Aisha Ibrahim
May Publishing Limited has released a landmark biography titled Umaru Mutallab: Beacon of Shared Values, a sweeping biography of the man who helped shape Nigeria’s banking and economic landscape for over four decades. The book chronicles the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of one of Nigeria’s most influential financial minds. The book delves deep into the life of a man whose steady hand helped steer Nigeria’s economy through some of its most turbulent eras.
From his formative years marked by discipline and service, Umaru Abdul Mutallab would emerge as a key figure in Nigerian banking, public service, and policy reform. His journey threads through pivotal national moments—civil war, economic collapse, oil booms and busts, military regimes, and the country’s evolving experiment with democracy.
More than just a banker or government technocrat, Mutallab’s career reflects the difficult balance between personal principle and public responsibility. Whether as a restructuring force at the United Bank for Africa (UBA), a stabilizing influence on Nigeria’s development agenda under military rule, or a trailblazer introducing Islamic banking in a secular system, his impact has been profound and far-reaching.
The biography, authored by a renowned biographer, Dr Udu Yakubu, who doubles as Managing Director of May Publishing Limited, traces his rapid ascent from a young accountant during the civil war to a central figure in reshaping Nigeria’s financial institutions. It recounts his transformation of UBA from a colonial vestige into a forward-looking bank, the brutal behind-the-scenes battles at First Bank, and his navigation through the thickets of corporate politics marked by ethnic and religious tensions.
What sets Beacon of Shared Values apart is how it mirrors Nigeria’s post-independence trajectory through the lens of one man’s life. Mutallab’s story reveals a leader who consistently chose national interest over personal gain and worked quietly to build bridges where others saw divisions.
This is not just a biography—it is a national narrative wrapped in personal experience. As Nigeria continues its quest for institutional reform and inclusive growth, Mutallab’s life offers both cautionary lessons and inspiring possibilities.
To read the full biography, click the link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JxO9-oMvwlp1IcgMpPOrL8170vGEi8OA/view?usp=drivesdk