By Francis Damina
May 29th, President Bola Ahmed Tinibu and other elected political leaders, celebrated their one year in office. Not unexpectedly, they rolled out their achievements in the many bridges, roads, hospitals, schools, etcetera, they were able to build as evidence that they are working. But as the good Bishop Matthew Kukah argued many years ago, the real dividend of democracy is in the intangible. He said “The best structures in Germany were built by Adolf Hitler; the best structures in Nigeria were built by the Military; the best structures in Egypt were built by slaves; the best structures in South Africa were built under apartheid. Yet, despite these physical structures, people were still not happy and yearned for a change. Why? Because they were not free.” “Freedom”, he argued, is at the heart of democracy.” And freedom, to my mind, is an intangible value. Other intangibles may include, peace, security, unity, etcetera.
This is why it should not be presumed that we cannot have dictators because we are in a democracy. Ofcourse the controversial Bishop has clued us into what he called “illiberal democrats”. These, according to him, are elected political leaders who as Presidents, Governors, Senators Chairmen, etcetera, have built the best roads, hospitals, schools, and other physical structures in their Countries or States, yet, their citizens are not free. Despite their so-called achievements, they see themselves first as leaders of their faith, ethnic or regional constituencies contrary to the expectation that, like the former President Muhammadu Buhari, they should belong to everybody; and to nobody.
I have decided in the event of this anniversary to focus on His Excellency, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for obvious reasons. As a student of Nigeria, particularly religion and politics, I was not unaware of the peculiar task before him. That is, the most difficult task of reuniting a state divided along all the fault lines especially religion. And this is not just about the famous leaked video aimed at inciting Christians against him. Long before then, Kaduna State had been the epitome of that suspicion and animosity in the whole of Nigeria. But the leaked video was the height of it; when a good State executive, on the eve of his handing over, attested to his apartheid- like policies while promising continuity by his successor.
Yet, this is a state densely ensmeshed in religious suspicion and tension. The famous homily by Bishop Matthew Kukah at the funeral of Governor Patrick Yakowa on December 20, 2012, is a testament to this. In the homily, he said “…the Northern ruling class, by policy, seemed to have an invisible sign that read: No Christians Need Apply to enter what would later be called Kashim Ibrahim House or represent the state at the highest levels.” He denounced “This policy of exclusion against non-muslims turned Kaduna State into a political Mecca…” It was this homily that produced the spark that lit up the fire of a debate about Christian- Muslim relations in particularly Kaduna State by Mohammed Haruna, Adamu Adamu, Abubakar Gimba, Steven Nkom, Sylva Ngu, and yours sincerely among others. A state that has experienced an unmasked animosity against the APC by religious and sociocultural groups. Infact, at a time, it was a crime to be associated with the APC. During elections, those suspected to have voted for the APC were identified and followed to their houses for demonization . It is this difficult state, and in that difficult and controversial circumstance that Senator Uba Sani took an oath to govern it in 2023.
To my mind, whatever indices may be used to measure the Governor’s achievement in office, his real achievement is in the intangible – the task of reuniting the state in the circumstance of the “we versus them” syndrome- Christians versus Muslims, Southern versus Northern Kaduna, before and across the bridge. Given the circumstances then, we all had thought it was an impossible task. But he is doing the magic – and the people have seen through his sincerity and commitment.
Apart from his visitations to churches during Christmas, particularly during the carols, the former military governor of Rivers state, Gen. Zamani Lekwot said to me “Francis, we now have a leader. The governor has been in constant touch with us the elders both from the Southern and Northern parts of the state. We are working together on how to move the state forward.”
Only few days back, Governor Sani did something that shocked everyone in Southern Kaduna and beyond. He led a delegation from Kaduna State to attend the inauguration of Mrs Abigail Marshall Katung as the Lord Mayor of Leeds. Katung is the first elected African in the Council of Leeds and the first black Lord Mayor of Leeds.
She is wife to Distinguished Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, the PDP senator representing southern Kaduna. When His Lordship sent me photos and videos clips of the Governor rejoicing with them at the event, I immediately knew the message that he wanted me to take home.
Even though Senator Katung is from Kaduna State, he is not of the same political party or religion with Governor Sani. He is indeed a political adversary whose value should not warrant such prompt and sincere concern. To paraphrase Malam Adamu Adamu, If somebody so high up could remember, care for and take trouble for the sake of somebody whom he expects no profit – not even political mileage – and whose abandonment would occassion him no loss- and who infact is his political adversary – then you immediately know that this is a great human being with a large heart who values absolutes, unity and friendship.
Ofcourse, it is needless to say that the attitude, activities and programs of the Governor have endeared him to all divides as a personable and trustworthy fellow, and it will be right to say that it is the PR required to change the present inflammable and bile circumstance of the state. By so doing, His Excellency will not only be reuniting the state, but at the same time, building a baptistery through which many will be initiated into the APC in 2027.
Though, under your watch, the Kaduna -Abuja road is now a safe haven, bandits in our communities had also gone on vacation. Yet, as you mark your one year in office, while we ask you to do more on securing your state, the minor minorities like the Kamanton and Ikulu people pray that you remember them in your many projects. In Ikulu for instance, apart from the schools we have, the only sign of government presence is the road constructed under the then governor Ahmed Makarfi. Not only that it is now dilapidated and unmotorable, erosion is about to slice it off.
Finally Your Excellency, here’s wishing you good health, more wisdom and strength as you work towards rebuilding Kaduna State in the next seven years. And may through this bridge, the unity and love we once shared, be reactivated.
•Damina wrote from Kaduna and can be reached via francisdamina@gmail.com
