Kaduna State is my home. I was born there, and wherever in the world I go, I always yearn to return there. Indeed, the only investment, property-wise, which I have, is landed there. I have family and friends who I love so much, who will always be part of my life. So, it is with great pain I write this letter, most especially to my governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, who was an excellent FCT minister in his day. I have a very good idea of the intellectual level of the governor, and if I’ll be so foolish as to hazard a rating, I’d score him very high, maybe on genius levels. And that’s exactly why I’m pained to write this letter, like I mentioned earlier.
I visited Kaduna last week, and to be honest, I expected much more from the legendary el-Rufai. I drove round Ungwan Rimi, Malali, Ungwan Sarki and others, and all I could see was half-done road construction. There was red mud everywhere, and Kaduna looked like a twin of the red planet Mars. I asked what was going on and I was told that the work had begun many, many months ago, suddenly stopping. Dry season passed, along with the red dust that plagued people then, and now it’s the red mud. Haba, Malam! This isn’t the el-Rufai I knew and adored, even on social media.
Schools, too, still remain eyesores. Many primary schools within the town all have halfway-done work, abandoned. Don’t even let me start talking about hospitals. Is it money? Can’t the state borrow? What of Paris Club funds? There are many, many ways which a government can raise money for development. It is the governor’s job – and that of his team – to figure that out. Don’t even mention the sale of government houses, alienating hard-working civil servants and teachers in the ‘deal’. Seriously?
One of my biggest heartaches, also, is the seemingly widening chasm between Kaduna North and Southern Kaduna. I think el-Rufai needs to examine his strategy for our kin in the Southern part of our dear state. Whoever is advising him about that is doing a terrible, terrible job and needs to be replaced. Please, sir, do something about it. Kaduna is Kaduna because of all that rich diversity, and you would do well by helping it thrive, not by watching it get torn apart.
Also, to my dismay, I saw that a new uniformed group of people have been appointed to do law enforcement work, too. I tried to understand it all, but all I see is duplication of the services of police, VIOs, road safety corps, etc. And they look miserable in their uniforms too, most likely underpaid, since they’re most likely under-skilled. Also, the Kaduna Book and Arts Festival, while being a welcome social event, seems poorly organised. How were artists chosen? Who did the choosing? Most likely non-indigenes or non-residents of Kaduna, who know nothing about the real citizens or art or culture of the state, save what they can find on the internet.
Contrary to what may be perceived by reading my letter to el-Rufai, I’m writing out of respect, and out of a need to see him succeed. Only he who loves you would tell you your mouth is smelling, as the adage goes. El-Rufai, in that regard, you need toothpaste, and fast. We will continue to pray for you, for God’s guidance and strength to continue what you’ve started, and for wisdom to do what’s right, as difficult as that may be. Thank you for your time.
Jameel S. Turaki wrote in from Malali, Kaduna.
