Facebook newsfeed post by: George Nchok Asake George Nchok Asake wrote: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE SOUTHERN KADUNA? As the year 2014 draws to a close, I have been left thinking whether we should continue to delude ourselves by holding on to the erroneous belief by the majority that Southern Kaduna is still blessed with many brains and talents on the same scale as before that we can boastfully compare and compete with other parts of Nigeria or we should be sad of the way we have retrogressed to a pitiable level that defies meaningful solution. My main concern is borne out of the fact that some 60 years ago, the Almighty God in his infinite mercy and wisdom brought me into the world as a boy. Born dark complexion, thick lips, big head, big nose and others into the family of Mr and Mrs Asake Tunzuwang of blessed memory. They did not choose me neither did I and I had no input in God’s choice of Afana Bajju as my birth place and hometown just as I equally did not choose Southern Kaduna of all places as my area of place of origin. It was God Almighty who made all the decisions and He found these decisions marvelous in His sight and I obediently accept His will.. I usually tell people that I may not be the likely material person for a beauty contest in terms of physical appearance, I, by His grace have been blessed by Him with a heart that is full of love for humanity. What would the world look like if we lose track of our shared humanity? Going down memory lane, I can vividly remember some of my mentors while growing up. They include (but not exhaustive) my late father Mr Asake Tunzuwang my late mother Mrs Chichai Asake ( all illiterates but gifted with wisdom and native intelligence ), late Mr Andrew Yazunom my teacher in primary one SIM Primary School Ung. Rimi Bajju in 1962. My Headmasters Mr Yohanna Gamba, late Mr. Zechariah Gaiya, Mr Peter Usman and many others. These and others too many to mentioned really brought us up in my formative years in very good Christian, moral and respectful ways. But it remains to be seen what many of us have made of such high standard of upbringing. The whole of Southern Zaria ( as it then was ) was a place we all cherished and were proud to belong to. There was no distinctive difference in ethnic background as every Southern Zaria man/woman was identified by outsiders as Kaje ( the name Bajju were known with ) and this was accepted without any protest because we all saw each other as one. However, one thing stands out in my moments of sober reflection is the lack of identifiable leader either past or present who had strove or is striving to make meaningful impact like ( Awolowo in Western Nigeria, Sardauna in Hausa / Fulani enclave, Joseph Tarka in Middle Belt ) that has remained indelible in the land known as Southern Kaduna as a whole. We had the advantage of having a reasonable presence of Christian Missions which impacted on us positively in areas of acquisition of Western education, great influence and acceptance of Christianity as a religion. It gave us a head start and advantage over the feudal northern part of Kaduna State. The takeover of Missionaries and Private schools never really affected our educational quest much until the introduction of Government Day Secondary Schools in the early 80s and the abrogation of Teachers’ Training Colleges. While on their own these may look inconsequential but like drops of waters which may appear negligible initially but would over a period of time form an ocean. The unity we used to have by worshiping in Assembly Halls (since Churches were not available in government schools) embracing all Christians of different denomination began to fade away. We began to know some of us were Anglicans, Catholics, ECWA, Baptist, Assembly of God Church etc. I can swear that I did not know which church Barr Zakka Akai ( now Zakari A Sogfa), late Dr Billy Bituying, late Dr Saidu Goje and even my classmate Engr Iliya Duniya and others belonged to while we were in GSS Zaria (now Alhudahuda College) as 1 just assumed that as an SIM member, all of us were SIM. Today, even people of the same ethnic group have been separated by way of traditional set-up such as different villages (Dakatai), Districts and or the various Day Secondary Schools they attend which restrict them to their immediate environments. The Church of Christ which depicts the body of Christ and cements our relationship as Christians has cracks along denominational lines and in some cases even within the same denomination. It would appear that with every passing day, we tend to pull apart from each other and there is no visible effort from the Traditional institution, spiritual leaders of the church or elders ( if any ) to bridge this drift. I could not establish any known Southern Kaduna man/woman who has in the past shown great zeal and patriotism towards the unity, progress and freedom of the whole area ethnic group notwithstanding. Of course, it is quite clear that the late Gwamna Awan Qegwam Qegworok was a unifying factor but it goes without saying that by virtue of the office he held, he was restricted and limited to what he could achieve along this line. The first powerful Southern Kaduna person in governorship was the then Lt Col Zamani Lekawot (now a retire General) who was appointed Military Governor of the then old Rivers State from 1st August 1975 – 1st October 1978. The Second Southern Kaduna State man to hold a high position was then Group Captain Ishaya Abui Shekari who was appointed MIlitary administrator of the then old Kano State 1st October 1978 1st October 1979. The first prominent civilian in government from Southern Kaduna representing old Jama’a, Kachai and Saminaka LGAs was late Senator Jacob Madaki from Abet Bajju ( where our present day Judas Iscariot Ephraim Goje SOKAPU President comes from). He served in the second republic Senate from 1st October, 1979 to 31st December, 1983 and was Chairman of the powerful Senate Committee on Defence. Needless to say, he made no meaningful contribution to the progress of, Southern Kaduna besides playing the lukewarm role of a bench warmer and playing to the gallery of the Hausa/Fulani people. When Gen Muhamadu Buhari seized power from Alhaji Shehu Shagari on 31st December 1983, the then Brigadier Yohanna Yerima Kure ( a retired 2 star General now a Pastor with a Local church branch with Kurmin Musa ECWA DCC ) became a member of the Supreme Military Council ( SMC ), GOC 82 Mechanized Division and later the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC). He is unarguably the most powerful military man that has ever come out of Southern Kaduna under military dispensation. At the same time late AVM Usman Muazu from Sambam became the Military governor of old Kaduna State. AVM Ishaya Shakari was also appointed the Minister of Special Duty at the same time placed in charged of Government Costal Agency (GCA) solely tasked with the procurement and provision of Essential Commodities ( otherwise known as ESSENCO ) to those who were alive and can still remember. Maj General Zamani Lekwot was posted to Senegal as Nigerian Ambassador to that country. Four sons of Southern Kaduna placed in such important positions at the same time yet, no visibly impact was made on the Southern Kaduna landscape nor its people. When Gen Muhammadu Buhari was toppled on 17th August, 1985 by the Babangida led coupists, all the above retained their positions except AVM Usman Muazu. Gen YY Kure was further moved to 2 mechanized Division Ibadan, the then most elite Division in Nigeria Army and late Col Yohanna Madaki appointed Military Governor of old Gongola State. After a year, he was redeployed to Benue state for the offence of an utterance he made in reference to late Sir Ahmadu Bello the Sardauna of Sokoto and the dethronement of the Emir of Muri. Shortly thereafter, he was initially dismissed ( and later retired) and the then Col Jim Ishaya Bakut (now a retired 2 star General took over from him. He governed Benue State for barely a year when his promotion to the rank of a Brigadier in 1987 made it impossible for him to remain in that position as it was military policy to appoint only Colonels and below as governors. We were later blessed to have several other appointments in favour of Southern Kaduna indigenes as Military Governor or Minister from late Col Joshua Mamman Madaki (later Maj General) governing both Bauchi and Plateau States, Col. Yohanna Mamman Dickson (rtd) governing Taraba State, Col Tanko Zubaru in Iono State besides the fact that Gen Yohanna Y Kure also served as minister of Youths and Sports. Gen Yunana Nom was appointed a member of the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) during the 11 months of Gen A A Abubakar’s reign which also saw the late Patrick Yakowa serving as Minister of Solid Minerals Resources Ministry. It beats me hollow when people start boasting that we have never had it so good in Southern Kaduna as we have had since 1999 to date all thanks to the party they call PDP. I challenge anybody to aggregate the appointments made during the Military era and those of 1999 to date and tell me which would have made better impact if we were the patriotic type? As Military governors from General Lekwot in 1975 to Col Tanko K Zubairu though in other states other than Kaduna ( except late AVM Usman Muazu) could have easily appealled to their colleague who might be governing the state to do so many favours for our area and it would be as good as done. We also had Principal State Officers (PSOs) from our area who were in the Presidency and in - charge of the Military governors who could also attract commitments and favours from such military governors. What of the powerful Gen Yohanna Kure that was initially a member of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) and later the Armed Forces Ruling Council? From 1999 to date we saw the late Isaiah Balat as Minister of State for works though short lived, the Gimi (forest) - Kaduna, and Vom- Manchok roads contracts were awarded. Late Garba Ali Madaki did nothing beside getting himself involved in the Bajju and Ikulu fight over Kamuru station instead of playing the elder Statesman’s role. Sen Nenadi Usman does not only hold her people in utter repulsion, teamed up with our traducers to further oppressed our people, but went further to instigate her husband to annex Gbagyi lands and consolidate his firm grip on Jere Chiefdom even though he is from Katsina. Arc Nuhu Wya has zero on his score card as minister of State for power besides dancing, “ Hey, Hey, I feed alright” to Arc Namadi Sambo’s favourite James Brown hit track as he loved dancing it in Jubilee and West End hotels Zaria in the late 60s and early 70s in those days, the same Namadi who is VP of Nigeria (alia’s Escape). Laurentia Mallam ( ‘’Mama Achi Shiru” ) our Commissioners and Special Advisers plus elective representatives do not exhibit the Southern Kaduna spirit by allowing their various offices to impact on us positively. Yet, we shower them with encomiums that even the devil would not hesitate to put the lie on us. Even though we have lost our zeal in maintaining our reading habit, I will advise we try as much as possible to bring it back. Many would easily remember “Animal Farm” and 1984” by George Orwell a Pen name used by a 20th Century English novelist, essayist, journalist and critic who in realty was born Eric Arthur Blair. Reading his works would most probably give flesh to our way of doing things in Southern Kaduna and probably make us turn around the present drift we find ourselves today. I had earlier posted our encounter with “Mr. Fix – it” Chief Tony Anenih in which he dismissed the Southern Kaduna factor in PDP successes in the State by reducing it to only the Makarfi and Ramalan factors. We have seen the unfortunate situation where the people of Southern Kaduna who pitched their tents with APC could not find any suitable candidate to slug it out with their Northern Kaduna counterparts in the governorship primaries. We also witnessed a man from our fold Eng Andy Yakubu who even though was more than qualified to be GMD NNPC could not have got that position if not for God’s intervention using the late Sir Yakowa turned his back on his people the moment he got the seat. Not even a single Clinic or hostel in either decaying infrastructure in Colleges of Nursing Kafanchan and Education Gidan Waya constructed to his credit. No scholarship to indigent students of Southern Kaduna origin to study the sciences such as Petroleum Engineering Medicine, Geology etc. but who has the financial wherewithal to last fifteen generations of his off-springs turn himself into a clerk for Zango Kataf delegates who were labelled illiterates in the 21st Century just to please a Ramalan Yero whose position in less than that of GMD NNPC. A non- performing ingrate in Arc Nuhu Wya serving in a corresponding role in Jaba LGA talk less of an Amb Nuhu Bajoga a sitting Deputy Governor declaring publicly that he is an illiterate. The same Bajoga will probably take the first reading on Xmas day in ECWA church Gwari Road Kaduna to the utter Chagrin and consternation of weak Christians as they cannot reconcile how such shameless people should be allowed to stand on the pulpit and yet they are told God wants them to speak the truth ( Allah ya isa ). Back to George Orwell, it is stated in Animal farm, that some “Animals are more equal than others” that probably explains why some opportunists Southern Kaduna men/women who have enjoyed the grace of God (we all do) in terms of public appointments using the Southern Kaduna platform have become more “Satanic than Satan” and could sell us all for a piece of morsel which they do not in any case need. George Orwell realized the spaciousness of political propaganda when he declared: ‘’ Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” This statement truly applies to most or some of our Southern Kaduna political deviants and their cronies to seize any opportunity to demonize Gen Muhammadu Buhari as a Muslim fundamentalist and also El-Rufai too as a fanatical Muslim and an anti Christ. While painting President Goodluck Jonathan as a Christian zealot and Ramalan Yero as the messiah we have been waiting for. I am yet to see where either CAN or our Christian leaders have come out to condemn Dr Doyin Okupe ( a supposed Christian ) for comparing or even calling Dr Goodluck Jonathan Jesus Christ of our time. When El – Rufai alluded to Christ sleeping with Mary Magdalene ( I do not like such sacrilegious utterances ) he was almost torn into pieces. I could forgive him for being an unbeliever but what of DoyinOkupe or do we use different standards to judge people because of their faith or ethnic backgrounds? I do not know whether others searched all the daily newspapers as I did on the 15th December 2014 to see whether either the Kaduna State government or those who benefited from late Yakowa’s reign will take space to remember him. None did besides his wife Dame Amina Yakowa who took half ( for goodness sake) a coloured page to remember her husband. A great shame and a complete let-down. Even the much touted Yakowa Patriots could not do so I wonder what lip service they are paying with their Yakowa Patriotism if not to remain relevant. A very good example of fairweather friends who would only use you and leave you stranded that is, if you are alive or forget you if dead as in Yakowa’s case. It is quite clear from the foregoing that Southern Kaduna has had a long history of service of selfishness and not that of inclusiveness. We dearly need a re-orientation so as to imbibe the spirit of service to our people first and to self second. I do appreciate and admire the zeal, determination and patriotism with which Bishop Jospeh D Bagobiri, Apostle Emmanuel Kure, Rev (Dr.) Musa Asake (not because he is my brother) and some few others with which they confront the Southern Kaduna project. I also commend the efforts of the few men and woman who have taken the Southern Kaduna project as their own personal cause. God will never abandon them at any point in time for I believe like in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah if these few committed people carry on wi
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 15:02:24 +0000
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