GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI: OUTSHINING MANDELA AND OTHER AFRICAN HEROES

GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI (GMB): OUTSHINING MANDELA AND OTHER AFRICAN HEROES

Brooding over national and personal issues induced about two hours insomnia in me yesternight. The role of Nigerian media in misleading the gullible public carried greater part of my attention. I explored this phenomenon in relation to the way media has been working in giving one of our greatest national figures in GMB a sectional outlook. This concern took me into the adventurous appraisal of GMB's personality in the context of modern society of Nigeria and Africa. I was shocked to find that sometime this week, Ibrahim A. Waziri drew a conclusion similar to mine that none of Sardauna, Mandela and others measured up to GMB in national service.

TRIPLE WAR ANGLE

It was indeed consoling to find someone sharing a seemingly radical conclusion and making it public. This piece is considered necessary in that it will reinforce Waziri's view by presenting an alternative procedure for drawing the same conclusion. I approached this evaluative endeavour from the perspective of three wars that General Buhari fought which no African hero was privileged to fight and survive. This I consider as 'triple war angle' thus:

1. CIVIL WAR: GMB fought a real battle to keep Nigeria one. Even his adversaries among Nigerian Army Generals attest to Buhari's courage and valour in the war that nearly tore the populous African nation apart.

2. CORRUPTION WAR: Immediately after the Civil War, most Nigerian top military figures used their participation in the war as a license for looting the nation's resources and treasury. The wealth amassed by Danjuma, Obasanjo, Yaradua, Babangida, Abacha, Gusau and several others could hardly be explained within the boundaries of legitimate earning. GMB outstandingly survived that battle by emerging as a corruption free personality after serving as the Head of State, Military Governor, Petroleum Minister and Chairman of the rich PTF of Abacha days. I read an interview in which Buhari confirmed that the only corruption he would live to regret was reading Things Fall Apart that he borrowed (and returned) from the library of University of Nigeria Nsuka without the permission of nonexisting librarian during the civil war!

3. MEDIA WAR: This war is ongoing. Ever since General Buhari decided to participate in politics and save Nigeria from the onslaught of its thieving politicians, he has been the subject of negative media campaign of the dreaded Lago-Ibadan axis of the press. They falsely attribute divisive tendencies to this outstanding General in order to appease their paymasters and continue to deceive average Nigerians. If divisive tendencies did not manifest in Buhari during his crucial and sensitive services earlier mentioned, it will be a lot ridiculous to imagine that it would happen at the stable post - sixty phase of his life. The performance of Buhari in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 election is indeed a good indication that he is surviving the evil media war that sent many good people and policies to their graves prematurely. I strongly feel, he will in one way or the other hamonise this victory in the 2015 election.

FACTORISATION

I loaded many African personalities (Azikiwe, Sardauna, Awolowo, Mandela, Nkuruma...) as variables in my triple war equation but only GMB remains in the bracket. Most of our first generation African heroes did not fight real wars while the later ones faltered in the battle field of corruption. The few that have been enduring (General Gowon for example) could not take the risk of politicking and bearing the corollaries of blackmail of the Mbate Press.

Thumb up to the People's General. A tree that makes a forest; a single person that makes a crowd and a politician that makes a party.

WHAT ELSE WOULD DELETE THE TITLE OF 'FIERY' FROM SHEIKH ZAKZAKY?

Friday, 25th July, 2014 will remain critical in the history of official violence in Nigeria for it is the day in which members of the Nigerian armed forces assassinated three children of the same father and mother. To the best of my knowledge, no Nigerian family was ever subjected to a trauma like that of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky whose three children, Mahmud, Ahmad and Hamid, were murdered in the incident. Mahmud was shot alongside several other followers of the cleric in the sporadic shootouts of the ambushing military to Qudus demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians that the group was known to be holding peacefully for 32 years. Ahmad was arrested by the same forces but was shot dead at the point of taking him into the military vehicle. Hamid was callously stabbed to death at the same point for questioning the shooting of his brother. The fourth of the murdered siblings, Ali, escaped with fractures caused by the military after witnessing the beastly violence on his brothers!

UNEXPECTED REACTION

Those of us who knew the Sheikh through the media and street tips felt that with the Zaria manslaughter on that fateful Friday, a hornets nest deadlier than Boko Haram has been steered. Our worst fears have been, if a similar injustice in 2009 to the so - called Boko Haram could take us into the mess we all are today in spite of the low level of membership, then what more of a more heinous violence to an obviously more spread group that the cleric leads. Could this be the beginning of the North Western Nigeria facing a crisis similar to that of the North East that was triggered by violence on Malam Muhammad Yusuf and his followers? 

This fear was quickly allayed by the calm and mild reaction of the Sheikh whom after narrating the event called for calm and restraints among his members. In fact, stories were told that he directed his followers to release some of the military men they arrested during the incidence.

ZAKZAKY: 'FIERY' STILL IN THE JUDGMENT OF NIGERIAN MEDIA

Notwithstanding this rare sense of maturity, Sheikh Zakzaky still retains the title of 'FIERY PREACHER' among several Nigerian media in their narratives on the event. The following is a list of five Nigerian media online that retain the phrase 'fiery preacher' for the cleric in their respective reports:

sunnewsonline.net

premiumtimeng.com

nigeriaheadlines.com

naijalately.com

nigeriatell.com

The natural question from the above: is what is 'fiery'. My AED electronic dictionary defines it as "characterised by intense emotion" or "like or suggestive of fire" while the Encarta dictionary defines the same word as "glowing hot", "showing intense emotion" among other related meanings. Similarly, Encarta Thesaurus listed the following ten words as synonyms to 'fiery': burning, scorching, blazing, flaming, hot, baking, heated, angry,turbulent and furious.

The next natural question to ask is how fair are these media in projecting the identity and personality of the Sheikh vis-a-vis his action in the moment of serious personal grief? This question is best left to the reader to answer and equally be guided on how to read and how not to read an average Nigerian newspaper or any newspaper in the world. 

ANOTHER UNEXPECTED REACTION: THE EMERGENCE OF A GUIDED PUBLIC

Given the animosities existing between sects and religious groups in Nigeria, one expects either illogical condemnation to the Sheikh and his followers in this moment of grief or at best the usual conspiracy of silence. Contrary to that, serious condemnations came from sister groups and individuals. Remarkable among those condemnations were those of the Jama'atu Izalatul Bid'a Waiqamatussunnah (JIBWIS) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The civil right organisation led by Comrade Shehu Sani must be mentioned in this regard so also many individuals especially from the opposition who expressed covert and overt sympathy and condemnations.

This public response calmed my nerves a bit and stripped me off the confusion I find myself when something wrong is happening and everyone seems not to notice or care. In such a situation, I always remember Prophet Lot (A.S) who, disappointed with how his people generally condoned homosexuality and armed robbery, asked in lamentation "isn't there a guided person (to understand that these are evil acts)?". Of course, more decisive response is expected from constitutionally empowered bodies like our national assemblies so we can live with a reasonable confidence that justice would be appropriately dispensed on this matter and that the wrath of God that falls on societies that defy and deny justice would be deferred against ours.

My sincere sympathy to the Sheikh and the families of other 31 thereabout Nigerians on the injustice of their nation's armed personnel against them. We know they are not acting with Nigeria and its people in mind for Sambisa forest East of the country is still daring with hundreds of our girls in captivity. I believe, the Zionist interest which is at the helm of our security affairs in Nigeria today has to be naturally against the Sheikh whom for three decades has been leading an annual peaceful procession of tens of thousand followers against their injustice to Palestinians. As Zionism has an insatiable culture of violence, we call on all those that matter in Nigerian polity to decisively intervene and end this evil presence in our nation before they create a mayhem that no one can contain. "The owner of a room knows where it leaks best", says the Hausa man. As Nigerians, we know better how to solve our security and related problems than any evil alien costly hand pretending to help us.

RESTORATION OF UDUS BRIDGE: THE ROLE OF ASUU-UDUS

One thing that makes the university working atmosphere enjoyable to me is ASUU because of its stand on the principle of freedom, fairness and social responsibility. Prior to joining the Union and the special privilege of serving as a Secretary to one of its highly vibrant branches (UDUS Branch), I had given up hope for true nationalism among any group of Nigerians. ASUU succeeded in changing this trend of thought in me in many ways than one. Two weeks since the restoration of UDUS bridge today and the attendant relief the development brought to staff and students, I remember with joy the many roles of my Union in this achievement. The text of a special press conference that ASUU-UDUS Branch conducted on the bridge and related matters is one of such roles and is presented below for the records:

BEING TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES, USMANU DANFODIYO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO, BRANCH ON THURSDAY, 7TH OCTOBER, 2010 AT CONGREGATION HALL, CITY CAMPUS AT 10: 00AM

Gentlemen of the press,

As you are aware, flood disaster affected Sokoto and other neighbouring States in the second week of September, 2010.  Communities and institutions were ravaged by the incident. Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, was one of the affected institutions, where the roads linking the University with the metropolis were washed away on the 9th of September, 2010. The situation led to the indefinite closure of the University.

As a union, we observe with interest, the efforts made by the stakeholders as a response to the situation of our University in general and its students in particular. The speeches made by dignitaries, both Federal and State, raised a lot of the Union’s hope on the plight of our students whose academic activities have been disrupted by the disaster.  

In specific terms, the disaster has resulted in the suspension of the University academic calendar.  The situation, we believe, has serious impact on the educational development of our students. Similarly, our colleagues residing at the Permanent Site are up to this day living as refugees in their own country. This has truncated research activities in the institution. We also recognize the state of displacement caused to the neighbouring communities by the flood.

We note, almost one month since the incident, the University has remained closed. This we believe is not in the best interest of our students, their parents and the nation in general. It is also an indicator of the obvious neglect to education by Government which has been the position of our Union over the years. Being responsible parents, we feel that the current state of affairs should not be allowed to continue. 

The Union therefore calls on Government to expedite action to ensure immediate resumption of academic activities in the University. We also wish to remind Government on the pledges made and the need to back its words with action, as there should be responsibility in governance.  

Thank you.

God bless Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, 

God bless Academic Staff Union of Universities, and 

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Dr. L. Abubakar                                                        Mikailu Ibrahim

Branch Chairperson                                                 Branch Secretary

NYAKO'S IMPEACHMENT FROM THE RECORDS OF OLD NEWSPAPERS

There is no doubt that the impeachment of Governor Nyako last week by the Adamawa State Assembly will remain a great landmark in the democratic evolution of Nigeria. This is for the simple reason that it was an event like no other since the return of the country to civilian rule for a decade and half now. 

Going through the records of my old newspapers,  I discovered that the wave that wrecked NYAKO'S ship did not start a month ago nor even a year or two back. Exactly six years ago, a serious impeachment process was mounted against Nyako by the  same Assembly. It was so serious that the WEEKLY TRUST NEWSPAPER OF 28 JUNE 2008 made a COVER STORY from the event. The cover was very rich with a background to the saga, interviews, news items....In fact, if one does not look at the date of the six year old newspaper, he would miss it for an edition of June this year when the real impeachment process was at its peak.

HISTORY AND POLITICAL SAGACITY

History is indeed an indisputable political asset. Yet, Nigerian politicians rarely take that into cognisance. Nay, the entire Nigerian society seems to treat history with such undeserving disdain. This conclusion I began making when I realised in my GST class of the Faculty of Arts,  Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, that ONLY ONE STUDENT was admitted to study History through Direct Entry in the 2013/2014 session! With this trend, one wonders where the future generation of politicians would source their advisers which I believe historians make best.

In the case of Nyako, it was not so long a history like that of Mansa Kanka Mousa, Maidunama or Shaka Zulu to limit ourselves within the African continent. He and his cabinet seem to forget an event that happened six years back or failed to give it the right reaction. One expects a common place political arithmetics of CRUSHING YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY proposed by Robert Greene to be the watchword of Nyako and his cabinet after withering the first storm of impeachment attempt. Law 15 of Green's "The 48 Laws of Power" reads: 

"All great leaders since Moses have known that a feared enemy must be crushed completely.  (Sometimes they have learned this the hard way). If one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it smolders,  a fire will eventually break out. More is lost through stopping halfway than through total annihilation: The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge. Crush him not only in body but in spirit"

DUTY OF CARE

I do not believe in many laws and explanations of Greene. Reading Greene without alternative power related philosophy and a strong comprehension ability could be a lot dangerous. The former would enable one neutralise arguments that may produce a beastly and callous leader while the latter would empower one to handle contradictions characteristic of which are in the law quoted here and Law 2 that suggests LEARNING TO USE ENEMIES. 

SHARING THE MULTIPLE BLESSINGS OF THE SEASON WITH THE DEPARTED SOULS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS

From the last Ramadan to this, death has scaled down my list of uncles and older cousins that deserve one material gesture or the other in a season like this by SEVEN. The departure, though painful, was not strikingly shocking as all of them lived beyond 60 in a country which life expectancy is at the abysmal 48.6 years. May their soul rest in perfect peace.

SANI ALHAJI GANDI

The person in blue in the picture attached to this post is Malam Sani Alhaji Gandi. The photo was snapped exactly 10 years now in 2004 during a sent forth to Aliyu Umar and other colleagues who left the services of Attahiru Bafarawa Institute for Qur'an and General Studies,  Sokoto (Now, Sultan Muhammad Maccido Institute). Malam Sani was the Secretary to our Academic Staff Association at the Institute while Sani Suleman (in cap and kaftan) was the Chairman; Aliyu Umar (in white shirt) was the Treasurer and I (capless with kaftan) was the Vice Chairman. Mal. Sani as we generally call him was not as lucky in terms of longevity as my relations referred to above having parted in his early forties in the last week of May, 2014.

This unquestionably gentle fellow left Lagos for Sokoto to join other family members in grief for the loss of his uncle when he was shot by local armed robbers around Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State. Rushing him to hospital made little or no difference as, typical of Nigerian doctors and hospitals, he couldn't get any significant attention from the General Hospital he was first admitted. Referral to a military hospital in Kaduna given his status as an army officer was no use as he bled too much to survive.

My philosophy about longevity after observing the trend of death for not less than twenty five years now is that blameless people like Mal. Sani hardly live that long just as extraordinarily wicked people also rarely last. It is those in the middle position, a category that many of us fall, that live to the normal age of 60 and 70. Yes, the instance of people with special social mission to fulfil is sometimes exceptional. They are normally spared to deliver the promise vested in their life. An ancient Arab poetess, Khansa'u, partly shares this view in her eulogy saying "my problem with death is that it takes away the best people and live us with the ordinary". Mal. Sani was indeed beyond the ordinary. 

I remember Mal. Sani for staying with him for more than ten years without witnessing him quarrelling with anybody. Even the corrective cane that we all held as teachers to scare stubborn students Malam never held as he knew how to talk to such children as if they were adult while we watch with surprise. He would not be forgotten for the beautiful songs learnt from him while singing them with our pupils. Mal. Sani was adorable for his exceptionally balanced command of English and Arabic Languages; thanks to attending my alma matter (College of Arts and Arabic Studies now Sheikh Abubakar Gummi Memorial College) in its days of glory. I cherish him for successfully uniting the two separate mosques in our quarters to become one. These and more made Mal. Sani so dear to us that his was the 'story' death to me for the year.

One interesting thing about death is that it is a destination that others arrived early only to wait for those of us delaying. I stand on the dual blessings of Ramadan and Jumu'at to seek Allah's mercy on the soul of our parents, grand parents, great grand parents, relations, children, teachers, friends. On the same footing I pray for those of us living to have a spiritually fulfilled end. 

Peace and blessings of Allah be upon the Noble Prophet (SAW), his progeny, companions and those who follow his right teaching till the day of judgment.

NYSC PLEDGE

Youths obey the Clarion call

Let us lift our nation high

Under the sun or in the rain

With dedication and selfessness

Nigeria is ours; Nigeria we serve.

Members, take the great salute

Put the Nation first in all

With service and humility

NYSC for the noble Youths

Make Nigeria a great nation.

Far and near we come to serve

And to build our fatherland

With oneness and loyalty

NYSC for unity

Hail Nigeria our great nation.

NYAKO'S IMPEACHMENT : THE END OF BEGINNING...

The significance of what happened in Adamawa State where Gov. Murtala Nyako was impeached by the state assembly could best be seen in the context of being the first of its kind15 years after the return of democracy in Nigeria. Given the power that the almighty governors wield in their respective states, one would, prior to the event at hand, take the possibility of impeaching any governor as a mere fantasy. Whether rightly or wrongly, at least Adamawa State Assembly demonstrated that the principle of separation of power could be made to work when  the need arises. The end of the beginning of one of our democratic impossibilities has therefore arrived.

POLITICAL UNDERTONES AND UPRIGHTNESS
Many blame the Adamawa State Assembly for executing the FG's script without looking the other side and blame Nyako for his administrative loose ends. It is instructive to note that the culture of impunity has made the Nigeria's executives especially the governors to be the most lawless elements in the country. For instance, most, if not all, governors rarely have any respect for budgets. They spend public funds with beastly caprices on things that mostly yield personal benefits to them and their cronies. For this, it is very common to hear a governor say "my money" when talking about the state treasury. In fact, there hardly exist any governor in Nigeria without a glaring impeachable offence.

MY MIND

Ask about my state of mind on what happened to Nyako; I am at best INDIFFERENT based on my philosophy of not sympathising with a cat when chased by a dog for it does same to the mouse.

Ask about the implication of this event to Nigeria's democracy; I am HAPPY for it is bound to checkmate the arrogance, illegality and misgovernance of 36 BORNS OF WOMAN that turned into SUPERMEN simply because we have given them our mandate or they had it stolen.

"This is not the end, it is not even the beginning of an end, but it is the end of beginning". An Arab proverb says, " A wiseman learns from the ordeal of others".

Jirgin Captain Ahmad

Kabo Air

Sama da ikon Allah

A dawo lafiya

What if he wins?

The Primaries of his Party
Looks like a walkover.

 
The general election
Probable probability.

Election tribunal

Once beaten twice shy.

 

Violent killings
Two wrongs make not a single right.

 

’11 dominates my thought

With all its ugly scenes.

 

Niger continues to flow

Aso remains firm.

 

Newspapers publish more
Radios noise the more…

 

The dead remain mute

The brouhaha continues…

 

’15 the world will not end

Nor will Nigeria do…

 

A point for the common man
The elite know that well.


Four years more like a day
Rome was built in years.

 

STRIVE for the change we need

But violence option not.

AMAECHI AND THE BURDEN OF UDUS PLEDGE

On 1^st December, 2012, Governor (Dr.) Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, was conferred with the Honorary Doctorate Degree of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto at the University’s convocation ceremony. I was sitting few metres away from the Governor and could observe the joy with which he was listening to his citation as read by the ever vibrant Prof. Sharubutu. Another remarkable thing was that Mr Amechi spoke on behalf of the six recipients of this unique honour from a University that distinguishes itself as the most peaceful in Nigeria and whose graduates are always revered for academic excellence. I can still see the posture of Rotimi as he read the address from his ipad with the usual calm and easy mien.

A CHAIR TO ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

A portion of Dr. Amechi’s speech that called for a loud applause was the donation of a chair to the ‘Department of English’ of the University as an English graduate. Donating a chair to a Department means that reasonable amount of money would be dedicated by the donour to support and promote research in the Department. To make this clearer, a day earlier, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim who happened to be the presenter of pre-convocation lecture donated a chair to support research and community service on child nutrition. He supported the chair with an INSTANT INITIAL CASH DONATION OF N50 MILLION. Senator Anyim’s generosity was influenced by his experience in the late 80s as a corps member on NYSC in Sokoto where he observed that malnutrition was the most prevalent health/social challenge in the state.

When SGF donates this generously to support a research chair, you can imagine my expectation when a Governor from the OIL-RICH STATE of RIVERS donates a chair to my Department. With tremendous joy, I called my Head of Department and other senior members of the Department to congratulate them on this ‘good news’.

RIDICULING HAT TRICK HONOURS

With the UDUS award, Amechi carries THREE important titles that would ordinarily make one to take his word seriously. He is often called ‘Honourable’ because he was one time Speaker of the Rivers’ Assembly; he is called “Excellency” because he is the Governor of Rivers State; he is called ‘Doctor’ because he was so awarded by UDUS.  

Nigeria is a republic. It is neither a monarchy nor an empire. In a setup like ours, respect, honour, reverence and esteem are earned -they are not given. Thus, notwithstanding these titles, the behavior of Mr. Amaechi to this PUBLIC PLEDGE remain my major yardstick of majoring his veneration and reverence. This informs my liberty in calling him with any of his three names in this piece without the usual appendage of HIS EXCELLENCY!

 

Amaechi, my Department and University are still waiting! We do not have the time nor the luxury of visiting Port Harcourt to beg for what you willingly pledged.

ALHAMDULILLAH (THANK GOD) FOR THE BLESSING OF LIVING TO SAY “IN MY DAYS”

I had the privilege of living my teenage life around an aged educated cousin who did always begin talking about the nice things of the past with the phrases “in my days”, “in our days”, “in those days”… It is ten years now since he passed away at the age of 70 leaving behind great memories and legacies (R.I.P Malam).

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT?

As years keep rolling, I have not yet lived half the life of my cousin but things have been terribly changing that I can no longer wait to start using the phrase “in my days”. Without much ado, I list some dramatic social events that are now history. Thus, in my days….

*As pupils and students, we did line-up holding flags by the side of streets to welcome visiting Presidents (I raised a flag to IBB when he visited Sokoto in 1992 and waited for Abacha to take a roundabout in 1994). ***NOW: armed security personnel have snatched that role.

* No single private primary or secondary school outshined most of the public schools in Sokoto and environs. Hence, children of all government dignitaries (governors, commissioners) were attending public schools. ***NOW: most of the reliable schools are private or quasi-private and are patronized by the children of those whose roles it is to fix public schools.

*People steeling public funds or engaged in 419 were few and were called with their true names of ‘Barayi’ (meaning thieves).  *** NOW: Such people are now all over the place and are now decorated with the names of ‘masu jan kaya’ (those who draw wealth).

*We were given uniforms free and paid JOURNEY MONEY to take ourselves back home from boarding schools. Half of the 7 Naira I first received was able to take me home on a full seat. A quarter of it could serve if I decided using BENCHIN HAJIYA *** NOW: everyone has to provide uniform for his ward and pay for his/her transportation.

*Area boysm and the attendant vices of armed robbery and kidnapping were VERY RARE if at all existed. Trekking the entire city of Sokoto by 12 midnight was generally safe from any human harm. *** Now: people are robbed and kidnapped in broad day light.     

JUST A TIP

More of these stories could be told by many of my older friends and relations. In fact, younger elements two may have a lot more to tell in our fast ‘changing’ nation.

We pray that the year 2014 that just begun would come with nice developments to talk about in the future. 

WHO NAMES ROADS IN ZAMFARA STATE?

Taking the express way that leads into the heart of Gusau from Sokoto, I was amazed by the road sign reading “Com. Jamilu Zannah Road”. The first question I asked is who was this Comrade Zannah that deserved to have an important road such as this named after him. Although the struggle and creation of Zamfara State was done when I was grown up enough to know the principal protagonists and I have not been so detached from the State as to know who is who in its development, I called some friends to confirm my judgment that Jamilu Zannah would hardly be that important. By the way, the mere mention of “Jamilu” will tell you that one is at best dealing with an upcoming young man -I am yet to meet Jamilu of 50 and above.

The best I got of information was that Com. Jamilu Zannah was a former NUT Chairman and later NLC Chairman of Zamfara State. In addition to this, he owned the biggest house on the street and possessed greater part of the land in the area. Period!

COM. JAMILU ZANNAH AND COM. ADAMS OSHOMOLE

In the life of any society, any person is important. Prominence, therefore, depends largely on how well a person plays his role in social matrix. It is as a result of this that you find prominent people among politicians just as among praise singers, scholars as boxers, Male as female, young as old. In spite of this, however, prominence is relative to the society that defines it so also its reward and attendant benefits.

In Nigeria, one of the best ways of rewarding people is by naming roads and schools/buildings after them. In most occasions, the bigger the name, the bigger the road/school to be named after a person. Look at the Ahmadu Bello Ways, Azikiwe Roads, Awolowo Roads, Aminu Kano Roads, Obasanjo Roads in Nigeria as well as places like Ladi Kwali Hall, Shehu Musa Yaradua Centre among others. These are names that need no further query even from the least informed member of the Nigerian society.

Going by the above, I must state that much as I have to respect Jamilu Zannah for his ‘achievements’ in the union affairs of the Zamfara State; at the same time, I question the appropriateness of naming the road that carries his name in my state capital. How do you compare Com. Jamilu to Adams Oshomole who was the National President of NLC and now the Governor of his state? Yet, on visiting Benin City, the capital of Edo State, one would hardly find a road named after Com. Oshomole that is so conspicuous as that named after Com. Jamilu in Gusau.

IMPLICATIONS

This naming mistake may look so simple to certain minds. But to my humble critical mind, it is so serious and grievous that it needs to be addressed because of the following implications:

 *Celebrating low level achievement and obstructing higher aspirations in our dear state.

*Institutionalisation of mediocrity

*Mocking the achievements of great men and women that we have in the state whose names do not feature in the smallest of roads in the state –Islamic scholars, season educationists in the western sense, administrators, praise singers, traditional rulers, farmers, politicians, military and paramilitary officers among others.

           

PDP: WHOSE FAULT? THE FIRST ‘P’ OR THE SECOND ‘P’ (THE PEOPLE OR THE PARTY)

I consider the eminent challenges that the PDP is facing in terms of the massive decamping of its members as a development that should call for reflection rather than celebration. 

 

MY METHOD OF REFLECTION

A few clicks took me to the official website of the PDP with a view to accessing the Party’s constitution. My mission is to study the objectives of the Party and reflect on its merits or otherwise. The objectives thus:

 

a) Promote sustainable development through the provision of sound education, basic health care, food security, rapid industrial growth, adequate housing, full employment and the improvement of infrastructure and basic services;

b) Promote federalism and an equitable revenue sharing formula;

c) Promote the security of life, and property, and enhance family values;

d) Promote self-respect, self-reliance and human dignity;

e) Uphold the integrity and sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as one united indivisible political entity;

f) Promote national integration and the peaceful co-existence of the diverse communities of our country;

g) Promote an egalitarian society founded on freedom, equality and justice.

h) Uphold the independence of the judiciary and the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;  

 

i) Promote learning and research in science and technology and the arts;

j) Assist in the just resolution of local and international disputes;

k) Support the struggle for the rights of children and the physically challenged; and

I) Advance the political, social, educational and economic interests of its members and act as the channel of communication between them, the government and other political parties or associations.

 

ASSESSMENT, CONCLUSION AND POINTER

My personal assessment of the above objectives is that they are noble and comprehensive enough to meet the developmental yearnings and aspirations of Nigeria and Nigerians.

I cannot help concluding that the problem of PDP is not with the Party; rather, the problem with the People who are now massively migrating to the bright alternative that APC tries to provide our dear country.

I equally cannot help concluding, as a pointer, that the same set of people that are destroying the PDP with all its apparently brilliant objectives can do same to any party.

RULING CLASS VERSUS RULING PROLES AND PROSTITUTES: LESSONS FROM THE ‘CONVERSION’ OF FIVE GOVERNORS TO APC

My less than a year old SERIOUS public concern has made me search seriously for the ROOT of Nigeria’s problem. The more I beam the search light the more I am close to concluding that the problem lies generally with the RULING PROLES AND PROSTITUTES that assume the enviable status of RULING CLASS in Nigeria.

SEPARATING THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF

The Ruling Class in serious countries is characterized by people with principles informed by considerably consistent ideology. Their loyalty is first and foremost to justifiable ideas and ideals. A good example of this could be seen in the doggedness of the echelons of Labour Party and Conservative Party in the UK as well as those of Republican and Democratic parties in the US. Stories of decamping are very rare there!

The recent event of the ‘conversion’ of 5 PDP governors to APC and the near unanimous CONSENT of political elements in the states is an indication to the ominous fact that RULING CLASS hardly exist in Nigeria. What we have in place is rather ruling proles and prostitutes. People I can best describe in Hausa as “‘YAN TANYA SHANU CIRI” or “’YAN AMSHIN SHATA” (Simply translated to English, yes men). I borrowed the term ‘proles’ from Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty Four’ to describe these so called politicians. Read Orwell’s description of the attitude of proles verbatim:

“All that was required of them was a primitive patriotism which could be appealed to whenever it was necessary for them to accept longer working-hours or shorter rations. And even when they became discontented, as they sometimes did, their discontent led nowhere, because being without general ideas, they could only focus it on petty specific grievances. The larger evils invariably escaped their grievances” Orwell (1949) pg 55.

 BARRISTER MUNTARI SHAGARI: MAKING THE NECESSARY DIFFERENCE

Few days after the decamping of Sokoto State Governor to APC, his Deputy, Barrister Muntari Shehu Shagari organized a press conference in which he reiterated his loyalty to PDP.  The reason of this former Commissioner of Justice Sokoto State and one time Minister of Water Resources was that he was not consulted before making the decamping decision and the subsequent declaration that everyone has joined the band wagon (Kowa yabi in Hausa). In my view, this reason is valid enough for Barrister Shagari to decide the way he did.

I strongly believe that many other politicians were not ADEQUATELY consulted before the decamping mantra. I wonder how the major reason for being in a political party by influential people like Senators and National Assembly Members is that their Governor subscribes to the party!       

 I’m afraid, in Nigeria, shall a Governor convert faith (religion), he would be joined by many including the ruling proles!

POPULATION GROWTH AND QUALITY EDUCATION

 

With QUALITY EDUCATION, these are more of a RESOURCE than OIL. With POOR EDUCATION, they are more THREATENING than EARTHQUAKE!