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Chinua Achebe's Death (My Responses)

Question 1:            How did you get the news about Achebe’s death?

Answer:                 I got the news through a news feed on facebook.

Question 2:            How does it feel?

It was a rude shock. To me as a person it came as a poetic declaration of the end of a glorious literary era being that the news came just a day after I finished reading his latest work “There was a country: a personal history of Biafra”.

Question 3:            What are your views about him as a person and as a writer?

Answer:                 I have not been privileged to have personal contacts with him in his lifetime but I hold him in very high regards especially for the lofty ideals he stood for and for his numerous interventions at critical moments in our national history.  His double rejection of national honours on principled grounds is not only salutary but also exemplary at a time morality had taken flight in our public and private lives and the award is being bastardised by bestowing it on people of questionable character.

                             As a writer, his contributions cannot be quantified. He has played a critical role in projecting the cultural heritage of his people, the Igbo and by implication the black race as a whole.  His works have continued to be veritable sources of reference materials for students of literature at home and abroad.  Even though his last work on Biafran history stirred lots of controversy, it only strengthens the fact that he is a man of his own convictions and is always ready to stand by them to the end no matter whose ox is gored.

Question:              What would you say are his major achievements?

Answer:                 Firstly, he had charted a course for the development of African literature. Secondly, his great works like Things fall apart, A man of the people, Arrow of God, The trouble with Nigeria, etc., will remain indelible in the minds of his teeming fans. Thirdly, Achebe remains a reference point and a champion of accountable leadership which he believes is the major ingredient for growth and development. Last but by no means the least, he has pioneered the growth of the prose genre of African literature and his works have inspired many up-coming artists of his generation who themselves have become household names in the literary world such as Elechi Amadi, Osidore Ekpewho, Ayi Kweh Armah to mention but a few.

Question:              Would you say the world has rewarded him for pioneering the African literature:

Answer:                 One of the hallmarks of any writer is for his works to gain wide readership and in this regard Achebe stands out as the most widely read African novelist whose works have been translated into many world languages.  To this extent, I think he has enjoyed his own fair share of the African literary space.

                             It is however sad that the society, especially African societies have refused to put into practice the ideals he stood for and passionately preached about in his outstanding works.  It is on record that throughout his life he stood against corruption and other unwholesome practices that unfortunately continue to be the bane of human progress and development especially in his immediate constituencies i.e. Nigeria, Africa and indeed most third world economies. In that regard, we have not fairly rewarded his efforts.

Question:              How would you want him immortalized by the Nigerian government?

Answer:                 Nigerian government can immortalize him by naming one of the newly-founded federal universities after him.  Another way of immortalizing him is by making his works a consistent part of our student’s syllabuses especially at secondary and tertiary levels.  It is also pertinent that government sponsors writers’ associations to institute annual essay competition in his honour.  But the greatest way through which we can immortalize Achebe is by giving practical application to his works.  If Nigeria becomes a better place through the influence of his works, he will be a happy man wherever he is.

Question:              What else would you want to say about him?

Answer:                 He was a great man of history who humbly came, practically saw, bravely played his part, passionately stood by his convictions all the way, and left gloriously when the ovation was still very loud!

ABU, A Living Legacy At 50 - By Bala Yahaya

One of the greatest legacies bequeathed to Northern Nigeria and by extension, the entire nation by the late Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna of Sokoto is the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria aptly and deservedly named after him.  Established in the year 1962, this great institution has served as a great citadel of learning, research as well as a veritable source of highly-qualified manpower not only for the region but for the country as a whole. From a humble beginning at inception with about 15 departments and 426 students, today the institution boasts of 12 faculties, 82 departments, a student population of over 50,000 and a post-graduate school, among many other such lofty attainments.

One of the major achievements of the institution is that it has succeeded in bringing higher education to the doorstep of the average Northern Nigerian. This is no mean achievement especially when considered against the backdrop of the wide educational gap between the Northern and Southern part of the country at independence.  Also as a Federal institution, ABU has accommodated and nurtured many students from other parts of the country thus further entrenching the Nigerian spirit in our youth.

Secondly as mentioned in the introductory paragraph of this piece ABU has played a critical role in providing the Northern region and indeed Nigeria with highly trained manpower.  The number of professionals produced by the giant institution that have carved a niche for themselves in different spheres of human endeavor cannot be quantified. For instance, the institution has produced accomplished doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, poets and vets among many other such professionals that have put Nigeria’s name on the global map of their respective professions.   In addition to this, the institution today arguably stands out as the highest single producer of current high profile political office holders in the country. By way of roll call, it was ABU that produced Vice President Namadi Sambo, and Governors Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Ibrahim Shema, Usman Saidu Dakingari, Isa Yuguda, Umaru Tanko Almakura, Ibrahim Geidam and Ibrahim Dankwambo.  The institution also produced former governors Donald Duke, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Kabir Gaya, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, Ahmed Adamu Muazu and Ibrahim Shekarau.

Furthermore through its specialized research institutes ABU has played a very important role in advancing the frontiers of knowledge and finding time-tested solutions to problems with far reaching effects on the scientific, technological, economic, political, and socio-cultural development of the country.  For instance, the firebrand ABU intellectual tradition as carried on by the institutions’ outstanding scholars in the mould of the likes of Abdullahi Smith, Patrick Wilmot, Dr. Bala Usman, to mention but a few cannot be discountenanced when discussing the country’s socio-political evolution over the years.  Also through years of rigorous agricultural researches, great discoveries have been made that significantly contributed to the transformation of our hitherto basically subsistent agricultural system which forms the bedrock of the Northern economy into a fairly modern one.

Moreover through its post-graduate school, ABU has created a window for higher academic attainments for aspiring individuals which give further boost to professionalism and specialization in chosen academic fields. Apart from graduates of other universities who find themselves within its catchment, graduates of other higher institutions such as polytechnics also get the opportunity through the PG School to broaden their academic horizon by aspiring for higher degrees in their fields of specialization.  Through this, the institution greatly assists the region’s governmental, non-governmental and private organisations in meeting not only their middle level but also high-level manpower needs.

Having highlighted some of the great achievements of this equally great institution it is now pertinent to turn our attention to some of the most critical challenges bedeviling it and how they can be surmounted.  In its recent ranking of African Universities for 2012 released in July for instance, Webometrics, the online ranking agency, ranked ABU 76^th out of 100 leading African Universities with mostly South African Universities taking the lead.  Other Nigerian Universities that made it to the first 100 list include the University of Ibadan 45^th, Ilorin 47^th, Unilag 55^th, UNN 64^th, OAU 79^th, and Jos 88^th!  Whatever the shortcomings of the Webometric’s ranking criteria, this situation certainly calls for sober reflection as it shows clearly that our Universities are not favourably competing even in Africa let alone the entire globe! 

In the first place one of the major problems confronting ABU as an institution is underfunding. Because of the growing popularity of the institution among prospective undergraduate and postgraduate students and its ever-growing size, existing structures are been overstretched while many are outrightly obsolete. There is no gainsaying the fact that for the institution to favourably compete with its peers both at home and abroad there is the need to upgrade its research and learning facilities as well as its human capital to become up to date with global academic standards. This position was put more succinctly by the Institution’s Vice Chancellor who in a recent outing stated thus “ABU needs funds to replace and rehabilitate decaying infrastructure, teaching and research facilities. We also know that great universities are those supported by their alumni. A clear example is Harvard which is one of the richest universities in the world on the grounds that it receives over $50 billion as endowment fund from its alumni. I expect our alumni to emulate the BlackBerry founder who has alone donated over $250 million to his Alma Mata, Waterloo University. And with such support from our alumni, ABU will transform”.

With the caliber of ABU alumni some of whom were mentioned in the earlier part of this piece, I personally see no reason why ABU should starve. The alumni must see it as a personal challenge to come to their Alma Mata’s rescue especially at this very critical moment in its history.  It is also pertinent to call on especially Northern state governments who have immensely benefitted from Sardauna’s foresight to come to the rescue of one of his most enduring and beneficial legacies that remains the very pride of the region.  If for no other reason else, they must be eternally indebted to the institution whose products largely form the bedrock of their civil service all these years.

Also the ABU authorities on their own part must look into other areas of alternative funding. Nothing, for instance, stops the University from floating an institutional bond to raise long-term funds to finance its capital projects.  Also in deciding on such projects consideration must be given to provision of income-yielding assets that will serve as veritable source of continuous funding for the institution.

One last thing: ABU and other legacies of the great northern icon Sir Ahmadu Bello, like the Kaduna Polytechnic, Radio Nigeria Kaduna, ABU Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello Stadium among many others should serve as living examples of what can be achieved with purposeful leadership.  Thus, our current crop of leaders who immensely benefitted from the foresight of the great legend must take a cue by initiating and executing meaningful projects that will outlive them and cast their names in gold.  The Sardauna example has shown clearly that leadership is not about amassing illegal wealth neither is it about driving in convoy of flashy cars nor living in state-of-the-art mansions. No, it is about service!

Long Live ABU!

Tsokaci Kan Batun 'Yansandan Jihohi - By Bala Yahaya

Daya daga cikin manyan batutuwan da suka kankane kafofin yada labaran mu cikin makwannin da suka gabata shi ne batun neman yi wa tsarin mulkin Nigeria kwaskwarima ta yadda zai ba jihohi damar kirkiro rundunonin ‘yansanda na kashin kan su.  An samu ra’ayoyi mabambamta daga muhawawar da ake ci gaba da tafkawa akan dacewa ko rashin dacewar wannan mataki. Alal misali, masu muradin ganin tabbatar wannan manufa ta kirkiro ‘yansandan jihohi na nuni da cewa hakan zai ba Gwamnonin jihohi damar karfafa matakan tsaro da kuma shawo kan rikice-rikice a jihohin nasu cikin hanzari ba tare da dogaro da Gwamnatin tarayya ba.  Su kuma wadanda suka saba wa wannan ra’ayi cewa suke yi yin hakan ba zai haifa wa kasar nan da mai ido ba musamman idan akayi la’akari da cewa abu ne mai sauki wadannan ‘yansanda su zama ‘yan bangar siyasa ga Gwamnatocin da suka kafa su wanda hakan zai basu damar tursasawa abokan adawar siyasa.

Bayan yin la’akari da wadannan ra’ayoyi mabambamta tunani na yafi karkata akan cewa rashin alfanun dake tattare da wannan shiri ya nunka alfanun dake tattare da shi.  Misali, sanin kowa ne cewa rashin adalcin tsarin siyasar mu yasa cin zabe a kasar nan ya ta’allaka ne kacokan akan zurfin aljihun mai neman mukami maimakon kyakyawar manufa ta ci gaban kasa da yalwatar arziki; wato irin shugabancin da ya kamata ya taimaka wajen rage matsanancin talauci dake addabar kasa da jama’arta, samar da ayyukan yi da kuma rage wagegen gibin da dake tsakanin masu shi da marasa shi. A sakamakon haka sai ya kasance ‘yan siyasar mu suna kwadayin kama madafun iko ko ta halin kaka har ta hanyar gwara kawunan talakawa da janyo hasarar dukoyoyi da rayukan bil’adama. Wannan shi ya jaza musu daukar nauyin ‘yan gani-kashenin-siyasa wadanda basu dauki ran bil’adama a bakin komai ba.

A kudancin kasar nan inda wannan kira na kafa ‘yansandan jihohi yafi samun gindin zama sanin kowa ne cewa suna da irin wadannan ‘yan bangar siyasa kamar kungiyoyi irin na OPC, da Egbesu Boys, da Bakasi Boys, da ‘yan a fasa-kowa-ya-rasa na kungiyar nan mai hakilon farfado da yunkurin tabbatar da kafuwar kasar Biafra wato MASSOB da kuma dimbin kungiyoyin ‘yan tsagerar yankin Neja-Delta masu tafka ta’addanci da sunan bibiyar hakkokin jihohi masu albarkatun man fetur. Anan jihohin mu na Arewa ma ‘yan siyasar mu na da nasu ‘yan banga da ke amsa sunaye dabam-dabam.

Bisa la’akari da wannan babu tantama akan cewa kirkiro ‘yansandan jihohi zai zama wata hanya ta halatta wadannan baragurbin kungiyoyi don kare muradun siyarsar wasu ‘yan tsirarun Jama’a. Kuma wannan tabbas zai haifar da tashin-tashina a cikin al’umma musamman idan aka yi la’akari da cewa galibin wadanda Gwamnatocin nan zasu dauka a matsayin ‘yan sandan jiha ‘yan barandar siyasar su ne.

Bayan haka bincike ya nuna cewa kusan kashi saba’in cikin dari na rigingimu tsakanin al’umma a caji ofis ake kashe su kimanin kashi talatin cikin dari ne ke dangana wa da kotu. To idan haka ne me kake tsammanin zai faru idan rashin jituwa ta shiga tsakanin Bahaushe mazaunin Legas and Bayarabe dan kasa kuma maganar ta kai caji ofis inda kusan duk Jami’an ‘yan sandan da za su yi hukunci kan batun ‘yan kabilar yarbawa ne; ko kuma a Sabon Garin Kano irin wannan rikici ya wakana tsakanin dan kabilar Ibo da Bahaushe dan gari?  A irin wannan hali zai yi matukar wuya a samu tabbatar da adalci ko kuma in ma an yi adalcin abokin shara’a ya yarda cewa lallai an yi adalci ba tare da nuna kabilanci ko bangaranci ba. Kada mu manta cewa wannan kasa ce mai cike bambamce-bambamcen addini, harshe, da asali wadanda abubuwa ne masu tasirin gaske cikin zamantakewar jama’a da yadda suke kallon al’amuran rayuwa.

Kuma ya kamata mu duba mu gani shin Gwamnatocin jihohin nan da ake magana akai suna da karfin tattalin arzikin da su iya daukar nauyin ‘yansanda na kashin kansu kuwa? Kada mu manta cewa kwanan aka yi ta dauki-ba-dadi tsakanin gwamanonin jihohi da ‘yan kungiyar kwadago akan batun mafi karancin albashi na Naira dubu goma sha takwas.  Galibin jihohin kasar nan sun ta koka wa kan rashin karfin biyan wannan tsarin albashi har ta kai wasun su ga yin barazanar rage yawan ma’aikata in har aka dage kan cewa sai sun biya. To yaushe wanda ke kukan targade zai nemi karaya kuma!  Sanin kowa ne cewa ayau akwai Gwamnatocin jihohin dake shafe watanni biyar zuwa shida ba tare da sun biya albashi ba. Me kake gani zai faru idan ka kwashe irin wannan tsawon lokaci baka biya mutumin dake da bindiga da doka a hannun sa ba? Tabbas wannan zai kara tsananta matsalar cin hanci da rashawa da karuwar manyan laifuka kamar su fashi da makami da ci-da-ceto a tsakanin al’umma.

Bugu da kari kirkiro ‘yansandan jihohi saboda sinadarin siyasar dake cikinsa zai kawo yawan korar horarrun ma’aikata a bisa dalilan siyasa. Wannan zai kasance haka ne saboda duk gwamanatin da ta hau karagar mulki burin ta shi ne ta samu Jami’an ‘yansandan da zasu taimaka mata wajen kare muradun ta na siyasa ko da kuwa yin hakan zai jaza sallamar ma’aikatan da ake ganin suna da alaka da siyasun adawa ne.  Idan aka fara yi wa sha’anin tsaro irin wannan rikon-sakainar-kashi tabbas al’umma zata shiga cikin rudani wanda ba zai misaltu ba.

Saboda dalilan da na ambata a sama da ma wadansu wadanda karancin wuri da lokaci ba zai bada damar a yalwata bayani akan su ba, ya zama wajibi ayi watsi da wannan gurguwar shawara ta neman a kirkiro ‘yan sandan jihohi.  Maimakon haka kamata yayi mu duba muga yadda zamu karfafa rundunar ‘yansanda ta kasa da muke da ita a yanzu don karkata akalar ta wajen yi wa kasa aiki cikin gaskiya, da adalci, da sanin mutuncin kai da kishin kasa. 

Daya daga cikin hanyoyin da za’a iya bi wajen tabbatar da wannan muradi shi ne ta hanyar cire akidar nan ta cin hanci da rashawa a tsakanin jami’an tsaron mu.  Samun hakan ya tabbata kuwa sai an koma ga tushe wato tun daga lokacin da za’a dauki dan sanda aiki.  Dole ne ya zama wadanda za’a dauka aikin dan sanda sune wadanda suka fi cancanta ta fuskar ilimi, kirar jiki, koshin lafiya, gaskiya, rikon amana da sanin ya kamata.  Sabanin haka ayau rahotanni da dama na nuni da yadda ake karbar makudan kudade a hannun matasa don shigar da su wannan aiki.  To a gaskiya wannan shi ne matakin farko na cusa akidar cin hanci da rashawa a tsakanin ‘yansandan mu.  Don kuwa kowa ya shiga aiki ta irin wannan hanya kokarin sa a koda yaushe shi ne ya zai mayar da kudinsa ya nunka maimakon ciyar da kasa gaba ta hanyar kare rayuka da mutuncin al’umma da dokokin aiki.

Bayan haka, zai yi kyau idan aka kyautata hanyar sadarwa tsakanin shugaban kasa da gwamnoni musamman akan al’amuran tsaro ta yadda zai zama su (Gwamnoni) suna da hanyoyin tuntuba na kai tsaye tsakanin su da shugaban kasa da shugaban ‘yansanda. Hakan zai bada damar dauka da kuma wanzar da matakan tsaro cikin hanzari a duk lokacin da bukatar yin hakan ta taso.   Kuma wajibi ne hukumomi su ci gaba da kiyaye hakkokin ‘yansanda ta hanyar biyan su wadataccen albashi kuma a kan kari.   Bugu da kari ya wajaba a samar wa ‘yan sanda wadatattu kuma ingantantattun kayan aiki na zamani.  Abin da matukar ban takaici ace a yau ‘yan ta’adda da masu aikata muggan laifuka suna da makaman da amon su kawai ya isa ya firgita Jami’an tsaron mu.

Haka zalika ya kamata aba ‘yansandan mu cikakken horo akan yaki da manyan laifuka ta hanyar leken asiri domin hakan ne zai basu damar bankadowa da dakile duk wani shiri na aikata laifi tun kafin akai ga aikata shi.   Cin nasarar wannan buri zai samu ne ta hanyar samar da kayan aikin yaki da manyan laifuka na zamani irin su na’ura mai kwakwalwa, da girke kyamarori masu nadar hotuna da bayanai a wuraren hada-hadar Jama’a.  Saboda haka dole Gwamnati tayi kasafi na musamman don samar da wadannan na’urori da kuma ba Jami’an tsaron mu ingantaccen horon da zai basu damar sarrafa su don amfanin kasa.  A wannan gaba kuma wajibi ne sassan tsara dabarun tsaron kasa na hukumar ‘yansanda su yi la’akari da karfafa dabarar yada ‘yansandan ciki a tsakanin al’umma. Wannan zai taimaka gaya wajen gano bata-gari a da kuma yin maganin su tun kafin su kai ga yiwa Jama’a illa.

A karshe, wajibi ne a ba ‘yansandan mu horo na musamman akan dabarun hulda da Jama’a. Ya zama dole ‘yansanda su siffanta da wannan kirari na su na “Dan Sanda Abokin Kowa”. Halin da muke ciki yanzu inda galibin al’umma ke yi wa ‘yansanda kallon azzalumai masu neman hanyoyin kuntata wa Jama’a dole ne ya canza.  Babbar hanyar canza irin wannan tunani shi ne ta hanyar kyautata huldar Jami’an tsaro da al’umma da shugabannin su.  Anan ya zama wajibi sashen hulda da Jama’a na hukumar ya samar da wani tsari na tuntubar juna tsakanin ‘yansanda da dattawan gari, shugabannin addini, shugabannin kungiyoyin matasa da na mata da na dalibai da dai sauransu.  Wannan shi zai bada damar hada karfi da karfe don yakar muggan laifuka a cikin al’umma. Dama ai ance hannu daya baya daukar jinka!