Southern Kaduna: Her politics and unity

By Atom Micah Zuturung Mago
BY the time some people finish reading this, they would be looking for my head. But the truth must be told come what may. The Southern Kaduna people see themselves as united. Some see them in the contrary. Whichever, by what you’ll read here would determine your judgement.
Politics
The politics of “do or die” affair cannot ever work. The Nigerian man is more than that. You’ll be surprised if I said the Southern Kaduna man is still learning politics. For example, the P.D.P. primaries which were conducted recently in Kaduna saw the likes of Architect Sambo, Senator Isaiah Balat, Deputy Governor Patrick Yakowa, Garba Ali etc. contesting for governorship.
We were told or read in some newspapers that before the second coming of Governor Makarfi of Kaduna state there was an agreement that Southern Kaduna people will support him on his second term and same would be done to any agreed candidate from the southern part of the state. But Makarfi denied that there was nothing of such. Agreed, there wasn’t, this could be seen by what happened between the contestants from the Southern part themselves. Among them we learnt they were called and advised to agree on one candidate to be presented (possibly Balat) the rest refused. They now all went in for the primaries, at the end of it two people emerged, Alhaji Sambo and Balat. Thank God the Balat they refused to step down for still emerged as the second runner up and the rest failed. They should be ashamed of themselves.
If they had supported by stepping down for Balat the issue of second runner up would not have arose. Balat would have emerged victorious at the primaries. We are still learning politics. If we were not, all these problems would have been solved. I like the Hausaman because of one thing, he is non-tribalistic, religious etc. anything that would bring progress to him he gives his full support. A Hausaman of 18 years would play politics better than an adult of 60 years in the Southern part of Kaduna. Probably because of the refusal to step down for Balat by the rest of the contestants from the Southern part of Kaduna the Hausas gave their support to Alhaji Sambo. I really thank them for that. I would have done the same. Anyone that does not want to help himself even if you do, you are wasting your time because he will not value your help. Instead you help him spoil himself more. They that supported the power shift should be congratulated. It is only that their effort was turned down by some selfish contestants who of course saw the negative result of it. May it continue to be so till kingdom come. It is really annoying. The educated illiterate that felt they have the votes of the people in their hands have seen the result.
If it were not because Governor Makarfi gave Garba Ali and Patrick Yakowa appointments their names would not have been heard, over 99 percent of the people from Southern Kaduna never heard of them before now. But for Isaiah Balat, I’ve heard of him since I was in primary school when he was president, chamber of commerce. And that was when his name came to limelight in politics, that is to say he is not just a new comer in politics.
Whether wrongly or rightly, the Hausa-Fulani are the majority in Kaduna state, as such, we need their support to have that seat in the government house. Of course, they gave their support but we the Southern Kaduna people failed ourselves. For this reason we will keep on being second class citizens whether we like it or not. Things like these happen at times to teach us a lesson. But how many times shall we continue learning these lessons?
Sambo should please start thinking of what he will do to Balat when he gets into government house. He should just believe that it is his seat and no other person is coming to take it. P.D.P has come to stay in Kaduna. Whoever doesn’t like it can do his/her worst.
Unity
Who wants to unite who? Be as it may the Southern Kaduna people despite their various ethnic groups, religious, organizations etc. they still have what is known as Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) which is an umbrella mother association that comprises all different ethnic groups in the state.
We were told when the aspirants from the Southern part came out they, (SOKAPU) officials, called all of them to step down for one candidate but the rest refused. Yes their refusal could be by reasons best known to them. But one would be surprised if a big organisation as SOKAPU could call these people and ask them to do something they think would be of benefit to their people and the organisation and they refused, then I do not see who would listen to SOKAPU, if those who claimed to be educated and highly placed refused. The reason is that every ethnic group feels it should be known than the other, not seeing a person as a Southern Kaduna man representing the whole part. I talked of the Hausaman as a man of unity and agreement. There are many of them that are governors in some states which they do not belong to and nobody ever heard any grudges. It is because of the unity that exists among them that made this possible, can one just imagine some groups from the same state having problems within themselves? There was a time even some individuals in SOKAPU took the officials to court just because of minor misunderstanding. So, what would one expect on a big issue like that of governorship?
If you go to some branches of SOKAPU in some states of the federation you find one thing or the other happing. If problems cannot be ironed out within ourselves it would be difficult for a Hausaman, Yoruba or Igbo to. So, why are we deceiving ourselves? The Hausa adage that says “da muguwar rawa gara kin tashi”: Could this adage be applicable to the Southern Kaduna man?
Yes, it is better for politics of Southern Kaduna to be left to the Hausaman who knows how to play it well. We should look at it critically. If we have problems within ourselves, then one should know that it would be worst with those we consider “not our own” as some people play politics of ethnicity and religion. If it is done elsewhere it would not work in Southern Kaduna. Because one hardly finds an ethnic group that does not have followers of Islam or Christianity.
What happened should not surprise us. The unity of the Southern Kaduna man is not deep down into his heart. It is only in the mouth. Those of us who have witnessed SOKAPU’s election at the branches in some states of the federation would agree that the issue of unity among ourselves exists just a little. There was once a time an election was held in the state I live, when one’s name is mentioned you will hear people asking which tribe he belongs. The issue of southern Kaduna was not considered but “tribe”. So, if there was unity we would have seen ourselves as an organisation (SOKAPU) not ethnic group. If this could be taken into consideration by some people in an election of such, one would imagine what would happen in governorship election.
I thank the Bajju people for not featuring any of their sons despite the fact that they are the major ethnic group in Southern Kaduna. It has been decided that since they (Bajju) have had two deputy governors at various times, i.e. James Bawa Magaji-Dabo Lere’s deputy governor and the late Engineer Stephen Shekari-Makarfi’s deputy governor, that other ethnic groups should be left to contest for the post of governorship. When groups like the Ikulus, Kagomas, Atyap, etc. brought in their own sons SOKAPU screened and decided on a single candidate others refused. So, where is the unity? Is it not better we stop wasting out time and money in any election? From now henceforth my votes in any election from councillorship to presidential are for the Hausaman who is a good player of politics. People that come from the northern states would know that I am saying the truth.
The funniest thing is that, it is those who are educated that are causing most of the problems in Southern Kaduna. The uneducated are the ones that are promoting peace and unity in the southern part of the state. Anyway, it is an eye opener to he who cares.
Although I was discussing the issue with a Hausa friend of mine, he said the problems could be the Zango Kataf crisis in recent years. Because Isaiah Balat is from that ethnic group. But I do not agree with him. That issue has been laid to rest. It is based on that that the district of Zangon Kataf was left to the rulership of a Hausaman (Muslim) as the district head. If there were no reconciliation it would not have been so. We should forget the past.
The Bible says one should love his neighbour as himself. It also says one should not kill, what you do not want to be done to you, do not do it to others etc. before we take steps on certain things we should always refer ourselves to the religious books i.e the Qur’an and the Bible. When would the Southern Kaduna man continue to wait for his day? Is he really going to have that day?