Turaki: Courting Disaster
By
Abubakar Jika
In 1981 Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi was not only in government in old Kano State but in power. Though his party, the defunct PRP was split between late Mallam Aminu Kano (his Mentor) and Michael Imoudu to whose faction he belonged to, Rimi was very popular in the old Kano State. His status grew as a result of his impeccable performance as Governor.
One of Rimi’s key Commissioners and Ideologues of that era was Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed Sani, Commissioner – in Charge of Information and Home Affairs. Rimi’s phenomenal achievements in the information sector of that era could be traced to Sani’s ground breaking roles in establishing CTV (television) and Triumph Newspapers whose head office was named after Mallam Sa’adu Zungur.
Despite Rimi’s political standing and mass following, in 1981 there were rumours of his query of the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Alhaji Ado Bayero that provoked simultaneous mass uprising. Riots broke out in Kano, while Rimi was away. The mayhem consumed his political Adviser them Dr. Bala Muhammed. Rimi beat a strategic retreat. Nothing came out of the query. So it came to pass that though Emir Ado Bayero was known to be apolitical at best or was rumored to opposed Rimi at worse, Rimi let sleeping dogs lie.
The Emir as any citizen was allowed to keep his views and his throne. That was what democracy was all about. This is still what democracy is all about. 2003, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed Sani, is His Royal Highness, the Emir of Gumel. He has been on the seat since 1981. He actually ascended the throne after the death of his father who was the Emir and who also inherited the seat from his own father.
A frank and fearless leader very much respected by his subjects, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad Sani watched as Saminu Ibrahim Turaki, the nomadic governor of hapless Jigawa ignore his Emirate. Gumel was not alone. Indeed most Nigerians know that Turaki is a political disaster that befell Jigawa. The gentleman hardly spends three days in Duste. His House of Assembly was pocketed. Once in a while, they whimper about impeaching him, and at such occasions, Turaki humor them by returning for a couple of days. After “pleasantries” the Honorables smile and all are forgiven and forgotten. In fact Jigawa has the distinct dishonor of having its Deputy Governor resign because of the recklessness of its Governor.
In Gumel, every year, the Maulid Celebration, is done in style. The Emir hosts the “Hawan Gani” and the celebrations are so intense that it is called “Sallar Gani”. After horseracing, the Emir as is customary addresses his subjects on their plights. This year’s “Hawan Gani” took place in May and among the distinguished invitees of the day was the Senate president Anyim Pius Anyim.
His Royal Highness Ahmed Muhammad Sani as was customary addresses his subjects on their mounting plights. A leader, who does not call a spade any other name, he lamented the woes of his subjects. He blamed the Government without mentioning Local, State or Federal.
Among those who listened to the Emir is Ahmed Mohammad Gumel, Turaki’s Advisor and a subject of the Emir. He was said to have reported the Emir to Governor Saminu Ibrahim Turaki who was livid. The Governor read the indictment as a bill fitting his non-performing administration. Turaki jetted out of Nigeria – as usual- but directed his Deputy to query the Emir. His Deputy was relatively new. His SSG and even Council are used to his temper-tantrums and invariable ignore them.
But the Deputy, striving to prove his loyalty acted as directed June 10th Before then, there were reports that the Governor’s Adviser, and a subject of the Emir, phoned the Emir and requested he come over to Abuja to beg the Governor. The Emir was said to be shocked. He asked his offence and there was no specific charge. He ignored the verbal advice as Emirs in the North who respect their heritage and culture could have done.
On receiving the mighty query, which also directed the Emir to come to dusty Dutse Government House with his entire Council to defend himself, the Emir traveled to Dutse to answer the query. Emir Sani as Emir Bayero is well respected in his domain. His subjects on receiving the news went wild. Simultaneous riots broke out in Gumel same day. The New Nigerian reported the mayhem unleashed by the angry mob on its front page of Wednesday June 12th 2002, titled “Irate Mob Sacks JGSG Offices in Gumel-Protest Query to Emir”.
Other publications in their initial reports of the query wrongly claimed that the Emir was suspended these further inflamed passions. The Emir had to so speak on Radio and recorded on cassettes, with vans mounted with loud speakers denying he was suspended. These vans ply the Emirate, bringing tidings that the Emir was not suspended, which helped to lower tensions. A meeting of the Jigawa State Council of Traditional Rulers was held at Hadejia to which the Emir attended further helping to douse tension.
There are several lessons to be learnt from the Kano and Gumel incidences. It is obvious that traditional rulers who respect their mandates and status earn the respects of their subjects. Any temporal authority has to take these into account before attempting to take on them. The current Emir of Gumel, who holds first and second degrees in political science and was a political activist, is one of the North’s respected traditional rulers.
Tukaki made a mistake to have reduced an obvious complaint to a political disaster. The second lesson is traditional rulers are first of all human beings who are entitled to their personal views. These views even if they are political should be allowed free expression.
Emirs should not be gagged. I believe Emir Ahmed Sani was pressed to the wall – due to utter neglect – to have broken his three-year-old silence on the Turaki disastrous governance. Perhaps his quite prodding failed to nudge Turaki. Here Governors should respect the views of the traditional rulers, which are not couched on personalist lines. Some of them can alter the political fortunes of the Governors.
The third lesson is the Jigawa State government should avoid victimizing those it fingers as behind the riots. Riots are invariably difficult to pin on individuals as our experiences in Nigerian have shown over time. It is better to reconcile than inflame passions as the Daily Trust Report of June 17th 2002 titled “ Gumel Riots – Two palace Councilors Quizzed” may elicit. The Turaki tragedy in Jigawa is beyond a single Emirate. I am yet to meet any one from Jigawa who is happy with Turaki’s mode of governance.
Finally, all Northern Emirs should be interested in the plight of their Gumel colleague. It is unwise to keep aloof and think it is a local affair. After all as 2003 draws near, Governors are bound to be interested in the views of traditional Rulers on their “Tazarce”. The Gumel Disaster, which was courted by Turaki’s query, should be a lesson to all.
Jika Writes From Kano.