Alhaji Abdullahi Isa, National Coordinator of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria,
Alhaji Abdullahi Isa is the National Coordinator of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN). In this interview, he bares his mind on several topics including his private life, journey into the oil industry, and the present economic condition of the country.
Your father was a civil servant, yet you are in oil business. How did this happen?
I am the son of an Alhaji, mother is late, I attended Muritala Muhammed college in Kaduna, then proceeded to Technical College, Yola., I come from a family of business minded people. Though my father was a civil servant, one of my uncles introduced me into the oil business making me Transport manager of his company in 1993. Then I moved to Makurdi where I spent three years.
Though it was a private business, we dabbled into politics, the people in my locality approached me to contest for councilor in my ward under UNPP in 1996 but we didn’t get the primary. After that I faced my business. Then in 1999 under independent marketers branch under National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, I contested for vice chairmanship of the organization in the same year for Yola Unit and I won. We handled the position for four years and I contested again in 2008 and I was voted as Kaduna zonal treasurer, spending another four years there.
Being somebody who has built a station and with relative capital I joined IPMAN, now no longer as a staff at a branch but as a director of my own company. Soon after, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir as the President of IPMAN appointed us to various locations in the country including Lagos. That was how I became IPMAN national coordinator. I have a diploma in Business Administration, an advanced diploma, I deferred an admission when I was shipped to Lagos.
Apart what you do within your union, what are other duties of a national coordinator?
After the widespread pipeline vandalisation, there was the need for bridges to fill the gaps between government and the northern axis, hence the need to send people to supervise the loading activities. Since 2009, I’ve been in Lagos.
What would you attribute your success?
God, hardwork, support from superiors, people around, colleagues, loyalty and honesty
What are your political views?
Free and fair elections should be conducted without fear or intimidation. People should be able to vote whoever they want.
What is your take on the present economic situation?
The economy is bad, the present administration is trying to fight corruption and still some people are trying to frustrate those efforts. At times I would lay sleepless at night and wonder “what is happening” I remember Farida Waziri saying politicians are sick in the brain. Immunity of any sort isn’t welcome
Any advice to President Buhari?
Though he’s trying his best, an honest man, President Buhari shouldn’t believe in just some certain set of people, he should assess what everybody is presenting, listen to other people’s point of view, seek different opinions. Bottom line, President Buhari should be open-minded
How does it feel being a family man?
Being a bachelor, I had a different mentality. Then I became a family man and realized my family is the most important thing especially my woman. If you treat them well, they are behind your success, treat them shabbily and they are behind your downfall. I respect my wife and she’s the only one I have. She advises me and handles the home whenever I’m not around. I Thank God for making it possible, being a family man isn’t easy
What is your advice to the youths?
First I want to admonish the youth to beware of the kind of friends they keep, face their education. Also parents should keep a close watch on their children, also politicians should look around to alleviate the living conditions of the masses. For example, I spoke with my community’s representative in the Senate, they should look for at least 10 university graduates, 10 HND graduates, 10 ND graduates, 10 NCE graduates and 10 Secondary school leavers, then be able to secure them employment in various government institutions such as NDA, Army, Navy, Customs, Immigration Defence Corps and others.