Kabiru Tanimu Turaki

In recognition of his contributions to the development of Nigeria, Turaki has been honoured with the following honours and awards:

• Honorary Life Member, Law Student Society, Bayaro University, Kano
• Patron, Law Students Society, University of Jos
• Patron, Kebbi State Student Association
• Patron, “Tashi Mana” Theatre, Literacy and Debate Club, Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic, Birnin Kebbi
• Patron, Association of Deaf and Dumb, Kano State Branch
• Patron, Gwandu Emirate Student Association
• Life Patron, National Association of Nigerian Students
• Sheikh Abdullahi Fodio Award
• National Association of Mathematical Science Student of Nigeria Award of Excellence
• National Association of Kebbi State Students Star Award
• Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award by SUG, University of Jos
• Distinguished Personality of the Year Award by Law Students, University of Jos
• African Meritorious Service Award for Good Leadership
• Nigerian Youth Ambassador Award
• Arewa Publishers Union Distinguished Merit Award
• BEEMA Communications Ltd. Golden Star Award
• Barewa Old Boys Association Merit Award
• Zenith International Award for Excellence
• Icon of Hope Award by National Association of Polytechnic Students
• Nigerian Bar Association, Kano Branch, Merit Award
• Nigerian Students Merit Award
• Glibalink International Leadership Gold Award
• NYLF Exceptional Leadership Award
• LAWSAN Merit Award
• 2009 Kwame Nkrumah Distinguished Leadership Award
• AIDO Communication African Outstanding Leader and Philanthropist Award (Ghana)
• African Role Model Leadership Gold Award for Excellence
• African Credibility Award
• Association of Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto States Student Merit Award
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management of Nigeria Award
• Fellow of the Civilian Institute of Democratic Administration Award
• Distinguished Award by Body of Senior Advocate of Nigeria – Abuja Branch
• Nigeria Union of Local Government Award
• Special Award by Belarusian Security Organization
• Special Recognition Award by BAREWA Old Boys Association National Secretariat
• Special Letter of Commendation for National Service by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
• Honorary Doctorate Degree by Gregory University, Abia State

Turaki loves reading, travelling and sports.

Turaki is a member of many professional bodies, including:[5]

• Member, Nigerian Bar Association, 1986
• Member, African Bar Association, 1989
• Member, Commonwealth Lawyers Association, 1990
• Member, International Bar Association, 1992
• Member, National Executive Committee, N.B.A., 1990 – 1995
• Member, Kano State Law Reporting Committee, 1991
• Member, Body Of Benchers Committee For Resolution Of N.B.A. Crisis, 1992
• Member, Committee For The Review Of Current Legislation, Kano State, 1993
• Member, Committee For Review Of Northern States, Penal Code Law, 1993
• Member, Lawyers In Defence Of Human Rights (N.G.O.), 1995
• Member, Institute Of Industrialists And Corporate Administrators, 2000
• Member, Nigerian Institute Of Public Relations, 2001
• Member Of The Inner Bar, 2002
• Fellow, Chartered Institute Of Arbitrators, 2009
• Member, Body Of Benchers’ Committee For The Reform Of The Laws Regulating The Legal Profession In Nigeria 2010
• Elected Chairman Of The Centennial Class Of The Nigerian Law School, 2010
• Council Member, Section On Legal Practice, Nba, 2012
• Member, Governing Board, National Judicial Institute, 2012
• Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association Committee On The Judiciary, 2012
• Chairman, Nigerian Copyright Commission, 2012
• Member, Committee On The Reconciliation Of E-Payment In Kebbi State, 2012

In 2013, Turaki was chosen by President Goodluck Jonathan for the rebirthing Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs. The President added the responsibility of Supervising Ministry of Labour and Productivity in 2014. Turaki managed the two ministries until 2015.[8]

When the need arose to open up dialogue with the Boko Haram insurgents, Turaki was the choice of the federal government and was appointed chairman of the Presidential Committee for Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North. A committee which for more than two years engaged the insurgents in discussion that saw many leaders of Boko Haram accepting the dialogue option as a means of resolving the insecurity situation in the northeast geo-political zone of Nigeria.[9]

Turaki was chosen to lead government delegations to Niger, Senegal, and Belarus.[10]

In 2014 he was chosen by President Goodluck Jonathan to serve as the deputy director general of his campaign, and in 2015 was appointed to the board of trustees of the People's Democratic Party.[11]

On April 24, 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North to be chaired by Turaki. The committee was to open talks with Boko Haram within three months, and work out modalities for an amnesty for the insurgents and compensation for its victims.[12]

The committee immediately began work and was able to engage some Boko Haram leaders and already repentant members into dialogue.

On June 16, 2013, the committee made first public statement detailing how the federal government planned to begin the process of disarmament and deradicalization of Boko Haram members who surrendered their arms as well as ensuring that they were rehabilitated.[13]

On July 11, 2013, the committee announced a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram. Turaki stated that the ceasefire deal had the blessings of Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, the sect's leader. He further gave assurance that all Nigerians would be privy to a ceasefire agreement that would be signed in due course. In his words:

“We’re still working on the framework where we’ll sign an agreement and we’ll make that public. Wherever and whenever we agree on the time and place, the international and local media as well as all Nigerians will be privy to it.”

On the terms of the ceasefire agreement, he said it was still being worked on and the broader framework being discussed, after which Nigerians would be duly informed.[14]

However, on July 13, 2013, barely 48 hours after Turaki's statement, Shekau punctured the federal government's claim that the Islamist extremists had agreed to a ceasefire deal in the spirit of Ramadan.[15]

On July 22, 2013, nine days after Shekau released his video, Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately disband the Turaki-led committee. The association claimed that it would amount to grave disservice to the public for the committee to continue to exist after Shekau had debunked Turaki's claim that his committee has secured a ceasefire deal with Boko Haram. They further described the exercise as a “huge scam and a scandalous contraption that ought not to have been set up in the first place”. On July 31, 2013, another Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, called for the immediate disbandment of the committee, saying recent events had overtaken its usefulness. They also called for an urgent probe of Turaki, who was also the Minister of Special Duties, to ascertain where his hoax of a ceasefire came from. Afenifere expressed concerns over renewed violent campaigns by the radical Islamist sect which claimed scores of lives in separate attacks in Borno and Kano States within 48 hours.[16]

However, these calls by the two separate organization felt deaf ears as President Goodluck Jonathan extended the timeline of the committee by two months. Turaki said the discordant tunes coming from the sect represent the various dynamics within them. There are people who are engaged in it on the basis of ideology or dogma. Some people are doing it on the basis of economic benefits. He added that some people are fifth columnists, who will make sure you don't succeed in whatever you do.

After six months, the committee submitted its report to President Jonathan.