The Executive Governor of the World.

Ruling a state as big as the world is a daunting business. Things have fallen in scramble for the current administration in Kano which makes officials struggle to keep under control. Besides lack of clear-cut policy directives, the administration seems to relish in communicating through  rumor, unnecessary back and forth or controlled silence.

Strolling around the streets in the state will dead cert tell a story of a slumbering government. The excuses are as follow: Every well-meaning citizen must have to show understanding to Ganduje’s government and offer him the benefits of the doubts to have settled well and understand the situation. You will land straight into failure if you recklessly rush into government take-the-bull-by-the-horn way.

The economy is terrible. Unlike his predecessor, he will not enjoy ample allocation of funds from the federal government occasioned with fact of governing without fuel subsidy removal funds the previous administration had been receiving since early 2012.

Mind you, Ganduje spent years as senior civil servant at federal government level, two times deputy governor and served simultaneously as Hon Commissioner for Local Governments in the last term, and now a governor carrying onboard some key government officials from the last regime. It is tragic to discover that the government is still scrambling by now. 

It will be assumed that new initiatives would begin in 2016. The governor has just presented appropriation bill for the year this month. But there are other projects that do not need 2016 to come to continue. Rubbish collected on some of the major streets around the metropolis.   KAROTA, a traffic regulatory agency that brings huge amount of internally generated revenue to the state’s coffers had witnessed an overhaul but without commensurate outcome as used to in the past.  The state Governor has been contemplating cuts or entirely ending SSCE funds intervention allocation for students who passed their Qualifying Examinations.

This brings me to my point. I am suspicious of the governor’s cries over harsh economic reality. The appropriation bill presented for 2016 went above any of the four fiscals budgets presented during the last administration from 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

In 2012, the appropriation bill tagged Budget of Economic Restoration and Development stood at Nb 219.28

2013 appropriation bill tagged Budget of Economic Consolidation and Fiscal Discipline was Nb 235.2 (235, 304, 929, 000)

In 2014, the fiscal bill was tagged Budget of Consolidation and the total amounts stood at Nb219.2

Budget of Celebration of Success 2015 also stood N210.76billion

Governor Ganduje presents N274.8 Billion Appropriation Bill for 2016 tagged “Budget for Self-Reliance ”which he said “is higher than that of 2014 with a sum of N43 billion.”  In addition, the breakdown for each sector allocation has increased than in the previous years. For instance, education receives N23 billion this year as against N18billion during the Kwankwaso administration. This is despite fall in oil price and presumed absence of funds from fuel subsidy removal.

We owe Ganduje detailed explanations of the cuts in some public programs despite increase in government revenues. How Kwankwaso was able to achieve tremendous success with less resources and Gandjue is fretting and slashing and ending some programs and initiatives? The same state, the same people with even more funds. How come? Someone is clearing his way to dupe people into believing that there is less money so that he can eat to his fill.

It is seemingly noticeable that he is not going to outperform his predecessor. During the general election, Ganduje did not promise anything other than completing what his predecessor started. I  voiced fears on the eaves of election that it is tragic if the only thing he can do is to complete some fractions of what his predecessor started in four years in his own four-year term. On the onset, he was not much concerned about telling people his plans and programs during campaign season. Instead, he paid much attention to the political jobbers in the media believing that he must win under Buhari confusion.

We don’t want him to fail. We want him to finish the carryover projects from the last administration and created his own projects. It is understandable that monies for these contracts had been paid already. Does the Ganduje administration need more funds to be pumped into uncompleted projects before they get finished?

Why more cuts in government spending? We need to ask what has happened: his 2016 budget exceeds any of the four from the last administration and yet he is slashing funds on certain projects without clear roadmap as to what he is going to do with the funds and how he intends to spend them. You should tell us what exactly your plans are. You just can’t ambiguously appropriate funds without clear-cut projects that would consume the funds. How many roads, how many schools, how many houses are you going to build specifically?

You may think it is real. Slashing the salary of the state government top officials, like governor and his deputy, is a scam if they continue to retain hundreds of millions of naira as security votes and other exorbitant allowances. It will appear like moving cash from the right pocket to the left.

However, while paying examinations fees is parents’ responsibilities, the state government must have provided standard teaching and learning facilities that will ensure quality education in public schools before ending SSCE intervention funds program.  Taking such decision will be ill-advised. It is a crossroad for hundreds of thousands of children in which many will go out of school if government ends this program. The state governor needs to reconsider his position to avoid setting bad example for local government chairmen whom the local people only eke out little benefits from only on occasional instances.   Pay for those who passed and ask the local governments to set their own standard and pay for those who got the credits.

Little by little, politicians are stealing benefits that have direct impact on the poor. It is not only the poor that should be forced into making sacrifices. We know we have problems.  That is why you are there. If you insist you can’t continue the program because you don’t have money, why not quietly resign? 

Saraki Boys vs We United

It came first to me with a rude shock. It is hard to believe that what I have been hearing these days is a statement coming from someone with brain in his head. But I realize I am dealing with Nigerian politicians.  If you are small man you must think small. Our law makers are a bunch of bodies without heads.

It is not the mind-boggling revelation that is currently coming in of the theft of security budgets earmarked for the fight against insurgency that is so much worrying me, yes it is of course.

Candidly, in Nigeria, theft and its related tragedies are commonplace. Look everywhere, you will find state-authorized stealing in high places in cosmic scales thieves surpassing thieves eclipsing thieves. Many of them have caught up Abacha and even passed him.

The only thing that remains with Nigerians, technically, is their tenaciously clinging to hope and humor amidst glaciers of national tragedies and sorrows en route freedom of speech. Now, Saraki Boys and co. Inc. are at it again scheming their way to enact a law that will clampdown grieving and bruise-hearted Nigerian voices.

They are working to create a mass of living cadavers, whose bottled up emotions choked them to death, under the supervision of the state.

When you speak out, you purge emotions; you clean up your mind and relieve a huge burden. They want to create a totally repressive state that will stifle freedom of speech.

Because all of them are reeking and stinking corruption, they are jumping and falling one after another to offer personal testimony as background support to the bill.

Dino Melaye said some small children abused him on social media. Saraki said he is worried little urchins are abusing him and calling him thief.

Feeyit, we score one zero.

If the Senate successfully passed the bill into law, you will not have even the right to report that Dasuki has baggage of corruption charges on his back. You did not say he is thief o!

There will be hefty fine, two months prison terms to anybody who shows suspicion when the bulk of hawks are moving quietly towards the sapling chicks.  You have to watch, arms folded, before you shout. By this time they have grabbed their loot. Still, you can’t call them thieves until they are proven guilty.

The easiest way of reaching hugely to the public is through media. Now, see what the crooks are doing.

The new media is what is called social revolution or the means to achieving social revolution. Absolute freedom is the cornerstone factor that markedly differentiate social media from traditional media practices where you can have a structure and all so that you can sue someone for libel or slender. The new media is a supermarket of untamed, unrestricted and unedited thoughts that fully and absolutely democratized thoughts and expressions.

The guys are intolerably backward, retrogressive and primordial. If you regulate online media, you are unwittingly scolding your own feet in the round o’clock information race, transmission and consumption.

May be, they should be told that anybody who can’t stand chaos here should resign quietly and cease to be holding any public post. This way, you are no longer relevant.

Nigerians senators, in the course of creative thinking, I have found a danger in your bill which you are totally and blissfully unaware of because of your insolence.

Six months, two years, two millions or both as punishment for anybody who abuses you with accusation because as senators you should not be blackmailed. See the arrogance.

We agree but what are the punishments if the accusations turn out true and even graver offences and crimes previously hidden surfaces and the senator is found guilty in the course of justice. Tell us.

Nigerians senators, you know that you are people with millions of skeletons in your cupboard. This law may well backfire someday, or other.

When people start throwing accusation on your from everywhere, you are on your own. Do not say I did not warn you.

     

On The Question Of Women Leadership in Islam

The online world was awash with news from Taraba State over the argument about the legality of women in Islam taking up top leadership position.

I sometimes come into conflict with some interpretations put forth by some scholars. 

We have an Islamic school for adults, organized to hold once in a week. The Sheik is a prominent Sunni scholar. Some of us often have conflict with some of his interpretations. 

You may ask: Are you Sunni and yet you have problems with Hadiths from Sahih Bukhari. Isn’t it contradiction? True Sunni adherent will always submit his flawed thinking and intellect wholeheartedly and unconditionally in the face of Qur’an or Hadith.  

I can understand where you are coming from. I am strongly believer in Kutibus Sitta as authentic and genuine. But many a scripture is revealed metaphorically. If you dismiss this fact, you will only have a troubling literal meaning.

I never challenge the authenticity of, nor feel that some, Sahaba have questionable characters and all they reported is doomed to be false like some “fringe of Muslims believe.” The Sahaba are not wholly, are not infallible. They are human like everyone and therefore can err out of imperfection. Yet, as a bulwark against any possible folly thinking and unnecessary allegation, God Almighty, weighing their good deeds against their mistakes, has forgiven their shortcomings.

Remember, I may also have different reality with you. That’s why I have to disagree with some certain views. 

I could remember one incident that stands vividly in my head over family planning debate.

Our Sheik was quoting verse and Hadiths and we were quoting defense proof from reason and logic, shaped by our reality.

I asked the Sheik:

Mallam what about hundreds of starving children roaming our street?

What about the almajiris created by over-population?

What about millions of children out of school?

Our roads and streets are contaminated with human squalor and excreta. What do you have to say about that?

The Sheik does not want to add to the already existing mass human problem. At about 30+, he is unmarried, a reality which is not unconnected with harshly living condition, legacy of modernity.

The religious injunctions are still intact and unassailable. Women are not as strong as men, are emotional and have a lot of family responsibilities. Yeah, really, this brings out the compassion and consideration Islam has for female.

Now, we have to agree that the compassion and consideration of Islam is in view of physical structure, with female having less sturdy physique, and also in respect of the harsh climate condition of the Arab of the then, the shackles and hardship of primitive war, trekking scorching deserts to engage the enemy face-to-face with swords and spears.

In our times, wars are fought through virtual means. With bank of presses and buttons, irrespective of who is inside the control room, a whole empire can be destroyed. 

Top leadership can only use their skills and talent to get things done through a chain of hierarchy.  This is why we have a college course called Public Administration, teaching organizational, coordination and management skills.

Technology has made a world made of glass. In running modern governments and state, physical strengths matter very little, brain not brawny matter. 

Because of the passage of time, the Hadith must not be taken too literal and therefore can be subjected to what is called asbabun-nuzur, reasons, background and contexts of revelation. Although any religion is rooted on dogma, yet dogmatism is beyond reason, logic and science which are still incapable of understanding certain things, beginning from the earliest time of western philosophy through contemporary post humanism.

The reason we ask question is because of what we call public disputation. You must depend what you said. So, when someone says something, we have to examine his utterances to correct some inconsistencies and contradictions. It is not blasphemy against, contempt for or disbelief in the scriptures. It is openness since Islam is not a cult or mafia organization.

If you interpret it this way, that nations whose heads are female will not prosper.” Can you offer explanation for the reason holding back Nigeria, a nation that God blessed with greatest men of gods hovering around the area of pastor-politicians deeply involved in illegal arms dealings? What do you have to say about nations that have female leadership and continue to prosper?

Somebody can say “Duniya kurkun muminini ce.” God doesn’t mean that. This is laziness and an escape to despair and defeatism and inferiority complex. God is not discriminatory. You can’t say some countries prosper despite women leadership on the basis of the test of faith. I can only accept the narrative that blames our backwardness characteristically on political leadership.

This is what I would call grand contradiction, and according to the 13^th century Platonist and theologian, Ibn Rushd, Jews Rabbi and thinker, Solomon Ben Yahoda Ibn Gabirol and early church fathers such as St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas, when a crisis arises between religion and logic, it is as a result of the interpreter’s inaccurate use of logic or incorrect use of reason. When pragmatism is understood, things would always balance out.

Smartphone, Digerati, Smart Mob: Home Work For DSP Magaji Musa Majiya

Smartphone, Digerati, Smart Mob: Home Work For DSP Magaji Musa Majiya

When a man sets on the path to infamy, you can only bid him may his road be smooth. If he pauses in the sane community to define the people as birds of the same feather, it’s duty-bound for those who can see through him to beat some senses into his head. If he wants to take them in as a collective fools, it is equally a fundamental responsibility to check his excess and shame him.

On October 23, 2015, a police officer ran over an old woman while driving on hard drug. The officer was on anti-Daba squad, a special team set up to check narcotics and thug activities around Kano metropolis.

Bystanders and the officer came to lift her off for hospital.  At the foot of the vehicle, overpowered by drugs, the officer let her limp body fall down. On the way, before reaching the hospital, the woman died.

Dead certain he is dealing with helpless citizens, police spokesperson at Bompai Headquarters,  DSP Magaji Musa Majiya, appeared on the media to debunk eyewitness account claiming that the officer was not speeding on hard drugs. “Only medical doctors can explain whether he was on narcotics or not,” he said.

Majiya, have you said this? Sure, there is some sense in your argument, never minding that it is a lie. Of all the daily experiences and encounters, common sense dictates that people will be able to distinguish a drunken when they see one. It isn’t brain surgery.

Since you have left your brain somewhere, the following questions await you:

When your boys go out on operation, do they take people they arrested first to the hospital for medical examination before charging them of illegal drug use? Why changing the rule at the middle of the game?

It isn’t a shame for Majiya, the supposedly custodian of law, to give cover to murderers. 

He goes to the media any time there is a cloud hovering over his boys’ heads to defend them. In July last year, he came out publicly and defended officers who chased a man, fell down off his vehicle and died as a result. This creates doubts whether officers with criminal charges will ever be prosecuted.

What DSP Majiya has said about the murder of the old woman is simply an attempt to suppress the truth. To claim this, he is simply bragging the level of impunity at which he operates. Only a man with primordial mind can blissfully ignore the power of smartphone and attempt to deny a crime perpetrated publicly.  This betrays the pace at which Majiya is descending into retrogression and darkness. But Majiya risked himself and emerged as a winner. Nobody captured the incident.

One can as well be baffled. What Majiya meant when he said only medical doctors can confirm if the officer used narcotics?

His hope was that relying solely on words from medical doctors would automatically give him a room to influence the outcome of their findings. This would defeat any claim put forth by the public.

Majiya is also investing in people’s misery to think that there will be no sophisticated equipment in hospitals. But without medical examination, it is no-brainer to tell apart a clear-headed from inebriated, except for a blockhead like himself.

He is also certain nobody would follow up the case even if the said officer was to be found guilty. Later, I heard that the victim’s family had given up and blamed everything to God.

These disturbing developments show that we really need to have a more vibrant online community and smart mob in place to smoke the Lilliputian dunce from his cave so that he won’t keep trying to fool us again and again. There is as well a daunting task of making our people understand that speeding on hard drug that claims human life is not destiny. It is negligence and disregard for human life and evidence of great contempt for the country’s law by the custodian of the law themselves. Since the crime is perpetrated by the law enforcers, the punishment must be harsher and stricter in return.

I am a strong believer in mysticism, so I have to believe that minds connect. A lot of people doubt whether Majiya has the basic ability of comprehending simple logic, especially when he is so allergic to taking his ass a bit on a journey to basic reason underlined by the insolence such as what he did.

Upon chancing up such encounters, one always feels compelled to call into question the psychological wiring and qualification of these idiots. But I must concede that Majiya had attended school before he joined the service. Only that he dropped out at the beginning of the sanity lane. It is not assumption; it is concrete evidence because every so often I can hear him struggle with press release on radio. What I am not sure about is the invisible man who keeps him under rigorous training and rehearsal before he comes public to embarrass himself.

Since you insist you are ignorant, as a man who likes teaching absolute beginners, one must take heart and assist his fellow countryman. And one must do this in spirit of brotherhood. 

Me:  Are you aware we are in information age?

DSP: What does that mean?

Me: How many books have you read?

DSP: Five

Me: Pardon? (Cringing in shock)

DSP:  I said five. Baba da Inna, Buri, Labarin Zuciya, Sugar Girl, Rai Dangin Goro and Amina the Pampered Girl.

Me: Now you are going to translate these words into Hausa: Cup, aero-plane, orange.

DSP: Kofi

Me: Ehen

DSP: Jirgin sama

Me: Ehen

DSP: Lemo

Clap for yourself, I wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it over to DSP and asked him to pronounce it.  

“Dìgə raatee” DSP said confidently. “What does it mean?”

Me:  Let’s finish with the pronunciation first before we come to that. Look at the transcription, [dìjjə ratee].

 

There are a lot of roforofo learning centers in town. You can enroll in one to improve your reading skills. If you are so lucky, you can be like Wole Soyinka or Ibrahim Bello-Kano in just four months. But for the meaning of the word, I leave that as your home work.

There is additional book I want you to read: Smart Mob: The Next Social Revolution.

I won’t talk to you again until 2019. Make sure you do the assignment before we meet.