AgricNews Digest Celebrates Chief Mathias Kurah, Mni @ 70

Dayo Thomas

Today, AgricNews Digest stands in honor of a destiny shaper, a mentor, a model, and a father to many in Nigeria’s agricultural and public service space: Chief Mathias Kurah, Mni, as he marks 70 years of grace-filled living.

Born June 30, 1956, Chief Kurah’s journey is a living testimony that “Dan Talaka Ya Zama Dan Sarki” how a local’s son became a prince by the hand of God alone. From Kenyi in Kwoi, Jaba LGA, to boardrooms in Lagos, Kano, Abuja, and Jos, his 70 years have been shaped by discipline, integrity, and an unshakeable faith that carried him through every season.

Chief Kurah will tell you that he did not walk this path alone. From his late parents, Madaki Kurah Gin and Rembe Kurah, to older brothers Dabuwa and Williams, from legendary teachers like Mallam Ishaya Danbaki Lolo, to Sunday School tutors, Boys’ Brigade leaders, and choir masters in ECWA Kenyi his foundation was built by men and women who believed in forming character before career. That early molding produced a man whose counsel remains sharp and whose heart remains soft, even at 70.

His academic and professional trail tells the rest: from Government Craft School Soba, to CAS Zaria, to ABU Zaria where he graduated with a Second Class Upper in Business Administration, Banking and Finance in 1981. He entered the Central Bank of Nigeria the same year, and for 35 years served with distinction across Ilorin, Lagos, Kano, Sokoto, Calabar, Abuja, and as Branch Controller, Jos, until retirement on June 30, 2016.

Along the way, God placed destiny helpers on his path men like the late Samuel O. Ehalaiye in Kano who taught him integrity with blank vouchers, and the late Patrick Ataman who became his “Rehabilitator” and opened doors to Abuja Head Office and the Protocol Desk. It is the story of a man who refused to compromise, who kept his checking stamp 59 clean, and who let God write his promotions.

Psalm 92:14 says,“They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green.”At 70, Chief Kurah is not slowing down in relevance. He is ripening. His pen still teaches through tributes and reflections. His memory still preserves the history of the Ham Nation, ECWA Kenyi, and the Central Bank family. His life still models the Professor Bimpe Olufeagba counsel he carried from ABU in 1981: Identify yourselves with the SOURCE of POWER.” He did, and God never failed him.

We join Chief Kurah in his prayer: May the Lord who has seen you through 70 years continue to take perfect control of your health and wellness. May your next decade be your strongest. May your joy be full, your strength renewed, and your legacy echo in generations of farmers, bankers, civil servants, and young people you have already shaped.

Chief, you did not just tell us how to live. You lived it where we could see it in quiet strength, in discipline, in sacrifice, and in faith. We love you, we respect you, and we thank God for you.

Happy 70th Birthday, Sir. May God keep you green, strong, and in peace all the days ahead.