Ganduje, as seen through humourous eyes

While having a chat with an elderly woman voter around the vicinity of Gidan Zakka Polling Unit in the metropolitan Kano in 2015, a boldly written message of patriotism was visibly noticeable all over the face of this elder-stateswoman in her late 90s. Her presence brought curiosity, on why she defied odds ranging from health […]

While having a chat with an elderly woman voter around the vicinity of Gidan Zakka Polling Unit in the metropolitan Kano in 2015, a boldly written message of patriotism was visibly noticeable all over the face of this elder-stateswoman in her late 90s. Her presence brought curiosity, on why she defied odds ranging from health challenges and physical stress associated with crowded voters. Her terse but objective response signalled a dawn of a new era in the state:  “It is Ganduje, in anticipation of him constructing our neglected Kofar Waika road!” 

Had it been Hajiya ‘Yar Gwaggo were alive, she would have cast aspersions and innuendos to whoever is sabotaging her elected leader, from realizing her long-term cherished social infrastructure needed by her community.  May be ‘Yar Gwaggo, as she’s fondly called in her locality, may not reserve her displeasure having forsaken valuable time to contribute to Ganduje’s victory. The octogenarian would have preferred to remain indoors, but not for her antecedents of having lived substantially up South-West – an experience that sharpened her drive to exercise her franchise. 

‘Yar Gwaggo, like many of our pregnant mums and retinue of elders, wouldn’t have lost sleep to escort and defend votes for transparency in replication of the former Edo State governor’s advocacy for ‘One Man, One Vote’, but for the belief that her candidate would, on assumption of leadership exercise uncommon administrative skills. 

Our promising youths, who constitute a bulk of the voters wouldn’t have abandoned their various means of livelihood but for Ganduje’s success. Also, they wouldn’t have donated drinks to quench thirst amongst voters in demonstration of unparalleled solidarity geared at their preferred candidate. 

Kofar Waika road project, which is less than 1½km from Gidan Zakka wouldn’t have been a nightmare to pregnant mothers and expected babies. However, this untarred road wouldn’t have been a source of abrupt termination of the lives of many, but for the undeserved neglect suffered continuously largely associated with failure of good governance, riding on a torrent of excuses to do the needful on the guise of dwindling revenue. The presence of unstable revenue accruable to the state has not in any way stopped the leadership from placing series of congratulatory adverts to self, spouses and/or political godfathers.

As humourous as this article may sound, though devoid of fiction, our crop of girls of voting age wouldn’t have voted the incumbent had it been prophesized that their preference, Ganduje, will brazenly prefer tarring many roads, crescents and boulevards within a clime called ‘Jan-Bulo Housing Estate’, an area that hosts his estranged deputy at the detriment of the masses! That crop of voting damsels wouldn’t have lost hours of regular weekend studies at Islamiyya/Qur’anic schools had it been known that Ganduje will be insensitive to their locality – causing their community’s continued relegation to third class status comparable to his preferred areas. This is, in spite of harboring a very negligible or handful of voters who rarely queue up to honour national call unlike hundreds of thousands of Kofar Waika residents! 

A chain of children of weaning age wouldn’t have missed the care and comfort of their mums who had sacrificed their care in lieu of votes for Ganduje – unlike the apathy showing interest of negligible voters in the select highbrow residential areas who become the new bride.

The renowned enclave of over 200 Qur’anic Memorizers of Kofar Waika wouldn’t have congregated simultaneously to recite a number of verses of the Holy Book “from Baqara to Nas” in addition to series of success prayers but for the hope that the incumbent helmsman will not be another despot like one of his predecessors. Islamic singers under the umbrella of the Shu’a’ra’i Society of Nigeria wouldn’t have composed a thought-provoking prayer for God’s intervention to garner support and victory on the incumbent. 

While on a personal note, one wouldn’t have been a promoter of Ganduje’s ideals (until discouraged and proved otherwise) for neglecting a community that massively voted for him – and for recurring feature of Kofar Waika road project in the state’s annual budgets without same being fulfilled since 2015. 

As satirical as this paragraph may seem to a cynic or pessimist, newborn babies wouldn’t have been named ‘Abdullahi’ in multiples had it been known that the honor of naming an innocent soul after him will be proved otherwise. Multitude of Qur’anic pupils and/or students scattered at Kofar Waika wouldn’t have committed their eve of election for a special night vigil for the pendulum to swing in favour of Ganduje had it been predicted that their candidate’s so-called association with the ideals and ideologies of Late Governor Muhammad Abubakar Rimi (of blessed memory) in rural and urban renewal is unachievable under the new helmsman at Nigeria’s most populous state. This crop of future Qur’anic memorizers wouldn’t have done what they did humanly possible in groups and solitary confinement with God, had it been prophesized that their quest for a tarred road at Kofar Waika wouldn’t have been realized in spite of the fact that the current leadership is about to clock 3 years out of a 4-year term. 

The crème de la crème of businessmen around Kofar Waika led by a die-hard Ganduje supporter, Alhaji Dattijo Sulaiman, wouldn’t have mobilized all on-board free tricycle rides to ease movement of voters, especially women. And wouldn’t have fed the needy electorates, the thirsty and the aged had it been further prophesized that it will take their preferred candidate (on assumption of office) 3 consecutive years “to identify and mark the potentials structures meant for demolition with ‘red paint’ pending another lengthy period of computing compensation to the affected property owners.” 

Devoid of any humour, residents of Kofar Waika community, in particular the various stakeholders aforementioned and its environs not limited to Unguwar Dabai, Yalwa, Gwauron-Dutse, plead to the governor of Kano State, Ganduje, to construct the less than 1½km neglected and unmotorable road linking Gidan Zakka to Kofar Waika within the remaining life-span of his first tenure. Here’s to waiting, with bright hope.

Ayagi wrote from No. 1501, Layin Bashir Dan-Musa, Gwauron-Dutse, Kano (Email:  [email protected])