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Shame on the Northern Leaders and Northern Students By Husaini Mango, Ph.D.
The shame emanates in departure from political philosophy of the northern political hero, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, who laid foundation for their success, then turned back and destroyed the North with political thuggery and religious bigotry. “Northern Students” is also considered a party to the shame on regional mentality displayed on their position against ASUU on the current ongoing nationwide strike, which appeared in Daily Ttrust, September 3, 2009. It is important to note that Ahmadu Bello was administering the whole of northern region. Now it splits into a number of states administered by different Governors. Shamelessly, on 12 July, 2009, Sunday Trust reported 42 Senators in the National Assembly didn’t sponsor any bill. According to the report:
After spending two years and earning N500 million each, a sizeable number of senators and members of the House of Representatives (from northern region) have not added any value to the process of lawmaking for the country….prominent among senators who have fallen into this classification are the seven former state governors who are currently in the Red Chamber, none of whom was able to initiate a single bill within the period under review. These senators are George Akume (Benue) Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe), Saminu Turaki (Jigawa), Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi (Kaduna), Ahmed Rufai Sani (Zamfara) and Mohammed Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), who is now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
In a parallel assessment in the House of Representatives, the House’s Rules and Business Committees revealed that members from the Southern part of the country have performed better than their counterparts from the North. Although, the House’s Minority Whip, Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno state) dismissed the assessment saying the number of bills sponsored by a member was not enough to determine their performance. Unfortunately, this defense is a confirmation of their failure in representation.
Political Thuggery Not only they failed at the representation House, they create dull and selfish political thuggery which throw the young generation into political thuggery. They create an extreme poverty, misery and class division in the north to their advantage destroying the generous political intelligence built in the north by Sir Ahmadu Bello. This degenerates into a more downtrodden massive ignorance, illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, dependency and subservience as a means of survival on the youths. And poor performance and failure of representation results in the failure of youths in the north generating subcultures as “areaboys”. Areaboyism in the northern Nigeria is a new political invention by the northern political elite to depend their political tyranny and corruption. It is the only uncontroversial known “bill” sponsored by northern political elite. Areaboyism is the use of jobless, drug addicts, illiterate, unschooled and dropout productive youths-men and women to suppress political opposition and win election without morality. In 2009 the nationally acclaimed peaceful city of Sokoto witnessed unprecedented incidence of areaboyism, i.e the mob violence in defense of the two prominent political figures in Sokoto, the former Governor, Bafarawa of DPP and the Governor of Sokoto state, Aliyu’s Magatakarda of PDP ruling party. On that occasion residents, traders and motorists were terrified off the streets as gang members set ablaze by burning tyres soaked in petrol. It claimed many lives including my in-law, and left many others injured. That incident informed the public that the phenomenon of “area boys” is legitimated in the northern Nigeria. This is because, the episode in exactly the same way occurred in Bauchi, Kebbi and Zamfara states, almost in every northern state. Is this not a shame that only this type of bill they can support. We are watching to see if they can sponsor a counter bill to stop political thuggery.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu himself told you that violent crimes are attributable to political thuggery. Prof. Maurice Iwu appeared before the House of Representatives sub-committee on electoral reform and in Daily Trust, Tuesday, August 11, 2009, stated that:
Perpetrating violence in different parts of the country were people who were armed and used as thugs by politicians in the last election, and who for what to do after the elections, have now turned the weapons against their fellow country men and women.
Iwu’s assessment is true because throughout northern states political thugs accompany party leaders, wielding dangerous weapons and ready for fight with anyone who opposes their master. Thug clashers at rallies were evident and even celebrative during political campaigns with party leaders support. What brings about all this political thuggery is lack of education for no educated youth can accept being used as a tool for self and community destruction; the political elite failed in the education management of the northern Nigeria. Plato’s famous saying that knowledge is virtue and ignorance is vice is worth revisiting here to buttress the importance of education as a solvent of self and community destruction. The leaders did not only leave the northern youths in their peaceful ignorance at the mercy of nature but convert it to self and community destruction. Plato in The Republic and The Laws said he who knows is more likely disposed to doing the right thing than he who does not know. This also agrees with Qur’anic saying that can you compare those who know with those who do not know? This is a comparison between the light of knowledge and darkness of ignorance. Martin Luther is, therefore, very easily acceptable to us in his own declaration that, the prosperity of a country depends, not on the beauty of its beautiful buildings and fortifications, but in its men of knowledge, enlightenment and character. Likewise, when Aristotle was asked, how much educated men were superior to those uneducated. Aristotle answered “are living are to the dead”.
Almajiri Syndrome “Almajiri” syndrome in the north is concerned mainly with school-aged going children who go out in search of knowledge and what to eat at the same time. They leave their home towns to other places in search of knowledge and what to eat. Most of these school-aged going children “almajiris” are from peasant homes, poorly educated homes, economically and socially at the lowest social ladder. Most of their parents are poor and can neither feed nor dress nor can they properly sponsor the cost of basic modern education. For that reason the only option left for the parents is to send them to traditional almajiri school. There is nothing wrong with the traditional almajiri education for the best leaders were produced out of it as it was the product of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. The problem with so-called Northern leaders is that they are not just in public affairs. The injustice of the Northern leaders in public duties helplessly leads to the necessary condemnation of Western Education as sin by Boko Haram because majority of the advocates and their followers are in abject poverty, misery and squalor in need of empowerment; no adequate provision of basic education, healthcare, food, shelter, along with high unemployment rate everywhere in the Muslim north. Even though there are models of almajiri schools in virtually every northern state, the proliferation of almajiri and beggars syndrome is always at increase because of lack of sincerity in the purpose of the almajiri and beggars projects in the northern Nigeria. I happened to be a member of “Almajiri Model School” of Sokoto state under the Religious Affairs Ministry; it is insincerity, politics and hypocrisy on the adequate and effective funding demand on building and running the school by the committee that brought a natural death of the committee which results in the current dwindling building and running of the school. Instead of leaving the peaceful ignorant almajiri and beggar in his natural peaceful ignorance, the hypocrisy of the leaders engendered confusion into such destructive campaigns condemning Western Education as a sin. Thus, Northern leaders should be held responsible for the massive deaths of their Muslim brothers and be charged to face justice on the account of their failures and injustice to take proper care of their responsibilities.
American economist Theodore W. Shultz argued that skills and knowledge were forms of capital. Capital investment in humans could have the same effects as capital investments in machinery. It more people acquire skill and knowledge, the productivity and efficiency of the working would increase and the money spent would soon be repaid by the extra contribution made to the economy, politics, security, peace, order and development. Almajiri traditional schools should be given well and adequate attention, be well built and cater for to meet the standard of every modern school; the teachers should be well qualified under reasonable condition of service, and the curriculum should be well developed to meet the realities of almajiri and beggar condition of living. The children in the schools should be well catered for since all of them were of peasant homes. If the leaders are sincere it would not be a problem for government of every state in every local government to reorganize and rebuilt good and effective almajiri school for basic education and cater for all and sundry. Then it can be made compulsory for every child to attend either the modern or the almajiri traditional school, since poverty out of injustice is no longer excuse. But unfortunately, those who we called northern leaders today are gang of criminals, insincere, hypocrites and unjusts compared to the first republic coming together only to loot public fund and treasury.
Child Rihgts Again, they kick away the only compassionate child rights bill against hypocrite Islamic arguments. The bill proclaimed that childhood is entitled to special care and assistance. A child should grow up in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding because it is observed that in all the countries of the world there are children living in exceptionally difficult conditions, and a child by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection. The so-called Northern political and religious ruling elite kick it away saying Islam has already made that provision. Quite true! But we have not seeing it in practice throughout the region with a great rise of almajiri child (and religious sects) in the market places, door of hotels and churches, and also motor parks and in front of people’s houses and shops. It is now most unbelievable with the rise of Boko Haram, and many others emerging out of continues injustice of Muslim northern leaders. This is sabotage, an act of mischief and insincerity, you would not do and you would not allow others to do for you, by the way which Islamic law forbids these provisions? no child should be subjected to inhuman treatment, no child should be subjected to degrading treatment, no child should be exploited, fight child labour, provide care and protection to child, provide security and safety to child, and provide basic quality education to child. Which Islamic law objects to this? But, they are beggars -“almajiri”, they are hungry, they are hawkers, they are sick, they are distressed, they are neglected, and they are not in school.
Which Islamic law accepts or promotes these acts? As Muslims we should make a clear and distinct demarcation between ideal and actual practice. Your defense is neither orderly nor logical, and incongruence with Islamic provision for the actual practice is so self-evident not Islamic.
You should know that north is still backward and should not continue backward because it would affect the national progress. Therefore, the public resources should adequately be put into quality public education of different kinds, modern and traditional almajiri school. The northern political ruling elite after succeeding in controlling power are now using religion as a fetter to their selfish ends and interests. Remember when about losing power to their Southern counterpart consolidated Sharia implementation to retain their status quo; it was ill-conceived and fraudulent in order to retain power. It is important to note that as mentioned earlier many of them are sitting uselessly in the National Assembly and many of them who introduced Sharia are as corrupt as their religious peers in the Muslim north. Most of the Governors and legislators in the north were rigged into office. Today in the Muslim north provision of free education in modern school, almajiri school, healthcare and gainful employment for the youths are elusive.
Religious Bigotry This is why I strongly believe that the use of religion by the northern elite justified what Karl Marx said, “Religion is the opium of the people”. It could be assumed that when Karl Marx speaks many years back he has northern Nigeria in his vision. Religion in the north has been used to satisfy selfish interest of religious sect leaders at the expense of the Muslim masses. For instance in Sokoto state, the Government has become too loose as to allow religious sect leaders to penetrate and filters in their selfish ends. The former government was accused of using Shiites to oppress Sunni and the present government is being accused of using Sunni to oppress Shiites. Notorious Sheik Abubakar Jibrin of Sokoto state was one time accused of baptizing people into Shiite but on loosing relevance he quickly turned into Sunni baptizing. Now, he is the Chairman, Ramadan Feeding Centres under Sunni sect. And his ill-feeding centres were exposed by State Journalists although; Sokoto State Government hastily indefinitely suspended them without proper investigation in defense of insincere Sheik. It is an action to depend the selfish interest of the religious sect leader who on next loosing relevance may invent another unwanted sect. Such insincere sect leaders are too dangerous to be prominent in government having burning desire on sentiments rather than being nationalist, on public exploitation and suspicion at the expense of religion and Muslim masses.
Regional Mentality The regional sentiment position taken by “Northern Students” also justifies the impact and level of the influence of political thuggery and religious bigotry affecting not only unschooled, religious sects, but also potential graduates of Muslim north. The political ruling elite have graduated potential political youths into political thuggery, religious youths into religious bigotry and sects, and are now graduating potential school graduate of Muslim north in regional mentality. Mr. Ibrahim Alih, the President of “Northern Students”, I hope if you cannot believe ASUU you can believe Sir, Ahmadu Bello, when he states that:
A university must be both national and international. The first duty of every university is search for and spread of knowledge and the establishment of truths and, as such, it must be international in outlook. But it must also serve the needs of the nation in terms of manpower production and production and preservation of local culture and traditional institutions. A university which fails to aspire to these objectives has lost its purpose and will lose recognition and respect.
Can you deny that Nigerian universities have lost respect? Can you object that students in the Nigerian university are not being educated, with increasing cultism and examination malpractice? Can you dispute that the products of Nigerian universities are not productive? Can you refute that products of Nigerian universities are not employable? Or can you ignore the possibility of alienation in the Nigeria education? Our universities are not producing graduates of critical minds so they are not graduates. They are producing graduates who are not critical minded. They are not critical and therefore cannot be productive. These are the types of graduates the so-called Northern leaders want. Those who cannot undress them to see their political thuggery and religious bigotry, they want graduates like you immersed in poverty of thought and wealth, in doing what they want, and in following and worshipping them, now it is regional mentality and they have enslaved your thought and your union. Please young man be quick and examine your conscience to understand the problem for unexamined mind is not worth living. Under Bello’s categorization do we have a university in Nigeria? ASUU’s answer is no. But we need to have them and the government should honestly establish them for that would only make intellectuals relevant and productive to the nation. This is the true position of ASUU you take or you live.
By the way are you happy that because Nigeria’s education is in bad shape no Nigerian university ranks among the first 5000 universities of the world. Also, no one was ranked among the World Top 500 universities of the Third World countries, and even in Africa, in the Africa’s Top 100 universities ranking, the best four Nigerian universities ranked 44th, 65th, 79th, and 96th positions. Please examine your conscience to become critical so that you would become reflective and productive to the north unlike your mischievous Northern leaders. So, you see, ASUU, like Sir, Ahmadu Bello, rejects our universities for not being productive. ASUU believes him and is not ready to return until reform is assured. In this context ASUU is more of north if you are brainwashed. Your counterparts Southern Students who were not infected by sentimental virus they were reported by Daily Trust, 11 August, 2009, calling; Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to education sector from its present 7.6 % to 26% as recommended by UNESCO . Can you compare your thought with their own; please be aware that at the time Nigerian declines education sector adequate funding, Nigerian government injected over N400 billion into private troubled banks, can you please reflect and deduce meaning out this act? It is unfortunate again, Nigeria which is the richest country in Africa is performing abysmally compared to other African countries looking at their spending on education as a percentage of Gross National Product (GNP) : South Africa; 7.9%; Cote’ivore, 5.0%; Angola, 4.9%; Ghana, 4.2% Mozambique, 4.1%, Tanzania, 3.4%, Uganda, 2.6%, and Nigeria with the least 0.7%. None of these countries spent as much as 15% of GNP as recommended by UNESCO, as pointed out by the Southern Students against Federal Government. Nigeria’s case was very worrisome spending only 0.7% of its GNP on education sector. In yet another worrisome poor spending on education, Obasanjo’s Presidential Forum on Education estimated that between 2006 and 2015, the sector will require yearly funding levels of N512 billion; i.e. about 22.16% of the federal Budget of 2007 which allocated only 8.19% to entire education sector. Only about 2% or 3% of the budget is said to be allocated to Education in 2009. Let me also talk of the salary earning: Senators, 36,677,840.00; Federal House Members, 35,932,346.30; Local Government Chairmen, 13,865,895.30; Local Government Supervisory Councilor, 12,746,875.00; Federal High Court Judges, 26,875,840.00; Perm. Sec.; Exec. Sec.; CEOs of Parastatals, 22,051,154.30; and Professors, 3,859,078.60.You can now see that the respect is in order of their salaries. Can you convince one that a university Professor is of least importance among them? That is why the country is in what it is today in the profile of development. Remember that university is a collection of the best brains of the country and the country should make effective use of them to develop the nation by listening to their thought, none of the above can be compared with them in terms national development.
Indeed, the fact of under funding education is self-evident in the Nigerian universities, and no student can refute lack of adequate lecture halls, laboratory materials, library, and space accommodation. Unfortunately, those who mismanaged the public funds and eroded public universities now turn around and open private universities (with the stolen money) from the nation’s public treasury. They are still in government to privatize public universities and eliminate others despite the fact that all of them were product of public education. Let me remind the “Northern Students” once again to examine their conscience in assessment of private universities in the Southern Nigeria. The proliferation of private universities in the south is a credit to their leadership and lack of such to the northern leadership. A leader who fails in public institution cannot afford to think of a private institution. Northern leaders are neither sincere nor are they trustworthy in any public or private-public achievement in the country. Thus blame your northern leaders for not establishing private universities for you and do not shift the blame where it should not to be. It is the same as rejecting child rights bill by northern leaders while almajiri syndrome management is still a problem, isn’t true, should you say south has no like of almajiri.
Thanks
Husaini Mango (PhD) Department of Education Faculty of Education and Extension Services Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. also Chairman AMFOPP-Human Rights and Education Monitor E-mail – husainimango@yahoo.com
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