By Abba Anwar:
Local engagement, though his main root, Deputy Senate President and First Deputy Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Distinguished Senator Barau I. Jibrin is not largely preoccupied with local politics. He pushes that to local politicians. Majority of whom cannot see beyond their local constituencies.
No one denies that such people are assets and resourceful to political cohesion and genuine engagement. In the case of the Distinguished Senator, he understands local structures, joins hands with state engineers, either overtly or covertly, links up to national stakeholders and becomes visible at regional and global spaces.
DSP’s visibility at higher regional and global arena, became more glaring when he was elected as the 1st Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament during the inauguration of the 6th Legislature in Abuja, Nigeria.
On October 7th, 2025 he also emerged as the acting Speaker of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament. Of which he eventually emerged as the First Deputy Speaker, after member states came to appreciate his undisputed performance, intellectual prowess and enduring political maturity.
His experience with the local rating, he, without any ranting, initiated genuine commitment, as he places man at the centre of development. Hence his unmatched and unwavering intervention in the education sector. Starting from his primary constituency, Kano North Senatorial District, hundreds upon hundreds of young and enterprising individuals, started benefiting from his Scholarship Scheme, under Barau I. Jibrin Foundation (BIJF).
The Foundation is principally established to support academic excellence and provide educational opportunities to deserving Kano state indigenes. At graduate and post graduate levels. Not to talk of his interventions at the basic education levels. In both primary and secondary schools in his constituency.
Apart from institutional advancement in the field of education, where he influenced many things from the federal government to his constituency, DSP has infused other benefits to other parts of the state. He does not limit himself to his primary Kano North constituency. He believes the development of other Senatorial Districts is also his responsibility.
So even if the Senator confines himself to his constituency, his ever existing energy in governance touches all other demographic settings of the state. The catapulting nature of his political maturity and engaging magnanimity are felt across the state. Therefore, he dances not with local politics. He is neither a local politician, nor a local champion.
As a Deputy Senate President, he has already been identified with national political development. The Nigeria’s political history, is therefore writing so much about him. Apart from initiating Bills that promote the presence of the federal government and his visibility across other states, Senator Barau becomes one of the major pillars of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the country.
His name, without being exaggerative, rings bell across the 36 states and Abuja. Don’t weigh him with your personal scale of preference. Try and understand the position he is holding, Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The biggest economy in Africa, the biggest black nation on earth and a nation of serious and talented Africans.
Yes he could be sighted at the African sub-regional stage, before now, but he is now an enhanced Pan Africanist whose steps were stretched and strengthened with his beginning with the Opening Ceremony of the 2025 First Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament, that was held in Lagos.
As a resourceful foreign policy Parliamentarian, he showcased President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to West African stability and economic integration. Engaging other West African leaders and critical stakeholders, to come to term with President Tinubu’s foreign policy thrust of a united Africa.
In his journey to global visibility and relevance, he proved his mettle with wisdom and brilliance, when he participated in the 18th Conference of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-PUIC) Member States. Which was held in
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. His outspoken positions at the Conference earned him more respect than ever expected.
Distinguished Senator Barau recently participated in the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), held in Barbados. His participation underscores his commitment to regional and international cooperation.
So limiting the capacity of this gentleman to local politics, is more or less like an awkward understanding of his position, national relevance, regional visibility and global inclusion. To me, only those that have penchant for olden days politics, think along this line. Beclouding rightful thinking with artificial political emergencies, leads to a state of limbo. Serious minded and organized people should take note.
Any right thinking individual can understand that DSP Barau identifies with his local constituency, Kano North, believes in trickling down democratic dividends to the entire state, maintains his patriotic role to all parts of Nigeria, engages with like minds to develop our continent and partners with global spaces to aid cooperation and sustainable human development.
Started locally, graduated nationally, extended regionally and promoted globally.
Anwar writes from Kano
Sunday, 12th October, 2025