Re: Banning social activities in Kano

A letter to the editor written by one Fahad Ibrahim Danladi on the above subject and published by Daily Trust, last Friday, is nothing but an exercise in shouting for the wolf where there is none. It is one of those jaundiced pieces that one would just read and hiss over it knowing that the […]

A letter to the editor written by one Fahad Ibrahim Danladi on the above subject and published by Daily Trust, last Friday, is nothing but an exercise in shouting for the wolf where there is none.
It is one of those jaundiced pieces that one would just read and hiss over it knowing that the writer is totally out of tune with reality or is just writing out of mischief. However, the topic and the entire body of the piece have implications that cannot just be allowed to stand for the benefit of our dear state and its good people.
The crux of the jaded piece is to insinuate that the Kano state government is suppressing socio-cultural expressions by banning social events lined up for young people during this sallah period. This is very far from the truth and it should be exposed for what it is because one should not be allowed to use one’s political difference with someone to rubbish the entire state. Of course there is no doubt about the fact that letter to the editor was just conceived as a political weapon to attack the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who has in the past one year taken Kano to greater heights.
Contrary to the misinformation peddled in the said article, the Kano state government did not ban social gatherings at sallah period. On the contrary, the government encouraged and supported lawful sallah festivities, including giving a major push for the traditional sallah durbar. 
Even a cursory observer on social and traditional media platforms must have observed how the Kanodurbar16 hashtag trended throughout the sallah period and the glitz and glamour added to the show which attracted several tourists, apart from making the sallah fun and entertaining for the residents of Kano.   
I also know for sure that popular events and recreational centres in Kano featured elaborate sallah gigs with musicians of different genres featured over the five days the sallah festivities lasted. Koroso cultural troupes performed for days at Gidan Dan Hausa alongside stage drama. Another big show was staged at the Trade Fair Ground where prominent Hausa film actors and actresses entertained their fans and young people had as much fun as possible without any hindrance.
Having said that however, we must note that a government is both the custodians of peoples wellbeing and their values. In as much as the state government would encourage socio-cultural expressions, it would also not hesitate to draw the line where the cultural ethos of Kano people is infringed on. And we as indigenes of Kano state fully support such regulations.
Importantly however, we must thank God almighty and President Muhammadu Buhari as well as appreciate Governor Ganduje for having one full course of sallah celebrations without any security breach or incidence. This feat did not just happen. The governor took the lead by having the state security council fully prepared to give Kano and Kanawa a sallah to remember. To the glory of God, we had the most memorable and peaceful sallah feast in recent years.

Yusuf Sadiq  salihu tanko 
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