Ahmadu Ali

Ahmadu Adah Ali (born 1 March 1936) is a retired Nigerian military officer, a physician and a politician. He was born in Idah, Igala Kingdom. Ali served as the Deputy Director of Army Medical Services and Chief Consulting Physician of the Military Hospital, Kaduna. In 1973, he became the first Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, a position he held until 1975 when he was appointed Minister of Education. He served also as Chairman of the PDP National Working Committee from 2005 to 2007.

Early life and education Ali was born to Mallam Ukuteno Ali Anaja, a member of the ruling house of Attah of Igala and Hajiya Aideko Maimuna. He attended Dekina primary school and then Okene middle school. Following the death of his father, Ali was sponsored through school by the Attah of Igala. He had his basic education in Idah and went on to secondary school in Zaria (now Barewa College) in 1949. He graduated from Barewa College in 1954 with the best O'Level results of that year. He proceeded to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology Zaria for his GCE A Levels. He was an active student unionist and became the general secretary of National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS).

He gained admission into University College Ibadan to study Medicine. His unionism influenced national politics; As the NUNS secretary of University College Ibadan, he formed a club which invited Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and Premier of the Northern Region, to give a public lecture at the Trenchard Hall of the University of Ibadan. This lecture stirred Southern support for Ahmadu Bello.

On returning from the Army in 1979 he set up Medicare Clinics Limited, Kaduna which he combined with his appointment as a consultant physician at the 44 Armed Forces Reference Hospital, Kaduna.

He was elected to the Nigerian Senate in 1979, 1982 and 1991 and was a proponent of the creation of Kogi State which was eventually created on 27 August 1991 during the regime of General Babangida.

Personal life Ali has 1 wife, Dr Marian Nneamaka Ali who hails from Asaba, Delta state, with whom he has 6 children. He has 11 children 5 of which are from previous marriages.