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Trip To Ghana By Sule Ya’u Sule
It took a trip to Ghana to appreciate just how closely bonded African people are, the artificiality of colonial boundaries and how much media communication has abridged cross border integration. It is also clear that the people in the ECOWAS region are far ahead of official documentation as regards true integration; in fact, movement across the region is hindered by officialdom.
The good name, which Malam Ibrahim Shekarau is fast building for himself, is also catching on across the West African sub region and beyond. A recent trip to Ghana revealed how much Africans beyond Nigeria identify with the integrity project. Like a goldfish Malam’s well-known reputation for Honesty, Probity and Fear of God cannot be hidden. Recognised by President Olusegun Obasanjo, appreciated by the National Political Elite, applauded by the Kano electorate and now celebrated by other Africans, it was a massive public relations boost for once-pariah Nigeria to produce a Fresh Political Personality who represents what many young Africans direly cave, a man of Destiny imbued with Wisdom, Integrity, Decency and Humility.
Our odyssey to Ghana began with Malam deciding to honour the invitation of the Vice President of Ghana, His Excellency, Alhaji Aliyu Mahamma to deliver a paper at a National Symposium on Publishing and Book Culture in Northern Ghana, under the auspices of the Network for the Promotion of Reading and Publishing, Radach Memorial Centre, Tamale. As an aide of the Kano state Governor, I know how much he is pressed for time and I had feared he would rather send a representation as he has done on several occasions. But I also know it was not in his character to shun interactive sessions, being the consummate Teacher and long-suffering listener he is. Arriving in Ghana, we came in contact with the orderly nature of the ordinary Ghanaian as we observed our Friday prayers at the Central Mosque in Accra, with the Vice President as our host.
Ghana evokes several memories among Nigerians, much of it favourable. By far it is Nigeria’s closest ally in African relations, a relationship dated from pre-colonial history. Hausas inhabit a large portion of Ghana and there are also some other Nigerian ethnic groups represented there in good numbers. Nigerian merchants are ubiquitous there too and they are unmistakable by their colour and activity. Ghana’s novelists are also famous, The Beautiful Ones are Not Yet Born by Ayi Kwei Armah remains a reference point to social and political corruption bedevilling the African continent and to which stereotype Malam Shekarau and his likes are battling to redress.
The trip to Tamale, a prominent Northern Ghanaian town brought a feeling of déjà vu, the semblance to Northern Nigeria was too striking to be missed. The book launch itself brought together several important dignitaries including ministers in the Ghanian Government as well as the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Dr Olatunji Kolapo.
Malam’s paper at the Symposium titled “My Vision For Africa” captured the basic ideas that formed his convictions as a public servant, the convictions upon which he has meritoriously built a service record worthy of emulation in Kano, Nigeria and West Africa. Pleading the course of knowledge as the foundation of progress, Malam said “Without the aid of knowledge it will be impossible for Africa to harness and manage her resources in a way that will bring maximum benefit to the maximum number, let alone realise her full potentials. Nor, indeed, in the absence of knowledge, will Africa be able to take her rightful place among the continents of the world, some of which were nonexistent when Africa was strong and brilliant”.
He then dwelt extensively on efforts by his administration to reclaim the glorious past by laying a solid foundation of a Sharia’h Compliant State, specifically mentioning the establishment of three institutions namely Shari’ah Commission, which gives a general guidance on the implementation of Shari’ah, the Zakkah and Hubusi Commissions, which collects from the rich to utilise for the welfare of the weak and poor and the Hisbah Board, which ensures compliance with Shari’ah precepts by the citizenry.
These three institutions are being augmented by three more; a Directorate of Societal Re-orientation (A Daidaita Sahu), which is charged with massive state-wide awareness campaign on ethical discipline; a Directorate of Anti Corruption and Public Complaints responsible for sanitising the core civil service and operations of government and an Islamic Affairs Advisory Council (Majalisar Shura), which was created to advise Government on issues that pertain to the religious and social well being of the people in the state.
His Administration is equally pursuing a vigorous project of re-positioning Islamic education by undertaking a census of existing Qu’ranic Schools, introducing allowances to Teachers, skills acquisition programmes in the areas of calligraphy, leatherworks and computer training, among others.
The Symposium itself revealed that publishing in Northern Ghana faced similar problems and prospects as publishing in Northern Nigeria. The way out remains the same, improving mass literacy, reading culture, a robust economy and instilling the entrepreneurial zeal among young, idealistic Northerners who are not restrained by the fear of failure.
Later at Tamale, Malam Shekarau commissioned the Al-Furqan Foundation, an Islamic Organisation committed to the propagation of Islam in Ghana. He also laid the foundation of a Vocational Centre comprising a Nursery, Primary and Junior Secondary School at Tolon near Tamale, a project undertaken by the Al-Furqan Foundation.
The Nigerian delegation took away several lessons from their encounter with their Ghanaian hosts, lessons of brotherliness, humility, harmony and simplicity. On Sunday we were at the region of Bron Ahafo where the Ghanaian political elite had converged to observe the 40th Day Fidau prayers for the late Chairman of the ruling National Patriotic Party (NPP) in the region, Alhaji Mahmoud Adamu. There you witness the religious amity, which marks the Ghanaians apart. President John Kuffour, the towering, affable ‘Gentle Giant’ of Africa was at the event and though a Christian, participated at the Remembrance worship for the departed party chief alongside his Vice, Malam Shekarau, Ministers and other dignitaries. Eulogies were said on the late Party Chairman, he was variously described as ‘a humble and real community man who undertook several projects beneficial to his community. He left behind 20 children, 227 great and grand children, nearly all of who graced the occasion and prayed for the repose of their late father’s soul.
Thanks to modern communications Ghanaians already knew quite a lot about the political and social circumstances of Malam’s emergence as Governor and how he has brought his special touch of integrity to bear on management of state resources. The ordinary people on the streets know so much about Nigeria, Kano and Malam. They surged around him, to touch him, to listen to him and congratulate him. Clearly the best approach to improving the image of this country and in forging meaningful integration among African Communities is to elect the right leaders who would lead by example, who would show the light and let the people follow. The beautiful ones are already beginning to emerge.
Sule Ya’u Sule is Director of Press & Public Relations, Government House, Kano
Thursday: Rajab 5, 1426 AH August 10, 2005
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