By Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi
In Nigerian landscape today, people need help. Almost everyone needs one form of help of another. This is especially since after Buhari’s brutal leadership which took Nigerians 20 years backward. Baba Tinubu promised that he would continue, not to change and turn things around. And Nigerians are really witnessing a massive and huge form of suffocation, where everyone is gasping for air and therefore, many people don’t care much about what the leaders should do or not do.
A lot of people are hungry as a result of the reckless driving of the nations drivers. You won’t understand the depth of the challenges in Nigeri’as political arena until you engage some politicians, especially those who are genuinely interested in contributing positively to the community. That’s why people like us—who are so much inquisitive—struggle a lot in this field!
I don’t particularly enjoy discussing or praising politicians because whatever they do, they are just doing their jobs. However, there are some reasons that compel me to write on the MB Shehu’s empowerment program, and God willing, I will not do it to flatter; I will only share what I know about that support program, and I know that God is my witness regarding what I write. I also speak from a position of being part of the support committee.
MB Shehu is the current member federal house of representatives, representing the good people of Fagge. During his campaign rallies, he has mentioned and promised many things he intended to do to his people if elected. Today, he is the member, representing Fagge in Abuja. As part of promise fulfillment, he distributes, or rather, he has already distributed a lot of items, to his constituents, to mitigate and cushion the sad and bad effect of the T-pain. While I do not know where he got the idea for this kind of distribution, I believe it stems from the large number of people he has attracted politically, most of whom are needy and in dire need of such support and assistance. He has promised them that he will do good for them if given the opportunity and he is now doing exactly what he said.
Someone might ask, what is more important: meeting the needs of one person or meeting the needs of many people? Many will tell you that meeting the needs of many is more significant. However, how can one meet the needs of the entire community if one doesn’t start from individual people?
Initially, I don’t personally see such “empowerments” as worthy programs, but now, having seen the actions taken and how they have been implemented and also, hard situation which most of the beneficiaries are battling with, I believe that a leader, should, in such kind of situations, do two things:
1) Assist their community in a way that is pleasing to God, through proper channels—those that the people desire (not necessarily highly sophisticated and systematic way), even if a leader sees other ways as more beneficial.
2) A leader should strive to seek and identify certain vital good initiatives that are beneficial, even if many in the community do not see the immediate advantages. This is because most people lack the knowledge or understanding to discern what is more important for them.
Both the above two ways should be integrated! There should be plans for political accountability, and there should be thoughtful and dignified initiatives that can be recognized as good deeds even after one’s life.
During the opening ceremony of the program, the executive Governor of Kano, Abba Kabir Yusuf, aka Abba Gida-gida, inaugurated the program, and it was expected that around 3,000 people will directly benefit from the empowerment, indeed it is serious. Here are some of the items being distributed to the community members:
i) Cars
ii) Motorcycles
iii) Mechanic toolboxes
iv) Car diagnostic gadgets
v) Sewing machines
vi) Deep freezers
vii) Industrial sewing machines
viii) 50,000 Naira to over 1,000 people, with the total number reaching 1,107
ix) Welding machines
x) High-powered cameras, etc
These are just a few of the items I have seen, and some I have heard about.
The Governor of Kano, Abba Gida-gida, who was present during the inauguration of the support program, expressed his happiness and said that he was at a loss for words due to his joy. He added that he had never seen any member who did something like what MB Shehu has done.
This is indeed a significant achievement, and I know that MB Shehu is committed to implementing more initiatives. Anyone interested in knowing about such initiatives can contact Alkanawy, as they are the ones disseminating news and promoting the activities of the legislator.
Before the empowerment, a very strong committee was formed under the leadership of Professor Bashir Yusuf Fagge, and genuinely, there has been a commitment to identifying deserving beneficiaries. I can confidently say that a great effort has been made, day and night, to ensure this work is done perfectly.
In this current political climate under Tinubu, if someone gives you a car, motorcycle, or money, you certainly should appreciate them. Because in Nigeria, especially now, if they don’t give you, there’s nothing you can do. Many elected members do not contribute anything to their constituents and nothing happens.
Finally, some people oppose this empowerment due to their personal reasons or grudges against the one who did it, the committee members or the process. No one can do things that can be accepted by all. Just do your best and move on. No one (especially the politicians) would loved or hated by all. This is why doing things with great foresight and consultation is invaluable. I saw happiness in the faces of the recipients. I hope the money and items given will metamorphose and multiply into bigger fortune.
I call upon the respected member to continue working diligently, to fear God more in carrying out his responsibilities, and to keep doing good for the people. Amen.
Muhammad Kano
