Birth and Education

Nu’uman Barau Danbatta, OON, mni was born to the family of late Malam Barau Danbatta, a respected educationist, an Islamic scholar, a selfless public servant and an elder statesman  in  Kano on 22^nd March, 1955. His Mother Late Hajiya Khadijatul Kubra hailed from Qadi Othman thus a sister  to late Qadi Yahaya Othman and late Ahmed Othman(Former Kano State Deputy Governor and Dr. Shamsuddeen Othman former Minister) among others. He was educated at Danbatta Secondary School and the famous Rumfa College, Kano, from 1969-1973 after attending Qur’anic and primary Schools. His quest for higher education, which runs in the Barau Danbatta family, took him to Kano State College of Advanced Studies 1974-1976; Bayero University Campus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria ,from 1976 to 1979. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science. He enrolled for the Masters  Degree programme in Public Administration in the same University soon after graduation

Working Experience

He started his working career with  Kano State Government in July, 1980. He served in various senior administrative capacities in the Ministries of Rural and Community Development; Lands and Survey; and Works and Housing. He was groomed to be an effective administrative officer and was soon posted to sensitive duty-posts such as the Military Governor’s Office and the Kano Civil Service Commission.While in the Governor’s Office, Nu’uman served as the Deputy Clerk to the Legislative Unit, (later Kano State House of Assembly). He so proved his mettle that the Kano State Government deployed him to the Constituent Assembly Abuja as Legislative Attache from 1988-1989. He also served as the Secretary,Kano State Policy Committee on Women Affairs amongst many other adhoc assignments.

Nu’uman Barau Danbatta transferred his service to the Federal Civil Service in 1990, where he served in various key positions, including Director of Operations in the Office of the Coordinator of the Movement of the Federal Government to Abuja in the Presidency; Director, Finance and Supplies in the Presidency (OSGF) and the Federal Ministry of Woman Affairs.

APPOINTMENT AS PERMANENT SECRETARY

Nu’uman was appointed a Federal Permanent Secretary on January 1^st 2001. He has served in that capacity in the Public Service Office (PSO). Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, the Presidency; Ministries of Power & Steel, Transport ; Education, Works; Transportation (the merged Ministries of Transport, Works and Aviation); and Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation;Demerged Transport and lastly Pension and Records Office(OHCSF) The Presidency.

ADHOC ASSIGNMENTS

Nu’uman Barau Danbatta served on many adhoc State and National assignments amongst many others. He variously served as Chairman, Member or Secretary of various Committees and Judicial Commissions. In the process, he deepened and acquired invaluable experience and gained insights into many important national issues. He contributed ideas and participated in implementing recommendations that resolved many national issues.

He served as Secretary to the Panel of Inquiry and Reorganization of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), chaired by Major General Emmanuel Abisoye; the National Reconciliation Committee (NARECOM), led by Chief Alex Akinleye ; and the National Human Rights Violation Investigation Committee (NHRVIC) OPUTA Panel. He was the National Sole Administrator for the winding up of the defunct Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN). He was Chairman of the Committee established by Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF) to solve general personnel problems in the Federal Civil Service; the Committee for the redeployment of some dissolved Federal Agencies, including the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), NALDA and FSTF. He was member of the Committee for the Restructuring and Rightsizing of Federal Ministries,Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The top career civil servant also served as Chairman, Technical Implementation Committee for the Resettlement of Displaced Ajaokuta Villages; Member, Committee for the implementation of the Coastal and Inland Shipping  (Cabotage) Act, 2003; Member, Public Service Reform Programme (PSRP) Framework of Action; Member, International Oil Pollution Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO);Member of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into  the affairs of Nigeria Airways Limited and Member of the White Paper Report of the inter-Ministerial Committee on the Deportation of Nigerians.

The list would not be complete without mentioning the fact that he was the Permanent Secretary/Deputy Secretary to the National Conference on Political Reforms chaired by Justice Niki Tobi.

Nu’uman served on many Boards of Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies, notably the National Electric Power Authority  (NEPA), Ajaokuta Steel Company (ASC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Education Trust Fund (ETF), the National Universities Commission (NUC) etc. He Chaired the Interim Board of the National Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria.

In over ten years, Nu’uman is the National  President of the prestigious Alumni Association of the famous Rumfa College Kano, the Premier College established in 1927.

International Responsibilities

The numerous international assignments he carried out in the course of his service to the fatherland include active participation at leadership level in negotiations on behalf of Nigeria in various fields, including Steel, Oil, Human Rights, Power, Transportation, Education and Culture and Tourism . The foreign assignments took him to countries such as Japan, India, The United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, Canada, Iran, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Pakistan, Spain, Luxemburg, Kenya, Uganda, Austria, Switzerland, Egypt, Turkey, Russia, Sweden, Ghana, South Africa, Djibouti and UAE. He was as well in France (UNESCO Session), Botswana, Burkina Faso, Belgium, Holland , the United States of America. Nu’uman Barau Danbatta was a member of delegation at world Bank’s Sector Reform Workshop/Meetings  in Abuja, Washington DC and India as well  as member, Tourism Masterplan Implementation Committee. He also attended the 32nd Session   of the World Heritage Committee at Montreal, Canada in July, 2008 and visited the World Holocaust Museum in Washington DC in 2008.

The Courses Attended

The well-travelled Technocrat has constantly updated and sharpened his administrative skills and capabilities by attending many top grade courses both in Nigeria and abroad. He was at the Royal Institute of Public Administration , London and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) amongst many. He was at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru,  he completed the course successfully and bears the prestigious and highly coveted title of Member of the National Institute (mni).

Honours and Awards.

His service to the nation in particular and humanity in general has earned Nu’uman Barau Danbatta recognition. Appreciation for his services was manifested in the number of Honours and Awards conferred on him. They include Member Board of Governors of Transport Knowledge Partnership (TKP), Department of Foreign and International Development (DFID) London and Member, Board of Governors of the World Maritime University (WMU), Sweden.

Nu’uman has been conferred with a life membership of the famous Kings College Old Boys Association (KCOBA) Floreat Collegnum, Recipient of National Honours  Award of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Order of the Niger (OON) . He received the revered traditional title of Ajiyan Kazaure from his bossom intimate friend  and now  royal father Alh. Najib Hussaini Adamu CON His Highness the Emir of Kazaure  on April 2009.

He is a supporter of many community development initiatives, including the Bayero University Kano, Endowment Fund Raising Committee and the Kano Consultative Forum. He has also received numerous institutional, religious organizations and  numerious  RUMFOBA Awards (Alma Mata) and many other  Community Awards etc.

Nu’uman is happily married with children and grand children. He hailed from extended families with many brothers, sisters, nephews, cousins etc.

ALHAMDULILLAH !!!