WAKE UP: As Sokoto, the Nigeria’s most respected State, goes to Polls March 9

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

The Northern Nigeria is revered for the spiritual, moral and inbuilt quality based behaviour that are embedded in the lifestyle of its people.  Reason not a single other Nigerian from other part, particularly South, disputes the region dominated by the Hausa/Fulani Race as most accommodating, reliable and trustworthy to deal with, even in economic and political activities.  Most respected of all of the states in the region is Sokoto State and it is understandable.

Sokoto is the Seat of the Caliphate.  Since this is not meant to go deep into the Gobir history of Nigeria, it may suffice to only brush over a long history of how Sokoto is the centre stage for the best things that have happened to Nigeria by simply saying that Swakwatto people of Nigeria’s North should realize why they should keep up doing the good thing that they have been known for since the time of their ancestral father, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio.

What happened on 21 February 2019 by supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State was unlike the Sokoto people’s character.  That was two days before the presidential election when those supporters rallied round town and they got to the frontage of the Palace of Sultan and the miscreants among them started screaming that “we will soon have a new government and a new Sultan”.  That was undone.

Although the leadership of APC in the state had denied consenting that unreasonable behaviour, but in every 10 deniables there is possibility that one is true.  Who made mention of such a despicable plan among the leaders overheard by the supporters?  At least, one of them must have mentioned it and which at the point youthful exuberance would do its own thing, those miscreants screamed it out.  Worse still, such a shameful behaviour got its way to the social media! It is undone.

As 29 Nigeria’s states go to polls to pick their new governors Saturday 9 March 2019, I want to warn Sokoto State people to WAKE UP to the fact that they are the most respected people of Nigeria and they should not fall our hands by cheer reason of politicking.  How can you descend so low to drag a personality that is not your only Sultan but Leader of the entire Muslim Ummah and monarchs of Nigeria into your partisan politics?

Yes, Mutawallen Sokoto Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who is Governor of the State, defected from your party, APC, to his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and so what?  As a father, are you expecting the Sultan to go to Radio Nigeria and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and say “henceforth I severe my relationship with him”?  Not even with such a respectful person that Tambuwal is.  Your leader in Sokoto, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko is Sultan’s son.  Mutawalle is Sultan’s son. Ahmed Aliyu the APC’s candidate in this gubernatorial poll is Sultan’s son.  And the Sultan has always played the role of a father, ensuring that none of his sons will do things which will disturb the peace of the state or affect their cordiality towards one another in the after-event of the whole politicking.  This same roll he plays among the ethnic and religious groups in the entire country up to Igbo, Yoruba, and of course the entire Hausa/Fulani Land of Nigeria.

You should all realize that elections will come and go but your humanity and Caliphate will remain with you.  Since democracy is a system of forming our governments (Federal States) in Nigeria, partisan politics is inevitable for the players.  Perhaps, and unfortunately too, those who brought democracy did not envisage its capacity to break and destroy a peaceful family within the blink of an eye, it behooves those of you who know that Allah has made you the leader in the country to guard yourselves against the evils of democratic practice and take the path of it which will sustain your place as most respected, most peaceful and most self-contented people of Nigeria.

At the end of the whole game; the disputes, the fights (and that is why Saudi Arabia should be careful of its plan to embrace democracy because democracy will not be good for a country that is the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques of Allah that Muslims all over the world regard as their headquarters of Islamic Religion), the only figure who has the capacity to bring you back together and make you relate well with one another like brothers in the tribe and in the religion is the Sultan, who is currently General Dr. Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

It is therefore not enough for the leadership of the party linked with this misbehavior to deny or disclaim the unfortunate utterances of the supporters.  They should apologise to the Sultan, the Nigerian Muslim Ummah and the entire people of the country who hold Sokoto people in high esteem and please not allow such thing to occur again.  He that is watched should not be found watching other way. And at this point I support MURIC’s call for immunity for the seat of the Sultanate.  May Allah forgive us all our sins and make Jannatul Firdaos our destination in the hereafter. Amin.

*WAKE UP is personal opinion column of a Prince of Isolo Akure, Ondo State, Bashir Adefaka, who is a Lagos-based Jouranalist and media proprietor.  Reach  him via Email: omope72@gmail.com or Text: 08163323906.