Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has recounted how poor communication infrastructure in Nigeria during the 1960s led to the collapse of his first romantic relationship while he was undergoing military training in Germany.

In his autobiography, Call of Duty, Abdulsalami revealed that he had been engaged before leaving Nigeria in 1964 but delayed marriage because he did not want to leave a new bride behind while studying abroad.

According to him, the absence of reliable means of communication made it impossible to maintain contact with his fiancée, as very few telephones existed in Minna at the time. While he was away, her father grew impatient with the prolonged uncertainty and eventually arranged her marriage to another man.

The former military ruler said he was disappointed by the development but accepted the decision without resentment.

Abdulsalami noted that the experience eventually led him to his wife, Fatima, whom he began courting in 1967 after being introduced by a mutual family connection. Their relationship largely survived through handwritten letters while she attended school outside Minna.

He recalled facing another challenge when Fatima’s father initially opposed their marriage, fearing it would disrupt her education. However, after assurances that she would continue her studies after marriage, consent was eventually granted.

The couple married in June 1972 and have remained together ever since. Abdulsalami also used the memoir to reflect on the modest nature of traditional Hausa wedding ceremonies during that era, describing a period when marriages were largely family-centred and far less elaborate than they are today.