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Dr Abdul Ganiyu Bello was a prominent Community Yoruba Leader and a Business Man (10th July 1930-05th June 2014). He was found dead at his residence located at Race Course General Area of Nasarawa GRA of Kano Metropolis after he was allegedly murdered by yet to be identified assailants

Background
Dr Ganiyu Bello was a prominent Community  Yoruba Ambassador for Yoruba Community in Kano, he was a Self-Made Business Tycoon. He was popularly known as  G A Bello. He prefers  people to call him  Ganiyu Akanbi Bello  for two obvious reasons:

The first reason is because of his signature. He signs by writing G A Bello in a complex and sophiscated way that can not be easily forged. The second reason is because of the name of the second hotel he built in his life time popularly known as GAB Hotel situated on Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kano State, Nigeria. The name GAB Hotel is derived from his name Ganiyu (G) Akanbi (A),  Bello (B), It forms the name GAB Hotel.

Alhaji G A Bello was born in Oyo State on the 10th of july 1930. His father and mother died in his childhood, so he went to live with his uncle. He was severely maltreated  by his uncle. He was not even sent to school. When they were traveling, everyone will sit in the first class while G A Bello will be sent to the worst place on the train. He later left his Uncle and started cutting wood in the forest and sells it to make money for his school fees. My father was a very strong man even in his old age because he worked very hard during his childhood.

In 1950, G A Bello joined the Nigeria Police under the British or colonial rule in Nigeria. During the time when G A Bello was a police, his closest friend Alhaji Ado Bayero was the Chief Of Nigeria Police Force and was his closest friend. Alhaji Ado Bayero was appointed as the Emir of Kano in 1963. He resigned around 1958 and started his Personal Estate Business, that is, Building and Civil Engineering Contractor.

G A Bello was the first to build a Storey Building in Kano on Odutola street which is a Residential Estate. He later bought his first private residence along Abedee Street Sabon Gari, Kano.

G A Bello is a wise man so he married only one wife. He prefares monogamy because he said that it leads to greater levels of parental investment, smaller households and increased direct blood relatedness.

G A Bello got married to  Sakirat Ayoka Ogabi Bello around 1959. They gave birth to their first child called  Tawakalitu Bello Sanusi, Followed by Moriliatu Bello Sanusi, then his look alike Basira Bello Oyefeso. The fourth child was his first son, Nurudeen Bello.

Between 1966 to 1967, there was a civil War in Nigeria called Biafran War. G A Bello sent his wife and four children to Lagos while he stayed behind in Kano and was able to survive it through the Grace of the Almighty God. His family came back shortly after to join him and he had his fifth son called Dr Shamsideen Bello.

G A Bello was given the award of the first place under Mobil Oil Company in 1968. It was the first Filling Station in Kano situated along  Ibrahim Taiwo Road. Behind the filling Station, he opened a club known as Criss Cross Club selling drinks, chicken and pepper soup. He was also a dealer under Mobil filling Station at Middle Road Sabon Gari Kano. He was nick named a Pace Setter because the First Mobil Filling Station was built on his land at Ibrahim Taiwo Road and was the first dealer of Petroleum and Hotelier in Kano State.

He gave birth to his 6th child in the family around 1970 called Fausat  Bello who died of measles at infant.

G A Bello built his first Hotel known as Criss Cross Hotel which was built along Church Road in 1971. He moved his residence from Abedee street to Race Course Road around 1972. Still in 1972, he built Tawakalitu House around Odutola Road and built the  bungalow flat at Lamido Road kano. Around 1976, he built his second residence along Race Course  Road. His second Hotel is known as Gab Hotel and was built in 1980. Around 1980-1983, the Federal Government gave private individual petroleum station independence and the name  Mobil filling station was changed to Criss Cross Petroleum together with his other four  petroleum stations along Enugu Road, Zaria Road, Hadejia Road, and Kofar Ruwa Road. He later sold the Filling Station at Kofar Ruwa and Hadejia Road. Presently, Criss Cross Petroleum has 4 Petrol Stations along Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Zaria Road, Middle Road, and Enugu Road. Criss Cross Petrol is considered the best Filling Stations in Kano because it sells petroleum in an honest way without going into Black Market.

In 1982, Alh G A Bello built an industry intending to be producing Engine Oil but he later sold the Sharada Industry around 1993 because he anticipated a tribal war as a result of  trouble in Nigeria in relation to M. K. O Abiola.

Around 1996, G A Bello expanded his residence in Race Course Road and turned it  into a big and mighty Hotel called  Centre For Excellence.

Education
G A Bello is a well educated man. He is a great believer in education. He believes in what the American president said that Education is the best legacy you can give a child. G A Bello educated all his children to the university level obtaining the First Degree, Second Degree and PHD.

Hobbies
In the 70's G A Bello loves playing Golf in the Gulf Field opposite Daula Hotel along Murtala Mohammed Way. He also sponsored the Black Scorpion Football Club in the 1970's. In the later stage he loves exercising his body using a Stationery Bike. He  loves breathing in and out exercise and also love taking a walk in his large compound. He entertain friends in the evening hours. He listens to Yoruba Music  because he said it calms one's mind. He travels annually to London for a full medical check up. All these activities made G A Bello to be very healthy and strong.

Security
Initially he keeps alot dogs in his house for security purpose. The dogs all grew old and died and he did not bother to replace them. His fence is always very high with many Iron Bars.

Diet
He takes one orange, one tin of peak milk and boiled egg as breakfast. He later stopped eating boiled egg as he was growing old. He eats small portion of semovita or amala with vegetable soup and plenty fish, chicken or meat  as Lunch. In the evening, he would eat either rice or spaghetti or pasta or yam porridge with stew. Sometimes, he eats out in a Chinese Restaurant.

Government
G A Bello was an advocate of unity in Kano. He encourages the government to foster unity between the different tribes in Kano State. He advised the Government to encourage Nigerians to stop tribalism and love each other. This move encouraged the Yorubas to continue to live in Kano.

Mosque
G A Bello was the first private individual to build a Jumat Mosque in Kano State. He owns  two mosque in Kano. The first Mosque was bought around 1982 at Nomans Land, Kano and it was commissioned by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero. In early 2000, He bought the second Mosque called Ahammadiya Mosque along Emir Road from the Ahmadiya  Muslims.

Charity
G A Bello was a very charitable person. He loves giving gifts to poor (Almajiri) people.

Titles/Awards
Alhaji G A Bello held so many Chieftancy titles and Honourary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration. He once received a Yoruba Ambassador's award for the North from Central Council Of Ibaban indigenes CCII inside Mapo Hall, Ibaban.

Oba For 60 Days
In January 2006,  the Oba of Yoruba in Kano  Alhaji Abdullahi Salihu (Olowo) proceeded on, a vacation for six months and  G.A. Bello was put in his position as Oba Yoruba of Kano for 60 days. G A Bello spoke to the  Daily Sun on his experience and on lessons learnt as the Oba Yoruba of Kano for sixty days as follows:

"Like I told you, I had experiences in traditional leadership before, when I started acting on behalf of the Oba, I followed laid down procedures. There were issues I handled myself while others that already had the channels through which they could be disposed, I sent them to the relevant authorities. You know, the Yoruba traditional institution has its mechanism and laid down procedures, so it is the same and it is through the same organs that matters of importance and of concern to us as a people were settled.

Also, it is important to point to our people that our Oba is our mirror. We have to take care of him and cater for his office if he is to be respected by others. The man is working full time for the peace and unity of Yoruba. He is not doing anything again to sustain himself. The responsibility is now ours to take care of his office and family. Only Dr. Aiyelangbe has been trying and he alone cannot shoulder that huge burden. What I have done personally for the leader and his office, I don’t want to talk about it, let others do so; whatever I have done, it is by the grace of God Almighty''.

Death
G A Bello was murdered at the age of 83 years in Kano on June 5, 2014 by unknown assailants in Kano. He was found dead at his residence located at Race Course General Area of Nasarawa GRA of Kano metropolis after he was allegedly murdered by yet to be identified assailants. He was stabbed on the chest and several times on the neck. His lifeless body was  discovered around 11.00am by family members and Police Officers drafted to the house. A strange situation of not seeing G A Bello at his sitting room since dawn till about 11.00 am made his eldest son, Nurudeen Bello to report to the police. Armed officers were then sent over to the house by the police, who were said to have broken into his apartment on arrival and found G A Bello in a pool of his own blood. The incident  sent shock wave among Yoruba residents in Kano. Kano State Police have swung into action to ascertain the mystery surrounding his death.

G A Bello was buried in his residence at Race Course Road.