There are some occasions in one’s life, one French philosopher once posited, “which neither time nor circumstances can change nor obliterate from one’s memory,” the administration of Borno State by Governor Kashim Shettima constitutes one of such occasions. Caught from the onset in the web of socio-economic hydra-headed problems compounded by serious security challenges, Kashim had to bolster through the debris of catastrophe. Poverty was staring its ugly face on the masses, unemployment surging, hunger looming and above all threat to lives and properties became manifest. If most governors who took the mantle of office on May 29, 2011 were jubilitating and dancing, Kashim couldn’t because his was a legacy of problems and blood stained banner. In short, he inherited a debit balance sheet interms of peace which is pivot and a hallmark of any meaningful development. Thus the assumption of Governor Kashim into office was indeed a watershed in the history of Borno as it was an era born into uncertainties to fend to certainties. The state was becoming a no go area due to Boko Haram onslaught and other security challenges resulting into deaths, arson and even assassination.. Borno was now begging for survival from downward precipice.
However, not withstanding the enormity of challenges, Kashim chose to embark on this tortuous journey guided by the inspirational words of Edgar Guest who said “there are thousands to tell you it cannot be done; there are thousands to prophesy failure and there are thousands to point out to you one by one the dangers that lie ahead. Just take off your coat and go to it, just start to sing and you tackle the thing that cannot be done and you’ll do it.”
Today, Kashim’s administration through various poverty alleviation programmes has put smile on the faces of many youths. While some of the dormant industries are getting lease of life employing new hands, issues of strikes by teachers of primary and tertiary institutions inherited have been resolved; students allowances increased, farming getting boost through provision of fertilizers and other equipment and victims of security onslaught gradually being rehabilitated and compensated. Inshort, in its relentless pursuit to good governance, Kashim’s administration has put in place interim and long term measures to address the socio-economic challenges facing the state. Some of the measures have yielded results, some are yielding and others expected.
Inspite of the gains recorded so far, the security challenges are still very much around, though there have been some respite. Fully aware that peace is the cardinal point of all development, Kashim from the onset of his administration has been very outspoken and blunt in his address or meetings with the stakeholders in this regard. His persistent brutal frankness and disposition have endeared many to him and giving hope to the hopeless. Some are however not comfortable with this disposition of his while others are watching. For example, speaking at the Government House in Maiduguri recently when a delegation of the Military led by the Chief of Defense StaffAir Marshall Oluseyi Petirin called on him, Governor Kashim reiterated once more that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable. According to him it is not feasible to tell Christians in the north to leave just as it is not tenable to tell Muslims in the south to leave.
In his major address titled “Islam and Peace in Borno” to the people of Borno on July 16th 2011, Kashim said, among others, “….. the current state of insecurity and deplorable state of affairs is not unconnected with the attempt to impose the opinion of a small group on a larger society, a situation which clearly abridges the freedom to freely hold and express one’s opinion which is fundamental and inalienable in any given society.”
He went on “My fellow citizens, going by the present spate of things, how can a true Muslim explain let alone profoundly justify the current unfortunate cold blooded murders and bombings in the name of Islam? Islam means “peace and submission to the will of God” and should remain so, in both theory and practice. Islam never sanctioned the killings of non-Muslims and the destruction of their places of worship”.
Governor Kashim then drew the attention of the people to history saying, “in the early phase of Islam, when Muslims were persecuted by the Makkan pagans, they sought refuge in the present day Ethiopia, under a Christian King Negus. The Muslims stayed in Ethiopia for 15years and all entreaties by the Makkan leaders for Negus to deport them were rebuffed.
In the same address to the people, Kashim lamented, “ I am personally, deeply pained by the trend of events. I am a native of Maiduguri, born, bred and buttered right in the heart of Yerwa, from Nimeri Korongoso. Most of these insurgents are from the well known neighbourhood of Shehuri North, Shehuri South, Limanti, Lamisu, Gamboru, Fezzan and Hausari wards of the metropolis. I say unto you my brothers what Hamid Karzai, the Afghan President, said at the burial of his brother Wali Ahmed Karzai some few days back:
“……. My message for them (Taliban) is that my countrymen, my brother, should stop killing their own people. It is easy to kill and everyone can do it, but the real man is the one who can save people’s lives.” At various fora, press interviews or meetings, Kashim has been consistent in calling stakeholders, especially, the governors and elite in the north to confront the security challenges in the north frontally before such confront them. To him, delay could be very dangerous. According to him, leadership failure is responsible for north’s poverty and its present predicament. In a press interview recently, Kashim made it clear that a problem in Borno, or any part of the federation if not properly handled, will certainly spread to other parts of the federation, adding, “right from the onset of this insurgency, I repeatedly said that if this is not contained, it has the capacity to snowball into bigger conflagration that might consume the whole north. Now I am afraid it is assuming a very wider dimension. But with the collective effort of all of us and with our prayers I believe we shall solve the problem. All those who are predicting doom for the country will not succeed.”
Also speaking in Maiduguri during the presentation of “Excellence in Governance” award presented to him by the Nigerian Union of Journalists delegation led by its National President Alhaji Mohammed Garba, Kashim warned that those with vested interest in the perpetuation of the status quo and entrenched ills of the society will sooner than later discover their stand at best uncomfortable and at worst downright objectionable.
In Kashim words, “Those of us who are privileged to be in higher positions may have saved as much as we can, build mansions in cities and sent our children to the most expensive schools in Abuja or outside the country, but I can assure you that the children of the poor who we have failed to provide employment for and give quality of life will one day turn against us.” Kashim pointed out that though he was not a prophet or apostle of doom but warned that if the extreme poverty presently plaguing the north is not fastly reversed, hell might be let loose. He predicted, “in the next five years the north may be in trouble because all our assets and infrastructure have collapsed”.
It will, however be recalled that besides Kashim, some northern leaders including the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar, Alhaji Maitama Sule, the Dan Masanin Kano, General T.Y Danjuma (Rtd) have expressed utter displeasure at the deteriorating state of things in the north and called for urgent restoration. However, Kashim has been persistent and brutal in frankness in this regard. Let us listen to this blunt oracle from the Sahel so that we might not get to a point where the falcon will no longer hear the falconer.
The present predicament of the north should inform its forward march. With collective will, dialogue, sincerity of purpose and prayers, the dark cloud will fizzle out and a shinning sun will emerge. This should be the ultimate. Let us remember the saying of Peter Marshall, “when we long for life without difficulties, remind us that Oaks grow strong in contrary winds as diamonds are made under pressure.” In the immortal words of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, “After rain comes sunshine; after darkness comes glorious dawn. There is no sorrow without its alloy of joy, there is no joy without admixture of sorrow. Behind the ugly terrible mask of misfortune lies the beautiful soothing countenance of prosperity. So tear the mask.”
