And fear the fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong. – Quran 8 verse 25

The above is a verse from the Holy Quran, which my late father, Imam Abdulhameed Shuaib Agaka usually cited when trouble brewed and the community kept silent, without seeking to address it.

The Quranic verse cautions society against failure to act when atrocities are being committed because the repercussions of silence and inaction could be severe (painful), not only for the perpetrators but the society at large.

Since the return to a democratic system of government over two decades ago, Nigeria has witnessed unbecoming violent attitudes that were seemingly tolerated by the society, before they later snowballed into the nightmarish monsters that we have today.

For various reasons, including cultural, religious, social and political dispositions, the society had been displaying a nonchalant attitude to most of the ills that have come to afflict it presently. One wonders if the past inactions of the government, community leaders, traditional institutions and youth activists were not the enabling factors for the perpetration of the rot that we are witnessing today in society.

We can easily remember the introduction of political sharia rather than true Islamic Law in Zamfara State in 2000, which imposed discriminatory punishments for offences including the amputation of the hands and limbs of the poor for lesser offences of theft, while the rich, who could be politicians and public office holders, rob the people of their collective patrimony through the pen, yet barely get a slap on the wrist when they are caught. The rich easily get granted bail, which is usually one step to their gradual discharge from the crimes committed. Today, Zamfara is the headquarters of banditry in the country.

We can recall the activities of the lawless kids of Maiduguri over a decade ago, which had then influenced my article, Killing in the Name of the Devils (https://yashuaib.com/2006/03/killing-in-the-name-of-the-devil/), in 2006, when they killed and destroyed the assets of non-indigenes and others in the city over flimsy excuses which triggered reprisal attacks somewhere else. Today, Borno State, with Maiduguri as capital, is regarded as the epicentre of terrorism in Nigeria.

Kaduna, which was earlier one of the most peaceful and secure states in Nigeria, has also tasted the fruit of lawlessness, when after the massacre of Shiite in December 2015, including pregnant women and kids by Nigerian soldiers, young miscreants sought recourse in looting the assets and corpses of the dead, yet the government and community kept mum as if the carnage was no big deal. Kaduna today hosts the dens of kidnapping kingpins and is location to recurrent ethnic flares of violence.

In Eastern Nigeria, we noticed how ferocious secessionist activities were condoned and celebrated in the past, but the region has woken up to the reality of control of non-state actors and vicious armed groups who have taken to imposing sit-at-homes on the people on Mondays. This has been going on alongside some of the most ruthless campaigns of extermination of the people and security personnel on a regular basis.

In the North-Central, while farmers and cattle herders had initially co-existed peacefully, however with the antagonism of political crusades, it was not long before states like Plateau and Benue become the hotbeds of communal clashes.

I can go on and on about how governments, community leaders and even different societies have failed to act decisively when the unbecoming attitudes of our kids, especially the youths, were gradually becoming a source of concern.

At this point in our collective experience, I am seized by a sense of foreboding in contemplating the disturbing activities of lawless kids and youth following the election of Abba Yusuf as governor of Kano State under the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Immediately after the election, as if in some coordinated form of assault on the social order, the properties of politicians, and celebrities like the popular musician, Dauda Kahutu Rarara, among others, were not only looted, they were also vandalised by youths in broad daylight, without being checkmated in the least by security agencies. That early period also witnessed a frenetic spate of daylight robberies, including phone-snatching.

Still, at the inauguration of Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf as the state governor on 29 May, 2023, many youthful miscreants, suspected to be supporters of NNPP, heckled the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, and his younger brother, Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero.

As security operatives went about rescuing the descendants of the most revered and longest-ruling Emir of Kano, the late Ado Bayero, these lawless urchins and guttersnipes kept shouting derogatory remarks at the humble traditional rulers, at the top of their voices.

A few days after the inauguration, Governor Abba gave a marching order to security agencies in the state to immediately take over all public properties believed to have been unduly sold by the previous administration of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Shortly thereafter, and particularly by midnight, the new state government rolled out bulldozers for the demolition of what it described as illegal structures, towards restoring the Kano master plan. Some of the structures pulled down included multibillion naira hotels, business premises, residential accommodations and even monuments.

In other common incidents, youths from far and nearby invaded some of the sites, vandalised and looted the premises, while others removed valuable building materials. In fact, in some of the videos that were trending at the time, a number of the miscreants could be seen struggling and fighting the police and other security personnel who were trying to stop them from their insidious plunder.

What is more worrisome is that these lawless kids are now awake most nights, either stationed close to or following bulldozers to planned demolition sites. The majority of these wretched-looking kids are drug addicts, poor, unemployed and untrained. It is also shocking that school children too and other youths have joined them in the looting spree that they popular tag Ganima. Meanwhile, Ganima or Ghanima is an Arabic word for spoils of war, which may include land, wealth, cattle, women and children.

The governors spokesman, Comrade Sanusi Bature, has said that the ongoing demolition across Kano was not an act of vendetta against any individual or group in any way. Bature emphasised that these demolitions were first set of many to come in fulfilment of the governors campaign promises.

This article is not about the merits or demerits of the governors action but rather the hasty manner in which some of the actions gravely impacting the state are being undertaken, which are neither sanctioned by the state executive council nor the legislators. It is about the fear of what would become of Kano if more destructions are unleashed under the guise of restoring a masterplan when those at the receiving end of the destructions are folks who actually have lawful official approvals for the structures now being pulled down.

While the administration of Abdullahi Ganduje ensured the safety and security of the state from banditry and terrorism, Governor Abba Yusuf should rather try to concentrate his energies on employment generation, wealth circulation and urban development to enable survival and prosperity in the state. It is very doubtful if potential investors would be willing to put their money in the current state of confusion that defines Kano as one of Nigerias most peaceful and populous states.

It is necessary to point out that most activities of banditry and terrorism are engineered by aggrieved victims of injustice, inequality and the burning desire for vengeance. As many might be aware, the targeted abductions of the family members of politicians, public officers and the rich in neighbouring states are usually perpetrated by faceless aggrieved sponsors.

I wish to, therefore, advise Governor Abba and the new Kwankwasiyya administration in Kano to re-examine their actions and not allow the activities of lawless youth to degenerate into what we are currently witnessing in most Northern states of Borno, Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara, to mention but a few that are bedevilled by activities of violent criminals.

While it is easy to demolish rather than build, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano should put in place programmes for social and economic inclusion, youth empowerment, improved local governance, reconciliation and conflict mitigation, towards a more peaceful and prosperous state, which is much loved by all.

Yushau A. Shuaib is an author of An Encounter with the Spymaster
http://www.YAShuaib.com yashuaib@yahoo.com

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Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Yushau Shuaib in Government House, Kano

Developmental Politics: Between President Jonathan and Governor Kwankwaso
By Yushau A. Shuaib

At an informal gathering a few months ago, discussants attempted a comparison between President Goodluck Jonathan and some of the governors in the break-away new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP). While some argued that the President and the governors are birds of the same feather as typical of Nigerian politicians, others insisted that there is obvious uniqueness that defines their individualities.

Rather than debating developmental issues, the argument dwelt largely on the characters of the individual political officers. Coincidentally, the debate came at a period when I had just published an article on an encounter I had with one of the gladiators of the nPDP, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State after honouring an invitation extended to me by his hardworking and talented media aides, Baba Dantiye and Jafar Jafar.

Therefore, when my friends requested my opinion about the issues being debated, I felt hesitant because of the unfortunate way a powerful lady had engineered my premature retirement from the federal civil service 20 years after I joined.

The summation of my contribution is this: Many may have reservations about President Goodluck Jonathan, but I will not join the bandwagon of bashers of any government in power for attempting to be different. As a person, President Jonathan looks cool; his face reflects innocence, while his soft voice depicts harmlessness. His occasional promises are reassuring while his smile is infectious. Though he hardly swaggers like the big-guy, his simple gait portrays his humility.

Jonathan could be credited for some successes in the political and economic front, especially the inter-party tranquillity. The only snag is the intra-party rivalry within the ruling PDP. If Federal Capital Territory should be used to assess his presidency, then good roads network, sprawling housing estates, stable fuel supply, apparent opulence with state of the art automobiles cruising on the roads and ongoing railway projects should be considered as a plus.

Nevertheless, it is just unfathomable that his seeming charismatic demeanour and accomplishments are being rubbished by confrontational stances, inactions and misdemeanour of some of the major players in his admiration.

On the other hand, because of the close encounter I just had with Kwankwaso, I told my friends that the governor is a down-to-earth personality and sincere in his frankness. Beneath the humour of his occasional jokes are loaded messages and lessons to be learnt. He leaves you with an impression that: you may enjoy the laughter but get the message.

Having worked as an engineer for about two decades before becoming the governor of the state, Kwankwaso understands major developmental challenges in Kano which he frontally confronts in his second tenure. The hallmarks of his administration are developmental initiatives in the provisions of houses, scholarships, development of entrepreneurship skills among the youths, massive road projects and improvement of electricity supply for the benefit of the people.

Unlike Abuja where the Ministry of Finance struggle to accommodate capital projects, Kwankwanso makes sure that capital expenditure in Kano takes the largest chunk of the budget. In 2012 for instance, 63 percent of the state budget was dedicated to capital, while only 37 percent was tied to recurrent. So far this year, 75 percent of the budget has been devoted for capital and the remaining 25 percent allocated to recurrent expenditure. His administration avoids frivolous expenditures by ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

At the inception of his administration, Kwankwaso eliminated the allocation of security-vote to his office to block leakages. He also improved internally generated revenue from a paltry N400 million to N1.8 billion monthly. In addition to this, he reduced recurrent expenditures (from Government House, Deputy Governor’s office and all other MDA’s), thus saving up to N500 million monthly. To ensure transparency and accountability in governance, his administration now publishes weekly resolutions of the State Executive Council for wide dissemination to the populace.

As a former legislator who was elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, one may understand why Kwankwaso believes in the rule of law and allows due process as the guiding principle of his administration. While attempting to ban street begging and motorcycles as means of commercial transportation in the state, the Governor followed all legal and due processes and the state is now enjoying the dividends of the actions.

Not a person to be fooled by political scheming, the leader of popular Kwankwasiya political movement has a perfect understanding of Nigeria’s political dynamism having been a delegate to the 1994 Constitutional Conference. His involvement in the activities of progressive governors under the banner of nPDP is seen by his admirers as his quest to ensure equity and justice in the democratic process.

The former Minister of Defence certainly has a mind of his own and so, it is understandable that he has refused to be an errand boy or a copy-cat. It is also possible  that his prudence and determination to conserve funds for serious projects that will benefit the greatest majority of the state indigenes is a reason why his faithful wife remains out of public glare without maintaining the prevalent but illegal Office of the First Lady even though theirs is a monogamous family.

While some states are still facing enormous security challenges and political tension, Kwankwaso was able to curtail the excesses of religious fanatics and sectional politicians in the state due to some strategies he deployed as Chief Security Officer of his state. Some attribute his ingenuity to the experiences he garnered while serving as Defence Minister, Presidential Adviser on Dafur and Somalia and his membership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) at various times.

A few weeks after the debate, while attending a programme in the United States of America, I received a call from one of the friends present at the forum. He told me Governor Kwankwaso wanted to see me immediately. On my return, I proceeded to Kano where I met the Governor one-on-one for more than one hour discussing developmental issues and how his administration has so far impacted on the people. We chatted about related political and social stability in Kano and the various programmes being undertaken in other parts of the country.

A surprising take-home for me from the discussion was the kind words the Governor had for President Jonathan despite the heated disputation among them. At a point, he described Jonathan as “a president who means well for the nation but I always wonder what other people do in his name.”

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Realising the importance of knowledge, skill acquisition and job creation, the Kano State government through its Kwankwasiya slogan is fighting ignorance, street begging and other vices through massive investment on education and critical infrastructure.

This writer was recently invited by the duo of Jafar Jafar and Baba Dantiye, Media Assistant, and Director Public Relations respectively to Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State. While still waiting inside the reception hall of the Government House, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his Deputy, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje strolled in. They were on their way to inspect some ongoing projects in the city. They asked a guest and myself to join the team on the inspection tour. Who am I to resist such a gesture, considering various perceptions about the governor and impressions on the ongoing projects in the state?

I must admit from the outset that I had close encounter with, and supported former Governor Mal. Ibrahim Shekarau during his eight year tenure. Due to that affinity, some aides and supporters of the current Governor Kwankwaso have often challenged some of us to make sincere appraisal and comparisons of the two administrations in the state.

As the convoy moved from sites to sites, youths and the elderly especially women trooped out to hail the governor. While we sighted some newly established schools, we were at the sites of ongoing megacity project aimed at decongesting the old city. The new city is spread in three estates: Kwankwasiya, Amana and Bandirawo with different types of residential accommodations with provision for schools, security posts, commercial and recreational centres. Other ongoing projects include: construction of dual carriage way complete with street lights; fly over bridges; rehabilitation of roads; modern trailer parks and the important independent power plant project, which is expected to generate 35 MW of electricity from Challawa and Tiga Dams in Kano. Already the street and traffic lights in the metropolis have become functional through independently generated electricity without depending on PHCN.

Rather than talking about past administrations or accusing presumed political enemies for whatever excuses, Kwankwaso is so passionate about education projects in the state with new schools being established, and some created from abandoned structures.

The governor traced the security problem in the country to ignorance and lack of proper knowledge of religious and moral injunctions. He said parents procreate in dozens as if they were meant for sale and abandon them to becoming almajiranci (destitute beggars) without provision for feeding, clothing and shelter, which he described as ‘un-Islamic.’ “We cannot continue to tolerate begging in our city. Never!” he declared matter-of-factly.

In an effort to discourage child beggars from the streets and ensure their return to schools, the state has reintroduced free feeding, materials and uniforms for pupils in primary schools. Schools for Quranic and Islamic studies are now established to incorporate western education and skills acquisition. The curricula is designed in such a way that knowledge acquired would empower the participants and improved their standard of living spiritually and socially so that they could become useful to themselves and the society.

Related to this, the government has created rehabilitation centres for destitute where they could learn some skills rather than prostituting and constituting themselves into nuisance on the streets. The state is working on a law to ban shameful act of begging anywhere in Kano.

Though the newly established North-West University has fulfilled NUC requirements and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, there are also various skill acquisition institutes for entrepreneurship development to empower people to be self-employed. Some of the institutes include those deliberately designed for training on fishery, poultry, livestock, farming, film-making, and even sports among others. The most impressive is the Kano Corporate Security Institute which graduates would replace tired but refused to retire security gatemen who are indeed very old.

On Corporate Security Institute, the governor said: “The initial idea is to ensure that we have professionally trained security personnel who are strong, healthy, mentally alert young men and women. We cannot continue to have old people doing the jobs while their children and grandchildren are jobless. We want to see indigenes of Kano well-dressed, proud in corporate security outfit doing their job professionally and earning decent living.”

While scholarships are provided to indigenes for foreign studies on specialised fields of medicine, engineering, piloting and other science-based education, the state is working to ensure that additional teaching hospitals could be provided for universities in the state. There is balance in gender representation in the scholarship scheme that encourages female-education, especially in the specialised field of paediatrics and gynaecology. An average Northerner would rather prefer a female medical doctor to attend to the crucial medical needs of their wives.

On the source of funding, Governor Kwankwaso said the state relies on the Federation Account and its improved internally generated revenue (IGR) to fund the projects. He emphasised that his administration has refused to secure any new loan, locally or internationally as it prioritises its budget for infrastructure and human capital development. Capital expenditures take lion’s share of over 70% while recurrent services take the remainder.

During the tour, Dr. Kwankwaso was bold in tackling his officials and contractors at each site, dishing out instructions on the need for quality jobs that should meet deadlines and specifications. He often threatened to sack officials or revoke contracts that fail the demand of the job. I saw this with my korokoro eyes!

With just two years to the end of the tenure, could Kwankwaso complete his missions, visions and the projects before he leaves? His aides give an impression that “Kwankwasiya is not just about the unique dress code and Red Caps, the administration symbolises due process, transparency, accountability, and fiscal discipline towards achieving its goals within the tenure.”

This article by Yushau A. Shuaib has been published in June 2013 by People Daily, Blueprint, Punch, Thisday, Vanguard, Daily Sun, Nigerian Tribune, Premium Times, Eagle Online….

Related to this, the government has created rehabilitation centres for destitute where they could learn some skills rather than prostituting and constituting themselves into nuisance on the streets. The state is working on a law to ban shameful act of begging anywhere in Kano.

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