Date Published: 08/24/09
Shekarau: Now that Wole Soyinka has spoken
By Saka Raji Audu
It was Monday, the 10 th August 2009, the renowned noble laureate, social critic and play Wright of international repute, Professor Wole Soyinka played host to the indefatigable and workaholic people's governor, Malam (Dr. Ibrahim Shekarau at the Government House, Kano.
The purpose of the visit, according to the world acclaimed erudite Professor, was based on the determination of the governor as a person who finds honour in respecting the mandate given to him by Kano people and therefore, he deserves to be highly commended. The Professor pointed out that as a person who has been so passionate to democracy “we symbolically and morally lend solidarity to people like Governor Shekarau for his wonderful performances among other things that is why I am in Kano." Professor Soyinka who observed that the country is in a great danger of losing its democratic directions as there was a determined effort by the then Obasanjo administration to turn the country into a one party state, said this development must be fought for the country's political progress.
He maintained that there is no difference between political dictatorship and military dictatorship as they are all moving toward monopolizing things by few hands.
While further commending Governor Shekarau for having the courage to remain in his party and for all he has been doing to his people, he advised him to maintain the tempo.
We know pretty well the kind of stuff Professor Wole Soyinka is. He says things as he sees them; not minding whose ox is gored. His visit on Governor Shekarau was the first time of identifying with a government officer in Nigeria. He doesn’t associate himself with corrupt, draconic and authoritarian type of leader. Professor Wole Soyinka looks down on political prostitutes that hop from one political party to another in search of where to perch.
Soyinka wants leaders that care for their people and can sustain their aspirations. It is therefore not surprising when the distinguished professor of fame came to say well done to Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, who he believes possesses the qualities of a good leader that can rescue the endemic socio-economic and political problems of Nigeria.
Now that Professor Wole Soyinka has fearlessly and plainly spoken his mind about the good leadership qualities in Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau, it has indeed proved what many of us have been saying about Shekarau and his administration. Because, some of us have consistently refused to deviate from the path of truth, we are called all sorts of names as sycophants, bootlickers and such defeatist tendencies.
With the coming of the renown social critic, Professor Wole Soyinka to Governor Shekarau in Kano for a courtesy call and the making of his good observation about Shekarau as a man of principle and integrity who has been doing well for his people, one could guess what the unprincipled, jealous and frustrated arm-chair critics of the hard working Shekarau would say. Of course, an envious person has no limit of his enviousness. He wouldn't feel shame to think that Soyinka was bribed to attract such good comments on governor Shekarau.
Indeed, as a result of high level of corruption in the society, some people no longer look at the good side of things. They are so frustrated and biased that they hardly differentiate between a good leader and the bad one. This is why they could not see the many laudable but unprecedented achievements of the Shekarau led administration. Shekarau's critics have deliberately refused to see his road revolution network, his boosting of business potentials in the state, his high level of religious tolerance, his peaceful coexistence among the different ethnic groups in the state, his government empowerment of some hitherto, misguided and misdirected youths and women in the state.
The Shekarau shortsighted critics have also refused to appreciate the level of security maintenance in the state, the series of educational progress and the saving of billions of naira to embark on most of the infrastructural development in the state as well as the regular payment of salaries in spite of all odds. Still, they could not see Shekarau's human and structural developments. What about his exemplary quality in crisis management? This resulted in the amicable settlement of the Pfizer matter that had lingered for quite a period of time. To cap it all, Shekarau does not believe in bandwagon device, which of course explains why in spite of some people's expectation for him to decamp to the national ruling party like some of his counterparts, he has consistently maintained his opposition party that brought him to the corridor of power, even if it means to him a man standing alone.
All of the above outstanding qualities of Malam (Dr) Ibrahim Shekarau are what Professor Wole Soyinka saw in him that made the Professor of Literature to travel all the way from Lagos to Kano for solidarity visit to identify himself with the people's governor as a progressive man that has carved niche for himself. In essence, for Wole Soyinka to associate with and commend a government officer in Nigeria like Governor Shekarau, it means that the amiable governor has really done a lot for his people and therefore worth commending. Whether we like it or not, we must not shy away from the fact that Shekarau has performed and he is ever ready to do more for not only to the people of Kano but also to all Nigerians.
Perhaps, Professor Wole Soyinka's good comments on Shekarau might not be the first one in the history of Shekarau as the governor of Kano State since May 2003. In May 2005, a visiting senior official of the PDP-led federal government, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), former Attorney General of the federation and Special Adviser on Ethics and good governance to the former President Obasanjo pronounced Malam Ibrahim Shekarau Nigeria’s most transparent and vibrant governor. Similar commendation came from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission (ICPC), retired Justice Emmanuel Ayoola who had advised other state governments to emulate Shekarau by setting up anti-corruption agencies such as the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Directorate (PCACD). As a result of the believe in the honest and transparent posture of Malam Shekarau and his administration, in November 2004, the former President Obasanjo appointed Shekarau to lead a powerful multi-layer public section team to Argentina to study the South American country’s debt management initiatives. In the New Nigerian On Sunday of 16 th August 2009, we have also been informed about how the non-indigenes in Kano fare better in Shekarau's administration.
As Professor Wole Soyinka admonishes, Governor Ibrahim Shekarau should continue to maintain the outstanding tempo in his governance and should not allow the activities of some deep -seated jealous and envious elements in the society whose stock-in-trade is to fabricate, falsify and foment fiction against men of integrity to deter his progressive approach to the issue of good governance. Indeed, we are really proud of Wole Soyinka's enviable assessment of Governor Shekarau of Kano State. This is simply because if we are afraid of identifying with good leaders for fear of being called names, there is just no way can we record progress and development. I should therefore leave my readers with the saying that "the bad people triumph in a society where the good people refuse to act."
Saka Raji Audu writes from Kano and can be reached on his email: sakaraj@yahoo.com
