KWANKWASIYYA: CRITICS AND PROSPECTS

WRITTEN BY NAJIBULLAH A.NUHU

The swearing in of the newly elected Public Officials on 29^th may, 2011 usher in a fresh public Agenda namely, calculation of gains and loses. This is especially after the three mouths of these elected Public Officials in office. The modest objective of this piece is to closely examine some of the activities of the State Government to improve its leadership where there is slip-up and further strengthen its credit side.

After the Federal Grants, internally generated revenue is the most significant source of State Government income that is contributing an appreciable amount of money to finance its activities. However, many states in Nigeria (Kano inclusive) are known for their incapacity to fully realize such revenue and this consequently hamper the socio-economic transformation of such state. It is on record that, immediately after the swearing in of Governor ‘Kwankwaso’, he made an attempt to meet with his colleague of Lagos who is known to be the best Governor in revenue collection in Nigeria on how to improve the internally generated revenue of Kano State. Kudos to kwankwaso. His visit have materialize as the money that is now been realize per month is far beyond that of previous administration

Other credit sides of the current administration include; the revival of the important but abandoned monthly sanitation, ongoing construction classes in some selected primary schools across the state, lightning of main roads in the State at night, procurement of new vehicles for police force to enhance security in the state, prompt disposal of refuse from public places, provision of employments opportunities to the teeming youth of Kano to mention but few.

Having briefly discussed some of the prospect we have recorded let me turn to some of the critic. The most topical and tragic lose the good people of Kano state experience since the Inception of the present administration is the rapid transformation of the full-fledged democracy that has been in existence in the state for long to democracy without freedom of speech particularly democracy without opposition.to this end the government is employing all the means at its deposal to silence the voice to enlighten critics and subdue politicians who dare subjects the administration to scrutiny. The Government abandons the suppose search for more legitimacy but instead concentrate its energies in liquidation its rivals as anyone who stands up for opposition is its enemy and must be crushed. To paraphrase the words of Nnoli, the government has surrounded itself with its henchmen.

The government erroneously believed that because it can pass out  outlandish laws in the state House of Assembly and also be going round the State to speak to public in a style of Political Comedians that they can muzzle opposition it is because of this wrong belief that the Head of the Government called for his predecessor to take political asylum somewhere on the pretext that his presence in the State is not only a treat to security but also signifies the existence of two (2) governors (His Excellency as the Governor of the People and his Predecessor as the Opposition Governor). This really sound comedian and baseless! After this call has failed to survive public and judicial hostilities, the State House of Assembly on 30^th November, 2011 attempt to pass a law which will prevent Traditional title holders in the State from participating in politics especially sardaunan Kano (the immediate past governor) this notwithstanding several politicians that are expressing their political views over radio (popularly known as ‘sojojin baka’) were taken to court and imprisoned for the crime of criticizing the present administration!

It is the responsibility of the press, scholars, and opposition parties and of course the whole fellow ‘Kanawa’s’ to wake up from our slumber and fight against tyranny and dictatorship regardless of all the dangers this may involve only then each of us can be truly free. Your excellency, in the words of sunusi lamido sunusi  ‘…the best of leaders are those who welcome criticism and use it as basis of improving the institution of governance.’ Sir, please remember it is opposition that brought you back to office  without which you will have been somewhere else by now. Besides, what is most surprising to every painstaking analyst is that, you are seriously claiming to be one of the disciplines of the late Mal.Aminu Kano far from being anti-opposition he died as opposition politician and vehemently fought for the rights of opposition during his lifetime. May I remind you that any attempt muzzle opposition in a politically vibrant state like Kano will make people to be even more critical instead of being deterred? Thus be warned, don’t unnecessary steer your administration to its waterloo!

Another critic, the good people of Kano is suffering from the continuous personalization of Government and its properties by His Excellency under the name of kwankwasiya. Let me cite some vivid examples to support this assertion: the government pledged to build a model village which was a name kwankwasiyya village, the ongoing construction of class’s bear the name of kwankwasiya in some selected primary schools across the state is another clear example. Thirdly, the cars that were purchased to transport secondary school students to and fro school also are not only bearing the name kwankwasiyya but also bear a drawing of the red cap of His Excellency. Similarly, the table water that is given to primary school pupils under the so-called feeding program of the Government is again carrying the name of kwankwasiyya. This is a clear manifestation of the monarchical political culture of the ruling clique. Please sir, remember all the above mentioned projects and many others are not carried out with your personal money rather with the public treasury of Kano state government. In this way, why not all projects bear the name kano state government? I think the year in which the projects are or will be executed is enough to tell that is done under your leadership. Please think about it!

Educationally speaking, the good people of Kano record huge loos. Why? Because throughout the 8years of the past administration female secondary schools students were not paying school fees but this is now history with the coming of this administration as such many students drop out of school and go back to hawking! Please sir, remember that education is a tool of mental liberation and a gateway to civilization and prosperity. Therefore, please stop being skeptical about our education.

Health wise, the present administration in its campaign promised the people of Kano an improved and free maternal care but this is still more of hope than reality. However, instead of pursuing the above and several other promises done with respect to the health sector the government have recklessly and disdainfully reduce the 22million that is used to be given to the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital quarterly to maintain it maternity section to just 9million! On the other hand, 7million that has been given quarterly to some hospital to maintain its emergency section has also been drastically reduce to just 1 million! In the same vein, the government set aside over 3million to produce drugs and vaccines for the immunization of mad dogs in the state! This is inhumane.

Lastly, my advice to the present administration is to go back to the drawing board and think about its weakness for self-correction and also open its ears widely to the voice of enlighten criticisms which can be harness to improve the machinery of government. With regards to your strengths keep it up and try to be more sensitive to yearning of people of Kano. I wish you a successful tenure throughout your stay in government.  

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THE LOST GLORY OF STUDENT UNIONISM IN BUK

The experience of the universities has shown that when the climate is ripe, and the susceptibility to radicalization is married to a heightened sense of social injustice, educational institutions can indeed become factories for the production of idealistic Social Reformers and even highly committed Revolutionaries. For about five solid years in BUK am into Struggle, Agitating the Yearning and Expressions of the entire Bukites.

 

Last year academic session (2010/2011), I run the office of Public Relation Officer but God on to his mercy did not give me, (Pls. read ‘Campus politics is not yet over’ in this Diary). I might one of my Sufi brother he told me and I quote ‘in this mundane affairs whatever I love and don’t get it, am not a looser and I past the level of that thing, because as a Muslim who believe in Islamic monotheisms and have health, just have to thank God” this assentation motivate me to re-contest for President next coming year. In the short run after we resume to another fresh session, I was told that, the current SUG Speaker than, will be running the office of the President, then I now go back to my drawing board and calculate the scenario, for him as Speaker and Deputy Amir of the Muslim Ummah at the same time, definitely he would have a massive support and vote.

Therefore I re-planned my aspiration to run for Sec-Gen. as time goes on, I participated fully in the government, when the called for any Protest, will be in the front role and whenever there is any NANS convention in any state, will followed.  I meet with the Speaker informed him about my aspiration and he told me that, it is a welcomed Development and that should keep on doing my mobilization underground before the would lift the ban for campaign. Have been doing so, meeting President of various Associations and Clubs seeking for their support and advices.

Few days to Dissolution of Exco’s and formation of BUKIECO. I learned that almost five Students from Jos would aspire for Sec-Gen. I meet with the SUG Speaker, he told me that, he would like to give me an advice and that he is the only one that can told me that advice in this school and I quote ‘sadiq sec-gen is highly demanded and competitive, I do not want you to loose is better for you to run for departmental senator so that, you be carry alone in the government’ which I think over it and discussed with my friends. Finally told him, that people see well in me and that is why they said I should aspire for Sec-Gen, therefore I will stand my position no going back. He openly told me that, if that is the case, we cannot be in the same team because I have my own sec-gen.

The President of  JOSCOF called a meeting with all the aspirant of each office and including those that are running same office in other to sort things out, as part of the tradition even in Jos real politics, the council of  ‘Ulamah” sit down and select one, that would be voted for, so we started the negotiations with other three aspirant seeking for Sec-Gen. two withdraw. I and one guy stands, then the share paper on which he got 14 votes and I get 6 votes. Therefore, the mandated me to step down for him, I said to them ‘let the bukites decide’ because to me the election is not free and fair, the other guy when together with his friends and even the President is backing him.

Shed tears and cry! Called my Dad on phone informed him about the event, he council and console me, because I know that very guy that we would be running same position. He is my senior in secondary school, a friend than and I know his habit, indeed because of such unscrupulous attitude which he has, make us not friends again for almost 10 years ago. Last SUG election, he is among the student that stands against me on which a class mate of mine became victorious and this year he came out to seek for the same office that have been dreaming and hoping for almost a year.

I called a mini meeting with my friends on how to actualized my goals, friends suggest that since am not in Speaker Structure, than why not, I should join the Deteacher Structure to ease things, I reason with then, because there is one President of one Club IN BUK OLDSITE  have been visiting him for almost a year but when election come’s he told me that, he only have one interest and that sec-gen to him is blank until what  Deteacher brought to them, therefore  Deteacher adopt me as his Sec-Gen.

On election day, BUKIECO refused to bring Election Materials till 2pm, then our team when to the Security Office and agitate over, that the Ballot Paper should be brought out, counted and burn into ashes because half of the ballot paper is been brought by Okada man without any Security Escort. The three presidential aspirants have a meeting with the Dean and CTC, therefore the agreed that election should take place the next day, when Deteacher informed his Campaign Director that election is tomorrow, he said, ‘ who is going to work for you tomorrow’.

The three president aspirants have a meeting overnight, excluding the Speaker and finally conclude to withdraw from the election; I alone with few friends mobilize our self as Agents for the race! To be obvious the Overpower me, the other Sec-Gen has all Support from all angles and God give him Sec-Gen. what baffles me is three idiot from my own department that openly campaign against me! In politics, learn to have enemies, if do not have any. Diary would remember Babee 10k for my Poster, cmr.shamma 3k for banner and salis 2k for the form. I spent off to 30k, stress and stigma that keep on following in my vein. Thanks to all friends especially Marriam, Zainab, Uncle Ido,Wakili, Abbas, Honorable, Bara’u, Aliyu, Abdullahi  and Almakura,  to name but few.

Student unionism as a social movement which should seek deliberate and radical changes in society. The Nigerian student movement in any university needs a social and political climate which allows opposition and criticism and which is not repressive. Such a climate should not be hostile to it. But allow it, the freedom to organize and to propagate its ideals among its followers. And ultimately to bargain in the political arena. Under such a free atmosphere students will be able to join other social groups in the formation of public opinion by providing ground for discussion of the social and political problems that plague the country in the search towards nationhood. In the process. There will be constructive criticism of the government's activities. For me…….Campus Politics is now over! But Real Politics continue by will of God and victory is our prayer, hope and dream.

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GENEVA 2012

My speech as World Bank observer in the WTO MOCK SUMMIT B.U.K. it was superb.......kudus to the organizing comitte and our father M M YUSIF. Diary would remember you in future!

I am grateful that today presents yet another opportunity to interact with fellow observers and distinguish delegate across the globe on multilateral trading systems. I am convinced that regular dialogue with parliamentarians strengthens the democratic foundation of the WTO. World Bank has a long history of friendship with WTO.

There are huge differences between WTO members in terms of resource capacity constraints, national trade policy and investment priorities. These affect the ability and willingness to incur the costs associated with implementation on agreement reach on Round of negotiations, as well as the net benefits of doing so. A major constraint impeding progress in the Doha round is how to deal with demands by many developing country WTO members for strengthened and more effective “special and differential treatment” (SDT).

 

 Traditionally, developing countries have sought ‘differential and more favorable treatment’ in the GATT/WTO with a view to increasing the development relevance of the trading system.

 

The premise behind SDT is couched in the belief that trade liberalization under most favored nation (MFN) patronage does not necessarily help achieve growth and development insofar as industries in developing countries need to be protected from foreign competition for a period of time. This infant industry (import substitution) rationale is reflected in greater flexibility and “policy space” for developing country trade policies, as well as the call for preferential access to rich country markets.

 

However, SDT goes beyond market access and limited reciprocity—it also spans the cost of implementation of agreements. Hence the need for SDT to be recast if the WTO is to become more effective in helping poor countries use trade for development. There is a basic choice to be made between the pursuit of universal rules that in principle apply to all members, and that will by necessity require SDT-type provisions to account for country differences, and a move to a two- or multi-track trading system. Below are World Bank recommendations:

 

v Acceptance of the core rules by all WTO members: MFN, national treatment, the ban on quotas, and binding of maximum tariffs, as well as engagement in the market access dimension of WTO negotiating rounds.

 

v Greater reliance on explicit cost-benefit analysis to identify net implementation benefits for countries and the magnitude of negative (pecuniary) spillovers created by development-motivated policies on other countries.

 

 

v Movement towards the adoption of mechanisms that strengthen the consultative and “pre-panel” dimensions of WTO dispute settlement by mandating a focus not just on the legality of a policy instrument but consideration of the rationale and impact of policies used by developing countries that may be inconsistent with WTO disciplines, with the aim of assisting governments to attain their objectives in an efficient way;

 

v A credible commitment to establish a global funding mechanism to provide their sources to address adjustment costs, including those resulting from an erosion of trade preferences, and enhancing supply capacity, in recognition of the need to transfer some of the gains from trade from winners to losers.

 

Thanks for giving me your ears. Wishing delegate and fellow observers a merciful trip back to their respective destinations.   

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NIGERIA; A PAPER NATION

 

Some days back I was watching the London version of who wants to be a millionaire when the man on the hot sit was asked; what name do we call someone or something that appears to be strong but in real sense is weak? The man on the hot sit did not waste his time to choose option  (D) paper tiger, while other options were A paper lion, B paper leopard and C paper cheetah.

Suddenly, I place Nigeria in this position after a long thought: Nigeria is believed to have the highest population in Africa with an estimate of over 106 million people; secondly, Nigeria has the strongest force militarily in Africa with the most sophisticated technological facilities. Thirdly, Nigeria is the only country in Africa that lunched a satellite in the orbit. Fourthly, it is the fastest growing economy in Africa and the third in the world according to a recent statistics.

But on the other hand, so many questions could be driven from this development which may view the position of the country in a rather negative way. For instance, why are the citizens of this great country impoverished? Why are they not reaping the dividends of democracy which was promised to them by their candidates i.e. the ‘pollu-ticians’? Why is the supposed fresh air polluted by the daily roast of human flesh in bomb attacks and gun fights between gun men and security, on the one hand, innocent people and security and gun men and innocent people; especially in the northern part of the country?

Why are these innocent people who know nothing but strive to live on less than a dollar per day killed and the only thing the authorities say is “we are investigating,” “the culprit will be brought to book.” These innocent people have never killed a rat not to talk of other higher animals. These innocent people are those who wake up daily without bread on their table.

Why are the real thieves moving freely after stealing billions of naira and the small thieves roast in the prison for stealing money less than five thousand naira. This is one of the reasons why people are now taking actions into their hands.

While the government and its agencies are busy spending money on what will not and has never benefitted the masses, the politicians are busy counting days either to get political appointment or to contest election. The security agencies on the other hand are busy killing innocent people, thereby reducing the God given wealth of population of the country, especially in the north.

The north now is an abattoir; no day will come without a report of the killing of not less than five people or even more. I was reading a newspaper, and then I lay my hand on a police report who are begging the police force not to post them to the north, in their words “we don’t want to die.”

Nigeria is a blessed country and the people there are also good people. The only way to achieve the Nigerian dream is for the people to wake up from their slumber and unit to fight the war against tyranny, against, this injustice, against the killing of innocent souls and against all societal-vices. God bless Nigeria, amin.

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