Vice-President Kashim Shettima is set to unveil a posthumous biography of the late Brigadier Musa Usman, the pioneer Military Governor of the former North-Eastern State, on Monday, September 14, 2026, in Abuja.
The 363-page biography, titled Brigadier Musa Usman (1940–1991): Service and Impact, will be presented at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja, from 10am.
A statement signed by Hassan Tanimu Musa Usman (FCA) on behalf of the family said the book chronicles the late military officer’s life, career, public service and contributions to the development of the North-Eastern State.
The biography was authored by two Nigerian journalists and intellectuals, Malam Mahmud Jega and Dr Theophilus Abbah.
Brigadier Musa Usman, who served in both the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force, governed the former North-Eastern State from 1967 to 1975.
The territory under his administration was vast and subsequently became the six present-day states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.
The book examines the foundations laid during his administration in infrastructure, education, healthcare and socio-economic development across the region.
According to the family, the biography seeks to document how Brigadier Usman’s administration established important institutions and infrastructure that continued to influence the development of the North-East decades after his tenure.
Vice-President Shettima will serve as the Special Guest of Honour and formally unveil the book at the ceremony.
The event will be chaired by Major General IBM Haruna, a former Federal Commissioner for Information, while Major General (Senator) Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu is expected to deliver the keynote address.
The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, will serve as Chief Host.
Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states will serve as co-hosts, reflecting the six states that emerged from the former North-Eastern State administered by Brigadier Usman.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, will serve as the book presenter, while Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, is listed as a special guest.
The biography also examines Brigadier Usman’s early life, his military career and his rapid progression through the ranks before his historic appointment as governor.
A foreword to the book was written by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who described Brigadier Usman as a man known for integrity and honesty.
Gowon also credited his administration with significant infrastructural development in the North-Eastern region.
“Brigadier Musa Usman, who served as Governor of the North Eastern State, was known for his integrity and honesty,” Gowon stated.
He added that the achievements of Usman’s administration were reflected in the infrastructure that remained across parts of the region.
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, also contributed a personal recollection of the late military officer.
Abubakar recalled that as a young cadet, he served under then-Major Musa Usman when the latter was posted to the Nigerian Air Force Station in Kaduna.
He said Usman was selected to help stabilise the early Nigerian Air Force after the departure of the German technical personnel who had helped establish the service.
“The late Brigadier Musa Usman wasn’t my colleague; he was my boss,” Abdulsalami recalled.
He described Usman’s assignment as part of efforts by the authorities to develop Nigerian leadership and ensure the effective operation of the emerging air force.
The book will also receive a formal review from Professor Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, Director General of the Centre for Democratic Development Research and Training (CEDDERT) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The organisers said the review is expected to provide an analytical assessment of Brigadier Usman’s career, leadership and administrative legacy.
The presentation is expected to bring together political leaders, military officers, academics, journalists, students and other stakeholders interested in Nigeria’s political and military history.
The event is open to members of the public, with the organisers stating that admission is free.
The biography comes as renewed attention is being paid to the political and administrative history of the former Northern and North-Eastern regions and the contributions of leaders whose administrations predated the creation of many of Nigeria’s present-day states.
