesnot make one a Nigerian otherwise he would not have taken citizenship in 1990 as the article stated. His parents became Nigerian citizens in 1975 and he was born in 1961 therefore his parents were not Nigerians citizens when he was born. _______________________________________ All those born on Planet1899 become automatic citizens of the greatest planet on earth.... Posted by planet1899| 18.01.2007 17:34

MrOneNaija  Villager

# 5 GOOD MATERIAL(?), WRONG PARTY! If this guy is truly what the newspaper hagiography on him indicates, we must commend his achievements as a good and worthy citizen of Nigeria. There is nothing unusual about that. That said, I hasten to add that he has chosen a wrong platform to launch his political ambition and as such deserves to be roundly defeated in the April polls. His political choices are suspect, to say the least. Of all the parties, this individual decides to opt for the sinister outfit called the PDP. The PDP is today synonymous with everything that is wrong with Nigeria - lawlessness, brigandage, banditry, brazen undemocratic practices, corruption, thuggery, assassinations, harassment of opponents, the muzzling of the media, atrocities against innocent, unarmed civilians like in Odi, Zaki-Biam and surrounding villages, indiscipline, criminal impunity as symbolized by its supreme owner, the tyrant from Ota called Obasanjo and his confederates in the likes of Bode George, Ahmadu Ali, Adedibu, Andy and Chris Uba, Anenih, etc. And as if to add salt to injury, the senator wannabe is parroting that deeply egregious rant about a so-called reform agenda of the Obasanjo kleptocracy. It is public knowledge that the reform scam is a cover for the illegal and criminal transfer of national assets into the hands of Obasanjo and his acolytes. Wanting to join the likes of Obasanjo on the Nigerian gravy train cannot in good conscience be regarded as something to cheer for. Posted by MrOneNaija| 18.01.2007 18:22

Naija for life  Villager

# 6 Anybody who is not an indigenous Nigerian, anybody who does not claim Nigeria as his or her ancestral land should be barred from holding elected office in Nigeria. I don't care how long he has lived in Nigeria, or whether his parents are Nigerian citizens, he shouldn't be holding elected office. P.S. How is it that people from a two-bit country like Lebanon can command such prominence in our country? How did this come about anyway? I'd appreciate the education. Posted by Naija for life| 18.01.2007 18:49

Nonyellum  Villager

# 7 Is his wife Lebanese or Nigerian? I don't like this one bit, can a Northern born Southerner achieve the same feat in the North and vice versa? I've been scratching my head trying to understand this terrible twist. Posted by Nonyellum| 18.01.2007 19:35

Oguguo Yakere  Villager

# 8 The candidate says: “It is my desire to eventually fly the PDP’s flag for the Jigawa Central Senatorial District and subsequently win the seat for the party.” PeeeDeeeePeeee? No way............! BTW children born in the North to southern parents especially the south easterners were more often than not if not totally denied the same scholarship that Abbas enjoyed. And that is if at all the southern kid is admitted into the same schools. One thing is certain such a kid's fees would be higher. If you doubt this, check it out. Indians were prefered to teach in those schools to teachers from the south and if allowed to teach the southerner teachers would be given less honorable treatment. In those hotels in the north the attendants will pay more attention to the Abbases and the Alhajis than to you especially if you are a southerner and non-muslim. Although I must admit that even in the south the colonial mentality makes them gravitate more towards the Oyibo too. Yakere Posted by Oguguo Yakere| 18.01.2007 21:17

Afeni  Villager

# 9 We all know how our Northern brothers love the Arabs. I'm pretty sure this man would win a governership race in any core-North State. :lol: Posted by Afeni| 18.01.2007 21:26

aiksmart  Villager

# 10 So if you were born in Lebanon and of Nigerian or black African decent, you can dream of vying for any elective position in Lebanon? Posted by aiksmart| 18.01.2007 22:11

---

The conversation continues in our forum. Click here to read all comments

---