Kwankwaso, education and the breathtaking arrogance of his disciples (II)

Let’s take a recent case to illustrate this. A couple of months ago, Kano State prepared 100 girls to study medicine in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Everybody agreed the process used in selecting the 100 students was fair and rigorous. However, the problem started with the system used in categorizing the students into Sudan and […]

Let’s take a recent case to illustrate this. A couple of months ago, Kano State prepared 100 girls to study medicine in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Everybody agreed the process used in selecting the 100 students was fair and rigorous. However, the problem started with the system used in categorizing the students into Sudan and Saudi Arabia groups. Naturally, many students – and their parents – wanted to go to Saudi Arabia (because the university in Saudi is an American university). 
Some parents alleged that, one, there was no objective system used for the categorization. Two, children of Kwankwasiya parents were assigned to the Saudi group while non-Kwankwasiya students were left in the Sudan group.  Three, even students who had better results were put in the Sudan group while those with less stellar results were eased into the Saudi group (the students know themselves because some of them are friends).
When Kwankwaso’s aides and supporters had the clarity of mind to respond (after they had insulted everyone who dared to challenge their nebulous process, including branding them as Shekarau supporters), they still didn’t make sense.  Firstly, they said that whoever gets the scholarship whether rich or poor, Kwankwasiyya or no, is a child of Kano. This is true. 
Secondly, they said even if it’s true that the students in the Saudi group are children of parents of members of Kwankwasiyya movement, there’s nothing wrong with that because it was through their fathers’ efforts that the incumbent government was elected. 
This is where the argument falls apart. Unlike the truth which is always straightforward, their explanation took a curve here.  And if someone starts talking like this, chances are he’s getting ready to shaft you.
It’s important to realize that Kwankwaso is the governor of all Kano people.  It doesn’t matter who elected him – it’s assumed that the majority of the people did, since Kwankwasiyya people alone can’t make him governor. The governor is free to appoint those who helped with his campaign to executive positions, but to restrict certain scholarships to his supporters has an unmistakable propinquity to criminality – especially when the funds used for such projects are not the governor’s personal inheritance.
The third argument they used is that previous governors didn’t do as much as the incumbent is doing and concluded that it’s because Kwankwaso runs a transparent government that critics have something to criticize.
In fairness to Kwankwaso, his administration is fairly transparent. All the minutes of the council meetings are always posted online, and people with good ideas to share with the government are always enthusiastically received by the governor.
However, changing government by definition means the succeeding government will be better than the previous one – if not, there wouldn’t be any need for the change. But this fact sometimes escapes the Kwankwasiyya folks. What’s wrong with accepting that you’ve made mistakes – even if you have to use the political language: “mistakes have been made”?   I personally asked them (twice) what criterion they utilized in the classification, but they couldn’t tell.
This is where you ask what my business is with how Kano is governed.
Firstly, my father was born and grew up in Kano. Secondly, as a mutumin Arewa, if Kano succeeds it’s the pride of all yan Arewa.  Thirdly, I prefer to come home and live in Kano (in case my governor refuses to straighten out Niger) than live in the Diaspora.
Update on Algebra Ninja project
For about two weeks, I couldn’t sleep easily because I promised readers that we would receive some of the algebra books, but that didn’t happen.  I planned to purchase 100 copies and the chairman of Kaduna North local government pledged 100 copies. Out of my 100 copies, Alhaji Nahuche, the Abuja coordinator of Algebra Ninja, pledged to donate 50 copies.
However, I couldn’t order the books because, even though I could pay for the copies, I couldn’t afford to pay for the shipping cost from the US to Nigeria. So I’d planned to share the cost of the shipping with the chairman if we ordered 200 copies at the same time.  But up until now, the chairman has not honoured his pledge.
However, there’s good news. In one of our online forums, Dr. Mukhtar Gadanya introduced a new bookstore to members. “Just had an opportunity to be introduced to a bookshop on Zoo Road in Kano,” he said.
“To be very candid, the last time I saw the number and variety of books as in that bookshop was about three years ago at St. Pancras in London. I just bought a few educational books for children. The manager AbdulMajid Yakubu Daudu is not a friend, neither is he a relative; but the good job of bringing those books under one roof is monumental, and deserves to be encouraged.”
I called the manager, Mal. Abdul Majid, informed him about our project and requested that he stocks the books, which he agreed to do.  Thus, this is a heavy weight lifted from my shoulders; besides, Mal. Abdul Majid mainly buys his books from the US, which is where the Algebra Survival Guide (by Josh Rappaport) is published.
This makes things easier for the donors; and we implore them (especially the chairman, Kaduna North LGA and Ra’ayi Riga Forum) to honour their pledges. Those who have not made a decision, please, this is the right time to donate; let’s help our students succeed in mathematics and other science subjects. Name of donors will be published online and on this page.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, please email me so that I can send you the previous columns related to the subject. This is the address of the Mr. Abdul Majid’s bookstore: Arewa Book Mart, Suit 5, Gidan Saude, Beside First Bank, Zoo Road, Kano. Email: [email protected]. Phone: 08067512196