By Bala Ibrahim
Pursuant to the thorny issue of factional control of the ruling party in Kano, and the distressful situation the state has found itself in today, a call is coming for the rapid rescue of the state from the hands of the politically insensitive, who seem to be showing the feeling of no concern for the future of the state. Yes, no evident concern, but apparent appetite for the aggrandizement of wealth, through the exploitation of situations that came not by reputation, but unmitigated opportunity.
I know a number of concerned citizens of the state are making efforts at different levels for serious salvage, in order to seize the steering of the ship from the hands of the unprincipled, dishonest and political rogues, whose seeming interest is tailored in the direction of danger, and complete destruction of the state. But the sooner these sincere and seriously minded people come together, the better for the state as a state, and the country as a nation.
I am writing this article pursuant to a discussion I had last night with a friend, who although is not an indigene of the state, but has a lot of business interests in the state. He is also close to the powers that be in the state. In the course of discussion, he appealed to me, and by extension some of us that are friends of the pen, to please embrace a kind of cease fire, by suspending the fight and hostility against the state government, while on his side, he would reach out to them for some corrections.
I told him the issue is not personal, but a clarion call, out of genuine concern for a better Kano. Some of us have contributed beyond the call of duty for the coming of this particular regime to power. And our only interest if any, is to secure the good dividends of democracy for the people. If that is not achievable, deprivation and degradation, through the denial of the basic necessities in the society, must not be imposed as the destiny of the people.
Kano has long been blessed with patriotically minded people, but for some reasons, which often center around virtues and the feel of self esteem, many are hesitant to put themselves forward in politics, for fear of the disfigurement of their high moral standards.
And exactly that is the subterfuge of the crooks, the political monkey businessmen, who are permanently in the trenches churning out cunning and unscrupulous comments, that often dampen the vigor and aggressive patriotism of these profound patriots.
The time has arrived for reviewing the pre-eminence of personal post-mortem, by bringing together people with genuine intension to take the state to the Eldorado, by working in earnest, on those areas which are seen to be inhibiting the strength and potential of Kano as the political pillar of the north in particular, and the nation in general.
Just a look at the transformation of neighboring Kaduna state, is capable of giving one an extreme emotional anguish or grief. And the problem is not unconnected with the poverty of leadership.
Even though as a state, Kano had never produced a democratically elected President, no President can emerge successful without the political support of Kano.
Historians and artisans may be looking at Kano through the prism of it’s popularity for traditional arts and crafts, including weaving and indigo cloth dyeing, as well as leatherwork and tanned goatskins, which are processed in the state and sent all the way to north Africa from about the 15th century, political scientists may see the state from a more important perspective.
With a population exceeding 16 million people, 44 local government areas and more than 5 million registered voters, Kano has traditionally maintained the tag of the decider, on who becomes the President of Nigeria.
In the last presidential elections, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All People’s Congress, APC, won all the 44 local government areas of Kano State with 1.4 million votes, to beat his biggest challenger of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
As the highest reservoir of votes, any one seeking to rule Nigeria can not afford the luxury of loosing Kano state. This is the reason why serious citizens of the state must not permit the destiny of the state to be left in the hands of caricature politicians, with no intention, or even understanding of how to add value.
At this crucial time, with the state in a politically precarious position and dangerously threatening to drift towards political collapse, something must be done complementary, in order to have plans working together for the achievement of a better and befitting status for Kano, not just in commerce but also politics.
Beyond calling on the security agencies to rise to the occasion by answering to the call of duty, all stakeholders must dismantle their political differences and prejudices, come together with a common objective that would tally with the strategic plan for a conscientious Kano.
And that can only be done through self reflection, and agreeing with the pre-eminence of personal post mortem.
