Former Chairman of Kumbotso Local Government Area in Kano State, Abdullahi Gali Shitu, popularly known as Comrade Abdullahi Gali Basaf, has returned to his tailoring business after leaving office, saying skilled trades offer more security and stability than politics.
Back in his tailoring shop in Sheka Ward, the sound of sewing machines has replaced the daily routine of public office. Basaf now spends his time supervising apprentices, cutting fabrics, and stitching garments, insisting that his return is a deliberate effort to encourage Nigerians, especially young people, to embrace vocational skills instead of depending entirely on politics.
According to him, politics should be seen as an opportunity to serve the people rather than a permanent source of income. He argued that every politician should have a trade or profession capable of sustaining them before, during, and after holding public office.
“Tailoring is not a small trade. It is a major one. It sustains livelihoods. Even in politics, my tailoring business helped me financially to support my campaigns and organisations. Without it, it would have been impossible to sustain political activities,” Basaf said.
The former council chairman explained that tailoring has been part of his life for more than a decade. He started by buying fabrics, sewing clothes, and selling them himself while combining the trade with farming, painting, and other small businesses. Today, his workshop employs about 20 people, and he hopes to transform it into a modern garment company capable of creating jobs for at least 50 workers.
Basaf, who holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science, said he deliberately chose to return to tailoring despite having the qualifications and network to pursue white-collar employment. He described tailoring as his passion and said his goal is to modernise the business while making a lasting contribution to the economy.
His political career began with his support for the Kwankwasiyya movement led by former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. He founded Kwankwasiyya Reporters in 2015, later served as Kano State chairman of the Alliance National Party (ANP), contested for the Senate in 2019, and eventually joined the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), where he served as Senior Special Assistant on Information.
Basaf was elected chairman of Kumbotso Local Government in 2024 and said his administration established schools, facilitated healthcare projects, and sponsored the education of more than 2,000 students. However, his tenure came to an abrupt end in March 2026 after a Kano State High Court nullified his Certificate of Return, ruling that it had been issued in violation of an earlier court order. The court declared Ali Musa, popularly known as Hardworker, as the rightful winner and ordered his immediate swearing-in.
Despite losing office, Basaf said he has no regrets about returning to tailoring. While he remains active in politics, he believes skilled work provides lasting security.
“Politics can change overnight. You can be in office today and out tomorrow. But tailoring remains. It feeds you, it supports your family, and it allows you to help others,” he said, adding that he hopes his story will inspire more young Nigerians to acquire practical skills alongside their political ambitions.
