By Ahmad Manga, Jalingo
Arising from the supreme court judgement that thrashed out the judgement of both the Kano Election Petition Tribunal and that of the Appeal Court in the case of Gawuna Vs Abba Kabir Yusuf both of Kano state, is a testimony of resilient, doggedness and courage.
The people of Kano have never before so united as in this case. The mammoth crowd that came out to welcome Abba Kabir, the executive governor of Kano while coming back from Abuja after the passage of this land mark judgement further gave credence to the validation of the people’s mandate by the supreme court.
Abba Kabir Yusuf is a trained civil engineer who jettisoned the profession that could have fetch him more money for his personal needs to pursue service to his people in the world of politics.
It is well known to many that even during his days as a student in Kaduna Polytechnic, Mubi Federal Polytechnic then Bayero University, Abba was a people-centered personality who places public interest above self.
His desire to change things for the betterment of his people constitutes the driving force that propelled him into politics. However, Kabir was quite aware of the murky waters that is contained in the bowl of politics and decided to tread it with caution, by aligning with a good mentor and the real player in Kano State politics.
Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso happens to be the father in-law of the agile and highly versatile Kabir. This indeed a connecting point for Kabir to be properly mentored. The people of Kano have witnessed the immense developmental activities and contributions of Kano state by the Rabiu Kwankwaso led government of two terms.
They believed in the philosophy of the man as coded in the “Kwankwasiya”, movement. Kabir’s sojourn in the Kwankwasiya movement provided a mentoring ground for him in terms of leadership, resilience, tenacity and courage.
He was the personal assistant to Kwankwaso since 1999 when the Kano political war-lord was the governor of the state. No doubt Kabir has learnt a lot under his tutelage and therefore, found him worthy both in terms of character and learning to take Kano further than Kwankwaso left it.
The Kano people have seen the colossal damage done to their social and structural foundation by the past administration. They were standing helpless why the government that was not people-centered went ahead debasing Kano and her cultural heritage of commerce, humility, resourcefulness, discipline and accountability.
We have been taken afar from sanity to brigandry and way-wardness backed by non-challant attitude to human development far from what we are witnessing today in the governance of probity championed by Abba Yusuf.
In his less than one year of taking over Kano, Kabir Yusuf has demonstrated he is the true reincarnate of the dogged Kwankwaso per excellence. He represents credit and credibility. He pursues people-oriented projects with all his vigour and refused to be cowed by the discerning voices of the opposition in the state. He cruises round the state to feel the pulse of the masses.
He pushes students to pursuit academia even in far away places. He redesigns the Kano city to buy back the lost architecture of the ancient city.When Kwankwaso wanted to bring Abba in 2019 to put things in order some negative forces came out to play and things went the way it was.
Now, the 2023 election has provided the needed opportunity and Kwankwaso insisted that Abba must come to save Kano. He was right after all Abba was the man the people wanted. It was supposed to be a done deal but the force coming from the opposite direction attempted to push it off the head of the people of Kano.
Alas! We have won with a grand ovation coming from the people legally supported by the highest court of the land. The victory is for the people of Kano. It is for democracy. The victory is that of total development of Kano. It is echoing in the both the rural and city walls. On the streets, the people walk with it and in the meadows the farmers feel it.
The civil servants, traders, artisans and millionaires herald the validation of the seat of Abba which according to them means more dividends of democracy and peaceful coexistence among the various communities that make up the great Kano. While we celebrate this great victory, we will continue to pray that the negative forces shall never return and may the days of Abba take Kano back to the global map, as centre of commerce, the pillar of religious harmony, the platform of political maturity, the gate to northern Nigeria and the epicentre of social diffusion.
We will trade from the grand market in Dawanau to through Gaya the home town of Abba, and Kumbotso to the agrarian land of Rano, in peace and in riches. The pupils are chanting songs of victory because Abba refused to be up-rooted and are hopeful that knowledge will continue to flourish in their schools as promised and initiated by Abba Kabir.
The golden days of Kwankwaso when Kano was on the fore front is back and the people have no cause to stop celebrating. The victory is for Kano and the lost is to the wins. This is the power of docility, courage, loyalty and doggedness. Congratulations Abba!