Kaduna Mafia is a name given to a loose group of young Northern Nigerian intellectuals, civil servants, business

Business

A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...

 tycoons and military officers residing or conducting business in the former Northern capital city of Kaduna

Kaduna

Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...

 during the end of the first republic. However, it is different from the American version of the mafia

Mafia

The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...

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It is believed the resentment of competing interests led to the creation of the acerbic idea of a clique gaining headway through its closeness to power and thereby approximating resources of the state under the banner of capitalism

Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...

. The group supposedly achieved most success during the first era of Obasanjo's government, where many of its members were appointed to key positions of power and used its alliance to obtain patronage and disburse favor to friends and associates. The term Kaduna mafia was supposedly popularized by a columnist, Mvendaga Jibo, who favored the old clique of rulers in the 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...

 and Balewa administration

Administration (government)

The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to jurisdiction.-United States:In United States usage, the term refers to the executive branch under a specific president , for example: the "Barack Obama administration." It can also mean an executive branch agency...

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Nigeria's Foundation

The historical genetic configuration of most modern African states is dominated by a coherent theme of an exploitative, cultural bourgeoisie who engage in chicanery and the ability to make docile the common man in order to engage in its greedy and selfish intentions and acquire power which is then used partly to mitigate against any opposition from cultural and political enemies. These states were originally made up of varied cultural, ethnic and racial groups with little intent to come under the same political tent under the principles of equity or fairness in the rocky political, economic, and social terrain. The new colonial nation-state, a mixture of different religious, ethnic and cultural groups forced to unite without a common external enemy then becomes exposed sometimes violently to its inherent cultural, religious and ethnic cleavages. A fertile and emerging force of clientele economics, capitalism and favoritism based on cultural affiliations becomes a weapon that can be used to foster an individual's self interest. The exploitation of the inherent cleavages by elites based on their own selfish and provincial interests becomes a political weapon to gain a strong foundation against destructive attacks from other groups, gain a strong foothold in the economy and weaken fair criticism based on viable objections. This is magnified by the herd support given to ethnic or provincial politicians and leaders.

History

The origins of the Kaduna mafia revolves around
the demise of the first republic. The loss of many northern leaders in the coup prodded a group of northern civil servants to rally around and oppose the new government of General Aguiyi Ironsi. The group, a diverse mixture of aristocrats and civil servants who were predominantly Muslim

Muslim

A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 and based in Kaduna. Many of its members were educated at the famous Barewa College

Barewa College

Barewa College is a college in Zaria, Kaduna State, northern Nigeria. Founded in 1922 by British Governor General Hugh Clifford, it was originally known as "Katsina College." It switched its name to "Kaduna College" in 1938 and then "Government College, Zaria" in 1949 before settling on "Barewa...

 in 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...

, and had demonstrated a certain level of managerial competence in comparison to some of their older contemporaries. They were known for their intelligence, commitment to the traditional values and socio-political interests of Northern Nigeria and their internal camaraderie. Members were involved in varied aspects of the Nigerian nation, they were bank directors, ministers, military colonels and owners of business; their main differentiating symbol was the prominence of economic interest as a driving factor in their activities. The group thrived on an elaborate network of power alliances among northern aristocrats

Aristocracy (class)

The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...

 and government sympathizers who favored the groups pro northern and Islamic bent. Famous members and allies includes, Adamu Ciroma

Adamu Ciroma

Adamu Ciroma is a Nigerian politician and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He is currently a member of the People's Democratic Party.-Second Republic career:...

, Mamman Daura, Ibrahim Tahir, Mahmud Tukur, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua

Shehu Musa Yar'Adua

Major General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua was a Nigerian businessman, soldier, and politician. He was the older brother of former Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua. Following his training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Sandhurst, England, Yar'Adua participated in the Nigerian Civil War...

 and Muhammadu Buhari

Muhammadu Buhari

Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...

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