Mustafa Umara

Mustafa Umara (also Mustapha Umara or Mustafa Zanna Umara) was a Nigerian civil servant and government official who served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation from 27 August to 17 November 1993, under the Interim National Government of Ernest Shonekan. He previously served as Permanent Secretary in the government of North-Central State and later as a member of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO).

Career

Umara rose to prominence in public administration in North-Central State as Permanent Secretary. According to the Nigeria Year Book 1973, "Mallam Mustapha Umara" served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands and Surveys.

Later, Umara was appointed as a member of the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO). More precisely, on 21 July 1980, the Senate approved the appointment of Justice Victor Ovie-Whiskey as the chairman of the Federal Electoral Commission and Mustafa Umara as one of the commissioners from Borno State.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation

Umara was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation on 27 August 1993, when Ernest Shonekan was sworn in as the leader of the interim national government. In the chronological list of Secretaries to the Government of the Federation provided by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Umara is listed as serving from 27 August to 17 November 1993, between Aliyu Mohammed and Aminu Saleh.

Later writings sometimes refer to Umara as the Secretary to the Interim National Government. According to an account by Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, Umara served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation under Shonekan and was succeeded by Aminu Saleh in the same post under Sani Abacha.

During his tenure, Umara participated in an official visit to Japan on behalf of the interim government. More specifically, on 2 October 1993, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, he led a Nigerian government delegation to Japan to "assure Japan of the good intention of the interim government, explain circumstances leading to the annulment of June 12 election and effort made so far to resolve the crisis,".

Umara continued to serve as Secretary to the Government of the Federation until 17 November 1993, when the new military government under Sani Abacha came to power.

National honour

In December 1998, the military government of Abdulsalami Abubakar posthumously awarded Mustafa Umara the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). This information is contained in Gazette No. 75 of 29 December 1998, which lists national honours and appointments. Umara is listed among several other deceased officials who were posthumously awarded various honours, including the GCON.

The awards were not formally received before the transition to democracy, as President Obasanjo took office on 29 May 1999. Upon his accession to power, Obasanjo ordered the review of all awards made by the preceding military regime. A commission chaired by Christopher Kolade conducted the review, examined the Civil Service Appointments Committee's recommendations, and reported to Obasanjo. Consequently, the new President Obasanjo rescinded all appointments and honours, including the posthumous GCON awarded to Umara.

Name and death

Umara’s name appears in a variety of sources in different forms: while the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation uses the name "Alhaji Mustafa Umara," the Nigeria Year Book 1973 and Umara’s FEDECO tenure are both attributed to "Mustapha Umara." According to a biographical note by former Permanent Secretary Eric Teniola, "Mustafa Zanna Umara" was another variation of the name. A retrospective account by former federal permanent secretary Eric Teniola gives his name as "Mustafa Zanna Umara".

It is unclear when exactly Umara died. He was certainly dead by December 1998, since the national honour awarded to him in December was explicitly posthumous.