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Editorial
By Dr. Alameen Abdulkadir
It is saddening when some keypad warriors have resolved to criticize the personality of Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum for the recurring attack on his convoy by the dreaded Bokoharam terrorist formation. Their arguments were premised on the bricks that the Governor needs not to be everywhere in the state, he can choose to send people to distressed points. This according to them will reduce cases of fatalities.
This raises a question, those that will be used for that purpose, are they not human beings? Wouldn’t they need security escort, however little as well? Fine, Zulum needs not to portray himself as the latest James Bond in town, but definitely he’s vested with the mandate of providing maximum security for his people. A mandate he’s faithfully accepted and tried to fulfill with all his strength since his assumption of office, this we allude to without gainsaying. In fact in this last case, the Governor was not attacked on his way to a political campaign, cocktail party or any other outing based on personal interest. The Governor was attacked when he left Maiduguri for Baga to prepare for the planned return of internally displaced persons from Maiduguri to their new abode in Baga. Isn’t that a pointer to the fact that he’s serving the people that elected him?
It is not veiled from public knowledge that this is the second time the convoy of Governor Zulum would be attacked. In Baga, July this year, the Boko Haram terrorists attacked him despite the numbers of the comitatus in his convoy. In this last attack, he escaped death by a whisker. Conflicting reports say that at least 8 policemen or 12, 3 soldiers or 5 lost their lives. The terrorists also seized one police armoured car, one gun truck belonging to the military and six utility vehicles belonging to the state government. With this trend, one will conclude that no one appears to be safe in this country, or how would one describe a situation where soldiers were brought to their knees by terrorists.
Having observed this, it would be completely unfair to blame the Governor for the attacks. Remember he’s coming in with a responsibility to reconstruct and rehabilitate Borno and its inhabitants. So, to do this, isn’t it mandatory on him to move around, assess the level of devastation and the devastated before administering the right antidote? His regular capacity for movement around the state is a decision that crystallized from an informed idea that a Leader needs to be acquainted with the tight spot of his subjects to assist in making the right decision based on the needs of the led and not the wish of the leader (Frederick the Great, 1712-1786).
Isn’t that the problem we’ve for long known with our presidential system of government? when the President sits in Abuja, assuming that all is well with the people of; Ekperi in Edo, Nsukka in Enugu, Kosubosu in Kwara, Akwa Akpa in Cross River, Otun in Ekiti or Mubi in Adamawa. The Local Council Chairmen and Councilors that ought to replicate or engrave the President’s mandate at the grassroots are just nothing but a ghost band.
A friend of mine who’s a medical doctor once told me that a Professor of medicine who’s among the very few first-generation medical elders in this country said to him “Oh, young doctor! Nigeria’s health system cannot be fixed at the moment, recently, I was opportune to be in Aso Rock, with the kind of lifestyle these people live, they will never feel the pain of a common man that cannot even afford admission pack in public hospital, and they can’t even understand that such exists no matter how good your explanation is.” What do we attribute such problem to, if not complete distance of the leaders from the led.
Yet, we know this problem exists, but when a patriot attempts to do the right thing we say “who asked him to do that, heroes are fools.” Governor Zulum is therefore, the straw that stirs the drink in Borno, he needs to be encouraged and not condemned. His approach to governance is the best catalyst for now to redeem Borno and its people that have for long been tormented by the terrorists. It’s rather sensible to advise the Governor to rethink how to go about his outreach instead of throwing the blame of the terrorist attack on his door step.
If Zulum decided to turn himself to a wheelchair-governor, observing and coordinating Borno affairs from the state house, will that stop the terrorist attack? Will such benefit the Borno people? The problem is not about his movement up and down but his determination and perceived sincerity to end terrorism in the state. Bokoharam from all indications has become a business venture with well structured network from international bourgeoisies to local comprador capitalists, any attempt by individual or group (however positioned) to stop this business venture will be constantly hunt and dealt with, and that is what’s happening to Governor Zulum.
Is it possible that within his security apparatus, there individuals giving info about the governor’s itninerary?
Yes…it could be. He should also look inward
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