By Ubaidullah Yahya Kaura
We cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose and hope. Moreover, the victim in a qualified situation of distress, pain, anguish or indeed deprivation, being rational can make a conscious and conscientious decision to walk away from the established cause of misery.
Zamfara State.
What is more, Zamfara youths, women, and the down-trodden in this geographical entity may not completely avoid suffering, but coping with abject poverty has even been made absolutely impossible because Hope has died. But in the face of this moribund hope is fortitude.
As expressed in the words of the great Nelson Mandela in one of his glowing tributes to his people in the course of the apartheid struggle: ‘nothing is so empowering than the capacity of the human spirit to absorb pain, humiliation and shock and still maintain a semblance of human dignity.’
In 1996, the then Nigerian head of State, General Sani Abacha, created six new States; Zamfara was one of them - carved out from the former Sokoto State, North-west Nigeria. It has fourteen local governments, seven federal constituencies and three senatorial districts.
In 1999, following General Abacha’s death and General Abdul Salami Abubakar (new Head of State) making good his promise to return Nigeria to a democratic government, Zamfara had a chance to get the first democratically elected governor in the person of Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima.
After Yerima’s eight years in office, his deputy,Mahamud Aliyu Shinkafi succeeded him as governor in 2007. Governor Shinkafi did only one term of four years; in 2011 he lost the seat to the current governor, Abdulaziz Yari like wise 2015 to date.
Why has the different successive governments failed to economically develop the State and empower the people? Why are there no economic activities in the State? Why has the government - at least we know of one - used sharia law in such a negative way that it has adversely impacted commercial and social development and activity and driven many residents out of the State?
To be sure, sharia law, if properly implemented, is not anti-foreigners, it is not against women, it is not against girl-child education, it is not against social life and it is not against trade and commerce.
It is not about cutting off the fingers or hands of thieves or stoning or condemning women found guilty of marital infidelity to death. This is not sharia law, at all.
What Zamfara had (or has), was a government, with ulterior political motive, using sharia law as an instrument of advancing personal political agenda, and in the process branding sharia as a crude and inhuman aspect of Islam.
Using sharia law by the ways to archive political agendas is totally uncomfortable. Which is to the outside world, sharia in Zamfara has lost credibility, validity and religious character moulding values.
Responsible, well meaning and hard working people who came to live, trade and help develop the state were forced to run away from that rich cultural state.
The youths, women and the down trodden are left without any government program to help alleviate their abject poverty. From lead poisoning that killed many of the citizens to the recent slaughter of innocent citizens in the State, nothing good, worthy of emulation has ever come out from that State since 1999 and must especially worse than 2011 to date.
Yet, the political leadership has empowered themselves and become very rich, marrying many wives, enjoying luxury life, flights, at the expense of the money meant for the people. The State monthly allocations have not translated into any meaningful development. Why?
The level of poverty penetrative every corner at high in the state, come to capital city of state, the line among the children lined up begging along Gusau streets, would reminded of Somalia, Mali and present day Syria. But why? It should not be so and it must not be so.
Zamfara is still blessed with great sons and daughters, who have not only reached the height of their professional careers but accomplished in their various endeavours.
The people of Zamfara deserve better. As election is fast approaching, this is the time for these great sons and daughters of Zamfara to come together with a view to identifying and supporting that person or persons who will deploy the resources of the state for the development of the state.
They must not sit back and allow unprepared and accidental leaders to be at the helm of affairs in the State or at any elective office for that matter. After almost 17 years of poor and failed governance, the people are yearning earnestly for responsive, purposeful and responsible government in Zamfara. I can hear their lamentations and woes, and their clarion call for positive change even from our distant location.
Let's zamfaralites think of ways moving forward. May Allah see us through.
By Ubaidullah yahaya kaura
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