Kwankwasiyya is a political Movement led by HE Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso now popularly identified with red caps which in fairness has its lofty achievements and its shortcomings.
Amongst the greatest achievements of Kwankwaso is his legacy of sponsoring students from indigent families to local and foreign institutions for studies since the time he held sway as the governor of Kano State. This is commendable and many have come out to shower praises on the former governor of Kano for his recent sponsor of students to India. Coincidentally, Pantami does the same when he was the DG of NITDA as he organised the most fair and merit based scholarship exams for Nigerian students regardless of their identity which this writer is one of the beneficiaries of.
I had already settled for writing an article with some encomiums on Kwankwaso and to set challenge on other elite to copy from him.
I was just ruminating about the title of the writing when I scrolled through my Twitter timeline to be greeted by a video of some red cap wearing youth booing and dragging the clothes of the Hon. Minister of Communication, Sheikh, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami at the Kano airport.
I should ordinarily be surprised. But I wasn’t! So, I chose the topic above.
I can’t pretend to be ignorant of the clear grudge nursed by Kwankwasiyya Movement followers against Pantami. It surfaced when the members of Kwankwasiyya kept tweeting/posting and dragging Pantami into the Kano Ganduje/Abba Gida-Gida and the security challenges in the north issues, specifically, on why did he not publicly condemn Buhari as he publicly condemned the wrongs of other Presidents. There was several attempts by scholars online to inform them that Islamically, it’s prohibited for a scholar who has direct access to a leader to come out and criticize him publicly but he can only admonish him in private. In this case, Pantami is one of the President’s appointees who are closer to him than anyone. How on earth will it be reasonable if Pantami dines with the President and go the next minute to mount the podium and criticise the same person?
Another problem arose when Pantami in his 2019 Ramadan Tafseer admonished on a religious goof allegedly committed by Kwankwanso and another former governor. He didn’t mention Kwankwaso’s name, but hell was let loose by Kwankwasiyya disciples online and all manner of disrespectful and abusive comments were rained on Dr. Pantami.
Let me pause here to clarify that Pantami acted in his capacity as a religious scholar and this isn’t the first time a politician’s action will be criticized if it contradicts the teachings of Islam by religious scholars. I remember a scholar was praying some years back against the then Deputy Senate President, Nasiru Mantu, saying “Mantu Allah ya manta da kai!” (May God forget about you Mantu). Hell wasn’t let loose! Atiku was vehemently criticized for allegedly saying “God doesn’t answer the prayers of the masses” and no one was attacked for it.
But wait! I just mentioned that Buhari needs to be admonished in private by Pantami right? Does Pantami has equal access to Kwankwaso as he has to Buhari?
Listen, Pantami criticized Ganduje in the same Ramadan Tafseer almost directly for persecuting Emir Sunusi II who “left his comfort in the public service to serve his people as an Emir”, quoting his words. In fact, he criticized President Buhari’s administration when he queried the removal of the former NHIS boss in the same Ramadan Tafseer. But nobody sent thugs to attack him and nobody cried foul. He used to even say metaphorically that the wordings of the Qur’an are like a bulldozer which crushes every person that stands on its way and even he himself who does the exegesis of the Qur’an may come across his own wrongs and the best way is to correct it. At several occasions, the Hafiz who assisted him in the same tafseer wore the red cap which is a Kwankwasiyya insignia. Why should Pantami allowed that if he had anything personal against Kwankwaso?
In the midst of those online attacks against Pantami, I remember placing a call to my good friend and classmate who is a Kwankwaso family member, and some reasonable followers of Kwankwasiyya such as Ibrahim Adam and Umar Gezawa to lament the abuse and attacks. I made it clear that a lot of us have immense respect for Kwankwaso as we equally have it for Dr. Pantami and if Kwankwasawa have something against Sheikh, there are one million ways to express their grievances respectfully and responsibly. I advised them on the fact that the abuses does more harm than good to whatever good thing Kwankwaso stands for and they appeared to share my sentiment.
I remember being curious to engage in discussions about Kano politics and listening to political programs when I was studying at Bayero University, Kano at the heat of the 2011 gubernatorial campaign between Kwankwaso and the Shekarau anointed, Malam Salihu Sagir Takai. A lot of the people who stood against Kwankwaso never challenge his passion for development but will only capitalize on the allegation that Kwankwaso will breed thuggery and drug abuse if voted for. The proof which I was also made to accept was how youth buy his political rhetoric and work it out like the “maaa-haha!” syndrome and the “wuju-wuju”. I have seen a couple of Takai’s posters which were painted/decorated with lipstick around Duka-wuya and Tal’udu axis of Kano in compliance with the “Yaro, ko a shafama Janbaki!” comment of Kwankwaso.
It’s true that a politician can strive to carry everyone along including those whom people see as societal liabilities. However, that will only make meaning if the politician tries to make meaning out of their lives. Politics is like every business which choices have to be made. I’m sure Kwankwaso will be at loss if he chooses to align with the idea of encouraging thuggery and disrespect for elders in a conservative and religious north because the good people who support and respect him are more than the bad ones.
Of what benefit will it be to the society if Kwankwaso sponsored 300 students to study while another Kwankwaso is condemning the lives of other 3000 otherwise useful youth to thuggery?Is there any worse self-destruction than this? Tell me a worse undoing!
I wish to reiterate that we have tremendous respect for Kwankwaso and his lofty initiatives as we equally have for Pantami. I therefore respectfully call on him to tender his unreserved apology to Dr. Pantami and dissociate himself from the attack Kwankwaso is now an upcoming national political icon, hence, he should take every step to act as one.
Hussaini Hussaini is a legal practitioner based in Abuja who can be reached via [email protected]
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect WikkiTimes’ editorial stance.
