Kano

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

On July 23, 2021, Dr Abdallah Uthman Gadon-Kaya delivered a Friday sermon in one of the mosques he leads prayers in Kano State. That sermon did not go down well with Prof. Ibrahim Maqari. Thus, he appeared in a video threatening Dr Abdallah to withdraw parts of the statement, or they would meet in court. On July 26, Dr Abdallah received a letter from Prof. Maqari’s lawyers, giving him a 7-day ultimatum to withdraw those “remarks” or face legal action.

Many media organisations, including online newspapers, reported the recent development. But no media reported Dr Abdallah’s side of the story. So the Daily Reality (TDR) spoke with one of his lawyers, Ibrahim Umar Abere.

Barrister Abere told TDR that “We initially received a letter from Prof. Maqari stating that his lawyers were charging Dr Abdallah for defamation. And he was given seven days to withdraw his utterances against Prof. Maqari. If not, he must appear before the court to stand a trial.

“In the letter he sent, his lawyer said that he knew Dr Abdallah had not mentioned Prof. Maqari’s name, but it was clear to them that the things said were directly referring to Prof. Maqari. [This means they were the ones who said that to their client]. We wanted to reply to them instantly. All of a sudden, the Department of State Service (DSS) from Abuja intervened, asking the two parties to sheath their sword and that both parties should report to the DSS office in Kano for reconciliation.”

“We went to the DSS office. I was there; Dr Abdallah was there, and Prof. Maqari, represented by his lawyer, was there. They said that Dr Abdallah must go and withdraw his utterances publicly on his pulpit. We said this is impossible because what happened was that Prof. Maqari spoke, and Dr Abdallah also spoke in their sermons about the things happening. Though some clerics already asked Dr Abdallah to withdraw those remarks that some people felt were harsh. He did so and apologised to all and sundry.

“The DSS stated that they were aware Dr Abdallah had apologised to anybody who misunderstood his sermon or felt any pain. We were satisfied with that. For this, there’s no reason for Abdallah to go and apologise for the second time.

By Allah, this was what happened. The DSS personnel also reminded us that both Abdallah and Maqari have followers; therefore, unless handled cautiously, the issue might become a grave conflict. That was why we did not respond to their letter. Because we take what authority said seriously, that was how our sitting ended,” said Abere.

On August 24, a copy of a summons showing that Prof. Maqari sued Dr Abdallah in an Upper Sharia Court at Rijiyar Lemo, Kano State, trended on social media.

In reaction to that, Abere told TDR that “We have seen that. It means they disagreed with the reconciliation made by the DSS a few weeks ago. That was why they went to court. On hearing that, we had to call the DSS and told them that these people took the case to court despite the fact the dispute had been resolved. For this reason, we had replied to their letter for them to know our stand. We told them that we were also charging Maqari with defamation and other things.

“In our reply on July 30 to Prof. Maqari’s lawyers, Dr Abdallah unreservedly denied all the allegations forwarded by Prof. Maqari. We also gave the lawyers a 7-day ultimatum to withdraw some defamatory remarks in their demand letter. They call Dr Abdallah derogatory names such as liar, lawless, mischievous, reckless, heartless, penchant for hate speech, high-handed and threat to public peace. Otherwise, he [Prof. Maqari] too will face a legal battle,” he lamented.

Surprisingly, Prof. Maqari appeared in yet another video on Saturday, August 28 2021, telling the public that some prominent personalities in the country had intervened on the matter. Therefore he left the case in their hands. This means there would be no court case against Dr Abdallah.

“We have thoroughly prepared to appear before the court on September 6, 2021. All our defences and counter-charges or claims are ready. Then we suddenly saw Prof. Maqari again on social media in another video saying that some people talked to him and now the case is with them.

Does that mean he had withdrawn his charges against Dr Abdallah? If that is the case, that is now how it is done. For Prof. Maqari to withdraw his charges against Dr Abdallah, it should be in a written form. Until now, we have not received any official letter. We just heard about it on social media. People should not seriously regard what has been said on social media or in a video,” concluded barrister Abere.

By Lawi Auwal Yusuf

The Tsangaya system in northern Nigeria started more than a century ago. It is a traditional and informal system of Islamic education where male children are taken to a far place from home to memorise the Qur’an and study other religious books. This will help them to concentrate more on their studies than in the comfort of their homes. They can be seen in every part of the region, and they mostly come from rural areas and are predominantly taken to the cities, while some come from neighbouring countries.

It has taken a parallel dimension in the last decades as there has been a massive influx of these young children into the urban areas.

This rural-urban migration is exacerbated by rising poverty in the countryside, dilapidated infrastructures, unemployment, rising cost of living and a corresponding decline in the standard of living. Moreover, monetisation of the rural economy, desertification, effects of climate change and lack of social amenities worsen the situation.

Similarly, this mass movement has its repercussions on the metropolitan areas such as overcrowding, squalor housing and homelessness, poverty, the spread of diseases, starvation, poor sanitation, joblessness, criminal activities and fanaticism.

The pitiful and awful plight of these vulnerable children, including minors of about five, is very sorrowful, disheartening, and sympathetic. These oppressed kids below the legal age of responsibility and accountability roam in nooks and crannies of cities hungrily begging for food wearing tattered, shabby and ragged clothes without shoes in the scorching heat. They wander from house to house, in marketplaces, on the streets, motor parks/stations, mosques, traffic intersections and social gatherings in search of livelihood. They scavenge through refuse and garbage, looking for food and other valuable materials. These miserable children sleep on the roadsides, under bridges, marketplaces, uncompleted buildings and other unfortunate places under intense bites of mosquitoes and other insects.

Moreover, they defecate in the open as there are no toilets to use. They equally lack access to safe drinking water, prophylaxes, vaccines and immunisations that can help to prevent them against dangerous diseases.

Some of them are not much acquainted with their parents, siblings and other extended family members. They know little about their hometowns. They depart home when they are too young and are rarely visited or go home to reunite with their families, while others never return. Some years ago, I overheard one of them narrating his ordeal that there were only two rooms in their mud house. One was for the parents and the other for the children. The father wanted to marry a second wife while there was no vacant room to accommodate the bride. So he enrolled them in Tsangaya school and arranged the children’s room for her. This is why tribal and political bigots revile and vilify the Northerners on this savage and barbaric behaviour.

These filthy children are left to fend for themselves as no one cares about them. Everyone abandons them. They do not get the psychological support, love and affection of their parents and the bond of kinship ties. They live their entire unwholesome lives away from home. In addition, they also fall victim to child labour, exploitation and abuse. Hence, the teachers and other older co-students ruthlessly maltreat the younger ones and confiscate the food and money they get.

They have equal rights to benefit from the state resources and the public treasury like every citizen. They have equal rights with the children of the so-called prominent personalities, the President, governors, ministers, lawmakers and traditional rulers whose kids are taken to Europe and America to study. They also have the rights to normal life, adequate healthcare, decent shelter, and qualitative education with the requisite skills to make them marketable in the labour market and equal opportunities. Unfortunately, they have been deprived of these constitutional rights and are treated in their fatherland as sub-humans.

In their teenage, they spend much of their time on the course of their subsistence than their studies. Therefore, only a few of them receive the desired education. The unfortunate ones grow up without adequate knowledge, socialisation, professional training, and skills that necessitate them to wander the street and do menial jobs. Appallingly, some end up in theft, mugging, thuggery, drug dealing/addiction, sexual and other street offences.

It is very irritating that these vibrant, vigorous and exuberant youths are not made very productive to our nation. It vexes me to see them idle, redundant and wandering freely without a specific purpose or destination. Had they been adequately trained and made more productive to the society, they would have become professionals in different fields and therefore facilitate its development. It would have been more advanced than it is now. Sadly, all the intelligence, talent and youthful exuberance are being squandered negligently and not made helpful for their benefit and the whole society.  This is why Nigeria still lags behind its peers.

This mindlessness of the Nigerian authorities resulted in the December 1980 fracas in Kano. Maitatsine took advantage of this and brainwashed thousands of his students into extremism and fundamentalism. The conflict, which lasted for almost three weeks, put the city at an impasse and led to the loss of nearly 5,000 lives, including Maitatsine himself and enormous property worth millions were destroyed. The survived students initiated another tumultuous disturbance in the subsequent years, whereas in Bulumkuttu, Maiduguri and Kaduna in October 1982, over 3,000 lives were lost. Other riots broke out in Yola in 1984, where over 1,000 people were killed, and more than 60,000 people were displaced. And it also took place in Gombe in 1985.  

Furthermore, Boko Haram is more destructive, disastrous, and catastrophic that analysts see as an offshoot of the Maitatsine sect re-emerged with similar ideologies, putting the country in a war for more than a decade. Maiduguri has the largest concentration of these students, where you can find a Tsangaya school with thousands of students. Since the beginning of their offensive attacks in 2009, tens of thousands of lives were lost, and more than 2.3 million people were displaced, and roughly 250,000 fled to the neighbouring countries. The Global Terrorism Index declared it the world’s deadliest terror organisation in 2010. They have engaged in mass kidnappings of innocent civilians, including schoolgirls in Dapchi and Chibok and aggravated famines and food insecurity.  

The government should reinvigorate the Nigerian educational system to meet international standards. Similarly, there is a need to introduce an integrated educational system that will completely uproot the dichotomy between Islamic and Western education that will correspond with our religion and culture. A system that will give room for the memorisation of the Qur’an, Islamic subjects alongside the other conventional subjects to be acceptable to all. This was what Muslim countries like Sudan, Libya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and many others have done. A similar provision should be put in place for Christians to be fair and just to all. In addition, primary education should be entirely free, compulsory and accessible to all.  

The governments at all levels should make genuine efforts to eradicate poverty in the villages, combat desert encroachment and revamp agriculture which will help tremendously improve the income of the rural dwellers. And also provide adequate and effective infrastructures and social amenities to make their lives better and easier.

Apart from all these, the government should urgently evacuate and return them all to their homes and enact a statute that will be strictly and rigorously enforced outlawing this incessant desertion. The legislation should also oblige the parents to be responsible for their children’s custody, supervision, and safekeeping.

There is a difference between a man and a father. The latter is a title of birth and guard. So, it is natural to take up the mandate; it is unnatural not to.

Lawi Auwal Yusuf writes from Kano, Nigeria. He can be reached via laymaikanawa@gmail.com.

Aishatu Aliyu

The Kano state Drugs and Medical Consumable Supply Agency has trained 80 students on mandatory industrial practical training at its office.

Presenting certificates at the graduation ceremony of the training, the Director-General of the Agency, Pharmacist Husham Imamiddeen, tasked the students to utilise their skills.

He said, “Amongst the responsibilities of the Drugs Medical Consumable Supply Agency is the production of qualitative and Affordable Drugs to the people of Kano State.”

The DG also stated that the Agency has a quality control unit, whereby tests were conducted before the release of drugs.

Pharmacist Imamudeen added that the students conducted their mandatory six months training on quality control, after which they were certified.

The trainees then commended the Agency for equipping them with the acquired skills and support during the training period.

By Abdullahi A Alkasim

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State frees 3,717 inmates of Correctional Centres in Kano from 2015 to 2021, all in an effort to decongest these Centres, as requested by President Muhammadu Buhari a few years back. The President urged state governors to help decongest Correctional Centres nationwide.

He made the disclosure when he received, in a courtesy call, members of the Presidential Committee on Correctional Centres Reform and Decongestion, at his office, Thursday, under the Chairmanship of Justice Ishaq Bello.

“President Muhammadu Buhari thought it right when he called for the decongestion of our Correctional Centres. Looking at the happenings in those Centres. That, we should respect life and we should have hope in our inmates,” he stated.

He disclosed that “We adopted two major strategies to answer the call of President Muhammadu Buhari, for decongesting Correctional Centres.

We put in place the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, under which we release inmates two times a year. All during Sallah festivities. Sallah-El-Fitr and Sallah-El-Kabir. So far we have released 3,717 inmates from 2015 to date.

We paid for them, fees they were not able to pay that landed them in those Centres. We also give them transport money after they regained freedom. We recruit some of them in the state civil service.

We are also keen on the administration of justice. Many at times it is not all about releasing those inmates, but we still have a greater percentage of those in these Centres as awaiting trials individuals.”

Justice Bello, who led the Committee, commended governor Ganduje’s “…demonstration of interest and passion when it comes to issues of justice.”

Explaining to the governor, “We have gotten into files and received cases today when over 28 people regained freedom.”

“Furthermore it is crucial to mention that with the support of the Kano state government, the Committee was able to secure the release of about 368 inmates from various correctional centres in Kano state at the of the first visit,” he disclosed.

By Muhammad Sabiu

The Hausa-speaking community on social media, especially Facebook and Twitter, is today celebrating World Hausa Day for the seventh time.

However, Nigeria’s Twitter ban early this year has reduced much of the day’s celebration on the microblogging site.

The day was first introduced and celebrated in 2015, courtesy of concerned social media users such as Jamila Kabiru Fagge, Abdulbaki Jari, Bashir Ahmad, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, Faisal Abdullahi, Ila Bappa, Maryam Ado, others. The objective was to promote the Hausa language, its development and the challenges it faces as one of the major languages in West Africa.

The day allows Hausa users to come up and post witty Hausa sayings and make corrections as to how the language is used in conformity with its orthographical rules.

Hausa is one of the most spoken languages in Africa. It is spoken in about 30 African countries, with over 100 million speakers.

The language gathers momentum each day as several renowned media organisations broadcast in it. For example, media houses like the BBC, VOA, DW, Radio France International and the like broadcast in the Hausa language.

However, some social media users lament some challenges that the Hausa language and its people face today.

For example, Nurudeen Dauda wrote the following in his article: “Our people almost regarded begging as [a] profession. All well-meaning Hausas should and or must make [a] serious effort towards discouraging our people from begging. After all, we are not the only people suffering from poverty in Nigeria. It is among all!”

By Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan

It is commonsensically understandable when Kano Hizba could not stage a daring raid on Fatima Ganduje’s wedding or that of powerful people. Their excuse is acceptable to good Muslims and every reasonable person. However, some dimwitted Islamophobic detractors of Islam, who hate or fear Muslims, Islamic politics or culture, will always scorn the Hizba.

From Malam Ibrahim Shekarau’s governance in Kano to date, Hizba has always been the first target of those Islamophobia-suffering people. When they were strong, Hizba succeeded in reducing prostitution, alcohol drinking, excesses of Kannywood actors and actresses and helped maintain order in Kano. It also provided means of livelihood to thousands then, just as KAROTA delivers now. And, since the second coming of Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the powers given to the Hizba during Malam Shekarau was drastically reduced. Politics is all to blame; we all know.

So why do those detractors of Islam choose to ignore this simple fact? Why do they ignore the capitalistic, autocratic Nigerian factor of “the rich/powerful is always right”? Why do they criticise when Hizba works, as when they burn crates of beer, and when the board fails? In that case, what do these detractors want? Similarly, why do we judge people and institutions by some few wrongs or some unavoidably uncontrollable wrongs and limitations? If Allah forgives the Hizba for being forced to overlook, then why can’t you?

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allah has forgiven my nation for mistakes and forgetfulness, and WHAT THEY ARE FORCED TO DO.”

Similarly, “Allah burdens no soul beyond its capacity”. To its credit is what it earns, and against it is what it commits. “Our Lord, do not condemn us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord, do not burden us as You have burdened those before us. Our Lord, do not impose on us more than we have the strength to bear; and pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Master, so help us against the disbelieving people.”

Lastly, they arrested a prostitute, Sadiya Haruna, because they can arrest transgressors like her and alhamdulillah they did. Whoever has complaints should please take a lawyer for Sadiya. Finally, I pray may these Muslim detractors of Islam come to their senses before it is too late.

Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan writes from Kano.

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

Despite the directive of court mandating the Kano State Commissioner of Police to continue to recognise the elected executive officers of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) pending the determination of the substantive case, the Kano State commissioner of police, Mr Sama’ila Dikko, has allegedly refused to obey the court’s injunction.

On July 7, 2021, the Kano State High Court handed down an interim order restraining Police and the National Executive Council of the PCRC from dissolving or purporting to dissolve the leadership of the State committee. The said order also restrained a supposed caretaker committee members or anyone else from parading themselves as new executives. However, the state’s commissioner of police, who findings reveal is heading a state command for the first time in Kano, is yet to obey the High Court’s order despite evidence of service.

Reports gathered by The Daily Reality also revealed that the Police Commissioner, Mr Dikko, has been served with the court order. The said commissioner sued as the 8th Respondent in the suit has even filed several applications before the court through the command’s chief counsel Mr Sunday Ekwe.

On two different occasions after the court’s order, one at Kwalli Division and the other at Takai local government, the Kano Police Commissioner has frustrated functions organised by the PCRC to foster synergy and understanding between police and community. The commissioner of police was also alleged to have gathered all his Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and instructed them not to recognise the court recognised executives of the PCRC.

Speaking on this, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa said, “Kano Police command has no hand in what is happening in PCRC. The conflict is between the suspended chairman of the PCRC and the national body. Some members of the PCRC wrote a complaint letter to the national headquarter about the gross misconduct of their chairman. After reading the complaint, the national body suspended the chairman, dissolved the entire executive members and appointed a caretaker committee.”

“You also asked about the alleged sale of PCRC ID cards. This is not true; I don’t issue ID cards. Police don’t issue ID cards. So I don’t know where you got this information. This is grievous,” the PPRO protested.

When contacted to comment on the matter, the suspended chairman of PCRC, Dr Saleh Jili, said, “Firstly, DSP Kiyawa was the root cause of all this conflict. He, alone, being the secretary of the PCRC, wrote a complaint against me to our national headquarter for my resistance to his unauthorised issuance of PCRC without proper account and coordination. What he did was an outright contravention of the PCRC Constitution as well as the National Executive Council directive. We caught a suspected thief with a PCRC ID card, and he told us where he got it and who gave him.”

“Secondly, all the allegations he made against me were false, misleading and frivolous. And about my suspension, PCRC National Executive Council has no such power to suspend me and stated by our constitution because they were not the ones who elected me. It is like to say President Muhammadu Buhari impeaches governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State. Can this be possible?”

Counsel to the embattled state chairman, Abba Hikima Esq., said, “The Kano Police Command is out to strangulate the Federal Government’s effort toward effective community-based policing in Kano at a time when Nigeria is bleeding with criminality. The PCRC has, for the past 37 years, championed Nigeria’s community policing project in Kano and Nigeria. Therefore, we shall follow all legally allowed means, including commencing contempt proceedings against the person of the commissioner of police. He is about the only one resisting the order of Kano High Court to ensure that he does not disrespect our courts and get away with it.”

Barrister Hikima added that “The Commissioner’s actions are clearly arbitrary and contemptuous and if not urgently checked by either the hierarchies of the police or the court itself would herald chaos and anarchy. Same also posses a threat to Kano’s community policing program.”

The PCRC is Nigeria’s oldest community policing based organisation, established in 1984 to foster partnership and understanding between police and community members. The committee in Kano State has procured several vehicles for the police, built police outposts and supported the police in various ways.

Earlier this year, the Kano State PCRC organised a state-wide security summit massively attended by dignities, security experts and artisans from the 44 local government councils of Kano state. During the meeting, people received training on “How to report crimes and criminality without getting victimised.”

By Muhammad Sabiu

The former Nigerian Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK), has come under fire for posting pictures of him with Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, at the wedding of President Muhammadu Buhari’s son in Kano.

FFK, a staunch critic of President Buhari, had some months ago described Pantami as an “unrepentant jihadist, cold-blooded beast, a psychopathic and clearly insane individual.”

Attending President Buhari’s son’s wedding by Mr Fani-Kayode took many people by surprise.

Responding to his critics via his verified Facebook account, FFK said politics“is not war.”

“Buba Galadima with Ahmad Lawan, GEJ with PMB, GEJ with VP & Atiku with PMB. Politics is about bridge-building regardless of your differences.

“It is not war. You can be friends with your political adversary & still disagree. It’s called politics without bitterness & being civilised,” he wrote.

By Salisu Yusuf

Sunday, 8th of August, 2021 was a black day for the family of Malam Isah Abba Adamu, the BBC Hausa Service, its listeners, Kano people, the Hausa community in London, and the Hausa community globally over the sudden death of the Kano-born, renowned broadcaster, Malam Isa Abba Adamu. He was the first Black person to have headed the BBC Hausa Service. He was also the Executive Editor of BBC Africa Service.

Malam Abba Adamu has made an enormous contribution in the Hausa language policy formulations, which are policies put forward by ethnologists for language sustenance against language attrition (waning and death). For example, it’s a well-known fact that the Hausa Service has contributed a lot in the lexical modernisation of some new words to Hausa, especially the recent computer terminologies: kwamfuta, na’ura maikwakwalwa, megawati, etc.

Nowhere has late Isa contributed than in areas of translation. Millions of Hausa users will miss his voice, translation skills and interpretative nuance, especially from English news and reports to their exact Hausa versions.

Stations like BBC Hausa (in which Malam Isa was a figurehead and contributor) have attracted many non-Hausa speakers to news in Hausa. This has contributed to the increase in the Hausa speech community. Ethnologue estimated that over 47 million people now use the Hausa language as second language users. Language prestige is another factor in language development because a language attracts more users worldwide. The Hausa language enjoys high patronage as one of the most widely used mediums in the world. People such as the late Malam Isa are among the factors responsible for the prevalent use of the language in Nigeria and all over the world, where it’s used for literacy and information dissemination.

Lastly, the BBC Hausa is also involved in Hausa corpus planning. This involved creating a standard variety of language in spelling and grammar. BBC Hausa uses the Kano dialect in its broadcasts as it’s considered more standard even though with some modifications.

Late Malam Isa Abba Adamu will be remembered for his sonorous voice and more for his catchphrase during broadcasts: “Ana sauraron Sashen Hausa na BBC ne daga tsakiyar London, ni kuma nine Isa Abba Adamu.”

May the Lord in His infinite mercy forgive Malam Isa Abba Adamu and grant him Jannatul Firdaus, amin.

Salisu Yusuf writes from Katsina. He can be contacted via salisuyusuf111@gmail.com.

By Ibrahiym A. El-Caleel

Northern Nigeria, Arewa launched her Shari’a project on the eve of the third millennium, precisely in 1999. The project was cheered by Muslims, who are the larger share of the Arewa population. But, on the other hand, the project became a thorn in the flesh of liberal Muslims as well as Islamophobes. Therefore, this generated heated discussions within the Arewa intelligentsia, from the mosques’ pulpits to traditional media pages.

Immediately Shari’a was launched, additives were added to strengthen its influence over the years. The Shari’a courts appeared visibly effective and powerful in their jurisdictions. On the other hand, they were feared due to their initial charisma. Shari’a hudud (penalties) were unapologetically executed in states that subscribed to the project. In 2003, Kano State impressively established the Kano State Hisbah Corps to deepen Shari’a application further. All these were efforts that every conscious Muslim found impressive. Nigerian Muslims were able to leverage democracy to re-establish their lost treasure of Islamic Law. It was a sort of blessing in the eyes of conscious Muslims. Today, however, things are beginning to fall apart.

In recent years, we see rather poor management of the Shari’a project. Convicts in Shari’a courts now find a way to evade justice, leveraging the weak points in the project. More problematic is the visible selective application of Shari’a among Arewa Muslims. Concerning the Shari’a application, Arewa currently operates a caste system. Masses are prosecuted under Shari’a for the slightest offences, but the elites commit big offences and get away with impunity. The Shari’a practised by the earliest Muslim generations was egalitarianism, where everyone was equal before the Islamic Law. But in Arewa today, Shari’a is an elitism that only applies to the nobodies in the society, while the elites break the code and fingers are not raised at them.  

Kano Hisbah is famous for coming into the spotlight with all sorts of amazing arrests and “Shari’a law enforcements”. There are pictures of them randomly stopping youths and cutting their hair because they have kept bushy and unkempt hair. To me, this should be a minor thing that should bother Kano Hisbah, when every week, men and scantily dressed women converge at costly-rented event centres, dancing and freely mixing in the name of celebrating weddings. Kano Hisbah never shows up in such Shari’a noncompliant events because they might be meeting the last son of a commissioner, the wife of a minister or even the nation’s First Lady herself. Apologists of this caste system might say perhaps Kano Hisbah never comes across these numerous events that happen frequently and simultaneously. But the answer is, after concluding the events, these “untouchables” audaciously flaunt the immoral pictures and videos on social media to the public glare. And nothing still happens.

Shari’a in Arewa will continue to be feeble because Arewa leaders are not genuinely committed to executing it. Only Allah knows the hearts of men, but the body language we are seeing is that these leaders use Shari’a in the spirit of populism; to woo political fandom. If we have Shari’a, then everyone must come equal before it. In a sane society, everyone comes equal before the law. This is called “the rule of law”.

It was narrated that during the reign of Caliph Umar bnul Khattab, Amr bnul Aas was the governor of Egypt. This governor had a son who entered a horserace with an Egyptian man, and the Egyptian man won the race. This defeat angered the governor’s son, so he decided to flog the Egyptian man. The man left Egypt and travelled to Madinah to complain to Caliph Umar. Umar summoned Governor Amr bnul Aas and the son to appear before him. When they showed up, Umar asked the Egyptian man to flog the Governor’s son as he had flogged him. Then he said to the governor, “when did you start to enslave people when they were born free?”. This incident indicates that Caliph Umar, as one of the most influential leaders in history, never allowed impunity and elitism to prosper in the land.

Secondly, when a lady from Bani Makhzum committed theft, the people of Quraysh requested Usama bn Zayd to intercede for her with Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him). When Usama spoke about it to the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him), the Prophet said, “Do you try to intercede for somebody in a case connected with Allah’s Prescribed Punishments?” Then he got up and delivered a sermon saying, “What destroyed the nations preceding you, was that if a noble amongst them stole, they would forgive him, and if a poor person amongst them stole, they would inflict Allah’s Legal punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad stole, I would cut off her hand.”

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) is the grand patron of all leaders executing the Shari’a. This is him (Peace be Upon Him) saying if his own most beloved daughter were found guilty, he would apply the laws on her with no regard to her exalted status. May Allah’s salutations be upon him. He indeed is our ultimate role model worthy of emulation.

Until Arewa leaders take the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) as a role model in the Shari’a project, we will continue to be a laughingstock. It is quite shameful that daughters of Arewa governors and emirs dress immodestly at their weddings. We have seen the daughter of former Kano Emir Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi II taking a handshake from the Vice President, an ajnabi (strange man), in front of her father. The daughter of Kano State Governor Khadimul Islam, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, dressed immodestly on her wedding day. She wore a sleeveless wide-necked gown that almost revealed her chest. As if that was not enough of breaking the Shari’a code, she danced in this outfit to the visuality of strange men. The daughter of former EFCC Czar Mallam Nuhu Ribadu also made a similar appearance some months back.

This week, the trending topic on Arewa Facebook centres around another Kano princess, Zahra Nasir Ado Bayero, who is getting married to the President’s son, Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari. In her bridal shower event in Abuja, the princess appeared in a tight wedding gown, exposing the upper part of her torso. Of course, her hair was styled and opened to the public like her fellow sisters in the Shari’a code-breaking. People are wondering how Kano Hisbah is not seeing all this and issuing a press release.

The amoralism is getting institutionalised by the children of Arewa leaders. It speaks volumes to why Shari’a is still a baby in Arewa despite spending more than 20 years in the system. People who could give us a formidable Sharia are issuing licenses to their children to abuse the code and go scot-free. This is why even convicted blasphemers these days do not end up suffering the penalties. Anyone with some copper coins in their pockets and a little political network can find a way out. Only the poor and the unconnected can be convicted and be eventually punished. This is the caste system we have awaken to in Arewa today. Unfortunately, leaders are not ready to walk the talk. We need a leveller to be able to have an effective Shari’a system. What is good for the goose has to be good for the gander. Else, we are all joking around.

Ibrahiym A. El-Caleel is a Civil Engineer by training with an interest in public and social commentary. He writes from Zaria and can be reached via caleel2009@gmail.com.