Kano State, Northwest Nigeria has over the years stood out as a bastion of democracy, rule of law and a land where the will of the people reign supreme.
Unlike other states in the Nigeria’s 36 states structure, Kano stands out because it is the one place where no one man has ever held sway as the “lord of manor.”
Since Malam Aminu Kano founded the Northern Elements Progressives Union (NEPU) alongside other great Nigerians including Sa’adu Zungur, Magaji Dambatta, and Bello Ijumun in 1950, the face of Kano politics assumed and enduring nature of the people first.
From NEPU to its later offshoot, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), the fine ideology of Malam Aminu Kano which is primarily rooted fighting for the welfare and justice for the masses, as against the “worshiping” of an overlord has shaped the politics of Kano State. It manifested in the later disciples like late Abubakar Rimi and Balarabe Musa who both took the political hegemony by storm in 1979 when they won Kano and Kaduna states respectively.
This culture has continued hence Kano has become one of the most important states as far as Nigerian politics and economy are concerned .
Again, Kano State is in the spotlight courtesy of the rabid and insatiable quest of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to greedily and forcefully push Nigeria into a one-party state; and yet again the people of Kano State are standing tall in the defence of their right to political self-determination.
During the 2023 general elections, the people of Kano State stood firm in their resolve to maintain their identity and pristine political ideology by ensuring that despite all the shenanigans of the ruling party under a fellow northern president, late Muhammadu Buhari, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) won Kano massively, from the state House of Assembly seats, the House of Representatives, the Senate and of course the holy grail, the governorship.
But in an APC-induced shift, the state governor, Malam Abba Yusuf has suddenly been bitten by the fake “connection to the centre” malware that is wantonly seeking crash our hard-earned democracy.
Thankfully, however, the people of Kano State remain resolute, they have not forgotten that hallowed path of Malam Aminu Kano, hence they immediately rallied to the residence of the leader of the NNPP, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso where they, in very clear terms, declared that they have not been bitten by that APC bug.
In fact, Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofar-Mata, the Kano State Commissioner for Science and Technology immediately resigned his appointment citing Governor Yusuf’s departure from the “ideology” that bought him to power.
In his own words, “I hereby resign my appointment as commissioner and member of the Kano State Executive Council. I cannot continue to work under a government that has derailed from the ideology that brought it to power.”
This to me and other advocates of the rule of law and constitutional democracy in Nigeria is a cheering news.
It is a cheering news because it is a testimony to the resilient spirit of the people of Kano State and by extension a large chunk of the people of Nigeria who still believe in the system and the need to strengthen the Nigerian democratic system to work for us all.
I have strong belief that in times to come, the Nigerian constitution will be made to conform with modern democratic realities whereby the mandate of the people will remain with the people. The current situation whereby the marauding, self-serving politicians can. at will decide to overturn the mandate of the people with a mere declaration of change of political logo is unacceptable and can never be sustainable- its continuance, no doubt has the capacity to capsize our democratic vessel.
Also, as Governor Abba Yusuf gets set to join the ruling APC, it is also instructive to note that other strong forces in Kano political firmament, including that of the current Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau J. Jibrin is potent enough to shape the days ahead.
No wonder Kano State today is home to the richest people in the black race, the can-do-spirit of an average Kano man. woman is unequalled, they believe in their ability to shape their reality and we should all be like them.
Kano is the last frontier, and in the interest of egalitarian democracy must not fall.