THE TRUTH IS A BITTER PILL People think that a liar gains a victory over his victim. What I’ve learned is that a lie is an act of self-abdication, because one surrenders one’s reality to the person to whom one lies, making that person one’s master, condemning oneself from then on to faking the sort of reality that person’s view requires to be faked…The man who lies to the world, is the world’s slave from then on…There are no white lies, there is only the blackest of destruction, and a white lie is the blackest of all. Ayn Rand In previous article rejoinding my last one on ALMAKURA HAS SET THE PACE, Ibrahim kabir Dallah has raised some points that need to be put straight for history records. Less is written about Nasarawa state if not for the recent upheaval courtesy of an OMBATSE terror group, hence any piece presented by any price-taged activist that is not countered would be taken in some quarters as genuine and accurate. My intention here is to put the records straight without recourse to how anyone will feel about it. Quoting Flennery Oconnor, the truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it. I want everyone to know that, in writing this today, I am doing it on behalf of good citizens of Nasarawa state (of which Dallah was once) who have no voice and who are indeed not happy with the way some our youth are cheaply bought into destruction of the state. I have taken it as a responsibility because, in doing so I would be serving the larger interest of our people. And that is all that matters to me. I am going to respond to your lies one after another. 1. SECURITY KILLED IN ALAKYO Unless someone is myopic and ignorant of situation at hand I see no reason why someone will expect a terrorist group like OMBATSE (who enjoys the patronage and sponsorship of your paymasters) not to be matched with superior power. In observing the security protocol, the Governor as a chief security officer must inform the presidency on any security decision. It is on record that the state government has notify the presidency and it is on record that the said raid involved both the military, the police and SSS. The military withdraw at the late hour because of the raid citing some complexities. These complexities came out to be the presence of some moles both in the security and the Deputy Govs office working for the OMBATSE. Many were later captured and whisked to Abuja, nothing is heard about them again. The killing of these gallant men was perfectly plan by someone trying to give the state government a bad name. We yet hear anything from the side of the federal gov in regard to the punishment of perpetrators of this heinous act. The state govt in part has released a white paper indicting the group and its sponsors. Before then it is on record that it is on records that OMBATSE is on rampage with impunity in the state crusading from village to village burning and killing whatever it found on its way. They created enemies for themselves out almost all the peace loving tribes in the state. So to you an attempt to checkmate their excesses in an atrocity. What an irony! 2. STUDENTS KILLED IN NSUK Some time last year or so there was a peaceful protest by the students of Nasarawa state University on water scarcity which turn violent. The students blocked the main road in front of the University gate that pass from Abuja to Lafia to Makurdi. Security men mainly police was drafted to the place to put to rest the protest which was ongoing without a slightest injury to anyone. Hundreds of vehicle were caught in the hold up created by the blockage including a military convoy on patrol. The bullets that killed the three students were not fired from the barrel of the police but rather those of the patrolling soldiers. I think now you know where to put the blame of the death of the innocent students. 3. FULANI UNLEASHING MAYHEM The Fulani menace is not only peculiar to Nasarawa state. It is a national tragedy just like Boko Haram. I think you better address that as the failure of the people whose patronage you enjoy. Nigeria is at war with itself all because of the cluelessness of the Federal Govt. Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna, Niger and a far away Katsina are battling with same menace. I believe the state governments of these states are failures as well in checking the excesses of Fulani. 4. 5000 YOUTH SACKED This government came on board after the 2011 election. The government before it (Aliyu Akwe Doma-PDP) hurriedly defraud our youth in the name of employment on the eve of election as it did to students when it asked them to pay three thousand (#3000) each to access the scholarship form. After it was clearly manifested to PDP then that it is loosing the seat of the governor, it brainstorm on the strategy to punish the incoming government, so it deliberately jampacked the local governments with unemployed youth claiming it is creating jobs. If it wasnt on bad intent why didnt it employed the youth before then, why on the eve of the election. This administration came on board and sanitised the local govt. Ghost is a phenomenon that remain a thorn in the flesh of government in this nation. An immediate screening under the watch of the former commissioner of Local govt (Barr Sani Yakubun-Hauwa). Some local govts with the strength of more than 2000 staff on there paying voucher were found after the screening to have less than that. For instant Lafia municipal council after screening was discovered to have less than 700 genuine staffs, the rest were ghosts. To close the gap, about 2000 youth were trained and employed environmental guards. 5. PROJECTS AS PIPE FOR SIPHONING Nasarawa state was created about 18 years ago together with Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe and Zamfara states. Among the state created together, Nasarawa is the least developed state. In the 18 years of its existence as a state, Nasarawa state went under five different administrations. From 1996 to 1999 it went under two military administrators during which all the three housing estate in the state were built. The military has the credit upgrading the former Lafia General Hospital to its present status of Dalhatu Araf Spacialist Hospital as well as the building of the Shendam road Government house not mention other infrastructures. From 99 to 2007 the was under Sen. Abdullahi Adamu during which the state witnessed some development with establishment of two higher institutions (Nass Poly and State University) in Lafia and Keffi. Akwe Doma of PDP came on board from 2007 to 2011 with nothing to show for that wasted years except an abandoned housing estate which has become a liability on the Government. Within these 18 years, the state was under the military for 3 years, under PDP for 12 years and now under APC for more than 3 years. Within these 3 years that the APC held sway, the development achieved surpass that of previous four administrations put together. Anybody that was in Lafia three years ago would be surprise of what has become of it if set his foot once again. For the first time Lafia is boasting of two newly built carriage ways beside the one built during Abacha. Time and space can not allow me to mention the projects completed and ongoing, but I believe one visit is enough the mind of any doubting thomas. In conclusion I want to assure you that we know how hard is the situation for people like you. But what you people felt to understand is that we are the same page as far the economic condition of the country is concern, but the difference between us is that you people lack the courage to stand for the truth because subservient to your needs. I hope you will find wisdom in the saying of Churchill that courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all the others. Musa Tanko National Coordinator Muslim Youth Network. Lives in Tilden-Fulani, @musamtanko
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 14:57:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015