Abdullahi Shelleng
Encyclopedia
Colonel Abdullahi Shelleng (born 20 January 1942) was the first Military Governor of Benue State
, Nigeria from 3 February 1976 to July 1978 during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, after Benue State had been split from the old Benue-Plateau State
.
, in the Numan
Local Government Area of the former Gongola State
(now Adamawa State
). He was educated in Shelleng
and Yola
, and attended the Government College, Zaria
(1957–1961). He joined the Army in 1962 and attended the Nigerian Defence Academy
, Kaduna (April 1962 – August 1962), and then the Pakistan Military Academy
, Kakul
(1962–1965).
.
He attended Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth
, Kansas
, USA (1973–1974), and then was appointed Colonel, General Staff in Hq. 2nd Infantry Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan
(1974–1975).
He was one of the participants in the July 1975 coup against General Yakubu Gowon
, monitoring the situation from the 2nd Division HQ at Ibadan.
Following the coup, he became a Principal Staff Officer, Supreme Headquarters, Lagos (1975–1976).
appointed Abdullahi Shelleng as Military Governor of Benue State on 3 February 1976, a post he held until July 1978.
Shellung had the difficult job of creating a functioning state machinery with an ethnically mixed and politically dissatisfied population. He built accommodation for civil servants and established schools and colleges, including the Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology. He also initiated Benue Brewery at Makurdi
, Idah Sanitary Ware Industry at Idah
, and the Burnt Brick Industry at Otukpo
. However, he failed to repair the untarred roads in the state. In many cases he opened establishments on temporary sites, thus storing up problems for the future. He was also criticized for destroying the mini Makurdi Stadium.
.
In October 2005, he was one of the Adamawa State delegates at the National Convention of the People's Democratic Party
(PDP).
In April 2006 he was one of a group of Adamawa State PDP members who announced they had suspended Vice President Atiku Abubakar
the state governor Boni Haruna
.
Benue State
Benue is a state in the Middle-Belt region of Nigeria with a population of about 2.8 million in 1991. Tiv, Idoma, and Igede are spoken predominantly. There are other ethnic groups as well. These include Etulo and Abakwa...
, Nigeria from 3 February 1976 to July 1978 during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, after Benue State had been split from the old Benue-Plateau State
Benue-Plateau State
Benue-Plateau State is a former administrative division of Nigeria. It was created on 27 May 1967 from parts of the Northern Region and existed until 3 February 1976, when it was divided into two states - Benue and Plateau...
.
Background and education
Abdullahi Shelleng was born on 20 January 1942 in ShellengShelleng
Shelleng is a Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria....
, in the Numan
Numan, Nigeria
Numan is a town and Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. The port town lies on the Benue River. It is the location of the Adamawa State Polytechnic.-References:...
Local Government Area of the former Gongola State
Gongola State
Gongola State is a former administrative division of Nigeria. It was created on 3 February 1976 from Adamawa and Sardauna Provinces of North-Eastern State, together with the Wukari Division of the then Benue-Plateau State; it existed until 27 August 1991, when it was divided into two states -...
(now Adamawa State
Adamawa State
Adamawa is a state in northeastern Nigeria, with its capital at Yola. It was formed in 1991 from part of Gongola State with four administrative divisions namely: Adamawa, Ganye, Mubi and Numan. It is one of the thirty-six States which constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria.-Geography:Adamawa...
). He was educated in Shelleng
Shelleng
Shelleng is a Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria....
and Yola
Yola, Nigeria
Yola is the capital city and administrative center of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Located on the Benue River, it has a population of 88,500 . Established in 1841, Yola was the capital of a Fulani state until it was taken by the British in 1901. Daytime temperatures can easily exceed during the dry...
, and attended the Government College, Zaria
Zaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
(1957–1961). He joined the Army in 1962 and attended the Nigerian Defence Academy
Nigerian Defence Academy
The Nigerian Defence Academy at Kaduna is the only Military University in Nigeria.The NDA was established in January 1964 as a reformation of the British run Royal Military Forces Training College , which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College on independence...
, Kaduna (April 1962 – August 1962), and then the Pakistan Military Academy
Pakistan Military Academy
The Pakistan Military Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service military academy. It is located at Kakul near Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan....
, Kakul
Kakul
Kakul is a town situated in the Kakul Valley at an elevation of 1300 metres, 5 km northeast of Abbottabad city near the Thandiani Hills, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The population is around 30,000.-History:...
(1962–1965).
Military career
He was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in April 1965. He served as a Company Commander during the Nigerian Civil WarNigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
.
He attended Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, USA (1973–1974), and then was appointed Colonel, General Staff in Hq. 2nd Infantry Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
(1974–1975).
He was one of the participants in the July 1975 coup against General Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Gowon
General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
, monitoring the situation from the 2nd Division HQ at Ibadan.
Following the coup, he became a Principal Staff Officer, Supreme Headquarters, Lagos (1975–1976).
Governor of Benue State
General Murtala MohammedMurtala Mohammed
General Murtala Ramat Mohammed born was a military ruler of Nigeria from 1975 until his assassination in 1976.-Role during 1960s coups:...
appointed Abdullahi Shelleng as Military Governor of Benue State on 3 February 1976, a post he held until July 1978.
Shellung had the difficult job of creating a functioning state machinery with an ethnically mixed and politically dissatisfied population. He built accommodation for civil servants and established schools and colleges, including the Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology. He also initiated Benue Brewery at Makurdi
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State in Nigeria. The city is located in central Nigeria along the Benue river bank and was the base for the Nigerian Air Force's MiG 21 and SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft squadrons...
, Idah Sanitary Ware Industry at Idah
Idah
Idah is a town in Kogi State, Nigeria, on the eastern bank of the Niger River in the middle belt region of Nigeria. It is the headquarters of the Igala Kingdom, whose traditional ruler, the Attah of Igala, is Alhaji Aliyu Obaje....
, and the Burnt Brick Industry at Otukpo
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the middle belt. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the former Idoma Province, and remains an important town in Idomaland, the area mainly populated by the Idoma speaking tribe, though with...
. However, he failed to repair the untarred roads in the state. In many cases he opened establishments on temporary sites, thus storing up problems for the future. He was also criticized for destroying the mini Makurdi Stadium.
Later career
After retiring from the army, Abdullahi Shelleng became one of the leaders of the umbrella union of the North, the Arewa Consultative ForumArewa Consultative Forum
The Arewa Consultative Forum is a political and cultural association of leaders in Northern Nigeria formed in 2000 which has considerable influence in the political scene...
.
In October 2005, he was one of the Adamawa State delegates at the National Convention of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP).
In April 2006 he was one of a group of Adamawa State PDP members who announced they had suspended Vice President Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alias Turakin Adamawa, GCON was the Vice-President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. He is a Muslim native of Adamawa State, and was an influential member of the ruling People's Democratic Party until 2006 when he switched affiliation to the Action Congress party...
the state governor Boni Haruna
Boni Haruna
Boni Haruna was governor of Adamawa State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He was a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party .-Background:Boni Haruna was born on 12 June 1957...
.