By Abdulbaqi Jimoh
I believe in truth fairness and justice and I believe it is honourable to speak out to advise or to correct in good conscience and with all sense of responsibility. Truth is justice, justice is fairness, these are the tonic for our conscience and with which our hearts can find calmness and tranquility.
The antonyms for justice are partisanship, partiality, oppression etc. The Almighty Allah abhor oppression and condemns it strongly.
“O’ my slaves, I have forbidden injustice for myself and forbade it also for you, so avoid being unjust to one another” (Saheeh Muslim)
“Unquestionably, the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers.” (Hud:18) Note that ‘zulm’ in Arabic is wrongdoing, injustice, oppression etc
Please permit me to state that Late Hon Ambali Ibrahim who was my uncle was sponsored and financed to be member of the Kwara State House of Assembly both in 1979 and 1983 to represent Olooru Ipaye constituency in Moro Local Government by the late political sage, the highly revered Waziri of Ilorin. Dr. Abubakar Shola Saraki (senior) one of the greatest Nigerian’s statesmen, a renowned and widely acclaimed political maestro. So many others were so sponsored.
In 2008 Professor Shuaibu Oba AbdulRaheem.OFR, NPOM was appointed as the Executive Chairman of Federal Character Commission, if people benefited from his tenure, there’s no how he who sponsored him and wouldn’t have shared in the reward as “sadakat jaaria.”
The critical questions are: Was the late Waziri of any benefit to Nigeria, Kwara State and particularly to the Emirate?
Is it fair to visit the transgressions, failures and crookedness of his prodigal son on the late political icon?
While these questions are not mere rhetoric, let me quickly remind ourselves that the “O to ge” movement was not to vanquish any family neither was it meant to annihilate any legacy, it was a spontaneous but belligerent movement against maladministration, bad governance, theft, financial misappropriation and fiscal irresponsibility. It was specifically a revolt against the style of leadership and administration of Bukola Saraki. We should therefore be sensitive to what galvanized the movement and cautiously delineate between Baba Saraki and Bukola Saraki and also delimit the expansion of the “O to ge” concept and connotations.
I am a strong supporter of “O to ge” and I have never spared Bukola Saraki in my write ups both for his political bad governance cum leadership and his socio spiritual untoward action against his late dad. I believe everything legal should be done to repatriate our commonwealth from him if found guilty.
Back to the indispensable questions
Was Baba Saraki’s political sojourn worthy of national recognition and commendation? Of course, his leadership position in the days of NPN was an affirmation and the respect and reverence he earned in Arewa Consultative Forum and other political fora were to date limitless. He was a rallying point and a source of inspiration to his peers and political tutees. At the state he was the political phylogenetic tree wherefrom different branches sprouted. He envisioned progressive and productive political directions for his party and his mammoth followers. He provided the required leadership and shade that easily waded off political wariness, rudderless and chasm.
At home level, I dare to cite this didactic quotation that “man’s good deeds are written in water, the bad ones are engraved in stone, when you do good no one remembers, when you are wrong no one forgets”.
Have we forgotten so soon how philanthropic the man was? God knows that I heard of his legendary good nature and gesture from his fans, political sons and followers who were very close to him and to me. Although there was at one time or the other political division before his demise (May Allah increases the shower of His blessings on his soul and forgives his shortcomings) yet; tales of goodness , benevolence, compassion, mercy, warmth, political wisdom abound from these associates.
I always look forward to hearing amusing stories each time they came back from meeting him, which fortunately or unfortunately I had the fortune or the misfortune of zero attendance. Why so much beefing now?
If only for his contribution to the erection of a befitting Central mosque, if only for his contribution to the political and socio-cultural cohesion of the Emirate. If only for the fire of unity and understanding he stoked among the Emirate Council, we should stand up for him.
He who faithfully keeps the fort in absence is he who is a true friend. The man is late but all men and women of conscience should stand up for his legacy. After all, Allah himself rhetorically questioned Man and Jinn in (Surah Al Rahman , 60-61). That: “Is there any reward for good other than good”
“Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both (Jinn and men) deny?”
Let us be reminded that on the day of resurrection, judgment will be based on measurement of good deeds against evil deeds, admittance into paradise will be premised on which deeds over weigh the other, this is in the notion of divine omniscience of Allah that man can’t be perfect.
Therefore, based on the foregoing; is the late political icon worthy of our gratitude? We should not discountenance the truth that Allah loves expression of gratitude, no wonder “As-Shakur” is one of His 99 names. And He pointedly said of Himself that “… Allah will give reward to those who are grateful” (3:144).
He also stated that: “What will Allah do with your punishment if you are grateful and believe? And ever is Allah Appreciative and Knowing ” (Q4 144)
Allah enthused further that “… He may give them in full their rewards and increase for them of His bounty. Indeed He is Forgiving and Appreciative (Q 35:30).
All these are pointers that Allah appreciate gratitude and Himself is one who shows gratitude.
I once made reference to the conspiratorial fireworks that brought Baba Saraki up against the highly revered elder statesman, the first lawyer and first SAN in Northern Nigeria, the Tafidan Zaria and Mutawalli of Ilorin, Alhaji A G F AbdulRazaq a nonagenarian whom we pray Allah will grant sound health. I emphasised the dramatic irony in Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s success at the poll and pleaded with him to shun any ounce of vendetta which of course does not preclude retrieval of our collective assets and repatriation of our stolen or mismanaged commonwealth.
I hereby humbly remind His Excellency that who needs any arsenal if God is fighting your war?
I beg of him to please not sign the bill to withdraw the honour bestowed on whom the honour befits, otherwise; where is the spirit of politics without bitterness as preached and championed by one of your fathers in law?
Where is the sense of gratitude to Allah for crowning you with this political diadem? To all who benefited directly or remotely from Baba Saraki’s magnanimity compassion and benevolence, from the northern senatorial zone, to the southern senatorial zone and the central, this is the most appropriate time to stand up for truth and justice. It is the late Waziri today it could be any of you tomorrow.
To the Honourable members of the House of Assembly, most of you are young politicians whose sense of history might not be as strong but who have conscience. I plead with you to kindly examine yourself and your conscience, to lie down and count your teeth with your tongue after all no matter how dark it is, an individual knows what’s deep down in his heart. You all have a long way to go in politics or other worldly endeavours but most importantly we will all stand before Allah to give account of our leadership and or stewardship.
Please let faith reflect in our day to day actions. Last note Q: 4:135 “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor. Allah is more worthy of both…”
In the Bible Hosea 12:6: “But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always”
Proverbs 21:15: When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers “
- Jimoh is a Deputy Director at Federal Character Commission