• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

AZ Gambo: Celebrating A Peer @57

by Ali M.Ali
2 years ago
in Columns
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

Vice Admiral Awwal Zubair Gambo, the 16th and current Chief of Naval turned a year older recently. He is a peer in whom all of us peers from Gwagwarwa primary school, through transit school at Kawaji and the prestigious, Rumfa College all in Kano, are well pleased.

Advertisement

Looking at his towering profile as the number one sailor in the land, one wouldn’t have thought that “Rizi”, would take on a career in soldering and attaining the mountain peak as a service chief.

He was reticent and unobtrusive and loved to “mind his business”. I was among the “noisy’’ ones making fun of teachers, poking others. Physically, Awwal was almost diminutive, fair skinned and slightly plump. He cut the image of “Dan gata” (Ajeboh) these attributes didn’t mark him out for soldering. They marked him out for leadership. He used to listen more than he talked. This discreet demeanor and ‘harmless’ appearance helped him navigate dangerous waters, literally and figuratively and berthed his ship at the dockyard of success.

He manifested that leadership trait early from being class monitor in primary school, a feat he replicated in Secondary School. We were always in different arms of same class. For example, he was in form one I while I was in 1D.

By the third year, we moved to Rumfa College. Only the brightest got into that prestigious school. Tough exams were set going into the third year. In modern times, sitting for that kind of tough exams is the equivalent of heading into senior secondary school. The idea was to select young bright minds regardless of social and economic background and blend them into future leaders. It worked because at Rumfa were princes and sons of paupers. Scions of the merchant class and wards of top civil servants. Children of Islamic scholars and jurists all dissolved into unidentifiable powder of scholarship.

RELATED

Agwu Becomes Fellow Of NIPR

Musings On Tyre Blowouts

10 hours ago
Victorious Super Falcons Stun Morocco To Clinch 10th WAFCON Title

Super Falcons Deserve Every Kobo: Stop The Unnecessary Debate

11 hours ago

You are only recognizing by your brainpower not the power of your surname.

Most of our tutors were Brits, Canadian and Asians with a no nonsense Principal, Ado Gwaram of blessed memory.

Established in 1927,Rumfa College was second only to Barewa College established in 1921.Late General Abacha was a product of Rumfa College.

Again, I was in 3H,Awwal was 3F. In my class were the likes of AVM Ali Bello Gaya. We finally passed out with me in 5D and “Rizi” in 5F.

As teen, Awwal was a shoulder above in the “swag’ department. He was a guy man. His sparkly white school uniform attested to that. He was neat all the time. That was the time he fell in love with the Navy. He had a fascination for white color.

At Rumfa College, his love for the military received a major boost when he joined the schools’ long standing Cadet. He, again, excelled. He was a mix of grit and tenacity. We had a stern unsmiling Cadet “NCO”. He took no prisoners. He had a mirthless pate. Rizi survived him. That prepared him eventually into becoming a member of the 36 regular course of the Defense Academy.

At the time, the dream was to proceed to SBS, ABU Zaria to study medicine. Rumfa was largely a science college. The likes of Professor Abba Sheshe, currently the CMD of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Sammani Ali Muhammad became outstanding in Medicine. Others studied engineering like Awwal Sarki who headed the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

There are others in other sectors. There is Dr Yakubu Kofar Mata, a federal Permanent Secretary and foremost, banker Rabiu Tata. Without prejudice to the others not listed here who have taken the Rumfa college flag to great heig

Only Ali Baba Inuwa of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and myself chose Journalism.

Awwal was commissioned a sub-lieutenant in 1989. That marked his steady rise in the Navy culminating in his appointment as the 16th indigenous Chief of the Naval Staff in January 2021.

As a young officer, he was often “at sea” literally leaving family and friends “onshore”. He therefore, missed most class annual re-unions. But then, he always kept in touch with peers. He holds this dear. Rizi is sentimental. He has the memory of an elephant. He remembers names of teachers from primary school. The kind ones and the mean ones. He doesn’t forget a good turn. He rarely remembers the bad ones like the rough deal from our Cadet master. He is the sort that would swim the sea the save a peer from distress. He would break his back for this.

And the icing on the cake? He never forgot where he came from. All his alma mater can bear testimony.

Gentle as dove but tough as nails, I often wonder how he reconciles his jocular private persona and the stony persona of a military chief. ‘Eze” for AZ Gambo is funny once is comfortable with the company. He is sublimely witty. He has some funny sailors jokes he shares. He is a dotting father and a loving husband. Military husbands are unusual spouses. His tough guy stance melts at the sight of Nana, his wife and three children.

In our circle, AZ assumes no airs. He remains down to earth. He is buoyed by the belief that Allah gives, Allah takes. And that ultimately to HIM, we shall return and account.

Happy birthday Admiral. Our class chapter is proud of you!

 

Ali is the former Deputy President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors

 


We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →

Join Our WhatsApp Channel




SendShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Fintiri Approves N567m For Michika-Maiduguri Road

Next Post

Oyebanji Urges Symbiotic Executive, Legislative Relationship

Ali M.Ali

Ali M.Ali

You May Like

Agwu Becomes Fellow Of NIPR
Columns

Musings On Tyre Blowouts

2025/08/02
Victorious Super Falcons Stun Morocco To Clinch 10th WAFCON Title
Columns

Super Falcons Deserve Every Kobo: Stop The Unnecessary Debate

2025/08/02
The Strangeness Of Islam And Reality Of Discord
Religion

The Strangeness Of Islam And Reality Of Discord

2025/08/01
Climate Change And Africa’s Debt Burden
Backpage

Climate Change And Africa’s Debt Burden

2025/08/01
Power, Pretence, And Precipice: Nigeria’s Unbroken Pattern
Backpage

Power, Pretence, And Precipice: Nigeria’s Unbroken Pattern

2025/07/29
tinubu
Columns

“Wet the Grass”: Tinubu’s Warning and APC’s Big Grassroots Test

2025/07/27
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

Tinubu Celebrates Ex-VP Sambo At 71

NSE President Urges Stronger Nigeria–Japan Synergy For Infrastructure Dev’t

Police Nab 2 Suspected Cultists, Recover Arms In Akwa Ibom

PICTORIAL: Kano Women Protest Against Violent Activities Of ‘Yan Daba’ Gang

Ex-Minister Dalung Faults Tinubu’s Endorsement At Ahmadu Bello Memorial Confab

JUST-IN: Nurses Suspend Strike After Federal Govt’s Commitment To Demands

Ghanaian President Assures Tinubu Of Nigerians’ Safety Over Protests

St. Lucia PM Slams Critics Of Tinubu’s Visit, Calls Backlash ‘Shameful’

Police Dismantle Cult Group Behind Phone Theft In Imo

Business Summit Partners UWEAL To Empower African Entrepreneurs

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.