Ganduje : The Sleep, the Delusion and the Politics of In Sha Allah, by Aliyu Dahiru Aliyu
Let me start with the well known philosophical cliché by the British historian of the early twentieth century, Lord Acton. According to him, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. To me, power doesn’t only corrupts, it stupefies and puts it holder into delusions.
Power is an opium and placebo, especially when you are encircled with the “ranka ya dade” types of advisers. The fear of His Excellency is the beginning of career wisdom, if you are working in government house. Tell lies, deceive Baba, take your cash, drive your car and laugh inside. It is the game of politics, don’t worry. Another His Excellency will arrive soon and you have nothing to do but abuse the former Baba for the new one. This is the cycle “sojojin baka” follow to collect the cash of another political stupid and push the power monger into a lagoon of despair.
When His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the incumbent governor of Kano state boastfully promised president Buhari three million votes (twice of what the president got under APC in the 2015 general election), I know the bow-headed-ranka-ya-dade advisers within the Kano state government house were those behind this gargantuan promise. The promise came immediately after the state local government [s]election. The selection that were boycotted by Kano state people for children to play with the ballot papers and dragged the image of the reputable Prof. Kuka-Sheka down. The children during the selection process were not only recorded and uploaded to social media, but the Independent National Electoral Commission had to dissociate itself from that game of ballot papers. Unfortunately the ranka-ya-dade adviser didn't tell His Excellency the naked truth, but, instead, pushed him into the promise of three million votes to the APC come 2019 presidential election. The promise I know he can never deliver even if we are to count with our cows. Do these advisers think that general election will be as the local government game of selection? This is delusion at its zener point.
Ranka-ya-dade advisers don’t want allow my Baba Ganduje sleep well, as he does everywhere, in cars and in aeroplanes; sometimes even at functions. These advisers are so wicked and self-loving-power-mongering-alert-listening cash-collectors. Yesterday, they pushed Baba into the battle they know he will never win. They already caused the fights between him and his long time friend and political godfather, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso. We all know that these profit-making advisers are the ones enjoying the dispute that will lead Baba to hell. Without it what will they gain? Newspapers reported Kwankwaso saying that he can defeat Buhari if PDP give him a platform to represent one of the three K-states in the Northwest. In reply to that, Baba Ganduje who thinks Muhammad Buhari can help him re-ascend to power even without hands of the majority, blasted his real godfather for an imaginary one. Dailly Nigerian (1/7/2018) reported that “Ganduje blasts Kwankwaso, says he can’t deliver his ward”. I added my comment and shared it to my Facebook page with caption as a question to the Baba Bandirawo : “With Children?”
For the success of Baba Ganduje, he has to wake up from that habitual sleep, hither and tither, face the reality and fight his wars with new political Maradonas. Baba needs to know that engaging poitical GOATs like Kwankwaso, who won the heart of many people, is not as simple as changing the colour of his cap, from red to white. By the way, I listened to the one audio clip by the Ganduje saying whenever you are fighting his godfather and he became silent, you have to know that your end is near. If this assertion is true, the Baba’s end is near! His ranka-ya-dade advisers are not telling him the truth he knows. They prefer to tell him lies and add “In Sha Allah” to it.
For long time, I have being watching the movements of politicians from outside view. In the North, politicians with power at hands forget God and are less serious in manipulating people with religion. Only the weak among them sticks to the political theology of In Sha Allah. Whenever you see a poster with large “In Sha Allah” at the top, know that the politician or the party is weak. Those with power and people employ the words when in fear. Religion is also a tool for manipulating voters. A politician who uses God and pretends to be religious needs people to believe in him, but you could hardly find him religious behind the scene. I’m not saying “Khadimul Islam” and his politics of In Sha Allah is wrong, but it is showing him as weak in the game of the politics, especially that sponsored political campaign in radio that pray for His Excellency. Prayers should be to God not to radio listeners. Some of us who quit partisan politics and watch the movement of politicians with keen interest, see politics with meta-religious eyes.
For Baba not to be ridiculous in this game, he has to quickly change these ranka-ya-dade advisers with new ones who can tell him the bitter truth. The change, as it is in the slogan of his party, starts from the government house. Baba should not be judging politics by listening to “Kowane Gauta” or “Siyasar Kano”. Listening to radio is sweet as a Fulani man, but judging politics by listening to radio is as dangerous as changing party a day before election. Baba should know (I believe he knows) that these “Yan Baka” are very good in betraying their political godfathers. Why Baba chooses his advisers from them? There are many bitter-truth-telling people that can work as volunteer advisers for him, I'm one of them.
Follow me on Twitter : Aliyu Dahiru Aliyu @aliyussufiy
