2011: Ibrahim Shekarau as President
By Prince Adoga Azama
“Political leadership is the prime mover for other types of leadership. It is vital that political leadership provide the best possible example by displaying honesty, diligence, dedication and commitmentâ€.
Ibrahim Shekarau
As a very curious Nigerian writer, with eyes opened on the political intrigues that have been going on in this country since the reintroduction of democracy in Nigeria over ten years ago, I have tried in my understanding of the shameful mess going on across the country in the name of politics and purported democracy, tried to analyst all the players both past and present who have played part or continue to play part as selected or elected leaders, especially as governors of the various thirty six states of the federation, including Abuja, and my long lens after all its roaming came to settle on only one individual whom all my microscopic scrutiny could not detect anything questionable in his antecedences since his incursion into the Nigerian controversial political terrain. And that one individual is no other than Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau.
To be sincere I have never met Ibrahim Shekarau, neither do I have any relationship with anybody in his cabinet, but the curiosity of a writer and a Nigerian kept me as a watchdog of my society, especially against some of our failed kleptomaniac leaders.
A good follower of history since 1999 would agree with me that Ibrahim Shekarau was the first truly elected governor who came from nowhere to dislodge a powerful sitting governor in one of the most popular and political enlighten state in Nigeria., during the tenure of the do –or-die President Olusegun Obansanjo and the all powerful Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso, who had all the money, and other political machineries at his disposal. But Shekarau, like a whirlwind blew into the setting and displaced him, thus creating one of the most mystified political records in the country political history.
He ushered in a true democracy for the people by the people. Capping it with another record breaking achievement – by retaining his position as the truly elected governor of Kano state, a hurdle that no sitting governor had ever been able to cross in the history of the commercial nerve centre o Nigeria, despite Obasanjo’s scheming, the Nuhu Ribadu’s controversial list, and the other known and unknown blackmail tactics by his opponents to deny him a well deserved second term in office.
Again a keen follower of politics and leadership in general would quickly deduce that all these success by Mallam Shekarau did not just come about as a result of wealth or a political clout he never had in the first place, but as a result of divine intervention by the Almighty God who choose him naturally to proved a point to our greedy and selfish politicians – that truly power only comes from Him- and He gives this power to whoever He so chooses.
This in actual sense has been the reason why Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau the former school teacher emerged from obscurity and chased out the PDP and their over confident candidates from occupying the Kano State Government House for the past six years.
After all said and done – looking at Shekarau tenure since coming into office no doubt has generated a lot of controversies both home and abroad, which is expected in a controversial state like Kano, where money politics and religion have a deep root.
But for us to really grab and comprehend his six years in office, one need to first of all try to understand the political intrigues of Kano State, which without saying is different from any other political setting in the country, given its position as the most populated state in Nigeria, with a famous trade link and a deep Muslim religion root.
I have heard and read so many debates and propaganda on Ibrahim Shekarau use of Sharia to oppress and suppress non Muslims in the state, with others blaming him for conceding to introduce the Muslim code of conduct in the ancient city, after the controversial one introduced by Yarima Bakura in Zamfara state, that almost divided the country. But one fundamental truth these critics failed to see and comprehend, was the religion and political history of Kano , where no force apart from God could have stopped the introduction and implementation of Sharia in Kano state, again given its position as the centre of Islamic religion in Nigeria, with various Islamic leaders and institution scattered across the state, and importantly it was what the majority of the state citizens made up largely of Muslims wanted and a true leader elected by the people would be foolish not to listen to what the people craves for, since democracy actually is said to be for the people. Again a true follower of Ibrahim Shekarau idea of religion would see that the Mallam has always reemphasize his commitment and believe in one Nigeria , where everyone could practiced his or her religion freely with the commitment to sincerely follow the tenets of these religion – Muslim or Christianity. That is - practice Islam as a pious Muslim and do the same as a - pious Christian. So it is important to those with the perception of Shekarau as a Sharia Governor or likely a Sharia President to try to comprehend these dynamics and fully comprehend that no single Nigeria home and abroad could ever turn Nigeria into a one religion country, no matter his wealth or political clout.
But the fact still remains that it is only through devotion and prayers to God that will eventually save us from the abysses we are now facing as a rich nation, where nothing is working, from our comatose transport system to our shameful epileptic power supply and our shut down industries, including our dried water taps and our boju – boju democracy. Be you a Christian or Muslim, what I have come to understand Mallam Shekarau is advocating for are - a socially, economically and politically organized country lazed with citizens that has the fear of God and responsibility to the people and the nation in general.
Coming to his achievement since voted into office by the mass majority of Kanawas, the quiet speaking Mallam has tried his best to bring about relative peace and development in the hitherto volatile state, this a sincere analyst would agree with me. His attribute as a detribalized leader saw the appointment of three none indigenes of the state as Special Advisers, and his administration holds the record of the state with the most effective and efficient system of paying and settling pensioners their benefits. Again his administration which prides itself as that with a human face, has been in the forefront of taking special care of the disabled, even going to the extend of appointing a Special Adviser for the Disabled, and through him the state has been able to conduct a census of the disabled and formulated a special social packaged for them, which includes awarding of scholarships for education up to the university level amongst others.
The Shekarau administration no doubt has also shown its dedication and believe that development is possible in this country with true commitment from those selected or elected to lead the country, this his administration has been able to demonstrate with the
construction of one of the most prominent water treatment plant which generates over 150million liters per day, second in capacity only to similar one in South Africa, and a three lane – roadway the first of its kind in Nigeria. These are just few of the Mallam’s achievement, coupled with his unquestionable loyalty to his party the ANNP and those that voted him into office, part of the reasons why he has so far remained the only Governor whose loyalty and political views are unquestionable and are respected across the country.
Some of the sincere question we should therefore try to find answers to are: is there another sincere and qualified politician among those aspiring to be the next President of this great country come 2011, apart from Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau? Whose tenure as governor of the most populated state in Nigeria has shown that he has the qualification, goodwill and commitment to lead the most populated nation in Africa?
Should we still closed our eyes and ears to reality and allowed some cheap unpatriotic political jobbers to continue to play with our collective intelligence and feed us with lies all in order to discredit this humble man and thus deprived us of a sincere God fearing president come 2011? How many of us can still hold on to this suffering and smiling going on across all the political regions in the country? And are the current political office holder mostly candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), really practicing and fulfilling the dividends of democracy? Are we really ready and willing to embrace a change, which a Shekarau as President could usher in with his impressive record as a principled and patriotic leader? Then perhaps the big question we should silently ask ourselves is – why not Shekarau as President – come 2011.
