WHAT MANNER OF REPRESENTATION…

It was on the 29th of May 1999 when democratic rule was restored in the country after several years of military interruptions. The 1999 constitution ensures the political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives; it is the political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them. The onus therefore lies with the electorates to elect and be the watchdog of their respective representatives, the representatives on their own part are required to serve the people honestly, conscientiously and loyally. The people hold the voting power to decide whether or not a member should be returned after the first four years. Unreasonable, stingy, unproductive and negative members should know that they may not serve for more than a term in the legislature. A lot will depend on his positive contribution on the floor of the house and what he is able to do for his constituency in terms of developmental programmes and other dividends of democracy. In Katsina state, from 1999 to date we have had several representatives from across the spectrum of the popular political parties and I think each of these parties have had a fair share of these representatives in the state house of assembly and the Federal seats. In all these representations it is instructive to acknowledge that while some have proven their mettle to be first among equals others are/ were mere bench warmers. It is on record that one of our representatives was made the Speaker of the house of representatives, two others were majority leaders at the senate at different times, several were made and are still Chairmen of most powerful committees in both the Senate and the House of representatives and at a time one of our representatives was a minority leader at the red chambers.. This is a feat that I don’t think there is any state in the country that has marched these credentials. But it is sad to note that the majority of our representatives in all the avenues of legislation i.e the state house of assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate amount to naught. Wallahi, some of them have no business being there! At one time, one of our representatives at the Senate was adjudged to be the worst senator as he had never contributed to any debate for 4 years. I will not be surprised if many of our representatives do not know their powers, functions and as well as their limitations as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Surely this is not good enough. It is imperative to point out that our representatives should resist the temptation of being parochial, seeing themselves only as representing small, individual constituencies. While it is true that every member has been elected to represent a constituency, he should put the interests of the entire state and the country above everything else. After all, laws made through legislation are applicable to all members and not restricted to a particular person or constituency. It is therefore necessary to draw a line between being a member, reps or senator and being a member of a political party. While partisan political party interests will remain with all members, yet such interests must not be allowed to override state and national interests. In a democratic, multi –party system as we are operating now, it is only natural that one candidate will win while others have to lose the race for various elective offices but once elected, the successful candidate should be magnanimous and be less partisan in his approach to official matters. It is against this background that I always have a hard feeling against some of our representatives who are in the habit of buying all sort of things ranging from vehicles to food stuffs to a section of the electorates and in most cases the beneficiaries cannot even maintain these vehicles to even fuel them is a herculean task and in the end they sell them at a take away prize. To my mind, this approach to say the least is shabby because I think by this time we should be looking beyond individuals, we should rise above hate and do things to the Glory of the Lord and the generality of the people, that is the way to greatness and prosperity. But if you look at it from another angle these members are 100% better than those who don’t give a hoot to the flight of the electorates, whenever they are in town nobody sees them. They hide themselves in the clubs, where you need to be a member before you can get access inside, membership there goes up to N100K. We are lucky our member does not own a house in Kaduna otherwise he would have relocated but just give him one year in office and see what is going to happen. You see, that is what they always do, they have two houses one in Abuja and other in Kaduna, they come to Kaduna for weekend and Tuesday the following week they in Abuja for usual EEYS or NAYS. The case of one representative is even more poignant, he too distributed motorcycles in his own town but what made his case laughable is the fact that he gave money to people from his own local government area and forgot the other two local government areas that made up the rest of his constituency but you know what? The money he distributed was in form of a loan, can you just imagine, LOAN. This learned representative is not aware of one of the fundamental principles of the CPC as a party is to free the masses from oppression by the ruling class, in all its manifestations. In essence what this portends is a great danger because as long as you cannot meet up the deadline for the payment your means of livelihood (your farm) is taken away from you. What manner of a representation? The People Democratic Party has made nonsense of our body politics to the extent that elected representatives must recoup the money they used during electioneering campaigns when they find themselves in office and this attitude seriously mar the progress of many communities. But we are very lucky here in Katsina as our representatives from the CPC block did not spend much to warrant any recouping, this is more than one year they are in office so even if they had, they must have recouped it by now. The remaining 3 years is for us: so we should see some dividends of democracy in all the constituencies these representatives come from. We don’t want perishables we want to see monuments and edifices; we don’t want your money we want to see structures. We don’t want you to sponsor any Tafsir during Ramadaan period but use that money to buy medicines in our hospitals. We don’t want any rice or sugar during Ramadaan we want you to create an enabling environment for our youth to break up the glass ceiling. I think we have the right to tell you what we need as all of you now owe. You all rode on the mighty shoulders of GMB to be where you are now as such we should dictate to you what we really want. We were there during the campaigns, you did not spend much, we saw what happened, we campaigned for you and we were there!!! But I think you have enough time to make a difference in our lives by complementing the seemingly little efforts of the state government. I was told that some of you would like to aspire for bigger positions; well, there is nothing wrong with that provided you wake up from your slumber. Let us see more of you on the floors of your respective assemblies, sponsor bills that have bearing with up- grading of our socio- economic status. Let us see more community based programmes in all your constituencies executed by your humble selves, then we would know that you are ready to accept more responsibilities. Allah shi taimaka. To us the electorates, my sincere advise is that we should rise above primordial sentiments if we want to progress as a people and as a state. We should collectively come together and come out with quality representatives. People who are ready to serve our cause, when they are talking in any forum you will be satisfied and say, yes! that is my representative. Not the type of deaf and dumb representatives we see lurking around our State and National Assemblies.

CPC CRISIS: ABRIDGED VERSION

Having read the various representations from respective members of this great group, I became more convinced that history has always been pregnant with some measures of uncertainties. If written hastily some degree of inconsistencies are likely to emerge and if it is left unwritten for a long time the degree of inconsistencies become greater. In order to keep the level of inconsistencies to the barest minimal I urge the students of political history amongst us to take up the gauntlet. This will enable our posterity have a balanced literature to fall back on whenever the political history of Katsina is brought to fore. From the discussions two issues were highlighted; the issue of imposition and the issue of antiparty. But if we are to respect history, the issue of imposition does not even arise. This is because in the first place a primary election took place on the 13th that produced a winner and was recognized by the Party headquarters but for one reason or the other, the other side contested, which is ok in any democratic setting. But what is not ok was for them to concoct another election because they have the backing of the state branch. I think that was the threshold of the crisis. But having gone through the process of litigation up to the highest federal court which has jurisdiction over all courts in the nation - the Supreme Court, the ideal thing for any sensible person to do was to respect the outcome of the court’s ruling but that was not to be so as the local branch of the party had other ideas. What became clear was the way the local branch took side with Yakubu Lado in total disregard to the party’s extant rules and procedures even at the determination of the case by the Apex court. This unbridgeable disparity was responsible for much talked antiparty spearheaded by the local CPC branch. To those of us who are conversant with the political history of Katsina state knew exactly what happened in 2007 governorship primary elections in the ANPP. Few days to the elections a clear cut aspirant was not determined by the ANPP, the party where GMB contested the presidential elections. An almost similar scenario with what happened during the CPC governorship primaries of 2011. The case was between Alhaji Abu Ibrahim and Mallam Nura Khaliel; the imbroglio took its toll on the party which led to its defeat by its arch enemy, the PDP. And what was a common phenomenon between both situations (2007 and 2011) gubernatorial party primaries was the presence of the chairman of the party and his cohorts. It is instructive to point out that in 2007; Masari, Mustapa, Saddiq and others from the PDP Reform were not there, infact, not even the PDP because it was solely ANPP affair. Yet, they were either unable or unwilling to come out with an acceptable candidate. They debilitated, they wasted time, they compromised? History repeating itself you can say! Now, is it fair for us to say that it was the chairman and his cohorts that deliberately scuttled the 2007 and 2011 party primaries and by extension denied the state of a purposeful leadership? Is it fair for us to say they were the contractor politicians as already insinuated by many people? Now, this brings me to the issue of antiparty activities. Since the Apex court’s ruling did not favour the local branch, the chairman and his cohorts decided to pitch their tent with the ruling party and I think this answers my second poser above. As I tried to prove in my piece that the much talked antiparty was not responsible for PDP’s Pyrrhic victory, the only thing the antiparty did was to serve as an alibi. At that time, HE the governor was so desperate to the extent even a seven year old child could be of help to him but if he knew his PDP’s rigging machine could work so effectively he wouldn’t have asked for anybody’s assistance. Knowing how our man is, he wouldn’t like to part with a dime. But seeing how the enormous wealth splashed on the people of Katsina during the parliamentary seats elections that amounted to naught he had no option than to hold anything tight even if it is a very sharp sword because he was drowning. He knew he needed more than money to be able to win the governorship elections no matter who was the candidate because it already dawned on him that he was up against the might of GMB and not any CPC candidate parse. Cases abound indicate where CPC did not present candidates for elections yet the party won overwhelmingly. It is not about who was the candidate but it was all about ‘ta buhari’ or ‘mai alkalami’ as prospective voters would say and not minding whether it was Lado or Masari all they were after was ‘sai mai gaskiya’. As any politician within the confines of CPC has to climb on the shoulders of GMB to become what he is today but if anybody feels the general has outlived his usefulness in the party then that person should think again or better still he can leave the party and join another one, this my reaction to those who feel the general should leave the party for some young Turks. In the end I will like to appeal to the national headquarters to reconsider its stand on those expelled members. If really they can show some remorse I see no reason why they shouldn’t be absorb again. The fight against the PDP is an enormous one; all hands must be on deck to see that we drive the monster out. So help us God!

CPC CRISIS IN KATSINA: AN OPEN LETTER TO DISTINGUISHED SENATOR AHMED SANI STORES AKA ‘MAIGEMU’

Dear Distinguished Senator, I should have written this letter to you long time ago but for one reason or the other I decided to tarry a while. But with the recent development and its aftermaths within the CPC in Katsina which relates to your explosion from the party together with six others, I think the procrastination has become a blessing in disguise. You will wonder why I decided to make this letter open on Facebook and specifically on KT Discussion group and Progress and Development Initiative Katsina. Well, it is because I feel there are certain people within these folds who are likely to share my views on what I intend to say to you and will surely add value on the subject and of course they may be some who will oppose and together we will engender a good discourse that will enable you accept my preposition or not. Albeit I haven’t seen your traces on facebook or any of the social network sites for that matter but am sure the message will reach you within a short time and may be that will encourage you to open up an account. I bet you won’t regret doing it as it will make you link up with former school mates, class mates and other friends you have not seen for some time. Ok, let us go; The crisis: As everyone now knows, there is none among the political parties in the country that is not going through one form of crisis or another. We have heard of suspensions and expulsions in almost all the parties in the country. It is a fact that certain party members that have not succeeded in getting elected or appointed into public offices become disgruntled and are subverting their colleagues and parties, others are simply jealous somebody else and not themselves that is so and so. Unenlightened and unsportsmanlike as this may be, it is a fact that such situations exist in almost all the parties. It is, therefore, not strange that the CPC, like any other political party is having its own share of internal crisis. The crisis in Katsina has polarized the party into two distinct camps i.e. Masari and Lado camps, this you are quite aware of and since then a lot has been said about the supremacy as well as the right of the party to discipline its erring members because any party that lacks built- in mechanism of discipline is destined to fail. The higher interest of the party must override those of its individual members no matter how highly placed they may be. It is undoubtedly part of party discipline that the extant rules, regulations and procedures of the party are complied with by all members. The crisis of CPC in Katsina is a great design of hypocrisy, insincerity and a diabolical plan to entrench sycophancy, nepotism and to further the move to link the party with its arch enemy- the PDP. This fact you may not be aware of: We may not have seen the end of the crisis because I understand that you and the other expelled members have sworn not to abide by the party’s directive and this brings me to the import of this letter to you. You see, Distinguished Sen, since when I learnt you are back in Nigeria and you decided to join politics I was overwhelmed with joy especially when I learnt you are joining the progressive train of the CPC. But when I learnt you are in the same sinking boat with the dissidents my heart became ‘black’. Infact that was the first time I contemplated writing this letter. This is because you don’t actually belong to that camp. I watched your campaigns from afar as we are in different sites but each time I saw in you a bulging young Politian, I saw bright future, I saw hope in you because that is what you actually represent, unfortunately, you allowed yourself to be used by those who don’t have sympathy for our future. These are people who are self centered, who are only concerned in what they can get not what they are ready to do for the people. But Alhamdulillah, we are vindicated as the greatest beneficiaries of the CPC crisis in Katsna are Danmusa and Lado. Mamman Abubakar Danmusa knew from the onset as the ‘learned one’ that he was fighting a war that he would never win, he was fighting against party supremacy which no any party member can win. It is so right from the beginning of time, it is the party that is responsible for fielding a candidate and this fact was echoed by the 2011 Electoral act. Danmusa is destroying your political ambitions because as long as you are fighting the party that is supposed to be the umbrella under which you contest elections then you will never be a candidate. If you like employ the services of all the Senior Advocate of Nigeria to present your case; you will still be in a vicious circle. It is my prayer that you detach yourself from Mamman Abubakar Danmusa because as long as you are on his side then you are liable to the offence of antiparty activities and I don’t think there is anybody who can help you out; unless if you are part of the same agenda of bringing the party down. I don’t want to believe you are part of it. By the way, does Danmusa has any stake in the CPC? Wallahi, he doesn’t, he is done with it! He got his hands full with ‘salt and pepper’, he got one of his sons a commissioner, another a legislative assistance, another one waiting to a council chairman. You think he cares about you? No! He is only following a diabolical script to destroy the CPC as part of the agenda that he was paid for. Finally, Distnguished Sen. As the countdown to 2015 begins, the earlier you cut off the umbilical cord that links you with Danmusa and anything antiparty the better for you and your political survival, he has no value to add to you and your aspirations. So withdraw your name from the subsisting case and make up with your party. You have plenty of future ahead of you don’t squander it for the sake somebody who is not worth it. Please read between the lines. Sincerely Yours, ISA AHMED

KATSINA MINORITY LEADER ESCAPES YOUTH MOLESTATION: AN OPEN LETTER

My dear Hon, I just read this disturbing news item from the daily trust news papers of yesterday that some Youths believed to be political thugs attempted to attack you and feel obliged to write this open letter to commiserate with you, your family and your teeming supporters state wide. Infact, I heard of it the previous day from a friend but like he was not too sure about it. So I consider it as one of those chitchats trying to wish somebody bad but then when I saw some posts about the incident on facebook in the evening I knew something was definitely wrong. After reading your testimony from the newspaper I became convinced that it was for real, it wasn’t armed robbery as is a common scene in the city. It was hired assassins. Look at this statement…the thugs told him that if not because they know him they would have accomplished their mission…meaning they would have just killed you. As I read between these lines and discerned their loss of temper, I promptly visualized on their faces the hate of intolerance and a potentially suppressed voice of rage which could make authorities contemplate the murder of their critics or to legislate prison terms. Now, that the expected did not happen and thank God for that. I should tell you to be ready for the worse as this is not about the ‘NIMA NA YARDA’ project as already insinuated. I tell you, it is not even about you. This is about what you stand for; this is all about the people of Katsina State and their common weal. It is not about the project because if they want it dead today it will not see the light of tomorrow and it is not about you because if they want you they can get you at any cost, trust me. These people don’t respect the rules, they don’t fight fair and they have no respect for any rules of engagement. But what they have not realized is that facts are very stubborn things and they are never silenced by declaring war on them. FACTS ARE FACTS, PERIOD!!! My dear, Hon. Our biggest problem here may turn out to be our elites who apparently understand all the problems associated with our state but are incapable of effectuating solutions because they have remained fixated at a particular point. They have unwittingly turned us to a state of ‘Siddon Look’ and as such we are nanus in our approach to our number one enemy. They choose to keep mute in the face of injustice. The profoundly honored Sheik Usman Danfodio said ‘Silence under injustice is the greatest crime’ I really don’t know if they are aware of this fact. But am happy for you and the erstwhile Scribe to the late head of state when he was in charge of the state, you have really paid your dues by coming out to speak your minds in the face of all the injustices that have been inflicted on our people. Finally, I pray that Allah will protect and reward you abundantly for all you been doing and stand for but for those who feel they are alpha and Omega and feel they can do anything more from whim or caprice than from reason or judgment, then we leave them to their fates. As all of us are going to account for whatever deed we exhibit and each dime we (mis)appropriate in the course of our stewardship. A German Philosopher by name Immanuel Kanet has this to say: ‘The drama of this life is not complete; there must be a second life to it, for we see the tyrant and his victims without seeing justice being executed. We see the Conqueror and the subjugated without the latter finding any revenge. Therefore, there must be another world where justice will be carried out’ Sincerely Yours, ISA AHMED

AT THE TRIBUNAL: GOES UP THE JUDJEMENT….
I had just arrived Katsina at about 5.45pm, a drive that was supposed to take me only 3hours 45minutes from Kaduna took almost the whole day. It was a hectic journey, passing through almost 23 police and local vigilante check points. I felt it was wrong for the authorities to subject motorists to that kind of scrutiny especially when there was nothing at stake to warrant such type of operation. The whole scenario looks to me as if we are still in the military era.
My trip to Katsina was not for the Sallah celebration parse but to enable me witness the Tribunal verdict on the Katsina Gubernatorial election that was delivered in the early afternoon hours of Thursday. Although some of my friends in Kaduna have tried to stop me from attending the tribunal on the grounds that nothing new was going to come out of the judgment. It is not going to change, one of them said to me in a loud voice. I was neither perturbed nor deterred on my determination to attend the Tribunals.
As I was coming out of my house to look for one of my juniors to dust up the house for me since I did not bring along any member of my household to Katsina. I heard a SMS coming in to my Phone on looking at the phone to verify from where it was coming I noticed it was from my friend, the Director. I know you still remember him. He sent in a message to inform me that if by Friday afternoon salary has not been paid then the invitation he has extended to me to come and eat ‘Soyen kayan ciki’ in his house will be cancelled. The invitation to visit him on Sallah day was given to me penultimate week after the wedding fatiha of my daughter. He had planned to slaughter a big ram for the Sallah celebration. I was confused why salaries had not been paid two days to sallah. So what will now happen to my friend’s children who were used to seeing their father slaughtering about 2 to 3 rams every Sallah. This is a serious matter! As I was lamenting on my friends predicament a call entered my phone, one of my friends who was already at the tribunal has called to inform me that CPC’s case had just been dismissed. Surprisingly but as usual…that CPC could not establish enough reasons to disturb the election…That was the Tribunal judgment.
I sat on the balcony of my neighbor’s shop looking extremely exhausted and fatigue has taken its toll on me, bewailing on the outcome of the verdict asking myself questions that refuse to go away, was it too close to call? Could it have gone either way? Where does CPC go from here? Appeal Court? No, I think not. They should not even contemplate going to the upper court. What they could not get with all the overwhelming evidences at the Tribunal, I don’t think they can get it at the Appellate court. If my opinion is anything to go by, the issue of going to appeal should not even be contemplated. Let us take solace from Suratul An-Nisa; where Allah (swt) said ‘O you who believe, be custodians of justice (and) witness for Allah, even though against yourselves or your parents or your relatives. Whether a man be rich or poor, Allah is greater well-wisher than you’
Alhaji Isa Ahmed, ladies and gentlemen, the chairman of the occasion introducing me to the crowd and the lecture for today is…If I were the Governor of Katsina State’…Distinguished guests..Nothing can give more pleasure than having the opportunity to stand before you and talk to you on this topic. First, before we got started I would like to say the topic for today’s discussion is without prejudice! That the lecture is not meant to castigate or ridicule anybody rather it is meant to enable us weigh our options as citizens of Katsina State and find out if certain things can be done in a different way…So, if I were the governor of Katsina State I would ensure good governance through engaging all and sundry so as to enable me transform our attitude so that dependency on the government is reduced to barest minimal. My government would be the one that will spearhead the creation of wealth through the generation of employment. I appreciate the fact that the most important function of any government is the generation of employment as it keeps people away from crimes, enables them to pay taxes to the government, helps in sending their children to school and also helps to eradicate poverty from our society. I would therefore ensure that employment is provided to the citizens of the state. I would be very sincere as regards to Education, that my government cannot shoulder responsibility 100%. In order for us to give our children the type of education we desire, the type that can make our children compete with other children in this 21st century then we have to be ready to make sacrifice. I was about to introduce another area of concern... when I heard a tap on my back and immediately my eyes were wide open I saw my friend the Director, standing in my front. For how long have you been sleeping? He asked, almost laughing. Sleeping? I can’t say for sure, I answered. It then dawned on me that a little nap had overtaken me and that resulted in my day dreaming. I have come to commiserate with you over the tribunal verdict and also to inform you formally that there will be no ‘soyen kayan ciki’ for you this Sallah as I have not collected my salary, he said apologetically. I felt sorry for him, for his children and for anybody in that position. This is somebody who has never failed to ‘kill’ a ram for the last three decades during Sallah but this time around not even ‘Kafi zuru’ will be slaughtered. This Salary imbroglio had been going on since Karamar Sallah, Workers have been celebrating these festivities even without their salaries being paid, what is happening to Katsina State? Is it broke? I thought HE once boasted that even without the Federal grants he could pay salaries..several issues had not yet been straightened up and from the looks of what is going on now, civil servants, pensioners, the rest of us and anybody who has anything to do the State government will have his feet put to fire in the coming days, weeks, three years.
The Election Tribunal’s verdict has broken the camel’s back, the little hope that some of us carry has been dashed. With all that’s happening in the state it is apparent nothing good is going to come out of this government. …But one wonders what type of leadership we are having in this place. No conscience! No fear of Allah! Not even the fear of the inevitable! …that one day one must vacate the coveted office with its paraphernalia?
Katsina the home of the generals, the home of doyen of Nigerian politics, and the home of bureaucrats has now become a shadow of its former self. I remember with nostalgia how our people made Nigeria to thrive under all odds. People like Abidu Yazid a young graduate then who became a Permanent Secretary within a span of 10 years. Dr. Garba Ja Abdulkadir the Secretary to the then North Central State when he was resigning his appointment with the government wrote in his letter…YOURS OBEDIENT SERVANT. Since then, I realized that when you are in service of the people whether elective or otherwise, you are there to serve and not BOSS. Happy Sallah in advance to every one of us and stay out of harm’s way. Oh! Not to forget as my friend is not ‘killing’ not even a chicken where do I eat soyen kayan ciki?

WHEN SILENCE IS NOT GOLDEN…..
‘Katsinawa kunya gareku ba dai tsoro ba’ so goes the popular maxim which had been in existence since the beginning of history. The maxim is used at home and in the Diaspora by anybody who knows the antecedents of the Katsinawas. It is almost used as a template or better still a familiar platitude that is used to describe the attitude of Katsinawas when it comes to undertaking certain unfamiliar tasks which others dare not. This attitude of fearlessness has been associated with almost anybody who comes from Katsina, Our ability to withstand and not be cowed by the size of any challenge and to deal with situation with great aplomb is what distinguish us from other Nigerians.
Albeit this maxim had been in existence as far as somebody can remember but the question is…does it carry any weight? Or, is there any historical antecedent to show or justify it? I had cause to ask several people including the aged, historians and others who are conversant with hausa adages and proverbs but none was able to justify this statement or atleast show how it originated. Most people I asked would tell me that...Katsinawas do not tolerate nonsense but are hospitable and generous but this still does not show....’Kunya garemu ba dai tsoro ba’
To my mind, this maxim can be attributed to the legendary story of ‘KUNAR BAKIN WAKE’. Those of us who are conversant with the story know what happened. The people of Katsina at that time knew what was going on, they knew something was wrong but still allowed the injustice to continue. It might be for the regard they had for the Traditional Institution, they allowed themselves to be used as horses until it came to the turn of ‘BAKIN WAKE’ who was so fearless as to bring the injustice to a calm halt. Then, it might be events that followed much later indicated our ‘Kunya garemu ba dai tsoro ba.’ The conduct and general activities of our representatives from Katsina who partook in the Burma War indicated that they were so fearless and have undertaken several escapades that their contemporaries could not. Also, during the 30month Nigerian civil war, the conduct of the soldiers from Katsina, especially those of Generals, Hassan Usman and Shehu Musa Yar’adua have all confirmed that ‘Katsinawa kunya gareku bai dai tsoro ba’.
In 1976, in a nationwide broadcast. The then Military Head of State General Murtala Ramat Muhammed said inter alia….creation of States as far as this administration is concerned is a one time operation and future agitations would not be tolerated’. However, Alhaji Saidu Barda who was then Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education in the defunct Kaduna state was demoted to the Office of the Military Governor as the Permanent Secretary Special duties for defying the Head of State’s directives as far the agitation of states. I also remember with nostalgia how I was accepted by the Inspectorate division of my former organization during a reinvention exercise back in 2004. The then Head of Division an Indigene of Edo State but of Igbo extraction said to me …Iam happy to have you in my Division for am sure you are going to undertake certain assignments where other Inspectors have tarried. It was after the meeting I asked him what he meant by the statement. He simply told me...I know people from Katsina to be fearless and are always ready to accept responsibility. Examples abound to show ‘Katsinawa Kunya gare ku ba dai tsoro ba’ and I know everyone of us must have gotten one or two experiences to share with us as regards to the adage. I have gone through memory lane to show how we do not usually give in to a cause we believe in and no matter whose ox is gored
But to a discerning mind and especially when one considers what has transpired and still transpiring in our beloved state for the last 4 or so years, one would say without hesitation but with some sense of responsibility that the popular maxim has changed its course to bear ‘KATSINAWA BAKU DA KUNYA GA KUMA SHEGEN TSORO’. During these years one remembers how billions of Naira went into the drains, money that could have been used to the better the living standard of the people of the state. People who ordinarily could have said something about the going on in the state have kept grave yard silence. The only voice that came to our rescue was from the erstwhile Secretary to the former Yar’adua’s government, Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa who gave an interview to the Hausa service of the FRCN in Kaduna last month. He opined that the present administration in Katsina has not done anything tangible to the people of Katsina since it came into power 5years ago despite the huge resources it collected from the Federal allocations. He specifically mentioned four areas of great concern where the administration ran foul. The constructions of the stadium, Government House, the orthopedic hospital and the ring roads which he considers as white elephant projects. He also opined that Local Governments areas in Katsina are just appendages of the State Government. Money would always be given to the local councils for only them to return certain amounts to the state government as directed. The former SSG further commented that the state government has already embarked on the construction of a new Government office for the Niger Republic in Niamey. It is pertinent to note that almost all the allegations made by the former Scribe have come to pass except the one concerning the local councils collecting money and returning certain amount to the government. If it is confirmed true, it means the government has explored another level of corruption in the country. One will therefore wonder why a government superintended by the most learned ones will condescend so low to commit such thievery. But for the construction of Government in Niamey even the most uneducated person in Katsina now knows that our money is used to develop another country illegally. To vindicate the former SSG in this respect is the award of national honors bestowed on His Excellency by Niger Republic. It was on the national news yesterday that Governor Shema was to receive second highest National Honor- The Grand Officer de l’order National du Niger Republic in appreciation of his kind gestures to the desert republic. You do not need to be a magician or a soothsayer or even a lawyer for that matter to know the illegality in this case.
But before am done with the former Scribe’s interview, let us analyze and see if the money spent so far on these white elephant projects could have been more useful if they were spent on other sectors. Just imagine if the whole money sent on these wasteful projects so far is channeled to Education and the provision of portable drinking water. The money would have just been enough to transform our Education sector from its decedent and embarrassing position to a position where we could have a maximum of 40 students in a classroom for all schools, where instructional materials would be available, where quality teachers would be recruited and above all, a position where we could have a congenial atmosphere for effective teaching and learning to take place. The money would also have been enough to provide portable drinking water to almost all sections of the state and also to rectify our ageing dams and open up new ones. That will enable our people engage in dry season agriculture considering over 80% of the people of Katsina are engage in agricultural activities. The government is so crazy on spending money lavishly but it is unmindful on creation of jobs so that people can be self sufficient. That is the irony!!!
I think the former scribe has paid his dues by granting that interview in which he exposed all those scandals. By the way, the interview on a CD plate was sold at N200.00 per plate and over 20,000 copies were sold. I have never seen anything like!
One of the primary functions of a Government is to provide security to its people both in terms of personal and property but it is regrettable to note that the current dispensation is either unable or unwilling to protect its citizens. It is a common scenario now in Katsina to see robbers doing their business in the day time; they can mount road blocks for up to 2 hours with only their victims at their mercy. This had happened along Kano and Dutsinma roads severally, in fact, people have already lost count on the number of times this had happened. In Batsari, the whole town stood still when the robbers came visiting in a broad day light almost a month ago, in Barhin in the outskirt of Katsina you dare not drive alone in the night for fear of your car being snatched by robbers. The situation is so embarrassing and so disgusting; it looks completely as if there is no authority in place to deal with this menace. Inspite of all what is happening in the state nobody seems to be saying anything. Where are our elders, religious and political leaders? Where is our ex this? Where is our ex that? What is really happening? ‘KUNYA GARE KU BA DAI TSORO BA’ don’t tell me the residue of Bakin Wake’s blood has dried up in our body? Why can’t somebody add up to the former SSG’s voice? Have we all been compromised? For how much? For a pittance? No, I don’t think so! So why is everybody in silent mode? Surely, this silence is not golden!!!
Finally, it is pertinent to note that from the most ancient times to present day, the struggle for human emancipation has always been directly or indirectly a reaction against oppression and all kinds of exploitation by the rulers. Hench, the right to rebel against them in any way necessary. The inferno that symbolizes the Arab spring was ignited by a certain youth who set himself ablaze as a result of unemployment and only God knows when and where it will now stop. INJUSTICE DOES NOT PAY BUT JUSTICE DOES…

MY STAND ON CONTRIBUTORY PENSION SCHEME…..

I have been taken on severally on my stand on contributory Pension in Katsina by some of my friends and other people, mostly civil servants. The most recent is sequel to my piece AFTERMATH OF THE STRIKE….where I urged the labour Union to cause the introduction of contributory pension scheme in the state. Their opinion mostly is why I should be canvassing for this scheme when it is not going to be practicable in a state like Katsina.
Now, here is the thing…since my exit from the state service in the late eighties I have been engaged in Pension business and have come to terms with the fact that it is only the contributory pension scheme that can provide answer to the perennial imbroglio that has bedeviled the Pension industry.
What is this contributory pension scheme anyway? This scheme entails that each individual/ worker has his own saving account (RSA) where he contributes monthly towards his retirement and the money is kept by his chosen Pension Fund Administrator. The scheme is fully funded by both the worker and the Government so that at any given time that particular account is kept buoyant.
Traditionally speaking, the idea of saving is as long as history can remember. People do save now to enable them use whatever is saved in the future. That is the use of ASUSU, a small container with a small perforation in it that is used to put coins and other legal tender in it to enable the owner saves for future use. ADASHE is another form of saving, where a specified number of people mutually agree to contribute certain amount of money, monthly, weekly or even daily for only one of them to collect in a particular instance. All these forms of saving are still relevant in present day dealings. I can still remember when I was young, Asusu was always in vogue as children of my age were very fond of it, especially when there was going to be any occasion, like Sallah celebration or any festivities we used to save money in it to enable us buy things of our interest. Adashe is a much more elaborate operation as it involves bigger equity and interest. Many civil servants still do engage in it, especially when one has a certain plan to execute but does not have the capacity. Like when one wants to marry or buy a new car or wants to change to a bigger car he can always get himself involved in adashe and solve his problem without any qualms. This is saving now for future use and that is all what the contributory pension scheme is all about. Saving for the rainy day. When you can no longer work or when you are incapacitated .The paradigm is now towards somebody saving money for his pension entitlements not working for his entitlements. That popular phrase in our appointment letters…Permanent and Pensionable...will very soon be expunged and be replaced with …You are required to open a retirement saving account….
The World Bank came out with its landmark report titled ‘Averting the old age crises’ in it, the Bank advocated a move from the pay- as- you- go financing of pension. The report backed where possible, a much bigger role of earning in retiring account. Since the report came out, reforms along these lines have been carried out mainly in Latin America, Europe and Central Asia. Nigeria’s Pension Reform Act 2004 is also in line with this change. Hitherto, the Pension reform act, the defunct Obasanjo administration groaned under a N3 trillion pension arrears and that compelled it to send an executive bill to NASS as its own answer to averting the crisis in the Industry. The consequence of that singular action led to the enactment of the law that mandates each and every worker in the private sector, Federal service and the FCT to contribute for his retirement 7.5% of his/ her gross salary and his employer contributes the same amount monthly on his behalf and the total sum is kept for him by his chosen PFA in a RSA. It is interesting to note that about 14 states in the Federation have adopted the legislation. The scheme is fully funded through the monthly contribution of both the employer and employee. So, upon retirement the beneficiary collects his gratuity and is immediately placed on monthly pension because the funds are readily available, unlike the old pension scheme like the one we are operating in Katsina State, there would not be any ready funds to pay the pensioners. These Public pension schemes are not designed to deliver current benefits level when confronted with today’s major demographic and economic changes and to keep them afloat will drastically affect public spending on Health, Agriculture and Education to mention but a few.
For any pension scheme, whether public or private to be successful it has to be fully funded to the extent that the pension funds and assets match pension liabilities at any given time. In our own case, we know the liabilities but we don’t know if the fund is available, as we have to wait for the Federal grants to come. So no grant, no pension!!! But shifting to the privately managed plans that are fully funded and that tie benefits to contributions are more likely to improve economic growth, provide better benefits and more importantly, is you collect your entitlements as and when due than will continued reliance on Pay- as – you- go system.
It is therefore important for my friends and indeed all civil servants to come to terms with the reality that retirement from service is an inevitable end and when it happens there will be no more salary, no AIE, no MFA, not even egunje but your pension entitlements and as long as these funds are not readily available, the Government will just be owing- one month pension, five months, thirty months pension sometimes the number can even be more but if you are one of the doubting thomases and thinks it cannot happen in Katsina State you better think again or better still ask former workers of the Nigerian Railway corporation, New Nigerian Newspapers, just to mention but a few.