By Adamu Muhammad Dodo
“It’s not about hate speech.
It’s not about Fulani thing”
I was at one of the highly patronised barbershops in Yola, Adamawa state yesterday in the evening.
I met a debate trying to reconcile the choice of Peter Obi as PDP Atiku’s running mate and the alleged protests that greeted the choice by the Igbo elites in the south east.
The alleged choice of Rev. Mathew Hassan Kukah and Sheikh Ahmad Gumi as clerics in clearing any doubt for a reconciliation between Atiku and OBJ was followed suit.
One of the barbers in the shop broke in with the resolve that they have had enough of PMB, it’s time to let Atiku to articulate, an opportunity opened for Adamawa and the north east never to miss.
One of the customers retorted.
“I hope you aren’t one of those affected by defective memory.
“Remember this shop has once accommodated IDPs from Mubi, You heard about their pathetic experiences of the insecurities occasioned by BH insurgency; how people died with some youths went missing, before the Most Merciful answered our collective prayers and block votes to give us PMB?
“The IDPs, your associates, are now back to Mubi and have picked up their jobs peacefully. We now pray five times daily unsanctioned in congregation as much as our churches are secured not only on Sundays but everyday, without the curfew unrest.
“Have you suddenly forgotten Sheikh Muhammad Auwal Albani’s sermon, projecting a better Nigeria with PMP after an impoverished discomfort? Clergy Mbaka has made similar prophecy.
“You shouldn’t have a defective memory brother.”
The debate was to continue. However, a customer interrupted that he was only bothered about the political development in Adamawa state, arguing that there was no better time than now, no better governor than the present governor and for 2019, there’s no better gubernatorial aspirant in Adamawa state than Bindow.
The floodgates of reactions were beyond comment reducing the Bindow advocate to a embarrassingly, seeming dejected position typical of an outcast cursed by his utterances.
The customer, a Bindow sympathiser, eventually dismissed the argument by saying, “why do you Fulani dislike Bindow?”
One who seemed to be from academic environment interrupted, advising that ethnic sentiment should be kept aside.
Besides, majority of those who were disenchanted with the Bindow’s at the barbershop, were not or entirely Fulani.
A reflection he could reveal, of the elites and the electorates making reason why genuine APC gubernatorial primaries was frustrated in Adamawa state.
“In Boni’s and Nyako’s, Nigeria had the best UBE in Adamawa state with Prof. Liman Tukur during Boni’s and Dr. Salihu Bakari during Nyako’s administrations.
“Today, Adamawa state government couldn’t get to access what was due for it to enhance effective and efficient UBE program.
“In spite of the bailouts and the Paris Club refund funds, the state government couldn’t settle outstanding salaries of its public servants for so some months and still counting.
“The pensioners are also subjected to what Wole Soyinka would describe in his “The Man Died”, as “suffering from cerebro-stomach meningitis,” a presented complication, resulting from suffocating poverty for lack of payments of their pensions.
“Indigenous contractors are also groaning in spite of the huge loans alleged to have been accessed by the state government for capital projects.
“The roads construction you’re talking about, does not cover the rural areas suffering from dysfunctional healthcare system and the rot in education.
“Social amenities are also lacking in the state where water vendors make their day, unless otherwise, the rich sinks their boreholes.
“The seeming supporters of Bindow government via the social media you were referring to are direct beneficiaries of SA allowances. Some of whom were hitherto critics of the inefficiency but have eventually mortgaged their consciences for a miserable monthly amount; with low estimation are they measured.
“You shouldn’t be misled by lies and deception that it’s the Fulani, this time, not Adamawa based in Abuja politicians, are alleged to be trying to pull-down or bring down, against being back Bindow because of tribal sentiment.
“Governor Boni Haruna did not attribute his disappointment to have resulted from ethnicity, neither did Governor Murtala Hammanyero Nyako, the Baba Maimangoro of our time; why with Governor Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla Bindow?” The enlightened articulated.
I had a haircut and would have to leave. I would have contributed an experience into the debate with the crisis associated with the monarchies in Michika and Maiha. And why in the case of Maiha, the court order was not honoured by the Adamawa state governor exactly three months after the ruling that defeated his choice, conditioned by fascism, to keep the monarchy in Jalingo-Maiha away from the conspiracy to anarchy
Or is it the Fulani hate thing the other way? Peace