In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
“O you who believe! Have fear of God, and be among the truthful.” (Quran 9:119)
The great sage and scholar of Islam, Ibn al-Qayyim, said: “Truthfulness is the greatest of stations, from it sprout all the various stations of those traversing the path to God; and from it sprouts the upright path which if not trodden, perdition is that person’s fate.
Through it is the hypocrite distinguished from the believer and the inhabitant of Paradise from the denizen of Hell. It is the sword of God in His earth: it is not placed on anything except that it cuts it; it does not face falsehood except that it hunts it and vanquishes it; whoever fights with it will not be defeated; and whoever speaks it, his word will be made supreme over his opponent.
Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has fought with the northern elites with his sword of truth. The flamboyant and cerebral former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria spoke on the alarming rate of poverty in the North, the ever-increasing number of Almajiri on the streets of Northern part of the country which was put at over 9.5million people.
According to him, no leader should be happy with millions of northern Nigerians youths out of school; with nine states almost contributing 50 per cent of the entire malnutrition rate in the country.
He spoke against bad economic policies and wrong priorities. He preached against the syndrome of producing many children without the ability to care for them. He was loud on issue of ignorance and wretchedness.
As truth sounds like hate to those of them who hate the truth, rather than working on those specifics which end result will make life better for both the young and the old, they chose to destroy him all because they hate the truth.
The development has led to the balkanization of the Kano emirate. What used to be a huge and united emirate has been split into four. Gaya, Rano, Bichi and Karaye councils.
Ganduje’s action prior to the deposition did not only reduce the power and influence of the Emir, but he also weakens the traditional institution.
The clout, weight and power of the Kano emirate were similar to that of the Benin Kingdom or the Ooni in Yorubaland; a giant and powerful dynasty. The new emir will have to contend with the remnant of the polarized emirate.
The education of the younger northerners would have both economic returns and inter-generational impact. So also a reduction in poverty rate, and stopping the Almajiri system will place the north in good stead and create a system where investment in human capital potential will help to create jobs for young men and women.
This is what threatened the fantasy of some highly placed individual and angered some of the elites.
Ganduje as a Muslim should know that truthfulness is the very cornerstone of the upright Muslim’s character and the springboard for his virtuousness deeds. No one fights with truth and win the battle.
Whether now or later, Ganduje will come to realise that he cannot banish the truth.
VANGUARD
