Date Published: 05/26/09
That Mouth Virus of Aminu and Hong
By Aminu Babagaji Usman
It is a tragedy of cataclysmic immensity that the hitherto revered council area of Hong has unfortunately assumed a negative toga, having been reduced to a theatre of the absurd, where comedians like Jibril Aminu and Aliyu Idi Hong bestride the stage in bewildering circumstances. We the citizens of the community are saddled with an ugly spectacle where these unprincipled and fraudulent political misfits irritatingly genuflect before a fellow comedian impostor, Ibrahim Gayus who desires to cheaply be referred to as the local government chairman.
In a bid that defies rational comprehension and flies in the face of commonsense, the aforementioned partners, hiding under an innocent name of Umar G. Pella which appeared in some dailies took a swipe on the community’s revered leader and a retired general for a cheap political gain. In the same vein the characters using the liberty of the right to reply, chose to rake and blow hot on some political issues brought to the fore by one Edward Wabundani.
Although I am neither holding brief nor attempt to defend or join issues with any of these people in the battle field, but the fact remains that all the hullabalo is unnecessary. Simply put, I happened to be in town and had witnessed what transpired especially in Hong on May 2 nd, 2009. I am not aware if that day was set aside for election. All I saw in town that day was the movement of mobile policemen in the convoy of the Minister of State, Health and some plain cloth security men. There was no semblance of election as everybody was going about their normal daily routine. But in the afternoon, the same convoy accompanied by some thugs were seen chanting victory songs for Ibrahim Gayus. Nobody apart from the convoy joined in the rally. People were looking at them with amazement that was when I noticed, something funny had happened. It was not normal - it was absurd.
It is therefore my candid view that both Jibril Aminu and Aliyu Idi have elevated double speak, if really they want us to believe and accept that there was election, a peaceful one for that matter, and not to talk of the fact that Ibrahim Gayus was duly elected. How could he have emerged while there was no soul that knew there was election? Was he the only candidate returned unopposed by PDP? When and where was the primary election that chose him conducted? Who were the other candidates from the other parties? Perhaps if these posers are answered by those concerned, we will know better.
In this era of political enlightenment, neither Jubril Aminu nor Aliyu, the unnecessarily ambitious Junior Minister has monopoly of knowledge. Ordinarily, a local government such as ours with several professors, generals and other well placed citizens cannot be taken for a ride, just because Aliyu is hobnobbing with his fellow crooks in government. Therefore, the mindset they intend to instill in us, plus the water they want to test with the imposition of their stooge cannot stand. We will ensure that his illegitimate government will never have peace. We’ll frustrate it. And this is a promise but not a deal. His purported election is totally preposterous, and a stinging slap on the sensibilities of Hong community.
As it is in their usual character, the arrowhead of this illegality Aliyu Idi Hong is known for his craftiness. He created a scene in Hong in 2003, when he lost the chairmanship election. To attract sympathy and the attention of his godfather’s cohorts, he was alleged to have instigated some street urchins against the council’s leadership. His reasons then were self serving, defective and counter productive to the peaceful co-existence of the people – hence the stage-managed scene fizzled out naturally to his chagrin.
Even the venomous attack on his traducers has exposed the quality of an irresponsible leader that he is. How can a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria refer to somebody as a mad dog? And he did not stop there; he is inciting his people to stone his critic to death for moving against Jibril Aminu. That is the highest sense of irresponsibility. I can now understand why even common South Africa had refused to recognize our president. Our leader’s disrespect to their subjects coupled with their non adherence to the sanctity of truth may have been responsible for our presidents’ relegation to the background in South Africa, during the inauguration ceremony of President Jacob Zuma .
The Minister and Jibril Aminu had dubiously used the name of Umar G. Pella to whip Islamic sentiments with the political problems in Hong. But they should know they are not more muslims than the rest of us. For the avoidance of doubt, we in Hong LG, religion is not a factor in social circles. I want the general public to discountenance the impression Jibril Aminu and Aliyu have in this regard. For instance, the names of Ibrahim Gayus and Mohammed Ezra are difficult to be placed between the two major religions, because the two people separately bear Arabic and Jewish names. And these people go about with their normal social interactions, unhindered and unmolested.
My own piece of advice is that Aliyu will do himself a lot of favour, if he can watch his utterances, especially while still in public office. He should know that his biological history is being discussed in hush tones, as one that is corrupted. He should watch both his mouth virus and his back. His unwholesome relationship with his benefactor is also believed to be responsible for his appointment as compensation. This is demeaning.
Based on those disadvantages, I do not think he possesses the audacity to ask anybody to relocate or change his citizenship just because he hoisted Ibrahim Gayus on the people. That is an overstatement Mr. Minister, as you and your benefactor may not sustain the war you have started. You will just expose yourselves.
As for the latest imposter in town, apart from his alleged criminal mindedness he is so notoriously consistently inconsistent, hugely deficient in credibility and honor to lead Hong people. That while he served as an intern in one of the Federal Parasatals in Lagos, he was reported to have developed an itchy finger. On that premise, he was booted out. The itchy finger guy now imposed on the people, obviously found his way back to the village, where he allegedly plunged himself in 419 and hawking petrol by the wayside. To make matters worse, according to impeccable police sources, our man is currently being investigated by the SCID in Yola. This is an abridged profile of our Chief Security Officer. What a bad fate that has befallen us in Hong.
No wonder, the impostor and his fellow masters in crime, have proved critics right that he was sponsored for the office to loot the treasury for sharing among themselves. Come to think of it, is it not surprising that neither the imposed council chairman nor his sponsors, has taken the pains to address the weighty political issues raised by Mr. Wabundani? They have instead, resorted to empty accusations, grandstanding, harassing and in several instances, settling some media houses in an attempt to obfuscate the real issues.
Since he took over, our man has continued to attract opprobrium from both staff and the respected members of the community. He is barely tolerated as an impostor for a purpose and an irritant. He remains a square peg in the round hole that is the former Hong Local Government
Aminu Babagaji Usman, is of the Adamawa State University, Mubi and can be reached on aminu.babagaji@yahoo.com
