Since the year 2020 when this column debuted, none of my previous articles elicited a large number of reactions from readers than the piece of El-Rufa’i Vs ABU Zaria published two weeks. At the time, I am writing this rejoinder over the weeken, there were 151 shares of the online version of the article on the Facebook of Blueprint alone. This is in addition to 100s if not 1000s others shared on different social media platforms. I am not surprised considering the gravity of the issue and the Institution involved; ABU Zaria, the largest and the most diverse university in Nigeria with over one million Alumni across the 774 LGAs in Nigeria and outside. More than 95% of the reactions were against the decision of the Kaduna state government and thus, called on the man at the centre of the issue, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufa’i, the governor of Kaduna state, himself, an alumnus of ABU to deeply rethink of his action and reverse it. It is really difficult to share all the views expressed in this column. However, few are selected for the reason of space limitation. Happy reading
Only in Nigeria, the building of roads, stadia, and roundabouts are seen as something praiseworthy of a politician. We commit a lot of resources while neglecting the most important aspect of societal development, which is human capital development. A society with a decline in the quality of human capital should have done all it could to regain control of the nosedive. But in Nigeria, it is different. Schools are closing down because of banditry, kidnapping, etc, SMEs are being decimated because of violence, people cannot travel freely within and outside their states to attain education but we are busy with the building of structures, which indiscipline people would destroy in no time because we cannot manage them. I wonder what the use of all our certificates is, Africa. We ought to be able to reason from common sense unto more complex things.
Anonymous,
Honestly, El-Rufa’i is trying to burn the hand that fed him. He is therefore advice to desist from that act. To us Alumni of this great citadel of learning, ABU Zaria, we should therefore wake up to rescue ABU Zaria by emulating these Kano men (Dangote and Abdulsamad). Thank you, Prof. for the wake-up call.
Sani Lawal, Kano
This is the problem of the governor; he doesn’t listen once he set out to carry out his development and underdevelopment activities. Since the coming of KADGIS with or without the governor’s knowledge and approval, KADGIS has selectively demolished markets, settlements, revoked C of Os, without taking into consideration the consequences of such actions on the people. As you rightly said the majority of small traders, weak owners of land and structures have suffered in the hands of someone they voted to improve their means of livelihood. Demolished market stalls are no longer within the reach of most traders as the money charged through the Bank and the developer is too exorbitant to afford.
There are so many examples of the high-handedness of the KADGIS personnel when executing the demolition and subsequent reallocation of the lands to the associates.
Those pushed out of the markets are also being chased from shops they found along the roads and within communities as illegal by KASUPDA with a big X and next visit punching as a warning painted on such buildings.
Now that most of the demolished lands have been grabbed, the remaining ones are in the security high-risk areas; the attention is now on lands belonging to institutions in the name of development. This has happened at NITR, this should not be allowed to happen at ABU Mando.
This is the same person who demolished the houses of people that encroached on the land of Alhudahuda college and tried to demolish those by the Zaria library. This same person is now encroaching on land belonging to another school. Haba Mallam Nasiru. The Bourgeois is being created at the expense of the proletariats and the future may be doomed!
Dr. I. Sani, Zaria
Honestly, El Rufa’i is not being fair to the Institution that trained him to be what he is today. Instead of him contributing to the development of A. B. U. Zaria, he is trying to take away what belongs to it. I think he should have a rethink and do the right thing with minimum delay. Thanks, Prof for making the public aware of this sensitive issue.
Dr Aminu Y. Umar, Katsina
Salam Prof. Thanks for sharing your article on El-Rufa’i vs ABU Zaria. You have correctly described the characters of El-Rufa’i. I hope he will listen to reasons and leave what does not rightly belong to his government alone. Similarly, I hope someone close to him will forward this article to him and by God’s grace, he may withdraw his decision of taking over what belongs to ABU Zaria.
Prof A. Y. Umar, Kano
El-Rufai’s self-adoration had made him aloof to issues of common sense. Else, how soon he forgot that ABU made him!!!
Alh Sani Ahmed, Kano
……” he is about to burn the hands that fed him” I love this quotation. This should have been the caption for the article, Prof. Excellently, well-articulated piece. I wish more oil to your head and more ink to your pen, Sir. You have said it all and hope that the man at the centre listens to your voice of reasons.
Prince U. Angara. Zaria
This is a well-thought-out write-up. Even though this outcry by ASUU, your write might not change much, but may remind the Governor of his pledge in 2015 upon assumption of office, he promised to reclaim all lands of public institutions excised and given out to the people. The demolitions at Alhudahuda College are still fresh in our memory. Continue to enlighten the people and a watchdog too. May Allah reward you most abundantly, amen.
Anonymous
