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The Challenges Before Shekarau By Garba A. Isa
Two years ago on May 29th, 2003, a humble teacher and civil servant, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau was sworn in as the new Governor of Kano State on the platform of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP). Shekarau’s election defied all odds; the incumbency factor of the then Governor Musa Kwankwanso (with his widely reported pledge to cling on to his seat), the “establishment factor” and of course the ubiquitous “money bag” politics among others. Shekarau however, had God the Most High, and the good masses of Kano State on his side which made his victory a forgone occurrence against “Common logic”.
The emergence of Shekarau was anchored on the popular tide of Shari’a which he was a known advocate, which coupled with his gubernatorial ambition earned and him, the wrath of Kwankwaso; the rest is now history. When God decreed that Shekarau would be Kano’s new Governor in May, 2003, artful former ANPP contestant Ali Al-Amin, (little) lost out, so was a carefully crafted plan by some PSP Party people loyal to Dan Hassan who had sought to hoodwink General Buhari into adopting their candidate. But following General Buhari’s now famous, “ANPP Sak” declaration at the Kano race course, it was quite obvious that Shekarau had become the proverbial “Man of the moment” on the unstoppable match towards the Kano State Government House.
Two years after and half-way into a four-year tenure, Governor Shekarau is no doubt a confident, well focused Chief Executive who has not been derailed by the trappings of power. When he came to power, the government treasury was under stress, now courtesy of the Governments’ regular accountability to the people, they are declaring “Surplus” and even saving “for the rainy days”. Today the Kano State Civil Service is at peace with itself following Shekarau’s responsive approach to its yearnings; Civil Servants got a 12.5% pay rise, Teaching and Medical workers got a special scheme, NHF deductions which were unremitted to the FMBN were refunded to the civil servants, down graded civil servants restored their salary levels and compensated, Vehicle and Housing Loans paid, Eidil-Kabir Sallah Ram grant appropriated for all civil servants by the State House of Assembly last year among other innumerable gains.
Retired civil servants or pensioners, now smile to the bank earlier than most civil servants each month instead of agonizing to the wicked, hopeless hands of corrupt Treasury and Pension Board Officials under the pre-Shekarau dispensations. Many of the old pensioners are now looking “younger” than they did before Shekarau’s humanitarian intervention. What is certain is the ardent prayers of these fulfilled retirees and their families will benefit Shekarau either in this world or the hereafter or both.
ANTI-CORRUPTION The indictment of key officials of the Kwankwaso administration for acts of impropriety by the Justice Badamasi Tribunal, and the setting up of the office of adviser on Anti-corruption and public Complaints, a clear indications that Governor Shekarau wants sanitize the system.
But for Governor Shekarau’s Anti-corruption effort to succeed, he must avoid being selective or using it to witch-hunt his political and related opponents. Fighting corruption in the civil service is a major challenge, but after paying its entitlements as and when due, the Kano State Civil Service must own the necessary moral courage to give Shekarau a “better deal”.
Another challenge facing Governor Shekarau is that of a second-term bid; a popular term borrowed from the Abacha days; it is called “Tazarce”. This ordinarily need not be controversial. But some people for various motives are referring to a statement made in the early days of the administration to the effect that Shekarau was not going for Tazarce. That statement if true , could be said to have been uttered by Shekarau “very early in the day” without consultation with his political associates who had a stake in the matter. Besides, the man was never reported to have “Sworn” not to go for a second term. Also in Islam, if one should swear to do a “Wrong thing” his “kaffara” (Atonement) is to do the “Right thing”. Again, should shekarau decide to go for a second term, almost certainly under popular pressure, he is not violating any existing constitutional provision. But the bottom-line is, the ultimate political decision depends on Shekarau’s political outfit, the ANPP political party which has the right to think of more credible, more compelling alternative or otherwise. The ANPP itself is still a popular party in Kano, but must resolve its internal leadership squabbles to avoid is opponents from capitalising on this to their great political advantage.
Although Governor Shekarau came to power with the mandate of Shari’a implementation, the man has equally made his foot prints on the arena of physical infrastructural delivery as well. One of the most conspicuous areas is that of water supplies. The government has embanked on several programmes for water reticulation expansion within the Kano Metropolis leading to marginal increase in supplies to some areas. The most gigantic or frontal attack on water supply shortage in Kano however, is the proposed new water works at Tamburawa. But like I wrote on the occasion of Shekarau’s one and a half year anniversary last December, despite the limited efforts of the Local Council and the State Government, water supply is one area where Shekarau’s Government must work harder. For instance while the people of metropolitan Kano and its environs await in the medium term for the metro water works project to come on stream, the government must put in place an Interim emergency Water supply programme in place to provide, the desperately poor families. Most of these poor people often can’t even get water to buy with their meager resources from the limited costly privately owned water points which are also at the mercy of mighty NEPA! The preponderance of water vendors is a great pointer to the existence of a huge water supply gap. On the first anniversary, of Shekarau, this writer wrote that “Kano’s street and traffic lights which went on holidays for some years have suddenly resurfaced courtesy of the Shekarau Administration……….” This early days achievement though has not been fully sustained.
The Area of new roads construction and rehabilitation of existing ones is one, where even Shekarau’s critic, will give the man, a good mark. Some of the Kano’s Urban Roads which had never known rehabilitation since the days of Late Governor Audu Bako such as Dawaki and Alu Avenue have been reconstructed with shining asphalt other reconstructed roads are those in the Sabon Gari area such as:- Hausa/Igbo, Burma/Festing among others. The IBB road repairs and Airport roads rehabilitation, Kofar Mazugal, Koki/ Yola road, the hitherto intractable Lamido Road, the failed section of BUK road particularly the water logged portion near the Kofar Naisa, Jakara/Goron Dutse road among several others. The construction of a base improvement at the NNPC Truck parking depot, Hotoro has eliminated the risky road side parking by tanker drivers along Maiduguri road to the great relief of the road users. All these put together with the building of a separator along the Zoo road are some of the several projects beneficial road project undertaking by the Shakarau administration. A very important regional road projects undertaken by the government is the Danja – Zakirai. But this piece is not, about, the catalogue of the man’s achievement but a highlight and an honest analysis. The reconstruction of some 10 selected roundabouts, is one of the most timely urban infrastuctural intervention projects embraced upon by the ANPP government in Kano State. The new roundabouts are ultra modern; they look simple but well enhanced, they have good aesthetics, are drainage integrated (thereby eliminating the problems of periodical flooding around the old roundabouts) and have landscaping fountains among other features. Shekarau, went on tour of the local councils verifying their infrastructural achievements vis-à-vis the resources made available to them. The government and the local councils have built several health institutions and embarked on a massive spraying of chemicals to eliminate mosquito and “roll back” Malaria in addition to the government’s recent treatment of several hundreds of women suffering from VVF free of charge. An interesting feature of Shekarau’s VVF treatment programme is the economic empowerment of women after their discharge.
One of the bold steps taken to boost Agriculture by Shekarau ironically turned out to be the most controversial; i.e the over N4 billion fertilizer supply contract. The issue is now history but one of the lessons of the unfortunate saga, is, when it comes to public funds, caution must be the watchword to prevent 419ners from duping public coppers with its attendant economic and political consequences. Also it is worth noting that fertilizer alone is not the A-Z of governments’ interventions on the side of agriculture; there are the farm clearance, insecticide, tractors, financial subsidy or soft loan and of course market, storage and research among others.
In my earlier piece, I referred to the on-going keep Kano clean programme of the Kano State government through it’s Solid Wast Disposal Agency REMASAB. I wrote then that Kano is set to join the league of the Nation’s Cleanest cities from one of it’s dirtiest. But much as the Shekarau government’s effort may appear commendable, the hard fact is, they are much more concentrated at sweeping the major roads leaving several areas un-cleaned. Also there is the need to fully mobilize the community to get involved in cleaning their environment as no amount of recruitment of labourers will achieve a 100% clean up. Also there is the need to evolve a comprehensive blueprint for tackling both Solid, Liquid and Gaseous waste both at residential, commercial and industrial areas. The state Ministry of Environment must sit up to the wider mandate of holistic approach to environmental protection. The complimentary roles of the State Government, Local Governments and the committees must be spelt out. The epileptic “Monthly Environmental (sit at home from 7:00a.m to 10:00a.m) Exercise” must either be shaped up or shipped out by the Shekarau government. The question is, why should people spend precious 3 hours neither cleaning their environment nor pursuing their economic or related pursuits?
There is no apparent let up by those opposed to all moves by the Kano State Government; for instance, weeks after the government abandoned its earlier decision to use donkeys to evacuate refuse, the barrage of criticisms still persisted.
A stuff which is very dear to Governor Shekarau is his “flagship” called “Adaidaita Sahu” the Societal Re-orientation Programme. The Adaidaita Sahu is not only timely, but obviously imperative given the level of societal degeneration. And lucky for the government, they got the right man for the job; the Communicator and Orator, Mallam Bala Muhammad. When he worked for the Hausa Service of both the BBC and DW Radio (Germany), he pulled a lot of enthusiastic listenership to them. Within its short span, the Adaidaita Sahu has already become a household name of a sort. As Mallam Shekarau said at a seminar to herald Adaidaita Sahu last September, any other executive may be able to “build roads” for instance, but to change the “orientation” of people already over indulged in other ways, is not, an “all-comers”, job.
THE CHALLENGES? Shari’a Implementation Having said as much though, Shekarau has serious challenges to contend with as he enters the second and final lap of his 4-year mandate. Mention has been made that the Governor has rested the greater part of his administration’s legitimacy to the faithful implementation of the Shari’a. Shekarau has meanwhile put in place one of the most elaborate framework for Shari’a implementation in Nigeria: The establishment of a Shari’a Commission, the Zakat Commission and the Hisba Board. This is in addition to his plan to gradually integrate the “Almajirai Tsangaya” into the educational system in the state. His most recent apparent effort was to convince fellow Northern governors to collectively resolve to tackle the Almagirai problem in the region. But the question this writer keep asking as do other observers is, why still the cry! “No Shari’a in Kano and that the governor is insincere”? This controversy is not new. I raised this issue in my piece both on his first anniversary and last December. Governor Shakarau still apparently sees Shari’a in a “Comprehensive” manner involving in addition to issues as the legal system, also Zakat, provision of quality education, prompt payment of civil servants and pensioners entitlements among others. But others insist on seeing the “Tangible” traditional manifestations of Shari’a implementation such as separate buses for women, absence of women on Achaba, eliminating Beer junctions and parlours, clearing gambling places, tackling Cinema Houses, getting rid of “Good evening girls”, canning the fornicators in courts, amputating the arms of the thieves and perhaps stoning others defending on the crime in what is called Hudud (set of physical legal punishments). My consistent, advise to Governor Shekarau is that much as his sincere understanding or interpretation (?) of Shari’a may be right, the other side also deserve a “a hearing”. In other words, he must not ignore the critics altogether.
The danger in this controversy over Shari’a implementation under Governor Shekarau is that, it is pausing together both his “political” and “Circumstantial” opponents together. There are several political opponents of Shekarau among whom he defeated point blank over Shari’a who are cashing in on the “Shari’a sentiment” to earn underserved political advantage. The pitiful thing is how a battery of Ulamas are gathering storms for a frontal attack on Shekarau over Shari’a. A lot of them may heave personal scores to settle with the Governor, but the bottom line as I wrote last December, is that, in politics, you don’t underestimate your enemy and Mallam should know better. In the meantime governor Shekarau should as a matter of utmost urgency convene an all-inclusive stake holders’ dialogue or conference to honestly thrash out all the contentious issues related to Sharia implementation in Kano State.
Meanwhile along the Kano – Zaria Road, between Kura and Chiromawa, there is a notorious point called “Kwanar gaban”. This vegetable sellers’ haven located in Garin Mallam Local Government, is a Dane for grave immoral acts. What is allegedly happening in and around the Kano based “Marhaba” Cinema should be a cause of concern for a Shari’a implementing regime; ditto for the “good (or bad?) evening” girls (and women).
A food for thought for both the Government and the Hisba Board.
There were a number of Shari’a relevant decisions taken by the Kano State Government which are worth noting; the closure of the notorious “Sports Club”, the constructing of several Mosques both for Fridays and Five daily prayers (this is also massively undertaken by the Local Governments), the prosecuting of erring home video producers among others.
Another challenge before Shekarau is what to do with the “Dead woods” within his government. He must be bold, enough to look at these his “friends” in government and tell them that there is a difference between personal friendship and running a purposeful government and therefore ease them out “amicably” before they wreck an irreparable damage to his responsive, people-oriented administration while still maintaining the friendship or family ties.
Another big challenge to Shekarau is how to handle his ANPP party rank and file of increasingly restless supporters. A lot of them are agitated if not frustrated that they have “push started” the Bus, but have left them “stranded”. The hard fact is, governor Shekarau may be a seasoned teacher and administrator, but in the muddy waters of politics, he is a relatively “new comer” and hence has a lot to learn from. He should note that party supporters are of 3 or 4 categories; one, that content with your physical achievement for their communities, two, those who expect some form of political appointments, three, those who expect some personal financial or material gains. The fourth category are those who habitually love a particular party or personally irrespective of performance. The bottom-line is to find legally acceptable means of appeasing or empowering these party supporters or making them happy as he crave to do for all other people in the state irrespective of their political affiliations. The genuine needs of these party men need to be attended to as are the most vulnerable to be carried by “dissenting challenges” to the governor. Sometimes a surprise visit to poor neighbourhood and intermingling with the people may perform political wonders for the Governor or to those party men at their secretariat.
LANDUSE PLANNING The area of landuse planning is still one where the government need to move rapidly to make appreciable impact.. Inherited “inappropriate” landuse decisions of the Kwankwaso administration still need “surgical reviews”. The principles of separation of landuses is fast collapsing in Kano, it is increasingly difficult to separate Residential Commercial and Industrial areas with certainty in the city today. The green zones, the so-called “Lungs’ of the city are virtually gone. Development control is epileptic in Kano Metropolis while it is virtually absent in all other parts of the state. KASEPPA no longer has zonal offices to control developments outside Kano and its environs. The “Master plans” meant to guide the growth and planned development of Kano Metropolis and other urban centers have either been bastardized or have long passed their life-spans. Standard road reservations are dangerously breached; a typical example is at the Danladi Nasidi Housing estate at Mariri along Maiduguri road – although this may be the fault of the previous regime, the Shekarau government through KASEPPA and the Land ministry must arrest this ugly situation and compensate the “innocent” beneficiaries accordingly.
THE MEDIA The Government owed media have fared well under the Shekarau regime; the Radio Kano under the innovative Garba Kankarofi, is now better focused and improved both in terms of staff training, conducive operational environment and broadcast equipments. The State Television Cooperation (CTV) has also slightly improved although its output and reach, leave much to be desired. The Triumph Publishing Company is “Publishing again” and the new management is trying hard to put up a brave face under mounting challenges. But truth be told, the Triumph Publishing Company need a “surgical operation” and a “sustainable tonic” to remain a float – government need to get a well informed technical team to chart a future course for this potentially great publishing outfit.
The achievements of the 2 year old Shekarau regime were so monumental that if one wants to do justice to it, one must endeavour to look at the practical results, not the often unfair rantings of its habitual opponents or critics.
CONCLUSION In the final analysis though, there are things which this writer can stretch his neck out and say of Shekarau; his religiousity, his sense of responsibility and personal discipline. The man is also the most responsive State Chief Executive known to me. He has not basically disappointed the good people of Kano State. But what is quite glearing is, Shekarau’s political future depends upon how he handle the Shari’a implementation controversy, the “counterattack” from the defeated PDP, the issue of “non-performing” appointees of his government, his government’s image laundering drive, tackling corruption particularly at the local government level, poverty alleviation efforts among women and youths, the issue of political ” god-fathers” spoiling for a fight and internal dissent or wranglings within the ruling ANPP in the state among others. Garba Isa
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