The time seems right for all and sundry to realize that the flow of information from one end to another in Nigeria and even the world at large is not in any way balanced. So too, it is a well known fact that bad news sell more, but the truth of the whole thing is that every state in Nigeria has her own portion of challenges to face; from armed robbery to hectic traffic, ritual killing, intricate lifestyles, kidnapping and various forms of gross immorality which are evenly distributed across. Painfully, we do not seem to see all of these but one, the most discussed on TV shows and the most published insurgency. Therefore, Chimamanda Adechie was definitely not wrong when she said that paying attention to one side of a story denies you the real picture of the whole story.
Yet, we seem not to consider that fact of every state having her problems to contend with but if you say there is no challenge within your state, it simply means you are yet to identify some. Who would argue that five abducted by Boko Haram is worst compared to five who died in an auto crash on Benin — Ore expressway. The same as five taken into hostage in Niger-Delta and scores who died in a collapse building in Lagos or ten killed for rituals in Ogun or those who died in a fire outbreak in Oyo state. Human lives and state of emotional being are involved here. Then it makes you want to ask why the kettle would want to call pot black.
Using Kano state for example, the state did face incessant attacks orchestrated by unscrupulous lazy elements who failed in their efforts to imperil her socio-economic. Yet, because the ancient city of many gates was attacked does not mean that the city exists no more or that human existence is now history. It may interest you to know that Kano state remains the Centre of Commerce that it has always been. The tons of watermelon, carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, sugarcane for large-scale sugar production all of which come from Kano are still being produced and transported to other states in good qualities and quantities. You may be pleased to know that commerce in the state is struggling to remain on its feet because while some people are backing out some are venturing in.
Perhaps, with the entry of the South African retailer, Shoprite, into Kano, it could not have been otherwise. Shoprite in Kano is having the first outlet in northern Nigeria, as part of an aggressive expansion drive, not heeding to widespread security challenges about the region. Interestingly, about $20 million (that is about N3.2billion) sunk into that project which now poses as Nigeria’s biggest. It is located in the new $110 million (about N17.6 billion) Ado Bayero Mall that took approximately three years to construct. Would any investor risk such a huge amount of money if the light at the end of the tunnel were not convincing enough? Therefore, I think it is everybody deciding what challenges to face according to where you choose to reside. This is because life its self is all about challenges, it only depends on the kind of challenge you want to face.
Speaking with Kano State Sales Manager, Floor Mills Nigeria Limited, Abdul-Lateef Yusuf, he believes that the effect of insurgency has affected the inflow of people into Kano. “Population has a great impact on the commercial activities of Kano, being that the state is known for trading of all sorts of commodities.”
Yusuf believes in the peace of Kano state and business strength. “If not for insurgency Kano is relatively better than South-South or South-West in terms of peace except in areas outside the state,” Yusuf recounted while speaking from the business angle. From his response, it was obvious that he expects things to get back to normal very soon and people feel more secured to live and do business in any part of Nigeria.
Also speaking, Wole Ogunnaike, a Clergyman in Sabon Gari area of Kano State, gives an account from 1990 how he witnessed series of riots in the state including the Reinhard Bonnke’s riot of 1991.
He agreed that Kano has suffered from incessant attacks but was of the opinion that the state has always been able to recover from it all in a jiffy. Ogunnaike opined that life in Kano is not worst than it is elsewhere in Nigeria. His words, “The question people ask me each time I travelled down the South-West is, ‘How are you guys coping in Kano?’ and I also ask them, ‘How are you coping too?’ Then they say, ‘with what’ and I say, ‘with armed robbery, ritual killing, day-by-day stress from work and other road users? How are you coping with traffic in Lagos? How are you coping with immorality and all others?”
Recently some folks who relocated into Abuja from Kano are now confused as to where is actually safe. I guess Lagos or Port Harcourt would be their next choice of safe haven. However beautiful these places may seem, the kind of life lived in these said places is what a United Kingdom based Foundation, Walk Free Foundation, described in its 2013 Global Slavery Index as Modern day Slavery. A lifestyle where people hardly have time to attend to personal, marital and/or family issues due to the amount of hours spent on the road all on official duties. Painfully, Nigeria was mentioned among the Nations with highest indices alongside China, Pakistan, Mauritania, India, etc. I guess it is ok that Nigerians react to insurgency (which is almost normal in some other countries) in this manner because it is completely strange to both our cultural values and religious beliefs. Suicide killing is not a part of us and should be shunned completely.
One thing that might interest you about the ancient city of many gates is the fact that Rabi’u Musa Kwankwanso, the Executive Governor of the state is currently equipping tertiary institutions within the state with up-to-date facilities in addition to granting indigenes free education up to university level while non-indigenes too are being encouraged to study in the state. To confirm the quality of education in Kano state, Micah Bamidele, a 300L Mechanical Engineering student of Kano State University of Technology, KSUT describes his academic experience in KSUT has quite eventful. Having witnessed several riots in Kano, he thinks insurgency just as riots are too often in Kano.
Bamidele is although an indigene of Kogi state, but was born and bred in Kano State and now considers Kano a second home. He says, “Regardless of the tribalism and religious sentiments, educational standard in Kano is superb.” Bamidele has spent some time at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State in an effort to secure academic admission but he prefers to study at Kano State University of Technology. He further advised youths from all across Nigeria to consider studying in Kano.
Impressively, the Red Cap governor has concerned himself also with training and retraining of Teachers at primary and secondary school levels. He is indeed a lover of education. There is however no denial that some people may have fled due to the incidents yet some other people are trooping in. I bet you that life in Kano is as normal as it could be everywhere else. I cannot wait to see Kano come to glory again.
