Falae, Saraki and the hajj stampede

My intention today is to assume the role of a photographer who uses different snapshots to tell a singular story. As unrelated as the three issues seem to be, a common thread runs through all of them: failure, of individuals and government at different levels. Whatever anybody says, nothing, perhaps, speak metaphorically of the situation in our country presently that the fact that a man was kidnapped on the day he turned 77. True, many Nigerians have been kidnapped without much fuss but it says a lot when a traditional ruler cum farmer was abducted from his domain.

While no one can say categorically those responsible for the kidnap, an issue stood out in the saga. Newspaper reports claimed in an interview with one of his staff that he has had issues with cattle rearers, especially Fulani, whose animals have invaded his farm and destroyed crops. Across the states in south-west part of the country, this is a serious issue just as in some states in the north central especially Plateau and Benue. Only last week in an interview with The Guardian newspaper, a former commissioner of police in Delta State, Ikechukwu Aduba, said the menace of cattle rearers is worse then Boko Haram. While that is his opinion, the Federal Government and state governments would do well to tackle this burgeoning problem.

It is also laughable that the Inspector General of Police had to relocate to Ondo State because of the kidnap. This shows that the present policing arrangement in the country is not working or would he move to another state whenever another high profile person is kidnapped? Mr. Sunday Arase’s comments that the police ‘rescued’ Falae sounded hollow when the Abo of Ilu Abo told journalists that the kidnappers dropped him at Owo where he met policemen who brought him home. Asked whether there were any arrest, Arase, who must have thought he was talking to children said, “I will let you know about arrest later, but no ransom was paid.” Let’s hope those in government today would lay a good foundation for tomorrow so that they will not be kidnapped too while in retirement.

As political machines go, Bukola Saraki, the senate president’s own is quite formidable. I mean how many politicians could defy their parties and call the bluff of its leaders. But if I were him, I would be afraid, very afraid of what happened at the prayer ground in Ilorin during the Salah celebration last week. For someone who turned the table against his father, the powerful Oloye, late Olusola Saraki, that his kith and kin, the Ilorin people, could turn against him and stoned him is a bad omen. For those of us who know the typical Ilorin accent, the spin that those folks were hired from Lagos is pure hogwash, they were his own people whom he has subjugated since he became governor in 2003. After eight years, he continued the oppression by installing his proxy.

It was surprising how his media handlers hoped that the story would go away by lying that their principal was not stoned. I think the oncoming revolution against corrupt politicians will be hastened by the social media, just imagine if we had to depend on NTA alone for the video of how Ilorin people rose against their tormentor. The ‘war’ in Abuja will be a child’s play if the one in Ilorin continues, a serious warning to other oppressors across the land.

For my friend, Hafsat Shittu

What do you do when disaster hits close home? Watching the stampede at Mecca last Thursday did not prepare me for the fact that a dear friend, Hafsat Shittu, was among the casualties. While she might not made the headline of fatalities that Daily Trust on Sunday reported to be close to 100 from Nigeria alone, Hafsat was a heroine not only to her family but also to those of us whose lives she impacted. As alumni of the Ford Fellowship International Program, which afforded us the opportunity for graduate study outside Nigeria, she came back to her job at the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, Abuja to continue her research on sickle cell. With a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, she could have stayed back but she loved Nigeria more than that.

I met her in 2008 and we hit it off immediately. Ours was an improbable friendship considering our different backgrounds but you could not but notice her effervescent character and passion for her people. A large percentage of her salary was not only for the upkeep of her siblings but also students from her community in Bida, Niger State. I remember how she stood up to a governor who was fond of blocking the road whenever she visited one of his wives in their neighbourhood in Abuja. “Wale, I showed him shege,” she said excitedly while recounting the story to me. I will miss her, especially our debate on how we can make Nigeria better. Painfully, as I write this, no word yet about the deaths in Saudi Arabia from our government but Hafsat lives on in our hearts.