Ahmadu Haruna Zago: A dynamic politician
By Muhammad Rabiu Ajumawa
It is important to point out that I have seen many committed politicians and have read about many of these politicians worldwide and many of them have been described by what they say or do, but mostly through their actions because action speaks louder than word. Also, I have read about the mindset of the Eastern and Western blocs during the era of cold war, incidentally these countries are both considered by the world ratings as more civilized and more sophisticated when principles, dynamism and social justice are the indices for discussion.
The world has seen many changes in acts and styles of governance all invented to define, regulate as well as to organize the society and the conducts of mankind. Many of us have read about monarchy, oligarchy, totalitarianism, democracy, autocracy, lesseiz faire, dictatorship, etc. We have equally read about capitalism, communism and/or socialism, etc.
In the same vein, we are aware of the role of religion in the affairs of mankind, that is to improve the standard of living as well as guarantee general and balanced development and safeguard life and properties. All the above postulations by great men were indeed brought about in order to put up a clear cut method for social justice. History is replete with numerous written documentations of mankind’s march towards civilization, and the knowledge we acquire formally or informally help us to describe the actions of our leaders and others who have had the opportunity to excel in their chosen career.
Nigeria as a unit of the entire human race had had her own share of the struggle to make better life for her people. Before 1914 when Nigeria came into being, there were people in control of society and their affairs, and we still have the names of people who made significant sacrifices and selfless contribution to free mankind from the shackles of ignorance and ultimately make him realize his worth. In 1914, when Nigeria was founded some concerned individuals took up the baton and worked assiduously to make all the cohabitants live a meaningful life. Many of us have read the contributions of late Samuel Ajayi Crowther, late Alvan Ikoku, Aminu Kano, and others. These people can be adjudged as honest, straight forward and undisputedly God fearing in the conduct of all their services to humanity.
One can go on listing the names of important Nigerians who have had the opportunity and proudly used it to give some succour to the under privileged. Opportunity in this context does not necessarily stop at being president, governor, minister, commissioner, etc, some people have used their knowledge, wisdom, experience and what have you to improve the state of humanity.
We can remember for instance, Sir Louis Pasteur, the Wright Borthers, Sigmud Freud, Karl Marx, Florence Nightingale, Henry Dunant, and many others. In fact, if we are to say political appointment is the only opportunity, we may end up being disappointed because we have had such people who have done nothing but instead destroyed the economy of their country and consequently the destruction of the peoples standard of living and their lives. We have had such leaders whose performance largely aided and abetted looting from the public treasury.
Alhaji Ahmadu Haruna Zago was neither a president nor a governor, but someone whose romance with politics cannot be ignored or forgotten or even be glossed over. I am not a card carrying member of any political party; my concern here revolves around the political development in Kano, Nigeria and the world as a whole. As a free human being, therefore my opinion does not reflect the views of any individual or group of individuals, as everyone has the freedom to hold an opinion. In my opinion, Alhaji Zago is someone whose name must be mentioned in the annals of history whenever the political development of Kano state of these times comes into focus.
Let me point out that I have never seen or spoken to Alhaji Zago, but I know Zago town since 1979, when I was posted to Goron Maje by the then FEDECO, as a presiding officer during the election of that year. It should be known also that Zago and Ajumawa are both in Dambatta local government area, and my relationship with him is in sharing same local government area. For the records of mischief makers, Alhaji Zago did not give me a kobo to write this peace of note, but because it is obvious that our political development needs people like Alhaji Zago in this time when selfishness and materialism have taken the lives of many people.
The best and simplest way to describe Alhaji Zago, is one, a religion (Islam), and two, an obsession. He epitomizes Islam and an obsession for fairness, honesty, impartiality, justice, freedom, trust and unbiased to all the people either in the city or in the rural areas. At a time when politicians are using Islam for their personal interests either in election or material concerns, here was a man who because of his love for the common man and General Buhari, decided to jettison or play down his position as an adviser to state governor, and chose to identify himself with the side of the majority.
Here was a man who because of his religious belief decided to abandon or played down power and its perquisites and chose to see life as vanity upon vanity. Here was a man who despite the position he held which would have allowed him to join in the rush for ‘gold’ like others, but instead chose never to detour or shrink away from his principles. Here was a man who at a time when other people have mortgaged their conscience and reduced themselves to sycophants and praise-singers, he chose to remain steadfast to his vision.
Here was a man, when other people in sybaritic condition do not see betrayal as a crime, he chose to identify with past struggles rather than being consumed by the concept of ‘me generation’ or ‘self concept’. Here was a man when other people are introducing a new form of politicking that addresseses today only, instead he chose to expand the horizon to address yesterday, today and tomorrow. In fact, one could go on to highlight several other qualities of Alhaji Zago, but, for the constraint of time and space.
Even though I am not a politician, but I have the conviction that Alhaji Zago was probably misunderstood. Let me point out that I do not listen to local radio or watch local TV because of the heavy propaganda campaigns that are evident in virtually all their programmes, but I am aware that Alhaji Zago rejected an offer of N50 million to abandon his vision and assist one gubernatorial aspirant. If a question could be asked; who among the generation of these politicians, who are never tired of demanding for one favour or another, that could reject that large sum of money, just to pursue an ideology? None, I think. This is because we are all soaked in personal ambitions that are largely myopic in nature.
Many of the things, Alhaji Zago is doing reminds me of the glorious day of NEPU, when the masses held fast their belief despite all the monetary rewards and brutality by those in power. Some people also posited that he was the only politician in the whole of Kano state who remained vocal in resisting and opposing the previous administration in the state. When others were gripped by fear to say a word that would promote the marketability and acceptability of the current party in power in the state, Alhaji Zago chose to put his life on the line to ensure his own party to remain afloat in party politics, especially in Kano state and Nigeria in general.
In the days of Malam Aminu Kano, may his soul rest in peace, Ameen, if a comparison could be made, one would not have difficulty in ceding to the fact that the level of sophistication is greater now, yet astonishingly, there is still someone in the person of Alhaji Zago, whose life has not been taken over by the intractable materialism for personal avarice. These type of people, even though are scanty few in our society, would need our support and encouragement to bring about even development for those in the city and their counterparts in the rural areas. Judging from his dedication and commitment to social justice, Alhaji Zago has proved to many Nigerians that he is a rare gem as well as an asset for any political party.
A great thinker, Karl Marx, described religion as ‘opium for the people’ but many would agree with me that Alhaji Zago has successfully proved him wrong. Because while many of us in this part of the country have been hypnotized and became docile to the whims and caprices of politicians who are using religion/opium to derive their power and while the opium remained in our body, we became powerless, speechless and unable to decipher any of their devilish machinations.
But Alhaji Zago, during the last but one ANPP convention had surprised doubting Thomases that his religion is a genuine one not just opium, because what he had been saying all along manifested itself beyond reasonable doubt, and General Buhari had seen it himself. He relentlessly took measures to ensure that those who were trying to dump Gen. Buhari did not succeed whenever he appears for presidential ticket and history has proved him right, now that Buhari has been adopted as the presidential flag bearer of their party.
There is the need for an indepth study on the life of Alhaji Zago and I recommend that expert in biography writing take up a full study and write a detailed findings on the life of Alhaji Zago so that those who are interested to venture into politics could appreciate and emulate the fact that there are people still who believe in the true teachings of Islam. The glitters of politics have not yet derailed their perspective as to become confused and unable to differentiate between false pretence, deception and betrayal, but politics that promotes honesty, justice and trust. In fact, either way one looks at it, there is no better way to describe Alhaji Zago than to see him as an epitome of religion and obsession. May God Almighty guides us all. Ameen.
Rabiu Ajumawa wrote in from No. 7A, I & J Residence, New Campus, Bayero University, Kano.