Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reflected on his political journey, emphasizing patience, courage, and integrity as keys to enduring success.
He disclosed that he once declined an offer from the military to assume the governorship without an election.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2025 of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, Atiku recounted the challenges he faced while fighting for democracy in Nigeria.
“I was offered a governorship by the military without an election, but I rejected it,” he said. “In 1999, I earned it the right way and became Vice President.”
Atiku, who is also the founder of AUN, told the graduating students that he had been persecuted for his beliefs and democratic convictions.
“I was hunted, but I never wavered,” he declared. “Patience is not weakness. It is a weapon of the wise.”
The former Vice President said he drew inspiration from his political mentor, the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (retd.), who faced a death sentence with remarkable composure.
“His blood pressure was normal on the day of his scheduled execution. That’s a soldier. That’s courage,” Atiku recalled.
He also narrated how he survived an assassination attempt in Kaduna.
“I hid my wife and children in a wardrobe and stepped forward to confront the attackers. They shot at me but missed. I stood up and demanded, ‘Why did you fire?’ That’s what courage looks like.”
Advising the graduating students on achieving success in business, Atiku said: “Build with integrity. Keep your business independent. Don’t rely on government. Avoid unnecessary confrontation, but never compromise your values.”
He said despite numerous challenges, he rose from humble beginnings to build Africa’s first development university.
“My father was jailed for resisting my enrollment in school,” he said. “We started from nothing—sitting on the bare ground, writing with our fingers. That’s how far I’ve come.”
Atiku revealed plans to document his life journey in an upcoming book, covering his experiences in civil service, business, and politics.
He added that the vision for AUN was inspired by the American Peace Corps who taught him in 1961, saying, “That truly ignited the vision.”
