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Northern leaders betrayed Sardauna
–Makama Yauri
From Mariam Aleshinloye Agboola, Jos
Monday, November 30, 2009
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•Bawa
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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The Makama Yauri and first military governor of Ekiti State, Col.
Inuwa Bawa (rtd), has lambasted northern leaders for not living
up to the legacy of the first premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu
Sarduna of Sokoto.
He said while some of them could donate heavily to the cancer project
of the first lady, they only gave a paltry sum to his memory.
The two time military administrator who contested for the governorship
of Kebbi on the platform of Action Congress also has words for the
political gladiators in Ekiti State. They either conform or they
will sink with the political jigsaw going on the state. They should
remember that Ekiti and its people would remain while they will
be no more.
Northern leaders did not emulate Sardauna
I watched the launching of Endowment Fund of late Sir Ahmadu Bello,
Sarduana of Sokoto on television and I considered it too little
too late. It should have been done a long time ago. But it
is okay that they have done it. The late Sardauna could have been
much happier if the 19 leaders of the northern states that made
up the former northern region have emulated his legacies and foresight
even by 20 percent. If they have done this, the north would have
been better for it than the launching they did. The late Sir Ahmadu
Bello was a nationalist, core northerner who tried the advance policies
whereby the north will catch up with its counterparts in other parts
of the country.
There is no gainsaying that we were lagging behind in education.
He made a lot of investment in the educational sector. Most of the
people that are governing the northern states now are beneficiaries
of his legacies. We had free education and it was okay then.
But when this crop of northern leaders came on board, everything
scattered. Up till now some primary school teachers are still on
strike because of none payment of the TTS for the teachers.
They are not even living up to 0.01 percent of Sardauna’s
legacies. Not only education; he stood for the unity of the north
vis-a-vis Nigeria and also peaceful co- existence in both the religious
side and ethnic side of it. But now they promote religious bigotry
an ethnic tension. These dichotomies of indigene and none indigene,
Islam or Christianity were not there in his own time. Do not forget
that he was the only one there then and today, there are 19 of them.
He was an impeccable character and if they have inherited 40 percent
the north will not be in the situation it now. Funny enough, it
was just a little over N5 billion that was realized at the launching.
To me, that was a peanut in memory of such a great person. A person
that made most of them including myself when you compare it to the
launching of Cancer Center by the First Lady. But then honour should
be given to, who honour is due. The legacy of late sir Ahmadu Bello
should never be forgotten; just like |Chief Awolowo in the west
and Zik of Africa in the east. Instead of this launching I felt
they should have sat down and itemize some of his legacies that
have rotten away and see how they can be revived. We know he was
very serious about funding education and had wanted the majority
of northerners to be educated. Instead of these prestigious and
bogus projects that they often embark upon, let them go back to
the basis. Anybody born about 30-40 years ago knows the legacy of
Sir Ahmadu Bello. We need to go back to that to make our people
productive.
Our leaders have forgotten God, busy amassing wealth
It is not peculiar to the northern leaders alone for them to amass
wealth while majority live in penury. It is a menace that has caught
up with most Nigerians who have found themselves holding political
office. They see such offices as opportunity to make as much as
they can for themselves and their family to the detriment of the
larger society. Unfortunately the society is very domicile; just
as Gen. Buhari had remarked. . Majority are contented with the peanuts
political office holders dish out to them while they take away the
chunk. The whole legacy of Sardauna is gone. He is known
to have led a very simple life. All we all bother about is amassing
wealth; forgetting that when we go back to our creator, we will
not go with a kobo. There were so many people picked from penury
and given political offices; but rather than go there to serve and
improve people still on the bottom of the ladder, they would not
do that. Within a year or two, you see them with not less than two
cars, building about four houses and marrying a lot of wives. They
would not even hide what they are doing; they will do it in the
open and ask whoever is not please with them to go hell. This is
because the society accepts just anything.
Taxation might have been used in advanced countries to correct inequalities
but that cannot work here. Corruption would not allow the system
to work here. We are in a system whereby if you are wealthy
you are above boards. Wealthy people do not pay tax and nobody confront
them. Tax collectors get settled anytime they approach them and
they would look the other side. It is not only tax issue; it is
every aspect of our lives that is governed by corruption. People
deliberately break laws because they know that the law enforcement
agents are corrupt. We cannot get right this issue of re-branding
unless we re-brand ourselves. Corruption has eaten so deep that
we only respect those who have made it irrespective of how they
did it.
Bode George must have fallen out with the power that be.
The jailing of Bode George is just an isolated case. It is good
we got such conviction for someone who had broken the law. The diligence
of the EFCC and the prosecutors got him that conviction. But I believe
that he fell out with the power that be, for him to be made the
sacrificial lamb. He was a very strong person especially during
Obasanjo’s regime. He must have fallen out with the power
that be Otherwise there were many allegations against the judiciary.
Maybe when we speak about the constitutional review and the electoral
law; the Uwais report, the judiciary has to come into focus. There
are many more cases where nothing was done. There were so many revelations
chunked out by so many committees set up by the senate and House
of Representaatives where nothing was done. There were the power,
railway and airport issues where mind bubbling amount in their
billions were mentioned and nothing came out of them.
Niger Delta
I think against all odds President Yar’Adua has succeeded
in that direction. At the beginning all of us were skeptical about
it. We thought it would not work. As it has always been in this
country it worked and there is relative peace in the region. We
hope this peace would be sustained and it is sustainable. There
are so many other things that are involved, One thing is that this
issue should not be left it is. I quite agree with Speaker House
of Representatives Dimeji Bankole that the state governments
that form the Niger Delta have a lot of responsibilities towards
their people. A lot of money was pumped into that place, from what
they earn as derivation for which there is nothing to show for it.
Unfortunately the attention of people has always been on the Federal
Government. From now on the Federal Government must ensure that
the states play their own role. Even though it is not possible to
get back all that has been wasted in the past, government must ensure
that all what is pumped to the region from now on is accounted for.
It is true there are so many unemployed youths in other parts of
the country needing government’s attention but they must
know that it is the geese that lays the golden egg that gets special
attention. For now the major revenue earner for the federal government
is crude oil and it happens to be in the be in the Niger Delta.
The place and the people must get special attention. Let us
hope that when things are more stabilized the federal government
would cast its net beyond the region and look at other areas that
equally need its attention. . Just like the ASUU issue which has
been partially resolved. It is the implementation of the agreement
that we are waiting for. We do not want to go back to the dark days
when our children were kept at home for over four months.
Obasanjo, Babangida wasted our oil revenue
If the oil should dry up in ten years time as envisaged we will
be in for it because we have the problem of lack of planning. In
the days of General Murtala Muhammad, we used to have two, three
years development plans but these have been abandoned. We have had
opportunities to have made the bulk of our foreign exchange from
oil but we have done nothing with it to improve other sectors of
the economy. So it is so obvious that when the oil gets dry, we
will be left home and dry. Agriculture still constitutes a greater
percentage of our GDP but it has been neglected. During Babangida’s
era we had oil boom and during the Obasanjo era we made a lot from
it. The only period that I know proceeds from oil was stagnated
was during the Abacha era when the highest the oil was sold was
15 dollars per barrel. It even reached as low as five naira a barrel.
But for someone like Obasanjo who I always say had, had providence
always smiling upon him, in his second coming, the oil picked from
$8 to all of a sudden to over $70 but what have we done with that
money? Nothing. The infrastructure are bad. We do not have
railway system or sufficient power and yet we had a lot of money.
President Yar’ Adua can use better hands to improve
the economy
I will not be too hash on him The problems the president inherited
were so many and could have dwarfed anybody. But that is not to
make an excuse for him. What I think he should have done is to have
chosen about two or three of his seven points agenda and ensure
that if the problems were not solved completely, they are reduced
to the barest minimum. But unfortunately the seven points agenda
are either here nor there. I think he has not assembled the right
type of people that can implement whatever programme he has for
this country. When you look at the composition of the federal executive
council the talents we have in this country in all fields are not
represented there. There is still room for him to cast his net wider
and forget about politics and about Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
and think about Nigeria and think of leaving a viable legacy for
this country. If he continues to circle himself of only PDP members,
he will not go anywhere.
The problems were not created by him. He met most of them on ground
but we did not invite him to come and rule us. Whether he was selected
or elected, he has to look at the problems critically. If he feels
the problems are beyond his capability, the best thing is for him
to do is to step aside. Leadership can be made much more profitable
and much easier if you have knowledgeable, forward looking and well
focused individuals to assist you as ministers etc. If he cast his
net wider, he can have people with the knowledge, who can assist
him.
There is nothing wrong with 1999 Constitution.
Time is not on the side of the National assembly to carry out constitutional
review. We are now in November. By 2010 nomination for the election
will start in harness. By 2011, electioneering campaign will form
the centre stage until the election. The National assembly has wasted
a lot of time. We cannot get that constitutional review this time
around. Probably the next Senate could do it. But then, what s wrong
with 1999 constitution? It is not just enough to say it was bestowed
by the military. It was not the military that sat down and wrote
the constitution. The constituent assembly was made up of eminent
Nigerians who sat down to work on the constitution. What the military
did was to rectify it and sign it into law. We need not be sentimental
about it. There are so many good sides of the 1999 constitution.
Let us not play to the gallery that we just have to amend the constitution.
If we have one or two areas that needed to be amended that is okay.
Maybe the electoral law if it is passed may affect the constitution.
Apart from that I do not think they need to tinker with it; it will
just be a waste of money. There are a lot of other areas calling
for attention. I also know there is a lot of agitation for state
creation. I have studied the 1999 constitution and what it stipulates
about it. That could be another area they have to amend. But then,
there is a danger to that. If they over simplify the issue of state
creation then there will be no end to agitation. As it is
now, it is very cumbersome and I believe that the framers of the
constitution had a reason why they made it so. Typical of Nigerians
every village will want to be made a state. If it is not cumbersome
as it is there will not be an end to the demand for state.
Rotational government is part of our insincerity to democracy
I believe if there is justice and fair play, there will be less
agitation for state creation. It boils down to our attitude towards
politics like any other thing. If you go round, you will find
out that in some states, it is only from particular areas that monopolize
leadership for a long time. For instance in Kebbi where I come from,
it has always been the Kebbi central controlling the government.
The governor is from the central and the ministers from the state
are also from that zone. There are a lot of cry of marginalization
especially from those of us that come from Kebbi south comprising
of Zuru and Yauri. That is why there is the agitation for Kanji
State.
Rotational governorship or presidency is also product of our insincerity
among us. It is the way we practice our politics that there is this
agitation for rotation. If as a governor, one tries to be just and
fair to everybody and ensure that there is development all over
the state, nobody would care where he comes from. But when
as a governor only people from his own area is appointed as commissioners
as personal assistance etc. at the detriment of others, there is
bound to be discontentment. In real politics, there is no room for
rotational governorship etc only the best candidate that is acceptable
to the majority emerges. The first thing that is accepted is that
the majority of the people have a say. There is no imposition of
candidate where the opinion of the majority is not respected.
Kebbi State in 2011
Election in Kebbi State could even be said to have been concluded
now, before 2010. Without fear of contradiction the state
is politically conservative. People just accept what comes their
way. They are not dynamic. Unless there is miracle, the fight is
straight forward. It is between the present governor and whoever
the former governor, Aleiru anoints. This is because the two of
them are at loggerheads. There has been some wrangling between Aleiru
the Minister of Federal Capital Territory and the present governor.
The governor has been trying to survive while Aleiru still wants
to show that he is still in charge of Kebbi State. The fight is
outright between the two of them; no matter where anybody comes
from; from which ever party, he cannot make headway. I do not know
whether the people are afraid or just lackadaisical about bringing
changes to their state; whether it is the level of poverty or illiteracy
that make people to be who they are, I do not know. If you come
in with fresh ideas, nobody looks at you. Maybe because some of
us do not have the money, I do not know. When you talk to people,
they say they really needed a change but when you need them the
most, they let you down.
For now my governorship ambition is on hold
About my political ambition now, I do not really know. One has to
weight the venture very well before going into it. Is it really
worthwhile? Are the people ready for changes? The situation is very
doubting as far as I am concerned for now. During the last election
when I contested, there was nothing we did not do. We were on air,
we were everywhere trying to make the people understand that the
vote is their right and if they mortgage it, the have no right to
complain and that they must be demanding their right but it all
went to nothing. Probably it is because of the power of incumbency
and the rigging that went on, there was no change. It is not only
the problem of Kebbi; it applies to the whole country. If the electorates
could come out to demand for positive change then there will be
no progress. If they can say after so many years we have not seen
anything positive but now we want change. That will have been something.
But if the election is here again and people collect five thousand
naira from the politicians they forget everything; forgetting that
the five thousand cannot last them for life.
After the election and the chap abandon them, they start complaining
again. They are made to live in penury for the next three and half
years when they next election comes. When it comes again they forget
and fall into the pit again. It is a vicious circle. Nobody can
emancipate anybody that is ready to be emancipated. That is
why Balarebe Musa was calling for a revolution. Yes, one can call
for it but are the people ready for it? Even with the level of poverty,
I do not see the revolution coming in the next ten years. I know
there are a lot of graduates with prerequisite qualifications that
are roaming the streets without jobs but unfortunately instead of
channeling their energies into ensuring good governance, they go
into crimes. If you check those behind all these kidnapping and
armed robbery, you will find out that they are graduates and undergraduates.
They feel these are more lucrative and quicker ways of making money.
As the system gets more saturated with unemployed graduates and
as we are thinking of revolution occurring, it is the crime that
gets more saturated with the graduates. Maybe if gangs of thieves
begin to clash at their crime venue and they start fighting themselves
there, they could have a rethink and begin to question why government
is answerable to the citizens and fulfill their lives ambition.
That is why I say revolution cannot happen in the next ten years
in this country.
Mega party is the answer if Atiku, Buhari Bafarawa etc must
forget their personal ambitions.
As at today, there are no opposition parties. Most of them are only
in opposition when it comes to issuing press releases. In actual
sense there is nothing on ground. The PDP has succeeded in almost
getting Nigeria into a one party state. This is very unfortunate.
I felt very sad when I read the interview of governor of Zamfara
state when he was challenged for crossing over to PDP. It was a
un-Excellency comment he made. The answer he gave for changing his
party was that among all the states around him, it was only Zamfara
that was in opposition; as if there is any clause that says all
the states in a region must belong to one party.
I have read with keen interest the recent meeting of former vice
president Atiku Abubakar, former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari
and former governor of Sokoto state, Atahiru Bafarawa. That I think
is the semblance of hope. When I read that Tinubu was there at a
latter stage, during the launching of the Sardauna Endowment fund
and that there was a meeting between them. I think it is a positive
step if such people come together, then we can we have opposition.
No single party, as things are now can challenge PDP. It will be
good for us if this mega party comes on stream with all sincerity;
providing an alternative to PDP and not just to push out PDP. It
should come out with programmes that will counter whatever the PDP
has and let it endears itself to the electorate. The members should
also make sure that if there is any election, they follow it up
to the latter. They must ensure that people are there to escort
their votes to where they are to be counted and are there when the
announcement is made. That is the only way we can get out of this
situation.
The only thing I am skeptical about is the ambition of the people
making up the mega party. Will they now subdue their own personal
ambition in furtherance of the Nigeria project? If they can do that
then we are okay but if they cannot I do not think the mega party
can make any headway, we shall go back to square one. Let of these
leaders; Olu Falae, Chief Enahoro, Atiku, Buhari, Bafarawa and the
others forget their personal ambition and form a real party and
with programmes acceptable to the generality of Nigerians. Then
go in to sensitize Nigerians about the mega party. Later on, let
natural selection guide who will emerge as the party’s flag
bearer. They should let leadership issue be democratic because what
we have now is not democracy. Let them bury their personal ambition
for the sake of Nigeria .
Anambra and Ekiti are the two problem states.
There are problems in both Anambra and Ekiti but their problems
are of different dimension. I cannot comment much on Anambra
because whatever problem is there is self created by PDP. Do not
forget that the other parties have peacefully conducted their primaries
either by selection or election or whatever. The PDP selected Soludo
all of a sudden from no where and many things have been happening
since then. But it is purely a PDP affair. We will just watch and
pray that things would work out at the end of the day. As far as
Ekiti is concerned, I feel concerned as the first and pioneer governor
of the state. It was not like this before. I do not know why people
are so desperate that they cannot allow peace to reign. There is
a lot of propaganda going on in the state, which does not auger
well for it. We are a very young state but look at the number of
changes we’ve had with the governors, I think we top the list.
It is quite unfortunate. People should do their homework rather
than making propaganda.
Those interested in governing the state should bring out their programmes
and not antagonize other people. They should stop making propaganda
the central issue. After the rerun which the PDP won again, people
have gone to court to challenge this. The case is still there and
we do not now what is happening but they should wait and see what
the judgment will be like. I think the elders in Ekiti state should
call all the stake holders to a meeting so that all these unnecessary
bickering would stop. After all whoever wants to rule the state
needs peace to rule. He cannot make any progress unless there is
peace. The people should sit down and talk. Let them not sink with
the political jigsaw. They should remember that Ekiti and its people
would remain. It is the political actors that would not be there.
The state will exist and other actors would come. So why make
it politics of bitterness and politics of do and die?
As the situation is now, the governor cannot make peace since he
is a party to the litigation. Whatever he does will be misinterpreted.
As far as that sate is concerned’ -that goes for Gombe too,
as an elder statesman I do not belong to any side. Since I left
Ekiti state and since the advent of democracy, I have been relating
well with all the governors; right from Adebayo of Alliance for
Democracy (AD) to Ayo Fayose and with the incumbent governor. I
am hoping that whoever comes up in the next dispensation, whether
it is the incumbent or not, I will still relate with him. Mine is
to advice and not to take sides. If I go to the state on the invitation
of the government I am there because of my status as the pioneer
governor of that state and would not auger well for me to be hobnobbing
with other groups. If there are one or two areas I feel I should
advise the governor, I give him and is he sought my advice on any
issue, I oblige. That is what I have been doing with the past governors
and would continue to do so with whoever comes up as governor as
long as I am alive unless he finds that I am no longer relevant.
I do the same in Gombe state even though I contested for the governorship
under the banner of AC. When I go there, I forget al about AC and
as an elder statesman, I advise when I feel it is necessary. Gombe
state has all the potentials to be great. After the initial hiccup
the present governor has gotten the reign and what it is to govern
and has made a lot of progress. I am always going there and
like a father, one would always want to see the child developing.
Government needs to reconsider deregulation of petroleum
sector
I do not agree with the government explanation that price will later
fall if deregulation of the sector is allowed. Things do not work
like that. What ever has gone up still remains up and may
even go higher. We have heard all the arguments by NNPC and by the
government before. How many times were the prices of petroleum products
increased during Obasanjo’s regime? When he came in, petrol
was selling for 19 kobo and before he left we know how much it was.
We were told that the money that is being saved from subsidy removed
would be used in improving infrastructure but which federal roads
are good despite the fact that about N300b were spent on them? Obasanjo
increased the price about four times and there is still nothing
to show for it.
In advanced countries, government has a way of cushioning the effect
of price increase of this nature which we do not have here.
We now it is a common malaise in this country that whenever the
price of petrol goes up or the salary of workers is increased, every
other thing goes up with it. So how are they going to counter that?
There is no way they will do that and they do not even have the
plan to counter it. They are saying there is no going
back on it and this is because government is not answerable to the
people. I always site the case of an arbitrary increase in
the price of bread Algeria which brought down that government. So
government must look at it critically before it increases the price
because the price of everything including those with 100
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