Kano

Kano: Elections, Arson, and Public Opinion

Abdullah Musa

Just recently, November 2007, local government elections were held in Kano State. The otherwise constitutionally sanctioned act was turned into a theatre of murder and arson on a scale that left many wondering whether black men could really ever be reformed.

Humanity has come to understanding that the process of acquiring power should not be smeared by the application of brute force. The only force required should be the force of one’s superior arguments. In the just concluded local government elections, seven or so local government secretariats were torched; and to the chagrin of any sane person, it was reported that water drilling rigs were burnt in Wudil local government area. The rigs were there ostensibly for the purpose of drilling boreholes in the area.

One is tempted to play the judge here. Who between the contending parties would be interested in stopping a development program being undertaken? Who is it that would want to ensure the destruction of equipment that would be used to better the lives of the people? Is it the people themselves? Or is it a freak who sees good only if he is the one executing it? Or one who would prefer to destroy a society as long as he or they are not the ones running it?

There had been much bickering prior to the elections. As usual with a ruling party, there are many who wanted to be given the chance to rule. The incumbents have tasted the honey that is Blackman’s power structure, and are convinced there is no where else where they would get access to such free funds to use as they deem fit. Power in our lands is so notoriously attractive, or rather hypnotically attractive, that senses are lost in its pursuit.

We would want to find out why people would want to take power by force of arms. When we offer possible explanations we do so not with the authority of the preacher, but with the humbleness of a researcher, who holds his or her position tentatively expecting refutation anytime from un- expected quarters. A Muslim cleric was in the news sometimes back in Australia when he gave a sermon that half-clad women were like naked meat, literally inviting to be raped. He was forced by a foolish public opinion to resign as Imam of the Masjid. But was he wrong?

Without diverting into the realm of anatomy, we make bold to state that a woman is created with features to attract a man for mating. Whether that mating is illicit or not is another affair entirely. Our point of reference here is that governance has been made so lucrative that people are driven by extreme lust to go after it devoid, of senses; akin to the donkey receiving tremendous kicks in pursuit of an ass that is in heat.

Power in itself is attractive; whether it has extreme monetary reward like ours does, or it is simply the power to crush opponents with relish. Why would someone want to be in power in a place like Somalia; at one point in time even in Congo; or even be the puppet in Afghanistan? It was the hope of humanity that the destructive methods used in the quest for power in the past, could have been smoothed- out by the influence of knowledge, and the creation of a market system that rewards endeavor.

When we come back to the reality of Kano State, it is our opinion that people should not be surprised at the actions and reactions during and after the elections. Ironically, and really most saddening is the fact that the only recognized opposition to ANPP in Kano State is the PDP. And today, we do not know of tomorrow, control of Kano State PDP is in the hands of former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso. If the elections turn out the way they do, it must be questioned as to why resort must be had to violence? We do not ascribe truth and uprightness to ANPP. But like we stated earlier, who between the contending parties would be interested in torching the secretariats of the LGs; burning of water drilling rigs and so on?

Elections are rigged, mayhem is committed, and all other atrocities are unleashed for the simple reason that the platform facilitating such is available. The arsonist seems not to fear the law when committing his ignoble act, why? This is so because the law never catches up with him or with them. After him others take cue. Students are reported to burn down hostels; some one day even attempted to burn down the prestigious Kashim Ibrahim Library at ABU Zaria. Only the timely second-thoughts of more sane students saved the precious edifice. We may note then that there are no able volunteers who are sane enough to stop arsonists when they come out on the rampage, during or in the aftermath of elections.

We glean from the foregoing that people are thus not equipped to protect that which is supposed to be dear to them. A burnt down secretariat must one day be built up again. The funds meant for some thing else must be diverted to this new purpose. We do not usually give a hoot for the funds did not come from our own sweat. Where we are taxed to pay for the development of our society, we would not sit ideally by watching arsonists enjoying their peculiar bonfire.

Another question may also be asked: who and who are the arsonists? What drives them to commit arson? What personal losses did they suffer in the elections to warrant such behavior? My view is that an arsonist is a hater of constituted authority. When licensed by a strong contender to public office, he is willing to torch any building, (he can torch the Ka’abah itself if the price is right) because there are no consequences to bear. The political opponent is allowed to vent his fury as long as he later accepts the status quos. The arsonists are the same youths who all the traditional parties in Nigeria use to literally fight out elections. The existence of such youths in such conditions, and the presence of inflammable materials such as petrol by the road side are part of the ‘enabling environment’ that makes arson possible.

Politics refuses to change color, nor will it change its character. This also happens because the character of the general populace refuses to change from the crass barbarism of the un-enlightened to the greed and in-consideration of the one who went through the schooling system, but the schooling system did not go through him. In other societies, people do not make politics the source of bread and butter. Many who venture into it are either professional or business men. Many are usually lawyers. They have law practice to go back to if they fail.

In Nigeria, many stick to politics long after their world view has become irrelevant; their tools macabre, and backward-looking. Yet they cling on. The rhyme is always: roads, ruwan sha, asibiti, magani, taki and so on. And because of the earlier mentioned platform of illiteracy, the refrain is listened to and accepted as what the government is all about.

In Nigeria there is never change of guards: why should one be talking of Adamu Ciroma when it comes to PDP? These are people who should decline partisanship, throwing in only a word or two where the interest of the nation is best served. Kano may continue to suffer for the misguided aspirations of a few of its un-grateful sons, who insist on showing a form of relevance to their central government by fomenting trouble in the guise of popular uprising. There should also be a distinction between the properties of key players in government and public property. Whoever destroys what belongs to the public cannot be said to be acting in accord with public interest.

Certain lessons are derivable from the recent saga. We note that if you are able to marshal a significant number of mobsters, spread them out strategically, you can create an impression of a wide following. I was inclined to caption this article as: Maitatsine could have ‘won’ elections in Kano. This is so because an organized terror group can easily sway the populace; it tells you the quality of citizens that we do have. Remember the sermons of the conquering terrorists who invaded Challawa at the tail end of Obasanjo administration? They told the gullible population that they were after the police not the common people! At the end of the day, who had to flee from their homes?

We also learn the bitter truth that our response to organized mayhem is usually after the act. We are thus not much able to minimize the losses: human and also public properties. As is the norm in Nigeria, intractable problems remain as they are. We also learn that there is in truth much dissatisfaction with local government administration, irrespective with which party is in power. The political parties have turned local areas into cheap centres of funds to finance elections. It is possible that the PDP stalwarts who also have such mindsets are very rabid about their losses for then they do not know from where to source funds to purchase the 2011 governorship ticket; this is more so since none of them seems to have a federal appointment now.

At the end of the day, there is not much sympathy for a people who decide that they will neither change their way of life, nor their way of thinking. And the charlatans in either dominant political party will continue to milk them dry. Allah ya kara! On second thoughts, Allah ya sawwake! Amin!

Abdullah Musa