Re: Kwankwaso should ban billboards, posters by Aliu Ibrahim Aliu
I read with interest the above article written by one Abubakar Sani Tanko from Sharada Quarters, Kano and published in the Daily Trust of June 20, 2011. First, I should commend the author for his concern in the upkeep of Kano State particularly as it affects the indiscriminate displays of political posters and billboards. The beautification of Kano environment should be the concern of not only the government but also every one that inhibits the state.
Secondly, While the author of the piece tries to suggest to Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to check the menace of indiscriminate posters and billboards in Kano state, he also attempts desperately to assert and create the false impression that the indiscipline, which gave impetus to misdemeanor of posters and billboards was as a result of the so called failure of the Adaidaita Sahu, a social re-orientation programme introduced by the immediate past administration. I do not think that this is necessarily the case.
Thirdly, it is of common knowledge in Kano today that whoever hopes to cully favour from Governor Kwankwaso or his government, has to create space to criticize the laudable achievements of his predecessor for quick acceptance of whatever request one hopes to tender before the governor. In effect, it is wrong for Sani Tanko to assume that the indiscriminate posting of posters and billboards in Kano was an indication that the societal re-orientation has not made an impact on the people of the state, just because Tanko wants to give a bad name to the dog in order to hang it.
It is also of common knowledge in Kano that political banditry and misdemeanor have been a recalling decimal in the state until the coming of Shekarau administration tried to checkmate and reduce the menace by engaging the idle youths in various programmes for development and progress of the state. As a matter of fact, it was the introduction of the societal re-orientation by the immediate past administration that reduced the crime waves, which in turn gave room for the relative peace and harmony the state enjoyed under Shekarau administration.
The societal re-orientation also made it possible for the people to have firm belief in girl-child education, thereby reducing the menace of child hawking in the state. The societal re-orientation also imbibed the culture of respect in the minds of the people. This was why Hausa film-makers and their foreign collaborators that tried to inhibit the culture of disrespect and nudity were appropriately banned from the state. There are other modest achievements recorded from the introduction of the societal re-orientation by Shekarau administration in the state.
It may however interest Sani Tanko to note that the governor he asked to check the menace of indiscriminate erections of billboards and posters is also a beneficiary of such acts of indiscipline because most of his political posters and billboards, through which he manipulated his way to the Government, dot every public and private places in the state. The vandalisation of Government House, Kano on the day of his taking over of the government by his supporters clearly marked the end of discipline in the state. Within three weeks the governor mantled the leadership saddle, three avoidable major crises that led to the destruction of property were carried out by the governor’s supporters during his taking over, swearing in of the state assembly members and that of the local government officers. If these could be recorded within three weeks of the governor’s assumption of office, only God knows what to be expected in the four years ahead of this administration. This tells Abubakar Sani Tanko that what he is searching for in Sokoto is in his Shokoto.
In addition to the above sad development, on 29th May, after the hand over of government, a dinner was organized in honour of the governor’s ‘victory’ at 8pm. All the invited personalities got seated to wait for the governor who only managed to show his face at 11pm after the guests might have exhausted their patience. Was this not an act of indiscipline by the Chief Executive of the state?
On the issue of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s visit to Lagos state, which Sani Tanko talked about in his piece, we do not know if the exact purpose of the visit was to ‘copy and learn’ from Governor Babatunde Fashola’s governance or for Governor Kwankwaso to meet with his Lawyer over his pending court cases. All we know is that it is unfortunate and regrettable that a governor as Kwankwaso who has had four years experience in the governance of Kano state (1999-2003) before the coming of Babatunde as governor of Lagos State in 2007 would still want to learn and copy from his junior. Is experience no longer the best teacher? Let the handlers of Kwankwaso’s public relations begin with the whole truth and stop telling us the opposite of the truth we already know about their benefactor.
Above all, if governor Kwankwaso is being asked to punish and discipline law breakers in the state, he should start by looking into the recent vandalisation at the Government House and State Assembly and brought the perpetrators to book as deterrent to others that he mean well for the state. After all, it is often said that charity begins at home.
Finally, we should know that there is no need for Kwankwaso troubling himself to have gone to Lagos to learn from its governor Babatunde Fashola. His experience and the enviable achievements of his immediate past predecessor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau are enough for him to move the state forward. Any thing short of this would only amount to shadow chasing, which would not augur well for the state and its teaming population.
Written Aliu Ibrahim Aliu, Kano City, email: aliuibrahimaliu@yahoo.com.
Secondly, While the author of the piece tries to suggest to Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to check the menace of indiscriminate posters and billboards in Kano state, he also attempts desperately to assert and create the false impression that the indiscipline, which gave impetus to misdemeanor of posters and billboards was as a result of the so called failure of the Adaidaita Sahu, a social re-orientation programme introduced by the immediate past administration. I do not think that this is necessarily the case.
Thirdly, it is of common knowledge in Kano today that whoever hopes to cully favour from Governor Kwankwaso or his government, has to create space to criticize the laudable achievements of his predecessor for quick acceptance of whatever request one hopes to tender before the governor. In effect, it is wrong for Sani Tanko to assume that the indiscriminate posting of posters and billboards in Kano was an indication that the societal re-orientation has not made an impact on the people of the state, just because Tanko wants to give a bad name to the dog in order to hang it.
It is also of common knowledge in Kano that political banditry and misdemeanor have been a recalling decimal in the state until the coming of Shekarau administration tried to checkmate and reduce the menace by engaging the idle youths in various programmes for development and progress of the state. As a matter of fact, it was the introduction of the societal re-orientation by the immediate past administration that reduced the crime waves, which in turn gave room for the relative peace and harmony the state enjoyed under Shekarau administration.
The societal re-orientation also made it possible for the people to have firm belief in girl-child education, thereby reducing the menace of child hawking in the state. The societal re-orientation also imbibed the culture of respect in the minds of the people. This was why Hausa film-makers and their foreign collaborators that tried to inhibit the culture of disrespect and nudity were appropriately banned from the state. There are other modest achievements recorded from the introduction of the societal re-orientation by Shekarau administration in the state.
It may however interest Sani Tanko to note that the governor he asked to check the menace of indiscriminate erections of billboards and posters is also a beneficiary of such acts of indiscipline because most of his political posters and billboards, through which he manipulated his way to the Government, dot every public and private places in the state. The vandalisation of Government House, Kano on the day of his taking over of the government by his supporters clearly marked the end of discipline in the state. Within three weeks the governor mantled the leadership saddle, three avoidable major crises that led to the destruction of property were carried out by the governor’s supporters during his taking over, swearing in of the state assembly members and that of the local government officers. If these could be recorded within three weeks of the governor’s assumption of office, only God knows what to be expected in the four years ahead of this administration. This tells Abubakar Sani Tanko that what he is searching for in Sokoto is in his Shokoto.
In addition to the above sad development, on 29th May, after the hand over of government, a dinner was organized in honour of the governor’s ‘victory’ at 8pm. All the invited personalities got seated to wait for the governor who only managed to show his face at 11pm after the guests might have exhausted their patience. Was this not an act of indiscipline by the Chief Executive of the state?
On the issue of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s visit to Lagos state, which Sani Tanko talked about in his piece, we do not know if the exact purpose of the visit was to ‘copy and learn’ from Governor Babatunde Fashola’s governance or for Governor Kwankwaso to meet with his Lawyer over his pending court cases. All we know is that it is unfortunate and regrettable that a governor as Kwankwaso who has had four years experience in the governance of Kano state (1999-2003) before the coming of Babatunde as governor of Lagos State in 2007 would still want to learn and copy from his junior. Is experience no longer the best teacher? Let the handlers of Kwankwaso’s public relations begin with the whole truth and stop telling us the opposite of the truth we already know about their benefactor.
Above all, if governor Kwankwaso is being asked to punish and discipline law breakers in the state, he should start by looking into the recent vandalisation at the Government House and State Assembly and brought the perpetrators to book as deterrent to others that he mean well for the state. After all, it is often said that charity begins at home.
Finally, we should know that there is no need for Kwankwaso troubling himself to have gone to Lagos to learn from its governor Babatunde Fashola. His experience and the enviable achievements of his immediate past predecessor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau are enough for him to move the state forward. Any thing short of this would only amount to shadow chasing, which would not augur well for the state and its teaming population.
Written Aliu Ibrahim Aliu, Kano City, email: aliuibrahimaliu@yahoo.com.
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