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11 January 2010 By Saka Raji Audu
I read with disgust the statement credited to the
former deposed Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki
where he stated in the Daily Trust of January 8, 2010,
page 2 that people aspiring to the Sardauna title do
not possess any of the attributes of the late Sardauna
of Sokoto, Sir Alhaji Ahmadu Bello. In his words,
Dasuki stated that, "I don't think there is anybody
living now who knows him more than me. I was his
private Secretary for two years. In fact, his first
indigenous Secretary and later I became a Minister in
his government. It saddens me to hear present leaders
of the country claiming to be Sardauna. They should
stop likening themselves to him because they don't
possess any of his attributes", he said.
Perhaps, those who know Dasuki very well, both in word
and action, will testify that he is only being
economical in truth of his statement. It is either
that he has forgotten history he created or he
deliberately hides the fact for distortion in order to
score unnecessary cheap public attention. First, it is
very wrong for a man in his capacity to think that no
leader possesses of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna.
I know that the late legend was a distinguished man of
honour, integrity and epitome of transparency and
honesty. Still, for one to say that no leader
possesses such attributes of him, to my mind, amounts
to political mischief and factually not correct.
What I think Dasuki would have observed, if necessary,
was that the number of present leaders that have
Sardauna attributes is minimal in view of the kind of
society we find ourselves today. It is therefore an
irony for Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki to say no one deserves
Sardauna titles. Perhaps, Dasuki has forgotten that
when he was Sultan of Sokoto, he turbaned his nephew,
Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji as Sardauna of Sokoto in
November 1991. This was in spite of the wide spread
protests in Sokoto against the turban. This is not
all. At the turban ceremony, which was reported in the
then Citizen, Dasuki stated in his speech that a title
should not be left vacant because of former holder's
greatness because even Usman Danfodio's was occupied
after his death. This statement made by Dasuki some
nineteen years ago according to verifiable source was
directed at people who pointed out that Sir Abubakar
did not re-award Sardauna's title for three decades.
It is as astonishing as deceitful that Ibrahim Dasuki
who performed the above ceremony in 1991 is today
talking something else that is a complete
contradiction of his actions. While in 1991, he was in
position to confer Sardauna of Sokoto on his nephew,
Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji amidst protest, today because
he is no longer in power, whoever is found competent
to hold Sardauna title should be discarded. Is that
so? I do not think that Dasuki has moral justification
in admonishing any one as regards the Sardauna title
because he did what he is today cautioning people
about. Is it a case of do as I say, but do not do as I
do? Might be Dasuki is now confirming his mistake to
the world after nineteen years of commitment. This is
why I think the statement credited to Dasuki in the
said Daily trust should be regarded as ranting of a
frustrated man who is bereft of a good future, having
squandered his past and present.
How comes the same Dasuki who claims to have been a
private secretary of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello
Sardauna and later served as a Minister in his
government could engage in double standards? As a man
who was very close to the late sage, he should have
endeavoured to portray his good attributes, both in
words and action. When Dasuki knew very well that no
leader should lay claim to Sardauna title, why then
did he re-awarded the title to his nephew in 1991
against the wish of the Sokoto people because various
happenings indicated that at that period between 1991
and 1996 when he was deposed from his stool, the
politics then was dirtier than what we have today.
That was the time Paul was robbed to pay Peter.
Indeed, every one knew how in spite of his lesser
qualification, he was installed the Sultan of Sokoto.
But truth later triumphed over falsehood, which later
led to his deposition as Sultan for the rightful owner
of the stool in 1996.
Contrary to what Ibrahim Dasuki would like to say
about Sardauna title, it should be stated here that
there are still leaders today, no matter how small in
number they are, that possess the attributes of the
late Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna that should proudly
ascend to the late Sardauna shoe if identified. In
fact, Dasuki hard remarked that a title should not be
left vacant because of former holder's greatness and
cited Danfodio's title as being occupied after his
death. It then beats one's imagination why is he
contradicting himself now. People like Dasuki are many
in our midst and should be watched closely so that we
can differentiate between their reality and sentiment.
Finally, it is totally wrong for any body to make any
sweeping generalization like the comment made by
Dasuki on Sardauna title. If any leader is believed to
have excelled in human development, transparency,
accountability, accommodation, resourcefulness should
simply have more than enough quality of Sardauna
title. Leaders with these characteristic traits still
abound in our today system, though they are not as
Dasuki would think. This explains the conferment of
Sardauna title on the few ones being identified.
Saka Raji Audu writes from Kano and can be reached
on his email: sakaraj@yahoo.com |
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