The drawbacks of Kwankwasiyya

Kwankwaso first become governor in 1999. But by 2003, his government got so out of touch with the people that, despite his party’s then (PDP) rigging machine, he became the first incumbent to fail to get re-elected. But Kwankwaso resurfaced in 2011 to capitalize on the mistakes of General Muhammadu Buhari on his choice of […]

Kwankwaso first become governor in 1999. But by 2003, his government got so out of touch with the people that, despite his party’s then (PDP) rigging machine, he became the first incumbent to fail to get re-elected. But Kwankwaso resurfaced in 2011 to capitalize on the mistakes of General Muhammadu Buhari on his choice of candidates in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to give Kwankwaso a resounding victory to return to Government House.
Since this return, many have argued, and they are backed by empirical evidence, that Gov. Kwan-kwaso has been doing a great job. But his doctrine of Kwankwasiyya which seems to have caught on in Kano is without doubt a personal portrait. The last local government elections in which he trounced the PDP in all respects may be sweet today; however it could breed fanaticism. If it is true that the governor is nursing a presidential ambition, methinks he has already handed victory to his opponents. It begins with the imposition of uniforms on the people. This all-white and all-red in garments and head gear respectively will not fly with Nigerians. What is good for Kano may not be possible and practical for Nigeria. A case of what is good for the goose not being good for the swan. In Kano, those two colours can guarantee one a place on the high table; and coming to a gathering without them can land one in trouble. It is that simple, so the Kwankwasiyya adherents believe. But it is neither right nor fair.
To a large extent the philosophy has succeeded in the ancient city but it will be a herculean task selling it beyond its walls. That is why I raise the question if Kwankwaso, despite his phenomenal showing in his second coming in Kano, is repeating his mistakes of yesterday.
Personality cults have mostly remained a significant characteristic of totalitarian regimes. Ideas attributed to individuals are propagated with the intention of bringing about radical transformation in society. Gradually, the ideas become subordinate to the individual while his role in society becomes all-important. He is worshipped as a hero and regarded as someone playing a significant role in creating history. But I keep wondering which will outlive the other between Kwankwaso and Kwankwasiyya.
In a society plagued by religious extremism, terrorism, lawlessness and disorder, it is dangerous for academics, social groups and politicians to rely on personalities rather than their ideas, concepts and thoughts, to counter these burning issues. For example, I talked with some Kano intellectuals who believe that Kwankwaso is reviving the teachings of Malam Aminu Kano. They even say it could weaken or even wipe out religious extremism from their society. But in my thinking, which of course they find strange, you cannot revive the past, nor implement values of yore, to solve the problems of today. But my dictation that the movement may eventually prove futile has been viewed with disdain. However, I insist that Kwankwasiyya is bad for talaka. The problem is not in its socioeconomic principles. It is in its affiliation with religion. It could ultimately spell doom for the state and beyond. It is a future hazard.
All civilized societies have managed to separate religion from politics. But Kano seems to be moving in the other direction because it suits the governor. The gains may be respectable today, but if Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition is eventually realized in APC, the diverse communities of Nigeria will dress in a quandary. In spite of the critical level to which sycophancy has been elevated in this country, it is unlikely that the Igwes of Igboland will discard their traditional attire for the Kwankwasiyya drapery or the title holders of the Niger Delta, who revel in dark garbs, to now look snow white. Will the flamboyant Yoruba Obas shift gear? I doubt if that would be fashionable, because the insidious implication of the attire is more likely to be successful in Kano today than it would be in Nigeria tomorrow. That is why there is a fundamental flaw in the manner Kwakwaso is handling business today.
I find a radical departure from his description of success when I cue-in the U.S. Constitution. After much debate and argument, the founding fathers of the United States decided to separate religion from politics. Even the French Revolution maintained that religion was a private matter. But Kwakwasiyya is finding a place for religion by his politics. I have seen in Kano how people are sneered at if they did not join prayers when the Azan is sounded. I wondered if the entire people of Kano would continue to remain mono-religious. It is like expecting all Igbo to be catholic.
History is a useful tool to understand the problems in a society. In Kwankwasiyya, we are seeing the symptoms not the disease. Personality cults create a slavish, herd-mentality and hinder progress. The fallacy of Kwankwasiyya is that if ideas are to inspire younger generations to emulate heroes to throttle free thinking Kwankwasiyya encourages the young generation to blindly follow. The result when the future is here is a stagnating society – the type that Nigerians would call all movement, no motion. I believe that even in Kano, the drawbacks of Kwankwasiyya will begin to manifest after 2015 if he does not succeed in choosing a successor. And if the APC hands him its presidential ticket, it would have handed victory on a platter to the PDP candidate.