OPINION
Increased Revenue Allocation to States: How Impactful? – NAN Survey
In the wake of fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu, the monthly disbursement to the three tiers of government by the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) increased significantly.Based on statutory sharing formula, the Federal Government receives 52.68 per cent of the total sum while the States and Local Government Areas (LGAs) receive 26.
72 per cent and 20. 6 per cent respectively.The monthly allocation, particularly to states and local governments, is meant to fast track execution of viable economic and social infrastructure development projects at the grassroots. The allocation, which is readily available monthly, is expected to cushion the impact of the economic crunch and promote people-oriented programmes to improve overall wellbeing of the people.With the jettisoning of fuel subsidies which had cost the nation’s treasury over 10 billion dollar annually, more funds are, thus, made available by FAAC to the states.A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi, Jigawa and Gombe states, however, reveals that the citizens are yet to feel the impacts of the increased allocation, especially in mitigating the effects of fuel subsidy removal.The 2023 States’ Annual Report of FAAC, obtained by NAN reveals that, from January 2023 to May 2023, pre subsidy removal, the 36 states received a total net allocation of N1.19 trillion.The reports, obtained from Nigeria Governors’ Forum Repository, shows that from June to December of the same year, when President Tinubu removed fuel subsidy, the FAAC disbursement to the 36 states doubled.Specifically, the net allocation received within the period of June 2023 to December 2023, by the 36 states rose from N1.19 trillion to N2.31 trillion, an increase of about N1.12 trillion.Similarly, between January 2024 and June 2024 FAAC disbursed a total sum of N2.16 trillion to the 36 states.It is worthy of note that the funds captured above, excluded the 20.6 per cent federal allocation to the 774 LGAs, which was also paid to the states via joint account of the two tiers.Some residents of the three states, who spoke to NAN in separate interviews in Bauchi, Dutse and Gombe decried poor management of the funds by the respective state government.They said the increased funds were yet to translate into meaningful results in mitigating impacts of the fuel subsidy removal and alleviating their sufferings.Mr Rambi Ayala, Chairman, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Gombe State, said the citizens were passing through untold hardship in spite of the increased federal revenue allocation to the state running into billions of Naira.He said, although FAAC allocation to Gombe had doubled since the new administration came into power, there were no enhanced social services across the stateNAN reports that Gombe state, which received the least among the 37 states, got gross allocation of N78.72 billion from FAAC for the year 2023.Deduction from the statutory was N17.28 billion bringing its net allocation for the year to N61.43 billion.From the N61.43 billion net allocation to the state for the year, the pre-subsidy removal months of January to May 2023 accounted for N20.46 billion.With subsidy removal, the net allocation to the state from June to December, same year doubled to N40.97 billion an increase of N20.51 billion.On year over year comparison, from January to June 2023, the net FAAC allocation to Gombe was N25.6 billion which rose to N42.8 billion within the same period in 2024, an increase of N17.2 billion.Ayala alleged lack of transparency and prudent management of the funds by the government stressing that people are being impoverished even in midst of plenty.“A lot needs to be done in the state. For example, in my own area, Billiri LGA, I haven’t seen any significant projects since the ending of fuel subsidy.“The general hospital in Billiri is in terrible condition, with critical facilities in disrepair, and people have no idea how the funds are being used.“Also, we are in the farming season, yet, there aren’t enough inputs and equipment being provided to improve production and livelihood of farming communities,” he said.Ayala also alleged that palliatives meant for all Nigerians are often used to reward party loyalists.“In Gombe state, there is no clear formula for distributing the palliatives, to include the opposition.“This is particularly troubling because hunger doesn’t discriminate base on party or religion,” he said.Rabiu Babayo, a commercial motorcyclist, accused the state government of insensitivity and lack of commitment to addressing the challenges of the people.Babayo said government increased taxes on trades and services without recourse to the impacts on the people and businesses.Also, Ibrahim Yusuf, Chairman, Gombe Network for Civil Societies (GONET), said the state government has not initiated programmes and projects that would directly impact the people and ameliorate their sufferings“What we want the government to focus on is, human capital development and empowerment that will yield quick results,” he said .The situation is not different in Jigawa, where citizens alleged that the state government initiated white elephant projects at the detriment of the citizens.They alleged that the billions on Naira accruing to the state monthly from FAAC is not being used for people oriented projects and programmes.NAN reports that Jigawa state’s gross allocation from the Federation Account for the year 2023 amounted to N95.03.billion. Deduction from statutory was N3.39 billion bringing its net allocation for the year to N91.64 billion.From the N91.64 net allocation to the state for the year, the pre-subsidy removal months of January to May 2023 accounted for N32.86 billion.With the removal of subsidy, the net federal allocation to Jigawa from June 2023 to December 2023 rose to N58.68 billion, an increase of N25.72 billion.From January 2024 to June 2024, Jigawa received total net allocation of N60.14 billion, an increase of N20.11 billion when compared to N40.03 billion received within the same period in 2023Yau Garba, a resident of Dutse said the citizens expected the increased allocation to be deployed to agricultural projects, the economy mainstay of the the state.He said the government also failed to prioritise road and other infrastructure development for sustainable social and economic development of the state.“In the last one-year, Gov. Umar Namadi has travelled to many countries on the claim of understudying modern agricultural transformation methods.“His administration, however, has not justified the benefits of his adventures,” he said.A farmer in Kiyawa, Mohammed Aliyu said feeder roads leading to farm settlements in the states are in deplorable condition.“The fertilisers and seedlings distributed by the state government did not get to farmers, the direct beneficiaries.“The tractors brought to rural farmers are old and our people cannot afford to pay for the services.“Is this the agricultural transformation?“It is important for the government to embark on projects that will have direct impacts on the lives of the people,” he said.The resentment is not different in Bauchi, where Sabo Mohammed, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the government was economical with the truth on the actual amount that accrued to it from the federation account.He stressed the need for the state government to keep people informed on the amount being received from the federation account on monthly basis.According to him, such disclosure would ensure transparency, accountability and probity in the management of the funds towards achieving good governance.NAN reports that Bauchi state’s gross allocation from the Federation Account for the Year 2023 amounted to N98.422 billion. Deduction from statutory was N23.99 billion, bringing its net allocation for the year to N74.42 billion.From January to May of same year, which was subsidy regime, the net allocation to Bauchi state was, N25.26 billion.With the removal of subsidy, the net allocation to Bauchi state from FAAC between June and December 2023 rose to N49.16 billion, an increase of N24.10 billion.Also, from January 2024 to June 2024, Bauchi state received total net allocation of N46.80 billion, an increase of N15.08 billion when compared to N31.72 billion received within the same period in 2023.Mohammed queried what the state government was doing with the increased accrual from the federation account courtesy of subsidy removal.“In Bauchi state, there seem to be dis-connect on engagement between the government and its citizens.“We were told that the ongoing roads and flyover projects in the state were being financed with N100 billion World Bank loan.“We were also told that the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Projects (RAAMP) that will fast track the construction of 115km access road were also being funded by the World Bank and French Development Agency with a total cost of N23.3 billion.“What then has the state done with the humongous allocations received from the federal government?” he queried.It would be recalled that the Bauchi State government announced that the state secured N100 billion loan for infrastructure development.The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Usman Garba had said that the N100 billion loan was earmarked for the construction and rehabilitation of 200 kilometres of roads across the state.The commissioner had also said that two flyovers at the busiest areas of Wunti and Central Market in Bauchi metropolis were part of the projects.The APC chieftain, however, said that the state government must come out clean to explain to the citizens what they were using the huge allocation from FAAC for.In defense of the allegations, however, Ibrahim Galadima, the Commissioner for Works and Transportation, said the state is investing heavily on infrastructure and other laudable projects and programmes touching the lives of the citizens.According to him, Gov. Bala Mohammed approved the rehabilitation of 29km Adamami – Disina -Jama’are road at N6.8 billion and the Bayara township road at a cost of N737 million.He said the upgrading of the Emirs’ palaces in Bauchi, Jama’are, Ningi and Dass were undertaken at the cost of N2.2 billion.Equally, he said the Bauchi government planned to spend N25 billion on the upgrade of the Special Hospital, Bauchi, to enhance access to quality healthcare service delivery in the state.Galadima said the construction of the Sharia Court of Appeal in Bauchi metropolis would gulp N606 million.‘This is the first time in the history of the Bauchi state that the rural areas are receiving an unprecedented attention in road construction to the tune of over N23 billion,” he said.On his part, Mr Ismail Uba-Misili, Director-General, Press Affairs, Government House, Gombe, said the administration of Gov. Inuwa Yahaya has been utilising funds accruing from the federal allocations to deliver good governance and lessen the burden of economic hardship on the people.He said that funds received from the federation account were being channeled to services that have direct bearing on the lives of the residents of the state.The governor’s aide said the state government expanded various programmes to ease the burden on the citizens and drive inclusive development.“The projects and programmes being implemented by Gombe state government are not only helping to alleviate current economic pressure, but also laying the groundwork for sustainable development and long-term prosperity in the state.“We have also rolled out palliative measures, including the distribution of food and non-food items to the most vulnerable segments of the population.“This effort is targeted at providing immediate relief to the hardest hit by the economic challenges” he said.Uba-Misili added: “Understanding the critical role of agriculture in the state’s economy, the government made subsidised fertiliser available to farmers at a 50 per cent discount.“This initiative not only supports food security but also helps farmers to reduce production costs, thus boosting agricultural productivity and profitability,” he said.He listed other interventions to include payment of wage award to civil servants, gratuity arrears to pensioners, bursary awards, youths and women empowerment, and support to people with special needs.When contacted for the state’s position, the Jigawa state’s Commissioners for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Babangida Umar declined comment.Alhaji Auwalu Sankara, the state’s Commissioner for Special Duties, who is also in charge of distribution of palliatives also declined talking to the media.Sankara neither answered calls placed to him by our correspondent nor responded to sms messages, on how the 20 trucks of rice palliative from the federal government were distributed to the people.(NAN
By Friday Adakole Elijah
On October 18, 2022, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed assumed the mantle of leadership as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc thereby inheriting a plethora of formidable challenges that threatened to stifle the organization’s growth.
Undeterred by the complexities of the task, Mohammed embarked on a transformative odyssey, driven by an unwavering determination to catapult the organization to unprecedented heights of success. As he navigated the labyrinthine landscape of obstacles, including antiquated equipment, inadequate network systems, energy theft, vandalism, and a dearth of skilled manpower, Mohammed’s leadership acumen and strategic prowess proved instrumental in surmounting these challenges. The introduction of innovative solutions, such as the load-sharing program, ensured that customers received a minimum of 16 hours of daily energy distribution, despite the company receiving only a paltry of the total energy generated to the national grid. Mohammed’s visionary leadership has yielded tangible results, as evidenced by the procurement and installation of cutting-edge equipment, including transformers, network improvement gear, and smart prepaid meters. These initiatives have significantly enhanced the organization’s operational efficiency, underscoring Mohammed’s commitment to excellence. The introduction of the “Debt Discount Promo” has incentivized customers to settle their outstanding debts, thereby reducing the company’s receivables and bolstering its financial stability. Mohammed’s diplomatic finesse has also been on full display, as he has fostered a spirit of cooperation and collaboration through courtesy visits to esteemed stakeholders, including the Governors of Benue, Bauchi, Plateau, and Gombe states, traditional rulers, and security chiefs. His business visit to NASCO Group of Companies, Ashaka Cement and Dangote Cement has underscored the company’s commitment to providing qualitative energy solutions to its esteemed clients, while his confirmation of the appointment of 121 staff and promotion of over 1,600 employees has boosted morale and motivation within the organization. The institution of monthly awards for the best-performing region has injected a healthy dose of competition, driving staff to strive for excellence and embodying Mohammed’s leadership philosophy, which emphasizes empathy, firmness, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. In conclusion, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed’s transformative leadership has reinvigorated Jos Electricity Distribution PLC, propelling it toward unprecedented heights of success. His vision, strategic acumen, and diplomatic flair have created a new paradigm for the organization, one that prioritizes efficiency, customer satisfaction, and employee welfare. As the organization continues to soar under his guidance, one thing is clear: Jos Electricity Distribution PLC is working, and Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed is the mastermind behind its resurgence. Elijah is the Head, Corporate Communications, Jos Electricity Distribution PLC.
By Toni Kan
Six months ago a friend I go on daily runs with took ill on a Monday evening. It was sudden and by the time I saw him hours later at the hospital, he was lying there very sick, very frail and hooked up to machines.
The diagnosis was sepsis and we were all surprised.
The morning before he took ill, we had gone on a 6km run. That was 2km more than our usual but there was a reason. We had gone to a party on Saturday and some “damage” had been done. So that Monday morning we had agreed to run the “foolishness” out of our system.Sepsis is a major killer in the UK and is described as “a life-threatening condition by The UK Sepsis Trust which says it “can lead to shock, multiple organ failure and even death if not recognised and treated promptly.
”Statistics from the NHS are more sobering. Sepsis “kills five people every hour and accounts for about 50,000 deaths per year in the UK alone.”
So, my friend was lucky to have “listened” to his body and gone to the A&E where he was prescribed a cocktail of drugs that included powerful antibiotics as well as hydrocortisone, vitamin C, thiamine and lots of intravenous fluids.
That incident came to mind as I read the Keynote Address delivered by Olayemi Cardoso, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria at the 59th Annual Dinner of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) on November 29, 2024.
Nineteen pages long, it was expansive, insightful, comprehensive, wide-ranging, bold and visionary in acknowledging the myriad of issues they met on ground, the challenges encountered so far in fixing them and strategy for the future. It was like a Job Description and a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) rolled into one.
Reading through, the image that loomed before me was of my friend on that hospital bed. When we met in the morning, he was bubbly and rearing to go with none of us the wiser about the bacteria ravaging his system. By evening the bacteria had won and it would have been a different story if doctors had not given him that cocktail of medicines.
The financial system Yemi Cardoso and team met on ground was being ravaged by an unseen bacteria and leading to a system collapse. The prognosis was bad – high inflation, multiple exchange rates, unchecked subsidy and rampant arbitrage, lack of access to international capital markets, poor investor confidence, waning foreign portfolio inflows, declining exchange reserves and decreasing diaspora remittances, a huge FX backlog, excessive money supply growth at 13% annually, fiscal crisis from unprecedented Ways and Means advances to the FG of N22.7 trillion and many more.
Yemi Cardoso was like a doctor who came to the quick realization that urgent action was required to stem the tide and steer the financial ship to a safe port.
What he did, he told the CIBN, was attack with a cocktail of “targeted policies, transparent market operations, effective coordination between monetary and fiscal authorities, and a commitment to rebuild trust.”
What did he think success would look like after this cocktail of policies has been implemented? Cardoso told his audience that what the CBN expects in 2025 and beyond is a regime that will see the CBN “stabilize the exchange rate, curb inflation, strengthen banks’ capital buffers, and foster an environment conducive to the success of both businesses and individuals.”
These are already happening and Olayemi Cardoso was not shy in pointing out areas where progress has been made.
External reserves which fell to $33.22bn in December 2023 have grown back to $40bn the highest level in 3 years and “the equivalent of eight months’ import cover.”
That is a reflection of rising investor confidence evident in the 72% growth in foreign portfolio inflows and increase in diaspora remittances from a monthly average of $300m to $600m with a monthly target of $1bn set by the CBN.
This is being buoyed by the integration of the Nigerian diaspora into our financial system by initiatives like the introduction of the non-resident BVN registration. At the time of writingthis piece, news of an oversubscribed Eurobond issue of $2.2bn filtered out from the Debt Management Office (DMO).
The fiscal crisis from excessive Ways and Means which was the equivalent of almost 11% of our GDP in 2023 before Cardoso and team took over at the CBN has been ended with the backlog of over $7 billion in unfulfilled commitments cleared.
The FX market has been stabilized with a tightening contraction in the gap between the official and parallel markets and more sanity is expected with the take-off on December 2, 2024 of the electronic FX matching system. Analysts are already forecasting that the naira will end the year low.
A regime of transparency has led to regular and improved financial stability reports, balance of payments data, and FX market updates, datasharing, the launch of a new website and technology driven innovations intended to “strengthen the CBN’s credibility and public trust in our policies.”
Speaking at that dinner, Cardoso summarized his ultimate destination as “price and exchange rate stability, catalyze sustainable economic growth, and protect the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.”
While all these are cause for cheer, challenges remain. The naira is still taking a beating something Cardoso has attributed to buyer’s desperation and a distorted view of the value of the naira relative to the greenback. This will hopefully be solved in 2025 and beyond by “the introduction of the electronic matching system” which “will correct these distortions by enhancing the price discovery process.”
Inflation remains a thorny issue at 33.88% despite efforts to “contain inflation and restore stability” by “raising the Monetary Policy Rate by 875 basis points to 27.5%”. The inflation target of 21.4% is yet to be achieved.
But Cardoso is upbeat: “Our tight monetary policy stance has altered the previous dire trajectory, and we expect a downward trend in 2025. Inflation remains unacceptably high, but the signs are encouraging, particularly given that the full effects of monetary policy typically take 6-9 months to impact the consumer sector.”
To conclude one must ask whether Cardoso and his team have factored in the coming of Donald Trump into their plans for 2025. As Cardoso noted in his keynote, the pandemic, global geopolitical tensions and inflation have had a deleterious effect on emerging markets in the form of “withdrawal of capital flows” thus “creating new challenges for economies like ours.”
Speaking further he noted that “Major central banks are gradually easing their monetary conditions and this shift is slowly reopening access to international capital markets for emerging economies.”
But for how long? Recent comments from Donald Trump in reaction to plans for de–dollarisation by the BRICS nations deserve attention from the CBN as the apex bank looks to the future.
This is important because in October this year, Nigeria formalized its romance with the BRICS bloc by becoming a partner as reported by The Punch. “BRICS has officially expanded its alliance, adding 13 new nations as partner countries, though not as full members…The countries are Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.”
High on the agenda of the BRICS nations and their partners is to establish “a unified currency or bolster bilateral trade agreements that bypass the dollar. These efforts aim to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollars…” reports Global Financial Digest
Trump has reacted to this by threatening 100% tariffs on imports from the BRICS nations. As President, Donald Trump’s plans to entrench his America First doctrine and the dollar’s hegemony will hobble plans for de-dollarisation of economies in the BRIC bloc as well as the emerging markets of the global south which remain vulnerable to tectonic shifts in the larger global economy.
This is something that could have repercussions for the Nigerian economy described by Cardoso as a “resource-intensive” country.
Kan is a PR/crisis management expert and financial analyst.
By Lasisi Olagunju
An epic poet describes the Fulani hunter as “shepherd of wild animals.” The hunter is also the one “who knows the calm and wild forest, with its many dangerous paths…..” When a man so described describes you as a target, you had better go sew a dress of steel.
If you are from the South-West and you can read, read this: “Our next target now is this geo-political zone. The south-west geo-political zone. You know we are good at getting the target. We will do all that is possible to bring them into the fold.” That is from Abdullahi Ganduje, immediate past governor of Kano State and incumbent national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He made the solemn pledge in Akure, the Ondo State capital, after his party’s governorship election victory in that state two weeks ago.Now, which fold was Ganduje talking about? And who are the “we” that are “good at getting the target”? Ganduje is smart. He chose his words deliberately and carefully. The strongman from Kano has significantly stepped back from his earlier obsession with capturing Oyo and Osun states. He now targets the entire zone. For whom? It can’t be for the APC – the party already has two-thirds of the zone. In Adebayo Faleti’s ‘Ogun Awitele’ (Foretold War), a band of thieves sent a handwritten letter to a village head: “We are coming to rob your people in seven days’ time.” The tone of the letter rattled the Baale and his chiefs. If you are sure of the efficacy of your amulets, you swear by them. The leader of the band of thieves signed his name as Ajiboogunsoro (he-who-wakes-up-to-converse-with-charms). A significant takeaway from that moment of fear and anxiety is the village head’s charge to his security chiefs to always know that no matter how powerful the boastful invaders are, “you should always remember that you are hunters, they are thieves (ode ni yín, olè ni wón)”. What Ganduje, the big man, said is evocative of a deja vu. There is something in Nigeria’s political history that suggests today’s mission as an echo of a daring, fateful yesterday.But, whatever the man might be saying, I suggest he and his “we” take time to watch closely the Eyo masquerade of Lagos and listen attentively to their songs. The Eyo seductively mock their challengers with a folk song composed for colonialism on the futility of its land-grabbing propensity. They sing: “The white man took Oluwole; Lagos did not utter a word. With ease, the white man took Marina; again Lagos was silent. Now, they want to take Isale Eko. They think we are dumb.” The Eyo actually use the Hausa word, Kurumo (deaf and dumb). The Kano man, Ganduje, understands perfectly the imagery of the speechless who is at the same time dead in hearing. I am very sure that no one ever takes the South-West as a zone of the invalid, deaf and dumb.Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is a former governor of Kano State. He has been the boss (and friend) of Ganduje from the beginning of time. In a speech he delivered at the convocation ceremony of Skyline University, Kano, two weeks ago, Kwankwaso claimed that “Lagos” was working hard to enslave the whole North. He said: “Today, we can see very clearly that there is a lot of efforts from the Lagos axis to colonize this part of the country.” Kwankwaso is an old war horse and a rambunctious power-player. You ignore him at your peril, and to your sorrowYou remember a gentleman called Festus Odimegwu, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Breweries Plc who was made the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) by President Goodluck Jonathan? In October, 2013, because Odimegwu said “No census has been credible in Nigeria since 1816″ (1866?), Kwankwaso stormed the Villa and asked President Jonathan to sack the man as NPC chairman. Kwankwaso told State House correspondents after meeting Jonathan: “I also raised the issue of the chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC, headed by one Festus Odimegwu. We are not happy about that appointment, and (we) think that it was a mistake. He (Odimegwu) had only worked in the alcoholic industry all his life. And my guess is that he’s taking a lot of his products and that is why we feel that his appointment is a mistake because he cannot be the chairman of NPC and at the same time attack what his predecessors have done.” With “automatic alacrity”, Jonathan obeyed Kwankwaso and asked Odimegwu to go on October 17, 2013. That is how you feel the power of power.Ganduje was direct in naming his target: the South-West. Kwankwaso went poetic; Lagos was (is) his metaphor for the West. The man who wants to be president of Nigeria also spoke on tax collection. He said: “Today, we are aware that the Lagos young men are working so hard to impose taxes and take away our taxes from Kano and this part of the country to Lagos.” Who are Kwankwaso’s “Lagos young men”? And what VAT is Kwankwaso fighting over? VAT from confiscated products of “the alcoholic industry”? Or from the leveled groundnut pyramids of Kano?Kwankwaso spoke about colonialism; Ganduje spoke about “getting the target.” Those two deserve more than anyone’s passing attention. Between them, Kano has been a captive cripple since 1999. Ibrahim Shekarau who acted during an interlude was Kwankwaso’s permanent secretary. The incumbent governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, is Kwankwaso’s son-in-law. Check the figures: How many poor people did they meet in Kano in 1999, how many do they have now? In his ‘The Psychology of Science: A Reconnaissance,’ Abraham Maslow wrote in 1966: “If the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Some describe what Maslow propounded as the ‘law of the instrument’. Others say it is the ‘law of the hammer’. Yet, some other analysts prefer to christen it ‘Maslow’s hammer’ or ‘the golden hammer.’ For persons whose idea of leadership is all about slave raiding, zone targeting and capturing, their choice of mission will always employ the rhetoric of slavery.While Ganduje and Kwankwaso are doing their own their ways, the third Kano man, Shekarau, has been busy setting up a group he calls League of Northern Democrats (LND). At a meeting with the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna some days ago, a more nuanced Shekarau spoke on why he is doing what he is doing: “This marks the beginning of what we hope will be a transformative coalition for Northern Nigeria to confront its challenges…The challenges facing our region – poverty, insecurity, illiteracy, religious intolerance, disunity, and diminishing political influence – are indeed serious. The North is today in an ugly situation…” There is a fitting quote here attributed to Albert Einstein: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Those who disfigured the face of beautiful northern Nigeria cannot now beautify it. You know what happened when the monkey insisted she wanted to beautify her child’s ugly face? She pushed the eyeballs deeper into the sockets. Monkey’s fingers are not structured to beautify anything. Take a look at them.So, when I heard Ganduje say that his target was the South-West, I wondered why it is not his “target” that Kano’s groundnut pyramids are restored. And, when Kwankwaso said ‘Lagos’ was determined to colonise his “part of the country”, you should wonder why his rhetoric was all about power and not how to make his part of the country as safe and prosperous as the part where Lagos belongs. And Shekarau spoke about the North’s “diminishing political influence.” If I would counsel him, I would suggest that what the North of 2024 needs to regain its mojo is for its leaders to make the region safe by educating their young, and empowering and feeding their poor without enslaving them.I call Kwankwaso, Ganduje and Shekarau the three musketeers of Kano. A soldier armed with a musket is a musketeer. In French history, we read of the Musketeers of the Guard (Mousquetaires de la garde) or the King’s Musketeers (Mousquetaires du roi). They existed to fight the king’s battles. Their exploits of guile, of swordsmanship and chivalry later spilt over to the plains of popular culture. Because of them, we have books and films with ‘The Three Musketeers’ (Les Trois Mousquetaires) as titles. The story of Kano since 1999 has been an intricate story of war and romance among those three musketeers who shared the years equally among them. They are not done with that city state, and with their North. They are not even done with the whole country. That is what you get when an elite band targets, captures and enslaves an enclave. Get your popcorn. They appear gearing up for war – with “Lagos”. And a good fight is coming.
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