AN INVITATION TO DISASTER !

AN INVITATION TO DISASTER !

By

Abubakar Sulaiman Muhd

24^th Jan., 2013

alfalancy@yahoo.com 

It was just on 22^nd January, 2013 that Kano state government announced the ban of riding motorcycles with more than one person. This decision is as a result of frequent attacks of Boko Haram sect on security personnel, government agencies and other buildings as well as the recent attack on the Kano emir on his way back from Qur’anic graduation ceremony, on 20^th January, 2013. Before the ban came to my notice I was strong and confident, in a high sipirit and excitement despite the fact of the trouble that lies at the back of my mind, that of insecurity and insurgency that disturbs the psyche of many people as we always sleep and wake up with the matter burning in our mind. I take my pen to write my untold agony, though I believe many people share the same fate with me.

It was unprecedented before this   time to find men in Kano especially those in the markets retiring to home since before the sun finishes wearing its gold glowing attire. The issue of Boko Haram is like a tree with many branches and a concept with many phyla that it becomes a mysterious affair to relate any criminal act to a particular group. For many people disguise under its banner to perpetrate their criminality. The original Boko Haram was fighting with heart and might towards its mission but weakened after the extra judicious killing of its ringleaders. Then quickly chipped in armed robbers as the second branch, kidnappers, politicians killing their opponents and the big Boko Haram who maintains the mission to loot and continue looting the gullible masses that are desperate for peace. Yes government the big Boko Haram, for is it not the government that jeopardizes the system of education and made it an issue of monopoly, brand, patent and copy right to a particular class?  Any social evil in the society is associated to government’s inability, renege nonchalance and indulgence to secure the well being of its citizens and Boko Haram is no exception because the role of government is not adequately played in shaping the society to good order.

 My concern here is to look at the irrational decision taken by the boorish irrational and dullard officials in Africa house. Since the start of the insurgency mysterious cloud bolted the light of veracity so that when something of any criminal acts happen, nobody with systematic accuracy   could tell about who is behind it and how come it happens; only that all the blame is to go directly to a particular group.  For example the killing of Muhammad Shuwa which is still unjustifiable despite the hard security guard in his compound, the attacks on commercial banks by army robbers and the killing of politicians by politicians, all these instances are cases related to a group which later, time proved the blame contrary.  All I ’m trying to do is build my argument on premise that we cannot believe that if it was really Boko Haram that attacked the emir of which as a result caused the irrational decision. For there are many factors to prove this point. One is that there is internal family crisis and vendetta among the emir’s sons over who is to inherit the throne. Some among his sons have the belief that in as much as the emir is alive, they will never be the king. And others have the view that if the emir is alive he can abdicate the throne to one of them. So we can not justify if the attack was not a ploy from a group of the emir’s son.  For that, taking such a stupid decision without much rumination is nonsensical. The second point is that government officials might wish to maintain the situation so as to continue milking the state dry to their own benefit. The third point is the policy of western civilization that our officials are pursuing ignorantly. That idea of urbanization, of cleaning the cities off the dirty and menial jobs, in officials’ view. We hear officials on many occasions speaking about this policy of   removing buildings that are beside the road, containers, benches of roadside oil sellers, Achaba riding and other activities that government considers unfitting in cities like Kano. Out of ignomable ignorance, Nigerian officials are trying to change the country overnight, trying to parallel different people that have different cultural and social configuration setting; forgetting that in developed countries they have no thieving leaders as we have here, no corruption as we have here, no illiteracy as we have here and that these developed countries have passed through ages before they came to where they are now. If at least we want be like these countries, our leaders must first of all eliminate these vices of which that same leaders are the leading forerunners, before dragging us into the world of civilization with a string of poverty and illiteracy round our neck. The blame should not go to the masses that are always at the receiving end of all the consequence. In this regard, from all angles one can conclude that Kano state officials want to just maintain the situation to loot the state as the case at federal level or they want to urbanize the city so that they hide under the emir’s attack to get their mission accomplished.  It also seems like Kano state is welcoming the suffering of the people by dragging it nearer because the time is not yet due that the government will inflict such hardship on its own masses. Many many souls have passed through this course one of which Sheik Jaafar Mahmud Adam’s, a diligent teacher whose soul according to religion is far important than the souls of hundred illiterate people but his death did not bring such bar. Here the shock not the death of one person will cause the suffering of thousands and thousands of good innocent people and will render them jobless. Remember we are in democracy, the system of governing base on the will of the majority and popular support, where the saying goes; majority carries the vote. All people are equal but some are more equal than others, here we are.

The banning of motorcycle riding, one person maximum; is unwise, illogical and it is an invitation to disasters and more social evils. Social evils stem from unemployment and especially northern state are concomitantly in this ditch. “There is no danger for any community, state or country, bigger than an illiterate youth wallowing in unemployment and abject poverty. The biggest enemies to any society are poverty, diseases, illiteracy and joblessness. These four evils widely prevail in virtually all the Northern states and a few in the south. Social anomies such as these do breed a terrible anger that leads to violence, envy, frustration, drug addiction and other vices that can easily unsettle any society.” Bashir Tofa, (post election violence speech).

In city like Kano where more than two millions people earn their living through Achaba, how can a logical, sensible man will arrive at this wrong conclusion? This will render many people jobless and will later breed all these evils above.

What those rendered jobless will do? Government should ask itself this question first. We know every human being must survive and in search of means of survival, a man can involve in any act just to feed himself, at least. If government is saying she is taking measures to curb the attacks in the state, government should know that its decision is not helping matter. For those who are rendered jobless must survive and along the line; they are likely to involve in any means. The ends justify the means. Government is making things worse, for those rendered jobless are likely to join other groups if only they can get their means of survival. This means that instead of weakening the opponent, government is now strengthening the base of its enemy by giving them a room to accommodate more members.  

Hooliganism or Daba came to an end in Kano when Achaba riding flourished. Reason, was that most of those Achaba riders were hooligans who left their former business. Some even used their brains to go to other states to provide their service since people there needed their service but, hapless the government of these states looked at it with envious eyes and made it prohibited in their states since it was not their men that were to the job. Achaba riders     from those states flowed to their homeland and since then social vices began to resurface in the north and flourishes and fruits it evil deeds. And now if Achaba riders are rejected in their home then where will they go? The northern states will certainly continue to sink into social and economic dilapidation.

                                                                                                   

Economically speaking, the ban of riding motorcycles is stupidity. Every economy on earth no matter how developed, is believed to hinge upon the petty jobs. Let solve this equation, if you say that motorcycle will not carry more than one person, then you are saying ‘no’ to Achaba indirectly for no way an Achaba rider can work without    passenger. And when Achaba doesn’t work mechanics will not work and if they do they will only earn very frugal amount and low income + low saving + low investment = vicious circle of poverty which amounts to additional of societal probs. Next a victim is vulcanizer because his clients are not on the road. Then roadside oil sellers, followed by spare parts sellers. Even those who sell eatables on the road like fried egg and yams will lose their job because most of the buyers of such food are Achaba riders. Many of these petty workers are the ones whose blood is serving as steam in making the economic engine moves.

Socially speaking, Kano is not like other states. It has many clusters of houses to such extent that there are many places that car could  not get access in. on many occasion where there is an ailing somebody, usually motorcycle is used to bring the patient to the hospital. Many pregnant women, their lives are saved through motorcycle. With only this, if government is doing for the people, as it’s claiming women’ health first; should change her mind.                                                                                                                    Let’s learn from example and experience. Many bomb-affected states in the north have adopted this tactics of Achaba bar but still we continue to hear bad story here and there, to this end the application of this unwise decision would, I think not bring any change but will rather push  people against the wall. When US were attacked on 9/11, officials did not ban flight from any country into its territory because of the fear more attacks will come. What the US official did? They took precludive measures and sensitive scrutiny before any flight lands on its ground. For banning a flight even from Afghanistan or Pakistan will cause more havoc than did the attack. Many of its citizens would lose their jobs and then government would lose its revenue generated from the flights companies and also from the people that will come for their business, so equally to the Kano state government, it will lose its revenue and its citizens will lose their jobs grossly.

 Somebody might ask what next after the ban and attack continues? This, we don’t hope. Because even before the ban some attacks were carried out by car. So will government put bar on cars? The answer is simple, government will not bar cars because its officials are using cars and what business have they to do with motorcycle that they will not bar it. That is why I am skeptical if government is not intending to drag us into the world of civilization with string of poverty and illiteracy round our neck thus disguising under Boko Haram.

Are northern states not dancing to the tune of their enemy in contributing towards destroying the region?

Since the start of the insurgency many brains and critical minds have been suggesting ways on how to go about the situation but the officials turn deafening ears. For example after Kano have received its 9/11 version, many calls were put forward i.e. Weep Not, Kano by Dr. Aliyu Tilde on how officials in Kano will face the challenge. He says that official must not depend on federal government security strategy to combat the crisis because the government is not willing to bring an end the situation. The fear is that government will scatter its mad dogs around the city to be killing the innocent citizens, make women widow, rape the chaste ladies and make the children orphans. Many are of the view that the president is nursing bitter grudge against the region and he is restless searching with vigilant eyes for an avenue that will give him a room to devastate the region. At first I have a   belief in not this view and rejected this interpretation of event, but for now I am cleared off doubt. First to support my argument is his Excellency’s refusal to take any civilized step of security restoration measure. If he is ignorant about that why doesn’t he ask those who know? Wanton destruction of the north. Second, why the president will not reciprocate the gesture of amnesty to Boko Haram members as did his master president ‘Yar Adua to Niger/Delta terrorist groups. Lastly, I read somebody’s comment from the south saying that he wants to become a soldier just to retaliate what was done to his people during the civil war. That is why we are not surprised when we hear JTF kills innocent people in their homes, or on their way to markets in Kano. My belief is that anything other than civil way to combat the crisis is a coy to devastate the region. Because it will take you till the end of time killing fire by fire, but you can do so with water in a meek sprinkling shower.

And if officials are banning Achaba for civilization purpose or are copying their southern counterparts, then they are so doing devastating the region to the delight of their enemy. And if any of the northern governors wants to prove me wrong he should try banning prostitution or alcoholism in his state and see how the atmosphere will be boiling between north and south because their men will lose their jobs.

To save the sinking ship, officials must think twice before taking any decision and must consult the advice of experts outside government’s offices in order to avoid such unpopular policies. Even now it will not be a discovery made too late if Kano state government will backpedal to change her mind. We know the officials are human and human beings are to err. Fallible as we are infallible we can never be. And about the issue in general, officials must resort to thousands of advices given to them and listen to these good words for the goodness of all.  But otherwise this, northern officials will advertently or inadvertently continue to dance to the tune of their enemy in destroying the region economically, socially, politically, and educationally.

THE CASE OF 2011 POST ELECTION VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

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This is a speech sent by Bashir Othman Tofa to a meeting organized by YOUTHPIS Kano, held on 30^th June, 2011, in collaboration with Centre for Democratic Research and Training Centre, Mumbayya House. Headed by Dr. Habu Muhammad Fagge, Politiacl Science Department, Bayero University, Kano.

‘‘Ladies and Gentlemen,

 Do not belittle what you are doing. The future of the youth is directly proportional to the future and fortunes of any community, any state and any country. The best that can happen is to have an educated and healthy youth that are busy doing something useful for themselves and for the society. Without that we are doomed in our communities, in our states and in our country. Without an educated and verile youth, no meaningful development and, therefore, no prosperity can be achieved. And of course, no peace.

There is no danger for any community, state or country, bigger than an illiterate youth wallowing in unemployment and abject poverty. The biggest enemies to any society are poverty, diseases, illiteracy and joblessness. These four evils widely  prevail in virtually all the Northern states and a few in the south. Social anomies such as these do breed a terrible anger that leads to violence, envy, frustration, drug addiction and other vices that can easily unsettle any society.

The saying that, ‘the youth are the leaders of tomorrow’ does frighten me. For, if most of our youth are unemployed hooligans and drug addicts, so will be our leaders tomorrow. If we allow that to happen because today’s leaders are myopic or lazy or greed, then it is they that deliberately inflicted this tragedy upon the whole society.

It is not the sole responsibility of Government, but also that of the society as a whole to find workable solutions and act on them with speed and determination. The youth also must be encouraged to individually and in groups discuss their situations and be determined to redirect their future for a better life.

My advice is that we must establish Ward committees of responsible residents to help root out all these evils and establish better life, security and relationships in their wards. If most of the wards are better, then most of the states are better. If most of the states are better, then most of the country is better. I have written about this idea many times, but those in a position to act remain dormant. I will continue to call for action. The time of talking has passed a few years ago.

The youths are surely the biggest dilemma of our today’s society and leaders. We have to deal with, and get out of it without any further delay.

I wish you well and successful meeting, this time at all times. I hope you will have an actionable plan at the end of it. If you do, must follow it through.

Bashir Othman Tofa

Kano, 29^th June, 2011.’’