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Tribute To Late Mallam Aminu Kano By Muttaqa Yusha’u Abdulra’uf Department of Social Sciences Kano State College of Arts Science and Remedial Studies P.M.B 3145
Thursdays, 17th marks the 25 years after the demise of the late Mallam Aminu Kano. It is obvious that Mallam has left a vacuum that is so difficult to be filled by the present day politicians, his selfless service to humanity especially the class he identified with, that is the Talakawas accorded him an enduring respect. Although there are a number of pretenders who claim to be the apparent heirs to the late Mallam, albeit with a different world view often characterised with ulterior motives.
Therefore this piece is prompted to dwell on the legacy of the late Mallam Aminu Kano the lesson he left behind that is worthy of emulation especially to holders of political power whom were entrusted with the machinery of the state, so as to transform the society from bad to prosperity for social justice to prevail, thereby exploring the extent to which it reflects or not on the present patterns of party politics in Nigeria.
One striking issue that fascinate must people about the persona of the late Mallam Aminu Kano is his strive towards balancing the social question by ensuring equity and fairness irrespective of ones social stratification.
Unfortunately the nature of the Nigerian State and those that manage it corroborate with the Marxist assertion as contain in the communist manifesto that ‘the executive of the modern state is a but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie”. The state of the nation and its failure to satisfy the aspiration of the Nigerian people has typified the Marxist assertion especially during the erstwhile government of General Obasanjo that used the state power for self enrichment and his kitchen cabinet The present investigation on the scandal over the contract on the electricity contract is a testimony to this.
The following poem is composed to unveil my ordeal on the state of affairs after Mallam has descended to the great beyond, and the poem equally served as a tribute to him. The poem reads as follows:
Epitome The epitome demised/ with a selfless mind/ Nothing remains than/What he inculcates/Achieved fame/For what he bequeath /He is love by everyone/Especially the less/privileged/Sown the seed of justice/To flourish/Alas! Disappointed by some Contemporaries/Remember him in verbal talk/Suffer from psychological holocaust/ Indulge in gibberish talk/To deceive the credulous men/Thunderously I shout!!/The late worthwhile/ The living dead.
Mallam Aminu Kano Has left a number of legacies that is worth to being the guiding political philosophy in the Nigeria’s political scene. He is guided by an ideology that is grounded on the emancipation of the working class; he has identified himself with a class and has aspired to promote the interest of such class. This had reminded me with the saying of Sheikh Ibrahim Khaleel during an interactive session at Mammbaya House on reforming the political parties in Nigeria. Sheikh Khallel noted that; “the first thing to self fulfilment and being humane is first for man to know himself, it is only through knowing oneself one will be able to have influence on other peoples life”
One could concur that Mallam knows himself that is why he was able to identify with a given class so firmly that he died with such ideal as his brand name. if you look at the present day politicians one could discovered that they don’t know themselves let alone to promote a given interest. Politics is not conceived as man management as defined by the Mallam but rather a business venture, where politicians strove to the party they can earn living. Bravo to Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa who in spite of his pauperism has remained in the PRP and equally cooperating with other progressives to challenge the existing social order in the country, since the return of democracy in 1999.
Another lesson worth remembering about late Aminu Kano is his famous assertion that; munga mutane suna cin abinci a duhu sai muka ce a fito fili domin a ga lomar kowa. That is people are eating in darkness, we urge that they should do it publicly so as to know who eats more. I believed this is a good vocabulary about transparency. That what ever the government is doing should be open to the public so as to know what is going on things that have bearing on their lives.
Had it been there is transparency, Obasanjo would not have rule Nigeria the way he does, I wonder where the law makers of his tenure are when he perpetrated such acts, are they telling us that they did not connive together. It is only that because the third term has failed and they want acquire fame from the public that is why Obasanjo is house hold name that is akin to abuse.
That is why transparency had to start from the grassroots so that the electorate would know what is going on, because must of the corrupt practices gathered momentum at local government level. What people considered as dividends of democracy is the meagre amount of money they received from their elected representatives when they come for show up in their constituencies.
It becomes imperative for the electorate to be competent enough to challenge the existing order for good governance to thrive, this can only be done when people genuinely knew themselves and strive towards the common good of the society through effective engagement with their elected representatives, devoid of emotion and material gain.
I believed if Mallam was to be alive he would have rather chose to remain in his grave, especially the way and manner the politicians conduct themselves. The pattern of party politics is characterised with capital accumulation, the state power is seen to be as an opportunity for capital accumulation. Because one of the striking features of the petty bourgeoisie in Nigerian society is that it lacks the economic base. The milk from the state resources and claim to be capitalist. That is why capitalism becomes real in the west where the bourgeoisie has its economic base.
Lastly we pray that may the pattern of party politics in our country changed, and be channelled towards service to humanity as prophesied by Mallam. May our politicians eschew the politics of bitterness, ethnic chauvinism, self aggrandisement, and prebendal politics. With a view to move our country forward. The Nigerian project in the twenty first century should be geared towards value reorientation and human development so as to develop the potentials of people. May the soul of Mallam rest in peace. |