By JJ. Omojuwa
There are eight hundred and twelve governments in Nigeria, but only 1 of them isn’t permitted to hide. One of the country’s complexities is such that, the consequences of actions or actions of local or state governments often become the burden of the federal government. State formation was inorganic, having been forced by the British over one hundred years ago.
This has left us in a storming state for decades, most of them local ones that end up coming to the fore once they reach a head, whilst some are ethnic tensions that play out on the national front.
The path to peace is hardly straightforward, but going by what the Kaduna State Government, led by Senator Uba Sani, has been showing over the last eighteen months or so, peace does not always have to be out of reach.
Uba Sani, deft and unassuming in his style, has gained the support and praise of local and national leaders, winning awards along the way for leading Kaduna more toward peaceful co-existence, progress and prosperity, even amidst the challenges that remain to be tackled.
He prefers to see his constituents as one and same, not to be engaged or discriminated against based on ethnicity, religion or political inclination
I spent time with the governor, asking him questions about his vision for Kaduna State and especially around what he was up to. He made it clear that he prefers to see his constituents as one and same, not to be engaged or discriminated against based on ethnicity, religion or political inclination. In his design, who voted whom does not matter.
This explains why his development interventions have been as present in parts of the state that voted his party, the APC, as they are in places where APC barely got votes, a point made by Vice President Shettima during the Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) groundbreaking event recently.
Uba Sani was unequivocal when he said, “Governance is about everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you are a politician, a businessman, a farmer, or someone who doesn’t have any interest in politics. As long as you live in Kaduna, you must be treated equally”.
This is at the root of peaceful coexistence. When people feel seen and acknowledged by their leader, when they don’t feel like they are being othered or treated like second-class citizens, when their leader executes his vision with a heart for the people and consideration for their welfare, absolute peace may not immediately follow, but it will be a start towards peaceful co-existence.
I read a news report recently where The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Kukah, also in his capacity as the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia on paying a courtesy visit to the governor commended him for his efforts in stabilising the state.
Governor Uba Sani reiterated his vision for the state by saying, “I have been working closely with Bishop Kukah on not just the university, but on a number of issues. My doors are always open, and I reiterate my commitment to deepen consultation amongst the diverse people of Kaduna State, irrespective of their ethno-religious or party affiliations”.
Road travel through the state that was once deemed a suicide mission has become a regular trip, so much so that people have since forgotten what it meant to navigate certain parts of the state
Kaduna is not yet completely rid of its security challenges. That will take a while. However, it is making progress. Road travel through the state that was once deemed a suicide mission has become a regular trip, so much so that people have since forgotten what it meant to navigate certain parts of the state.
And in fixing these challenges, Senator Uba Sani has made sure to work with former office holders in the state, irrespective of their political affiliation. People like former Vice President Namadi Sambo, former Governor Ramalan Yero, Senator Shehu Sani, Senator Danjuma Laah, Senator Hunkuyi and the likes felt encouraged enough to not only support the governor, as all but one of them have returned to the APC fold in a major turn of the tide for APC in the state.
This could not be more seismic, obvious enough to every onlooker, if your politics doesn’t require you to be blind to it.
It must start with the acceptance and understanding that every citizen matters
When people come together, peace is possible. Whilst the Federal Government will always be on hand to deploy the military when there is a breakdown of law and order, the path to sustainable peace is in the hands of subnational governments.
Individual states and their leaders across various platforms, starting with the governors, must lead the peace process.
It must start with the acceptance and understanding that every citizen matters. No citizen or group of people should have to scream to be heard. Justice must prevail and the goods of governance must be seen to be distributed across the state, not just to the urban areas or based on ethno-religious or political leanings of the groups or residents.
The smoothest thing I think Uba Sani did was to not let himself be dragged into the pull of politics, often an escape for leaders whose priorities whose egos are bigger than their avowed commitment to serve the people. Politics can also offer an escape for leaders who have little to nothing to show for spent time, they offer distractions instead.
No citizen or group of people should have to scream to be heard
For Governor Sani, it reflects his high emotional intelligence that, amidst everything that’s been thrown at him, his actions and words reflect a man simply committed to the mandate he has been trusted with by the people.
Competence and emotional intelligence don’t go together by default. The world is replete with competent people with zero EQ.
The national template for peace must evolve from our federalism and its essence. The understanding that local governments will deliver governance to the doorsteps of citizens, whilst state governments provide the necessary infrastructure to facilitate commerce and development.
The federal government will provide the vision for national development. In this design, the state governments are essential because they are the fulcrum that intersects the federal and the local governments.
You cannot have development or peace without the commitment and competence of state governments and their institutions. Here, the Uba Sani administration in Kaduna has led the way with plenty of progress to show for it.
Read Also: Governor Uba Sani: A Transformative Force Uniting Kaduna and Rallying Northwest Nigeria
