Indeed, a bloody riot could have stormed the ancient city of Kano a day after the Eid-el-Kabir festival when the antagonizing Gandujiyya and Kwankwasiyya APC factions clashed, leaving scores injured. If that calculated, deadly and political bomb had eventually explored, it could have been like the volcanic eruption. By now we would have been counting the huge number of lost lives. We would have been assessing the economic loss because properties could have been subjected to wanton destructions and massive looting by hoodlums.
Probably, a dawn to dusk curfew would be imposed on the town thus, grinding commercial dealings and social engagements to a halt. It would have been very likely that Kano could have once again found its way in the pages of history relating to violent confl icts. But thank God that all these imaginary refl ections were never to be. We are grateful to Allah that not a single soul was destroyed and the professional intervention of the police rescued and contained the potential danger.
However, constructive comments are mandatory to function as a communication checking and balancing because of its(confl ict) great potentiality of resurfacing (God forbid). When the sorrowful news of the unfortunate event broke out, my troubled mind was striving hard to create a link with a genuine and impeccable source for exposing the genesis of the foiled disaster. A news report credited to the spokesperson of the police command DSP Magaji Musa Majia fi nally relieved me of that suspense and provided an answer to the how of the crisis.
According to him, the Kwankwasiyya enthusiasts drawn from Sokoto, Kogi and other neighbouring states converged by Hasiya Bayero Hospital during the colourful and exciting Hawan Daushe traditional exhibition. When the sect loyalists sighted the advancing convoy of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, they commenced chanting ‘ba ma yi’ meaning’ we are not supporting’. Suddenly, they began pelting stones at the convoy.
Th en came strong resistance from the other group followed by mini chaos. Understandably, the police initially wanted to remain silent as to the origin of the political fracas not because they were fearsome but to conveniently limit the escalation of the crisis. But there was a mischievous performance of shedding crocodile tears by some senior advocates of Kwankwasiyya movement who deployed the artillery of mischief and malice against the police, accusing them of partiality during the fi ght. Apparently, the police could not timidly stand this cheap political blackmailing and resolved to let the cat out of the bag. Th e police image designer and redeemer further revealed how those who were gambling with the police’s reputation were actually saved from being lynched by the same security personnel.
Not only that, Majia sent a very strong warning that a traditional festivity should not be converted to a political arena. After careful and sober refl ections of the fi ght, there are clear, simple and comprehensive lessons to draw. Kwankwasiyya must radically redefi ne and restructure its political ideology and make it violent-free, laden with ideas in its cumbersome desperation to install Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as the presidential fl ag-bearer of the APC come 2019. Diminishing Kwankwasiyya to the lowest ebb of mischievous and violent cult by its warriors can breach democracy and the peace of the people.
Th at the Kwankwasiyya lead elements from Kano state could be risk bearers, manipulative and collaborative with similar political faithful from other states to foment trouble in their own state and set it on fi re demonstrated the highest degree of unjingoism and political madness. Kwankwasiyya is arrogantly and mischievously assuming the obnoxious and despicable status of a state within another state, a power within another power.
In addition, the Kwankwasiyya uncontrolled political harassment and intimidation of Governor Ganduje are not potently manifesting a war against the governor alone but also against Kano and its good people. Kwankwasiyya battle is an incitement against a constituted authority with the primary objective of character assassination instead of discussing issues that will take Kano to greater heights. It is high time concerted eff orts are drawn from Kano intellectuals, Islamic scholars, traditional rulers and other eminent persons as well as groups to canvass for the dismantling of uncultured, indecent, untamed and violent politics before is set ablaze. Th is can be eff ectively executed by attacking the disease instead of the symptoms. Abdu Abdullahi, Galadanci Quarters, Ringim, Jigawa state aaringim68@gmail. Com
