The installation of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the new Emir of Kano ordinarily shouldnt concern we fisher folks in the steamy creeks of the Niger Delta. But Nigeria is one big family and what concerns the progressive people of Kano, the hotbed of Northern radicalism, is of equal concern to the marginalised, shortchanged people of the Niger Delta. The chieftaincy institution is one our people should zealously guard and keep away from the manipulative, thieving political class, whose loyalty is to their deep, leaking pockets. Here, traditional rulers are hardly ever domiciled in their domains, but in their state capitals or hand in gloves with the multinational oil corporations to corner hundreds of millions of Naira accruing to their communities and agreeing to awarding contracts and jobs that would ordinarily be allotted to the youth of their communities to outsiders. When these contracts are awarded to them, they collect the huge sums and never bother to execute the contracts. Many are at the centre of fratricidal communal conflicts and disenfranchisement of their communities. As royal fathers, theyre supposed to be nonpartisan.But their neutrality is very much as they openly endorse a particular party and, through certain identifiable channels, inform the other political parties that their domains are out of bounds to them. Opposition parties that defy such warnings have telling scars or graves. Theyre ready tools in the hands of Government. Abacha and Obasanjo understood this. Thus, while the JTF was raping, maiming, killing and razing whole communities, these avaricious chiefs and their mercenary community leaders were in Abuja to congratulate the maximum ruler for laying waste the region. Congrats Your Majesty, our progressive Emir of Kano. May your enlightened reign be long!
Posted on: Sun, 08 Jun 2014 19:08:16 +0000
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