Former Northern Regional Minister during the Mahama administration, Abubakari Abdallah, has shared his experience of facing ridicule from his community for continuing to use an old car model after leaving office.
Mr Abdallah revealed that he was mocked and called “useless” by some community members for not engaging in corrupt practices to afford a more luxurious lifestyle after serving in government for less than nine months.
Before becoming a Minister, Mr Abdallah worked as a programs director at IBIS, which enabled him to afford a 2005 model Highlander that he used throughout his ministerial tenure.
Despite leaving office after the 2016 elections, Abdallah decided to stick with his old car instead of purchasing a new one. However, some individuals in his Walewale community viewed this decision as a sign of failure or incompetence.
“I drove my old car a number of times to Walelwale and people started laughing at me. They wanted to point to how useless I have been, but to me, my uselessness was not based on my failure to deliver my mandate as a Minister but how can I am not driving lavish cars like Porsche, V8, with a potbelly that is shining out of corruption,” he said.
Abdallah emphasized that his definition of success differs from the pursuit of material wealth and extravagance; instead, he values the impact he made during his time in office.
In a society focused on lifestyle audits, Abdallah expressed a preference for life-changing socialization and education. He advocated for a complete reorientation to instill values of integrity and honesty in future generations, teaching them that wealth can be attained through legitimate means.