By Ahmad Sajoh, PhD, fnipr
BEING A TALK DELIVERED AT THE DA’AMA ANNUAL DAY IN MUBI ADAMAWA STATE ON SATURDAY THE 30TH OF DECEMBER 2023
Introduction:
Words alone cannot express how highly honoured I feel being invited to deliver this small talk to my brothers and sisters on this auspicious day. This year alone I have had 17 speaking engagements across Nigeria in Lagos, Abuja, Awka, Ibadan, Minna and Kaduna. This is in addition to several media engagements on National TV and Radio. However, let me categorically say that none compares to this one. Speaking to your family is the greatest honour you can get. Many of you are aware of the phrase “A prophet has no honour at home” Well you have honoured me here at home and I truly appreciate it. But please let me also seek your forgiveness because sometimes I could be brutally frank in my views. This is because I believe very sincerely that at my age and station in life nothing should stop me from telling the truth. I say it all the time, in my lectures and in my media interventions. So, some of the things I will say today may sound unpalatable but they are the truth we need to tell ourselves.
What is our purpose?
If I understand the concept of Da’ama correctly our main purpose is to unite the peoples of our three ethnic groups around a common thread to aid our growth and development as a community within humanity. The initial concept was to have no barriers of any kind. Yes, we dreamt of a united Da’ama community both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora particularly our neighborhood of Cameroon. However, my candid observation is that we are not even effectively filling the Nigerian public space let alone the other parts of the world. I think it’s time we re-evaluated ourselves and consider how much of our goals we have achieved. We should strive to build a stronger bond of unity within Da’ama.
However, let me caution that in uniting ourselves we must be conscious of emerging trends around the world. Exclusivity is not serving any group positive purpose in an increasingly globalized world. We cannot afford to isolate ourselves or antagonize others in a world that is now a global village in the true sense of the word. But we must unite in order to make any impact. However, like Chinua Achebe said “when you talk about unity, first decide what you are going to do with that unity. A People united to kill someone are indeed united, but is there unity positive?”
So, our unity should be with a purpose to promote our collective interests, preserve our unique identity and cooperate with other human beings of all races and languages that God Almighty made us share space and humanity together. It is and should never be a “we” vs “them” affair. Our unity should be to enable us create opportunities for self actualization for our people within an atmosphere that provides the same for others in a cooperative and mutually beneficial manner.
Freedom is not Free:
The title of my talk is very apt for the situation we are in today. Many people believe that freedom is always available when you are not in bondage, servitude or slavery. Let me state very categorically that there are many situations that impede your freedom beyond bondage. One cannot be poor and still be free. One cannot be deprived of opportunities to govern oneself and still be free. One cannot lack opportunities for self-growth and still claim to be free. Freedom is the ability to determine one’s destiny within an atmosphere of growth opportunities. These include opportunities for quality and functional education, for economic sustenance and for the choices of who governs and determines our affairs. These propositions are not free. Like we always say “there is no free lunch even in Freetown” Freedom is not free. You need to consciously seek for and work for your own freedom.
Political freedom:
The sad reality today is that if someone comes to Abuja the seat of power in Nigeria and wants to conduct a census of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria within the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary branches of government at the Federal level, it will only be due to the benevolence of others that anyone of our three ethnic groups will be mentioned. We do not have a representative on any of these bodies. And the worst is that we may not see it as a set-back at all. So long as a few of us can afford to get some crumbs from the tables of those in power they are ready and willing to even destroy a fellow Da’ama person for their own survival. And our elders are mostly cocooned here at home claiming to be stakeholders who are always in the forefront of claiming peanuts from powers-that-be mostly at the state level without considering our larger interests or propping up the younger ones with potentials to break through to the top.
I agree totally with the notion that Nigerian politics is a dirty game. It is absolutely dirty and sometimes even bloody. But do we run away from it because we want to remain clean? No, never. Giving up on politics is the same as giving up on your freedom by going to prison because they give free food. No matter how rich you are, no matter how educated you are and no matter how powerful you think you are, if you cannot influence policy, you have limited value. A councilor who influences policy may provide more value to the community than you. But in playing politics leadership recruitment is key. Let us try to promote the best amongst us, not just those with money or connection to powerful godfathers. Good people influence good policies.
I give you an example. When the Adamawa state University was established in 2002, there was no policy on catchment area. Consequently, the number of people employed and even admitted from our area was dismal. I remember it was my humble self, Barrister Magai Vimtim Magai, Dr. Hassan Tanko and the late Professor Moruppa that fought a spirited battle to ensure that Mubi Noth, Mubi South and Maiha were considered catchment areas with some priority and advantage in staff recruitment and student admissions. Till today we are benefitting from that advantage. Many people got employed without even applying. Many got admitted despite not meeting requirements. I know a number who did not even consider ADSU their first or second choice. Some of those individuals are today playing great roles all over the country. That is the value of influencing policy. Our political freedom template should include positioning our people in roles that can influence policies that provide opportunities for Da’ama members. Let our politics be with a purpose. A purpose to serve the best interests of our people.
Economic freedom:
The biggest problem facing Nigeria today is poverty. And it is not just poverty but multidimensional poverty. This means lack of access to education, health care, decent roof over one’s head, nutrition, water supply and in extreme cases even toilet. In the past, at age 20 most young men and women were contributing to family upkeeps. Today at age 30 our children come home to ask for food from their mothers. That is definitely economic slavery.
Unfortunately, unlike other groups in the country particularly in the southern part, we have no empowerment template to support and pull each other out of economic doldrums. Rather we prefer that few of us are relatively comfortable and majority are dependents on the few. That in itself erodes freedom. Economic freedoms mean being in a position to enable others to attain economic wellbeing.
A new dangerous trend is the selling of our land in order to attain temporary relief from poverty. Let me caution that the entire crisis in Southern Kaduna and on the Plateau are products of poor locals selling off their lands to wealthy settlers. In time the locals realized they have no ancestral lands to farm on or engage in other productive activities. They became slaves on their lands. They then started seeking for their freedom. The settlers felt that their acquisitions were products of legitimate transactions which should be protected. Thus, the clashes began. From land matters it developed to social strife because Land is a factor of production and a source of prosperity. Lack of it exacerbates poverty and economic slavery. In time this initial struggle over land spiraled into fights over so many other issues. The farmer-herder clashes added to the mix, making land an even bigger factor. So, in order to avoid a future crisis and increase poverty in our area, we must enlighten our people to hold on to their land as the greatest economic resource given to them by God Almighty.
Social freedom:
Social freedom is about our identity, our norms, our values and our socialization process. How much of those are we willing to share with our kids and our communities? Are we actually passing values that enhance our humanity or demean us? At present we are more different than the same. Are we really encouraging our kids to appreciate the mercy of God in our lives by making us Da’ama people?
Rather it appears to me that we are more comfortable promoting values such as our religious differences, educational attainment, Socio-economic status and even the villages we come from instead of our oneness as a people. Its time we forged a common identity based on such values as equity, fairness, empathy, mutual respect and understanding. It may be difficult given how far we have drifted apart but a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Let us begin today.
The last word:
Let me end this conversation with another very important quotation from Chinua Achebe. “A man who calls his family and friends to a feast does not do so to save them from hunger. They all have food in their homes. When we gather at the village square in the moonlight, it is not because of the moon. Every man can see the moon in his compound. We meet because it is good to do so” Therefore let us keep meeting like this as brothers and sisters. The Lord shall be our strength.
Once more I wish to very sincerely appreciate you for giving me this opportunity to share my thoughts with you and for listening to me. Just remember that the greatest gift God Almighty gave us after the gift of life is the gift of freedom. Wealth, education or even social status cannot give freedom. You are only free if your people are free and they have livelihood opportunities. Thank you and God bless you all.