The Shema I know

It is all legitimate for anyone who has satisfied the educational and political requirements of the Constitution to aspire to become the next governor of Katsina State. I see no reason however why this must be done on the basis of lies and half-truths. Where a man has successfully ruled our state for seven years […]

It is all legitimate for anyone who has satisfied the educational and political requirements of the Constitution to aspire to become the next governor of Katsina State. I see no reason however why this must be done on the basis of lies and half-truths. Where a man has successfully ruled our state for seven years and has chalked up for himself an enviable record of achievement, I expect all those who are fighting to succeed him to concede this fact and to promise to build up on it. If they like, they can promise voters that they will exceed Shema’s record. If the voters believe them, maybe based on their previous record in other capacities, they could well be voted into office.
I owe it a duty to remind us about certain elements of the Ibrahim Shehu Shema persona that we ought not to forget in the history of Katsina State. First of all, he had adequate preparation for the office at the time Allah chose him to become the Governor. Shema was the Attorney General of Katsina State for four years under Governor Umaru Musa Yar’adua from 1999 to 2003.  In 2005, Shema was one of the delegates that represented Katsina State at the National Political Reform Conference. It was a case of putting our best foot forward, and the quality of representation that he provided in that assignment is one that Katsina State is still reaping the fruits. It was no surprise that soon after that, he was elected the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP.
Two years later, he was made to step forward and contest for election for the position of Governor of Katsina State. His own record of achievement earned him a second term in office in 2011, overcoming great political odds.
This son of Katsina has occupied many important positions; but he never lobbied for any of them. In all cases he was identified and selected by the elders of Katsina State and outside for very challenging assignments. They did that because they saw in him the qualities of hard work, competence, patience, respect for elders, abhorrence of greed and wrong-doing as well as abiding love for the common man. In 2007 when he was campaigning for governor and again in 2011, Ibrahim Shema used to say, “Oh Allah, if You give me power, also give me the ability to use it justly according to Your dictates. If I will not be just, Allah deny me this quest for power.”
Personally, I believe that he has justified this pledge to be just, give or take normal human shortcomings. Shema’s first act when he took the oath of office of Governor was to sign a bill providing full, free, compulsory and universal primary and secondary education for all Katsina State indigenes. He followed that up by providing hundreds of new schools and refurbishing all the old ones. He also provided free ante-natal care for pregnant women and for young children.
I know human memories are short, but let us never forget how Governor Shema dealt with the issue of kauraye.  These political thugs had become the single biggest menace to peace and progress in Katsina State. When some people argued that kauraye were needed, Shema said he could not see why, if his own son could become a useful member of society, the son of poor parents should not also be educated and empowered to become a useful member of society. He then built the huge Youth and Craft Village that teaches a dozen different skills. All the former kauraye went through it and were then given the tools and seed money to start a trade. It is one of the most successful social experiments in the history of our state.
Therefore, all the people who are now running around and trying to tarnish the record of this great son of Katsina and saying that he is looking for another office, I am urging them to please calm down and look at the truth in the face. No one can permanently hide this shining ray of sunlight by raising harmattan dust.

Kurfi wrote from Katsina  <[email protected]>;