Editorial
Words are powerful. They are even more so when spoken by certain people in positions of authority, politically, socially and economically. Indeed, wars and conflicts are sparked by the use of words. Peace can equally be achieved through the diplomatic manipulation of words. This is why most global leaders are advised to engage experts at word management and experienced speech writers.
However, with most Nigerian politicians, words do not matter after victory at the polls. It might not be totally wrong to conclude that more than half the political class in Nigeria do not understand the import of tact in word management. A great number do not understand the full import of being like the proverbial beacon on the mountain that should provide light for the people in a democracy.
For a long time, the country has been battling with Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, herdsmen’s attacks on farmers and villages, kidnappings and other social ills.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State takes the cake when it comes to making provocative statements that often give him out as both insensitive and devoid of empathy for the people of his state and other Nigerians, especially those in Southern Kaduna who, unfortunately, have been reeling from the effects of wanton killings and arson. His unguarded utterances have been akin to adding fuel to raging flames. It does nothing to comfort the victims or deter the perpetrators of the endless blood-letting.
El-Rufai’s loquacious tendencies did not just start when he became governor. As Director-General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), and as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, his utterances about bribery and budgeting put him on a collision course with some members of the National Assembly. He is also known for making very acerbic remarks about individuals in the opposition. He is known to have said that President Muhammadu Buhari was unelectable prior to 2015.
However, while his utterances in the past were not really about life and death, as governor, his utterances about the perennial blood bath in Southern Kaduna seem to show that he might not have heard Brian Tracy’s conviction that “The true test of leadership is how well you function in a crisis”. The governor seems to have practically and verbally been mismanaging the Southern Kaduna killings since 2015.
There is a Nigerian proverb that says that, “telling a victim sorry does not undo the damage but not telling a victim sorry is very deplorable”. The governor has not, through his utterances, shown empathy for the hundreds, if not thousands of victims of attacks in Southern Kaduna. Blood has dripped into the soil of Southern Kaduna to a saturation point but the governor, with his utterances so far has not shown that he cares for the victims, nor have the bandits been given the justice they deserve.
Amidst the arrest of the former deputy governor of the Central Bank by the Department of State Services (DSS) for alleging that one northern governor was sponsoring Boko Haram attacks, the governor last week accused some Southern Kaduna leaders he refused to name of ‘seeking to be appeased’ with monetary rewards in a veiled insinuation of their being criminals baying for the blood of their people.
While we do not concede sainthood to any group, such a grave accusation ought to be backed with evidence in names. To address the leaders as avaricious idle hands begs the question, “I have no time for nonsense. I will not appease criminals. I will not appease idle people who have nothing but to raise the specter of genocide. They do that to get money into their bank accounts and get donations from abroad…” he said.
El-Rufai’s utterances contradict his earlier stance that the root cause of the crisis was the quarrel between the people and some random nomads from other African countries over reprisal attacks and loss of cattle. He had in the past conceded to paying off his ‘fellow’ Fulani nomads to stall the incessant attacks, a strategy we feel is utterly flawed.
Governor El-Rufai must exercise verbal restraint and take more valid steps to stop the very gory bloodletting in Southern Kaduna. After all, protection of lives and property is the most basic function of government. The governor must desist from using his position to stir the crisis. Leadership demands more positive actions and more soothing words for victims.
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