Date Published: 09/28/09
Appraisal of people's freedom under Shekarau's administration in Kano By Saka Raji Audu
Freedom of speech or expression is the right to freely say what one pleases, as well as the related right to hear what others have stated. It is often regarded as an integral concept in modern liberal democracies. In spite of this, government may still punish certain damaging types of expressions, notably sedition, defamation, publishing secrets regarding matters of state security, etc.
Even with this freedom of speech or expression required for modern democracies, Tocqueville pointed out that people may be hesitant to speak freely not because of fear of government retribution but because of social pressures. When an individual announces an unpopular opinion, he or she may face the disdain of their community or even be subjected to violent reactions. According to him, this type of suppression of speech is even more difficult to prevent than government suppression. Still, there are questions about whether it truly falls within the ambit of freedom of speech, which is typically regarded as a civil liberty, or freedom from government action.
Generally speaking, freedom of expression is essential in enabling democracy to work and public participation in decision-making. Citizens cannot exercise their right to vote effectively or take part in public decision-making if they do not have free access to information and ideas and are not able to express their views freely. Freedom of expression is thus not only important for individual dignity but also to participation, accountability and democracy. Violations of freedom of expression often go hand in hand with other violations, in particular the right to freedom of association and assembly.
With the above brief background of freedom of speech or expression in our democratic society, it is discernible to appraise how the Shekarau administration has fared in upholding the freedom of expression for his people since he was popularly voted to power in 2003. This is being done in order to put the record straight, correct the deliberate distortion of fact, insinuations, fabrications and outright lies and to also debunk the frivolous thesis of some hopeless elements that are jealous of the achievements of Shekarau government in Kano.
Shekarau is widely known as a media-friendly governor that pays high premium on freedom of speech and expression. The regular media interactive session normally organized by the governor's Senior Director on Media and Publicity, Sule Ya'u Sule is a good case of enhancing cordial relationship between the governor and the media practitioners. As a result of Shekarau's policy of freedom of expression, people are always in position to freely say whatever they want to say about the governor and his government without fear of molestation or intimidation.
This is why the types of Tukur Mamu of the moribund Desert herald have been making all sorts of malicious and libelous junk publications against the government and people of Kano state without being charged to court of law for personal, specific and general damages as well as defamation of character. It is because Shekarau respects people's freedom of expression and speech that Omoyele Sowore of the Sahara reporters was sponsored by the opposition to formulate fiction and bastard piece against the government and people of Kano state without being sent to jail. As a result of Shekarau's penchant love for people's freedom and that of the press that makes him to be one of the few governors that have consistently stood in favour of the Freedom of Information (FOI) that is still before the national assembly waiting for its passage. Specifically, during the commissioning and inspection of the renovated office of the Director of Press last year, the Governor Shekarau observed that he paid good attention to press men because they are the watch dogs that bridge the gap between the government and the governed, and would continue to maintain the existing cordial relationship with the Press. He spoke about the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill, stating that in as much as he consented to the bill, the media practitioners should also try to check themselves to avoid abuse of the bill if passed into law. He tasked the Nigerian Guild of Editors and other relevant media body to come out with assurances that the FOI would not be misused.
It is on record that when President Umoru Yar'adua sued the Leadership newspapers for its report about the President's ill health, Shekarau quickly appealed to the President to forgive the Leadership newspaper. When journalist attached to Benue State Government House was attacked in the course of carrying out his duties, Shekarau vehemently condemned such act of barbarism. In recent time, an assistant editor with the Guardian Newspaper was dastardly assassinated in Lagos, Shekarau came out in his usual best to condemn the heinous crime and charged the nation on the need to protect journalists as they are important to the democratic society as ours.
Shekarau is in position to use his executive power against an opposition radio station in the state that has consistently been carrying bias and frivolous report against his government for no just cause other than political differences. The amiable governor does not care to use his might to park radio station from transmission. It should be recalled here that during the previous government, a mere campaign slot of an opposition in the Kano Ray power earned the station some hour's closure and nothing happened. The notorious Tukur Mamu had wondered in one of his junks how after formulating sadistic and wicked lies against Shekarau, the governor did not bother to take action against him or reply him. This was why when nemesis caught up with Mamu via his arrest and detention by the police from Abuja, he, out of guilty conscience, accused Shekarau of being responsible. The foregoing are aimed at illustrating how governor Shekarau of Kano State values, tolerates and respects human rights and people's freedom of expression or speech.
It is now of public knowledge how certain western organization has been sponsoring Tukur Mamu's junk paper against the northern governments in general and Kano governor in particular. Because the organization based in America discovered Tukur Mamu as potential liar and deceit, he was issued with an inconsequential certificate of deceit and manipulations, allegedly from the U.S. Congress – a certificate he displays like deaf and dumb from the country side only in his paper. Recently, Mamu was asked by an official of the "Protection of Rights of Journalists of Africa why he doesn't get adverts for his junk medium. His answer was that he does not need advert for his junk survival. This is because he is being sponsored by the anti-northern organization outside the country. Trust some Nigerians; they can accept any thing for money.
As a result of what Mamu got recently from the organization, he is now moving away from his junk newspaper to junk magazine, which he announced in his September 22 edition. One thing that was significant in that announcement was the confession of guilty by Mamu that he would soft pedal from his usual known deceitful and fraudulent publications to a little bit of truth. It shows that he had been deceiving his unfortunate readers all these while. Mamu is not alone in this moribund business. Mr. Omoyele Sowore of the Sahara reporters was also met by the Protection of Rights of Journalists of Africa in the U.S to remove the fake but libelous publication from his website because, according to the Association, it has been discovered through its independent investigation that the Sahara reporters' story roping Shekarau into Sheikh Ja'afar's assassination is NOT TRUE but FALSE. Mr. Sowore, the publisher of Sahara reporters accepts the fact that the dirty piece was actually sponsored by the opposition and would remain on the Sahara reporters' website for a year and would subsequently be updated. Alhamdulillahi!
One can now see the kind of society we have. It is a society where to do well become a taboo. It is a society where rogues are hailed to the detriment of honest men. It is a society where fiction is more relevant than the reality and a society where responsible journalism has been thrown to the dogs with impunity. As for the people who are being misguided thatthe introduction of the Societal Orientation (Adaidaita Sahu), implementation of the Shari'ah Islamic legal system and censoring film makers in Kano by Shekarau administration are violation of human right or negation of freedom of expression, let them understand thatthe societal re-orientation programme-Adaidaita Sahu was not only established to check the social convulsions in the state, it is also meant to reduce the social menace in the state. Development is a gradual process, in which everything cannot be suddenly realized. No one can completely stamp out deviance in the society. Sociologists tell us that deviancy is part of the society. One can only initiate programme to check and reduce the problems associated with societal deviancy.
As Muslims and a state where Shari'ah is being entrenched, it is proper to regulate the secular activities of the Hausa filmmakers, so that they can comply with God’s rule. This should be the headache of Kano and NOT that of Omoyele Sowore of the Sahara reporters. The Filmmakers are happy that they are being guided on the good way and not the satanic way the misguided elements would like them to follow in the name of employment. The essence of Adaidaita Sahu therefore, is to show the people how to live a good life devoid of unwholesome practices. This aim is not different from the then War Against Indiscipline and Corruption (WAIC), Mass mobilization for Social and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), National Orientation Agency (NOA) and presently, Re-branding of Nigeria with the slogan "Good People, Good Nation" . All these programmes are meant to regulate and mold the behaviour and attitude of the people towards harmonious life. The fruits of these programmes may not be immediate. It takes time to realize. For instance, before one begins to harvest the fruit of one’s labour, land must be tilled, plant fruit, water the fruits and weed before it germinates.
Even in the case of Kano Adaidaita Sahu, its fruits are yielding positive result in the attitude and behaviour of the people as it has greatly helped in reducing some of the societal problems in the state. So, it is good that the present government led by Malam Shekarau embark on such laudable programme as Adaidaita Sahu. Consequently, it is because Shekarau attaches high premium to freedom of expression that people say whatever they like against him and his government, knowing full well that most of such negative expressions are pure inventions. It's therefore a matter of individual perception for people to think differently. As for the so called Kannywood, its activities had become exceptionally antagonistic to the culture and value of the majority of Kano people. The concern of any one including perhaps the government is the future of our children. It will be rather too tragic and ignoble that our present children and the one yet unborn are being bequeathed with nude, lovemaking and such other immoral writings that have now invaded and dominated the psyche of our children. We have heard from one of the media houses how a twelve-year-old girl got impregnated and later killed her child because of shame. It’s in the light of this unfortunate development that some drastic measures had to be taken by our policy makers to avert the social convulsion threatening the future of our children, and this has nothing to do with limiting the fundamental rights of the people.
Above all, if there is any violation of human rights or invasion of people's freedom in Kano, it should be from Omoleye Sowore of the Sahara reporters and Tukur Mamu of Desert herald who have been feeding people with lies through their junk publications. These two greatest liars of the century have been feeding fat on some people's ignorance. Thus, they are the real culprits of censoring some people's wrong perceptions of the government's good work. Why is it that Desert and Sahara, all of which signifies dryness in news, have never one day published virtues of the government? The answer is not far fetched. It is simply because the only way through which they survive is by fabricating all forms of malicious information that are non-existent.
Finally, any body should be free to write any thing about Shekarau but for the sake of God and posterity, truth must not suffer no matter the sentiments. This is just my concern and nobody is saying that Shekarau is 100% correct. He is a human being and therefore not infallible but let us be fair in our assessment of him. The fact is this, considering the foregoing appraisal of people's freedom under Shekarau led administration; any sincere person will not shy away from accepting the fact that Shekarau has marvelously done well in the area of upholding people's freedom in Kano in particular and Nigeria in general, which ordinarily would not be tolerated in other states of the federation. And whoever thinks otherwise should merely be regarded as a political detractor who does not wish the good people of Kano well.
Saka Raji Audu writes from Kano and he can be reached on his email: sakaraj@yahoo.com
