AMINU TAMBUWAL: ON YOUR MARK, SET, GO MAKE YOUR MARK

Its two days to May the 29th, activities are in full gear, and the people of Sokoto like all other Nigerians are full of anticipation, eager to see the direction in which you will steer the state. While many are not in doubt about the leadership qualities you possess given the manner in which you held sway as the Speaker of the house of representatives, there are those who have expressed concern that you do not have any previous record of experience and performance that is required to govern a state.

Most of your critics have harped so much about this especially during the recently concluded campaigns. They also never fail to point out that you are an "Abuja politician" who is relatively unknown at the grassroots level, and that the outgoing  governor and astute politician Alu Wamakko is largely responsible for any support you may have got from the people of the state. This has given rise to the palpable fear that you may only be loyal to Wamakko and not the people, or you might be an "elite" governor with low tolerance for kauyawa who will concentrate all his activities in the urban areas.

All these perceptions and more are what you should try to disprove as soon as you get into office. In as much as the challenges of governing a state as old as Sokoto are completely different from what you encountered as a Speaker of the house of reps, you can still tackle them with much focus, hardwork and determination. Be ready to meet resistance from civil servants with narrow perspectives and bad attitude to work.

 You happen to be a very lucky person in the sense that you enjoy enormous goodwill even from people who hardly know you, who also believe that you will perform well as governor.  So Mr. governor, go out there and make your own mark. Chart your own course. Carve your own niche and do not make the mistake of being a governor in the shadows of his predecessor. As much as I think fighting with a predecessor is a waste of valuable time and not in the overall interest of a state, I believe doing things your 'own way' will largely determine how much you succeed. Don't get me wrong, If your predecessor gives a valid advice or idea based on his past experience and you believe in it, by all means take it.

Some of the areas I believe you can give attention to as a governor include:

Education: This is the backbone of every society and one of the most important areas your administration should focus on. Building blocks of classrooms and parading them as achievements while having unqualified and untrained teachers to teach is not a good way of developing education. I would like you to put emphasis on quality. The citizens of the state will be very happy if you can make Sokoto state move from an educationally disadvantaged position to that of top positions in the country before the expiration of your tenure.

Environment: Sokoto state lies in the Sahel region with very high temperatures sometimes up to 46⁰C. It is also among the states in the country that are prone to desertification. From my last visit recently, It was very disappointing to see that most of the trees that were planted many years ago to mitigate the dangers of desertification are being cut down and plots being allocated to people for building purposes. Most of the Trees that line Kano and Kaduna roads are gradually being cut down.  Please do something about this ugly trend. Rather than cut down trees I feel the government of Sokoto state needs to plant more and also encourage people to do so.

Anyone driving  through the city cannot fail to notice the dust and ubiquitous nylon bags that litter the sides of the streets. Please endeavour to clean our city.

Energy: As a state with an abundance of heat, strong winds and sunlight, It still beats my imagination as to why previous governments have not taken the issue of renewable energy seriously. There is a huge potential in that area that you can harness to make the state achieve sustainable energy development.

Youth employment: Sokoto is gradually losing its name as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria largely because of the menace of area boys who harass, intimidate and threaten the peace of law abiding citizens. I would like to see you provide gainful employment for these restless youths and take them off our streets. Many other areas such as Health, Agriculture, and most especially Water resources need your attention.

I believe there is no better time to tackle these problems head on and bring rapid development to the people of Sokoto state than now. With your exposure as a National politician who has friends from all over the country, there is no better person that can propel our dear Sokoto state and give it a National outlook than you. May Allah guide you as you do so. On your marks, set, go!

2015 ELECTIONS: TEN DAYS TO FIND OUT

Well its ten days to the February 14 general elections in Nigeria and a part of me cannot wait to find out how things are going to work out. A lot of people are apprehensive about what is going to happen during and after the elections, which is why everyone is busy moving families from north to south and vice versa, with the rich ones moving  their families abroad all together.

While all these are going on, the politicians on the other hand are busy moving round the country soliciting for support from voters in what promises to be a keenly contested presidential election. You may want to ask why the 2015 presidential election is generating so much heat given the fact that we have the same candidates from the 2011 elections who are familiar with each other. The answer might not be farfetched because even though the candidates are still the same, the realities of four years ago and now have changed significantly to the extent that even the geographic space that Nigeria occupied has been reduced in size.

Considering the amount of bashing the average Nigerian citizen has received over the years in terms of bad governance, and the incredibly resilient manner the people have taken this bashing without asking questions and demanding for what is right, a part of me cannot wait to find out how majority of Nigerians intend to vote in ten days time. Some might argue that the people of Nigeria have not yet had it full, and so have not reached their breaking point. I myself asked the same question in an article I wrote in 2012 titled “What can pierce this thick skin?”.  I am still curious to find out if the people of Nigeria have finally had it full, given the fact that there is no barrier of ‘low’ that the present government has not broken both in terms of security and the monumental corruption ever witnessed.     

Ten days from now, I cannot wait to find out if Nigerians have realized that the power to choose who governs them resides with them and no one else. I cannot wait to find out if as a people we will be objective enough to vote based on performance and not based on religious and ethnic sentiments. In ten days time I cannot wait to find out if Nigerians have easily forgotten all the previous unfulfilled promises, and are ready to give this government a second chance despite that. I cannot wait to find out if the Nigerian youths have forgiven this government for the Immigration employment scam which resulted in the deaths of people and for which no one was punished.

In ten days time, I am so curious to find out if the people of Borno state- who are believed to have a large heart will be magnanimous enough to give this government at least the 25% of votes it requires.  I cannot wait to find out if the Chibok parents will give this government another chance with the hope that they might find their daughters. I cannot wait to find out if Nigerians are okay with all the huge sums of money that are missing under this government and are ready to give them another chance to continue.

Finally I cannot wait to find out whether the people of Nigeria can finally muster the courage to stop non performance in its tracks, to evaluate the whole situation and say NO to the status quo and embrace change. Or will they be scared of change and utter statements like ‘the devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know?’ Time will tell – and guess what, that time is just ten days away.

AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR YOUTH DELEGATES

Make no mistake about this, you were not invited to the National conference because they care about you or what you are going to say - they don't. Going by your small number among the total of 492 delegates, it is easy to say that you were invited just for show and to make it appear as if you are involved.

In a country where the youth are always regarded as small and treated with disdain, you should expect nothing less. The traditional African society is driven by a culture which always requires the young to defer to the elders all the time and the Nigerian elders are surely taking advantage of such. That is the reason why the elders make sure they suppress the youth whenever they can. They even have a name they call themselves -elder statesmen.  They do not trust us with anything, most especially leadership which is the reason why the few among the youth who are leaders must have a so called godfather in order to succeed.

To be honest, I am one of the people who have doubts about the ongoing conference and whether the outcome will have any positive impact at all, but all the same I think the youth should go for it. My dear youth delegates seize this rare moment, where you will be given a chance to air your views. Your views are rarely taken seriously because in their eyes you are always 'that small boy or girl'.

Let your fellow delegates and the country feel your presence, shock them, dazzle them and let them understand that your constituents are angry that they have no access to jobs, healthcare and quality education. let them know that we are getting impatient and restless and hungry for a change. Make them be aware that they have failed us and do not have anything more to offer.

They claim that we are incompetent to hold responsible positions forgetting that they failed to properly educate and train us. They even say we are lazy, unserious and only care about music and football forgetting that most of us use that to occupy our idleness. Make them aware that they have failed to guide us, mentor us and set good examples for us to follow. Make them aware that they are too crowded at the top and they need to give way, for us to claim our position as the rightful owners of this nation.

In a country where there are more than 60 million youths, ask them why we have 80yr olds as delegates to discuss our future. Make them know that it is our country, our lives and our future which is at stake and nobody else's. Say it loudly, say it boldly, angrily and respectfully that our time is now, and we are tired of being leaders of an elusive tomorrow.  Do not be intimidated by them. All bottlenecks existing in the constitution that hinder the youth from actualizing their potentials need to be dismantled. Tell them that their time has passed, and that they are eating into our own. Their parents trusted them during their time, which is why most of them can boast of holding high positions at a very young age.

Tell the elders in Nigeria that they need to go home and stay, after all it does not make sense for an 80yr old farmer to insist on working in the farm everyday while his young and able bodied sons sleep in the house. Wishing you all the best as you relay this message.  

FINAL MOMENTS: A TRIBUTE TO BUNI YADI VICTIMS

You might have woken up at 5am that Monday morning without any inkling of what was going to happen that night. You might have all shuffled to the dormitory bathroom to have your bath with your eyes still heavy with sleep and your bodies still weak. Only after pouring cold water that has been stored overnight in iron buckets will your bodies finally wake up fully. The bathroom might have been too crowded or too stinking for some of you, so they might have resorted to taking their baths in the courtyard or the corridors in front of the rooms.

You dress up quickly and sweep your 'portions' on time as the bell rings for breakfast. The prefects among you might have shouted out loudly for everybody to start leaving for the dining hall, shouting threats to the last person to leave the dormitory, while the junior ones among you might have rushed out noisily along the corridor in order not to be the last one out.

Even though your breakfast of beans pottage was watery and tasteless today, you might have eaten anyway, and proceeded to the assembly hall and then to the classrooms for the days studies. The first period might have been that of the boring and strict Math teacher whom you have nicknamed 'almighty formula', or the semi literate Biology 'corper', whose original course of study in the university was Agriculture, or the interesting English teacher, whom you named 'alacrity', who uses big grammar to confuse you while she barely makes correct sentences. Besides all these, you might have had a normal day in class and closed for the day in time for lunch.

After the routine of going to the 'dorm', changing into your house wear, and the day's lunch of dry jollof rice without meat (meat is actually a luxury to you), you return just in time for the Muslims afternoon prayer and your siesta. The junior ones among you might not even be in the mood for siesta yet you might have been ordered to lie quietly on your beds and shut your eyes. Just when sleep was about to overtake you, the sharp ringing of the bell jolts you, followed by the prefect's orders for you to wake up, say your prayers (for the Muslims) and go to the classroom for 'prep', which also means evening study.

After closing at 6 o'clock, you might have returned to the dormitory to mill around and socialize with one another before time for dinner, while some of you washed your dirty uniforms in front of your various 'houses', in preparation for tomorrow that you will never see.   

Dinner is the usual eba and egusi soup. It is Monday after all and you hated it. During our own time we also hated it especially that the eba always had lumps in it and the egusi and vegetable in the soup separates with the water.  I hear that things are now worse. The smart ones among you might have even exchanged the night’s meat against tomorrow afternoon's fried fish in a trade by barter fashion, not knowing that they have eaten the last meal in their lives.

After dinner, night prep and a little free time of usual teenage banters, soaking garri and so on, you might have gone to bed after lights out thinking 'oh what a long day', and looking forward to a tomorrow will never see. As you wandered about in dreamland, little did you know that some wicked people unknown to you have perfected plans to take your lives.

We may never know how everything happened, and your final moments before your innocent lives were terminated, but what we know is that you have been failed by the nation and the very people who swore to protect you. The country which you pledged to defend its honor every morning deserted you at your hour of need. All that is left to your grieving families and friends are your memories, which they will live with for the rest of their lives.

Our sincere hope is that your death and that of many other victims of this senselessness may not go in vain, that the people who are entrusted with the duty of protecting lives will wake up to the challenge and make the nation a safer place for all of us. Adieu.