RE: PMB, BRING BACK GMB!

Back on March 17, 2007 (more than 12 years ago) on this same page, I had published an article titled “WHEN A LEADER SEEMS POSSESSED” (which appeared a week after ‘MY SON’S FRENCH HOMEWORK’ for those with a long memory of this Column.) In “POSSESED”, I had discussed an unnamed political leader of an unnamed […]

Back on March 17, 2007 (more than 12 years ago) on this same page, I had published an article titled “WHEN A LEADER SEEMS POSSESSED” (which appeared a week after ‘MY SON’S FRENCH HOMEWORK’ for those with a long memory of this Column.) In “POSSESED”, I had discussed an unnamed political leader of an unnamed party who was losing followers (or ‘masoya’) at every opportunity by NOT being able to maintain and keep them close. I had argued in that piece that it might be that leading politician may be ‘possessed’ by something evil, sinister.

That 2007 Column got me very mixed reactions because the love that the masses had (and still have) for that particular leader had blinded almost everyone to any fault on his part, or a perceived hold on him by others, and they (the followers) couldn’t believe there was something amiss. A decade later, by 2017, many who didn’t believe my 2007 hypothesis (about that leader being possessed) turned to voice out the same feelings stated on this very page. And all of us should now think critically on this – even though as ‘Yan Boko we are hard to convince on these invisible forces.

I shall bring up some snippets from that 12-year article while interspersing some reactions from last week’s “PMB, BRING BACK GMB!”

ABDULRAHMAN MODIBBO ([email protected]): “I have always said Nigerians voted for GMB but got PMB as our president. In fear of GMB, Nigerians were reset to their default settings in his first three months in power before we realised it was PMB, and things went back to normal.”

In that 2007 article, I had said, among other things: “Most oppressors and others who have no iman (absolute submission to God) resort to unorthodox and foul means (sorcery or magic, in plain language) to perpetuate their hold on others. Devil worship exists in all cultures and religions. Among Muslims, parts of the Qur’an, such as the powerful Sura Yasin, are used by these devilish people to turn the tide of nature from where it is intended. The Prophet of Islam Muhammad, upon whom be peace, was himself once a victim of sorcery. From thence, we know that no man (or woman, for that matter) can escape sorcery.

“Apocryphal tales abound in Kano politics of how such diabolical means were used to obtain a forced divorce, in 1980, between Kano’s talakawa leader, Mallam Aminu Kano, and his then anointed son, Governor Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi. The perpetrators surrounding the Mallam (and perhaps those around the Governor too) plotted and plotted until they succeeded in obtaining a violent and irreparable divorce that was so nasty that, when Mallam Aminu Kano died in April 1983, he was not even on speaking terms with Rimi.

ABBATI GUMEL ([email protected]): “It is pertinent to note that the GMB who started reshaping the country but was overthrown some 35 years ago must have suffered some defects, damages and destructions from the hands of leaders who terrorised the country and destabilised it. Remember, the exchange rate of 35 years ago was one US Dollar to 0.60kobo. Likewise, cost of petrol per litre was less than 0.15kobo when a new car cost between N4,000 to N6,000. There were so many economic instances that could not be conveniently accommodated with present day realities, which included the take home pay of N120 per month of middle cadre civil servant in those 35 years ago of GMB in power. All that the PMB could do today, I suggest, is for him to continue the considerable task of rebuilding the country with a view to reducing the rampant naked stealing of public funds.”

“It is happening again in this 2007. Another Leader, who has become a darling of the Kanawa, has gone the Mallam Aminu Kano way of fighting all his followers. All of a sudden, the Leader is decimating his followers and adherents right, left and centre. The suspected perpetrators who surround him have the Leader well possessed; he seems to be in their power. And there can only be one explanation: the Leader may indeed be possessed. Fearful as the scenario could be, it just has to be that there are demonic forces at play. What we are apparently dealing with here may be a Demon known in Hausa as Fasa Taro (‘Scatter the Crowds’). This is the devil used by the wicked ones to divest a popular leader of his ardent and loyal followers. It has happened in many instances before, and there is no reason to believe it is not happening to the Leader now.

ADAMU BAPPAH ([email protected]): “Your historical perspective of GMB and the performance of PMB in respect to the discourse is placed adequately. However, you are aware that GMB was operating as a military leader while PMB is implementing a civilian Constitution, and so has to follow due process. In my opinion, to ensure quick dispensation of corruption cases requires working in synergy with the Legislative and Judicial Arms with the desired intent of doing away with this menace. Equally, it is also paramount for us as citizens who want this to be achieved to give our leaders maximum cooperation and understanding.”

“Most people under spells usually vehemently oppose any such explanation of their irrational behaviour. Most likely the Leader may not believe what I am saying here, but the general belief is that that is what the whole followership believes.

“The word magic, from the Old Persian  Magus (the Zoroastrian astrologer priest of the Medes ), entered the English language in the late 14th century from Old French magique. Likewise, sorcery was taken in about 1300 from Old French sorcerie, which is from Latin  sortiarius, from sors “fate”, apparently meaning “one who influences fate.” Muslims  know about sorcery; some even dabble in it, though Islam explicitly forbids the practice of Sihr, the Arabic word for sorcery or magic. In the Qur’an, Allah makes reference to the fact that the devils taught sorcery to mankind:

‘And they follow that which the devils falsely related against the kingdom of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman disbelieved not; but the devils  disbelieved, teaching mankind sorcery… (al-Qur’an Sura Baqara: 102)’

“In interpreting this verse, Sayyid Qutb said that people should say what is best all the time in order to prevent Satan from sowing seeds of discord and enmity between men. The Devil is represented on earth by smaller devils and, sometimes, by men who are evil-intentioned.

MUSLIHU AMINU ([email protected]): “Thank you for writing our minds Mallam. And how we all wish for the return of GMB who should be more radical in approach, so as to align with the present level of general indiscipline. Being a democratic regime, the GMB should have had an ‘Idiagbon’ Senate President and a ‘Sani Sami’ House Speaker. Sir, it was Sani Sami, as then old Bauchi State Governor, that fought the Maitatsine of Gombe to a standstill.”

“Whatever it is that is afflicting the Leader, it is very serious. We must altogether unite and cast out the Devils entangling him. So now, let us all recite Suras Falaq and Nas several times: may the spells encumbering the Leader be unravelled, and may the Leader’s eyes be opened.

All say Amen.