Sir
Ahmadu Bello: The Legacy Tattered
“If as a result of the agitation
for the fragmentation of this great region, fostered and encouraged by people
seeking to protect their own political interests, the unity of the North is
damaged or impaired, I fear greatly that we shall step, NOT through the gates
of the future into the broad prospect of prosperity which can lie before us;
but back into the past, into religious intolerance and into violence.”
-
Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sarduna of
Sokoto
Having grown up in the
North, I have been on the perpetual quest to understand the workings of
Northern Nigeria during the years of Sir
Ahmadu Bello the Sarduna of Sokoto
and the Premier of the Northern Region.
I am what you would term a, “Sardunaist”. Not a disciple as such, but a scholar
who wants to know how the Sarduna was able to unite 240 plus tribes of Northern
Nigeria under one voice. Never has there been a “regional’ leader like the
Sarduna nor will there be, I’m afraid. But upon achieving so much for the north
and paying the ultimate price it’s suffice to say that the North would have treated
the memory of this great leader with reverence…… but was I wrong.
Recently and yet again,
I was at the Arewa House in Kaduna
to visit the residence of the revered Premier. Great, the residence was fixed
up, with a new coat of paint and roof, even the roads were done! But I wanted
to see history NOT history literarily “whitewashed”. I wanted to see where he
sat, where he worked, what he wrote, what he wore, what he drove etc. I did not
want to see a house hurriedly fixed and the bullet holes covered on the
insistence of some prodigal sons of the Sarduna to whom bullet holes were “too
painful” (not my words) to see. His
bloodied clothes were hurriedly bundled to Sokoto for “religiously it
was wrong to have put them on display” (again NOT my words).
NO…… I wanted to see
and feel the bullet holes and blood on the walls. I wanted to see the bloodied
clothes he wore when life left him. I wanted to feel his pain. I did not expect
that the prodigals would not even have the courtesy to cover the slab where the
Sarduna and his wife were found, with even ceramic tiles much less a marble
slab. The area where he was said to have died is now a restaurant!! His family
quarters a PG Hostel!!
As irritated as I was,
I was very pleased that the museum has at least preserved some of his artifacts
and pictures. The folks that showed me around mentioned their unhappiness in
way the blood, bullet holes and clothes were “disposed” off. They too had a
sense of history, a sense of reverence for this Northern Star and all he stood
for.
My mind started to
ponder, here was a man who could have become Prime Minister but rather chose to
stay and lead his home. Here was a man that used ALL the savings from the
salary accrued to him to open a bank (Bank of the North) for the benefit of his
beloved North. He pushed his people to join the military despite obvious
deficiencies. He formed the New Nigerian newspapers so that his people had a
voice. He encouraged girl child education formed a university to cater for the
educational needs of the north and in fact provided for the students such that
they studied in comfort. He got the so called “minorities” close to him so that
bridges could be built along the regions and religions of the North. He knew
that the diversity of the north was its strength.
But what happened, his
prodigal sons made sure they systematically destroyed all he stood for. Bank of
the North was sold just because the Northern states could not support it with
funds. Someone used HIS OWN FUNDS to build this bank and the Northern leaders
decided that perhaps the funds were better spent in buying palaces in the UAE
or the UK, than supporting the whims of a drowning bank…. Legacy 1 tattered.
In the 34 years of
northern leadership, every single one of them was “albarkan cin Sarduna” but these were leaders that did not know what
to do with the oil money… but built a bridge or two in Lagos. We have had
leaders that preferred to work in the Native Authority than help the Prime
Minister NOT because they cared for the North, but because they were paid more.
We have had leaders that have used resources to develop themselves, build
mansions on hilltops rather than be their brothers keepers……Legacy 2 tattered.
While the economy drained
in the north and decent grew, the leaders decided, “let’s use religion to
sustain power” after all “divide and rule’ did wonders for the British
colonies. To hell with the Sarduna….. After all he was too rigid and wanted
power himself….. so it goes… “ John kai arne ne.” OR “Abdullahi kai dolo ne.
Shanu kawai”. In less than 25 years the intricate web of brotherhood that the
Sarduna fought so hard to build was completely destroyed. People forgot that Sunday
Awoniyi, Capt Paul Tahal, Dr. Ishaya Audu- all Christians, were die hard
Sarduna supporters. This sick idea of “Middle belt” and “core north” emerged
and the monolithic northern unity was gone. Today the north’s greatest enemies
are its leaders…… Legacy 3 tattered.
I was at the grave site
(Gidan Sarki) of the Sarduna during
my recent trip to Kaduna and I saw one
un-covered grave (of Hajiya Hafsat) and an en tombed grave belonging to the Sarduna. When I asked why the
grave was completely sealed save for a very small opening at the side, the
caretaker told me that it was done to prevent…..listen to this….. People carrying the soil from the grave for
rituals!!!!!!!!!!! OH God!!! How low you senile son’s of the Sarduna have
become. First you destroy everything he strove to build… then you divide his
people and now you want power…. Oh…. you idiots…. Don’t you realize that you
can never be like him. You have
alienated the region, made a mockery of the Sarduna. And you’ve buried him in
an unmarked grave. WOE to you Northern Elders…… you have been condemned for
eternity…. … But I’m sure that ONE DAY Arewa will shine and the bones of the Sarduna
will finally… rest in peace.
...........................................Published in Weekly Trust, 6th August, 2011
