I give thanks to God for bringing
me back home safely after spending seven wonderful, memorable and historic days
in Gusau with my friend and brother, Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle of
Zamfara State. I was received in Zamfara with joy, love and kindness wherever I
went. I was treated as if I was a son of the soil. The overwhelming majority of
the people of Zamfara are warm, humble and kind-hearted and I urge every
Nigerian to visit the state.
During the course of my trip, I
saw the wonderful things that Matawalle has done since he came to power and how
he has restored peace in most parts of the state and brought hope, joy,
strength, confidence and prosperity to the people. I learnt about the massive
gold and diamond reserves and mines which, once the ban on mining is lifted and
after proper development and extraction, will eventually propel Zamfara to be
the richest and most prosperous state in Nigeria.
I also visited one of the three
massive Ruga settlements that were under construction and discovered how this
initiative has resulted in a lasting peace process and healing amongst the
various hitherto warring communities. I saw the massive infrastructural
development going on and witnessed the strong collaboration that exists between
the state and federal government to crush local terrorists; soldiers and police
are at strategic locations. I went to every nook and cranny of Zamfara.
During a courtesy call on His
Royal Majesty, Alhaji Garba Tambari, the Emir of Maradun, I was warmly received
and treated to a sumptuous lunch at the palace – attended by hundreds of
people. This was a great honor for me, I was touched. What made it all the more
moving was the fact that the Emir had been in the defunct National Party of
Nigeria with my father and he knew him well. We had much to talk about!
The following day, His Royal
Majesty, Alhaji Muhammad Makwashe, the Emir of Shinkafi, and the Shinkafi
Emirate Council conferred me with the ancient and historic title of Sadaukin
Shinkafi, “Warrior/Hero” of the Shinkafi Emirate. I was deeply humbled by this
great honor because I never expected it. I thank his Royal Highness and the
Emirate Council for the confidence and I pledge to live up to their
expectations and build bridges of peace, mutual respect and harmony between our
various communities and people.
After meeting so many other
leaders in the state and exchanging views and ideas with various political
groups and NGOs, I spent much of the time resting, thinking and meditating
about the importance of peace, bridge-building, unity and understanding in our
country which are sentiments that my brother Governor Matawalle also cherishes
and holds dear.
We spoke extensively into the
early hours of the morning virtually every night and we agreed to build bridges
between the north and the south and between members of the Christian and Muslim
faith in order to save Nigeria and pull her back from the brink. I might add
that this is something that he has been in the forefront of doing well before
he became Governor and I am glad to see that he has continued, with even
greater zest and zeal, after he became Governor.
It could well be that this is
precisely why God removed his predecessor in office and put him in power. The
Lord never makes mistakes and His timing is always perfect. In my view, the
path that Matawalle has chosen proves his quality and worth as a leader and I
have a feeling that over the next few years he will play a critical role in the
affairs of this country and will be instrumental in keeping her together.
In order to make Nigeria a just,
noble, civilised, humane and equitable society that regards every single
Nigerian as being equal regardless of tribe or faith we must identify those on
both sides of the north/south divide that are moderate, reasonable and rational,
that believe in fairness, equity, justice and equality and that understand and
appreciate the importance of peace, unity, mutual respect and understanding
Once we are in a position to
identify such people we must then resolve to join forces and work with them in
our quest to build a better, greater, fairer and safer Nigeria in which all of
our compatriots can live in peace and harmony. It is because Matawalle believes
in this that he and I are close and have been so for years.
Thankfully there are many other
leaders in the core north that think like him such as Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa
Umar, Governor Bala Mohammed, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi
(Wambai Shinkafi), former Governor Ahmed Makarfi, Alhaji Tanimu Kabiru Turaki
SAN, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, former Governor Sule Lamido, Col. Sambo Dasuki
(rtd), General Aliyu Gusau and Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim Imam.
These are reasonable, rational
and enlightened men who have a deep knowledge of history, a keen sense of
justice and who represent the last hope for Nigerian unity. I say this because,
unlike some that are in power in our country today, they do not believe in
using violence as a means to an end and neither do they believe in or are part
of any hidden religious or ethnic agenda.
They do not believe in hegemony,
suppression, subjugation, tyranny or racial and religious domination and
persecution and they see themselves as being Nigerians before being anything
else. These are the type of people that those of us with like minds from the
south can work with, join hands with and build a new Nigeria with. We have a
duty to our respective people and an obligation to our God to do no less.
Most importantly, as leaders, we
must never be led, moved or motivated by hate or pain but rather by compassion,
understanding and a deep appreciation of the virtues of decency, equity and
justice. We must give hope and inspire rather than encourage division and endless
strife. We must attempt to heal the wounds of the past rather than attempt to
inflict new and even more painful ones.
It is leaders that have this
mindset, regardless of their faith or where they come from in the country, that
can save Nigeria from a frightful and dangerous implosion and total collapse.
If we fail to identify and build bridges with such leaders Nigeria is not only
doomed but is also destined for a long and terrible war which no sane person
wishes for and which will not augur well for our people.
Worst of all is the fact that
no-one will ever win such a war; we will all lose and we will all end up
shedding tears for many years to come. This is why we must build bridges no
matter how difficult it may be and no matter how many hurdles may be put in our
way. We must build bridges regardless of the insidious motives and
misconceptions that many that know no better and that have been poisoned,
embittered and blinded by hate have attributed to those of us that have opted
to indulge in such a noble gesture and exercise.
We must build bridges even though
a few shallow, undiscerning, feeble-minded, misguided, naive, gullible,
ignorant and politically-motivated individuals believe and see our quest as
nothing but an exercise in futility and a total capitulation to tyranny and
injustice. We must build bridges even though the extremists on both sides of
the divide shall hate us and cast aspersions on the character of those of us
that seek to do so.
We must build bridges because
everything, including the future and very existence of our people, depends on
it. The easiest path to tread in any controversy or complex situation is one of
conflict, acrimony, confrontation, extremism and ultimately violence and war.
We have all trod that path in the past in various degrees but, if pursued to
the bitter end, it leads to nothing but mutual annihilation and utter
destruction.
Both Islam and Christianity
confirm the wisdom and beauty of dialogue and bridge-building and only the
enlightened can appreciate the fact that dialogue does not mean capitulation.
An attempt to make peace and engender good relations with those that have like
minds and similar values cannot be described as cowardice, betrayal, compromise
or weakness.
As a matter of fact, the opposite
is the case and it is rather those that refuse to seek peace and build bridges
and that refuse to even talk to those that they perceive wrongly and
erroneously as their adversaries and life-long sworn enemies that are the
cowards. Followers can afford to harbour such irresponsible sentiments but
leaders cannot do so because it would result in drastic and dire consequences.
I believe that it is appropriate
and wise to always extend a handshake where one is offered. Only the mad and
blind and those that trade, thrive and derive sadistic pleasure in the shedding
of innocent blood and the destruction of lives and property refuse to do so.
Such people have no place in a civilised society or at the table of peace and
we should not allow their negative rantings and cynical disposition to distract
or deter us from making that peace and building that bridge.
On my 6th day in Zamfara,
Matawalle and I went to Sokoto state to meet with our mutual friend and brother
Governor Aminu Tambuwal where we spent the night. Again we had fruitful and
productive discussions about how to move the country forward and I was once
again received with nothing but love and understanding.
Contrary to the expectations of
many Sokoto is actually a very peaceful and beautiful ancient town and all
those I met there treated me with love and respect. Before leaving Sokoto and
in the company of the two Governors, I paid a courtesy call on His Eminence,
Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar IV, the Sultan of Sokoto. I was deeply humbled by his
kind words, wise counsel, deep knowledge and insight and genuine warmth and I
thank him for receiving me.
This was the first time that I
had the privilege of meeting with the Sultan and I was very impressed with his
deep and profound understanding of the complex issues that our country and
people are faced with and his remarkable knowledge and recollection of our
history. The Muslim community in Nigeria is blessed with a truly great and wise
leader who is worthy of nothing but the greatest respect and the highest honor.
I am convinced that as long as we
have political leaders and traditional rulers that are ready to work together
and that are prepared to communicate regularly and dialogue frankly and
candidly, no matter how hard that might be and no matter what we may have said
and done to each other in the past, there is still hope for Nigeria.
We must forgive one another for
past hurts and slights and we must attempt to put our differences aside and
recognise our common humanity. That ought to be the guiding principle and focus
as from today and it shall certainly be mine. There is no gain saying that in
all faiths, in all races and in all tribes we have both good and bad. Not one
tribe or faith is free of evil men and not one is made up of solely demons or
angels.
All tribes and races have both
and what is reckless, dangerous, unacceptable and indefensible is for us to
demonise a whole race or a whole faith simply because of the actions of a few.
And to a large extent, many of us have been guilty of doing that in varying
degrees over the years. I am committed to continue to resisting all forms of
evil and tyranny, to speaking for the voiceless, to defending the defenseless
and to stand for the oppressed just as I have been doing, at great risk to my
life and liberty, for many years.
That will never change and
neither will I ever compromise or prostitute my principles and values. I will
never compromise with evil or betray my faith and neither will I ever bow
before hegemony or tyranny. I will never be a slave to anyone or allow others
to enslave my people and neither will I ever give up on or forsake the struggle
for freedom, equality, liberty and equity in our country.
I will continue to resist and
speak against all forms of subjugation and injustice in the South and the
Middle Belt, but henceforth I will also speak up for the many victims of
oppression, mass murder, ethnic cleansing, slaughter, injustice, wickedness and
genocide in the core north as well. They are also being butchered and
slaughtered like flies by evil souls, bandits and terrorists from mainly
outside our shores and not enough of us acknowledge or recognise this. Not
enough of us really care.
Not enough of us acknowledge
their sufferings or speak against the evil that they have been subjected to by
uncaring leaders and vicious and barbaric terrorist organisations. A situation
where up until Matawalle came to power in Zamfara just one year ago, 300 to 500
people were being killed every day is unacceptable. This was the case yet the
rest of the country said nothing.
Wherever I see injustice and
wickedness being unleashed on any Nigerian I will continue to fight it because
that is my calling. I will no longer fight for just some of our people but
rather for all of them. We cannot just fight for our tribe but we must fight
for all tribes. We cannot just fight for our region or zone but we must fight
for all regions and all zones. We cannot just fight for our faith but we must
fight for all faiths. That is leadership. That is courage. That is
righteousness and decency. That is God.
I love the people of the core
north as much as I love the people of the south east, the south south, the
south west and the Middle Belt. I love the people of Zamfara as much as I love
the people of Plateau, Southern Kaduna and my great in-laws in the south east
who have always and will always have a special place in my heart. We must bring
peace to all our people and we must fight for all of them, both Christians and
Muslims. We are after all, all God’s children.
I thank Matawalle, the man of the
moment and the man of peace, for building this bridge and I would encourage
other northern and southern leaders to take a cue from him and do the same. We
may disagree on many things but there can be no doubt that we all agree on the
importance and benefits of peace, unity, love, mutual respect and mutual
understanding.
That is the only way to make
Nigeria what our forefathers wanted her to be. That is the only way to make us
strong and relevant in the wider world and in the international community. That
is the only way forward. That is the only way to build and establish a new,
promising, inspiring and restructured Nigeria. May God guide us.
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Well spoken. I pray that Nigeria will be as Super Eagles. That is the only symbol of unity we have in the present
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