BRIEF XRAY OF SHEIKH MAQARI'S GOOF

Sheikh Ahmad Maqari is the one of the Imams of National Mosque Abuja, the position which placed him on the pedestal of national representation of all Muslims irrespective of their sectarian affiliation. It is thus unbecoming of a person of his calibre and status to make statement that denigrate a particular sect.

He recently attributed the dissemination of terrorist ideology to Saudi Arabia which in his view is teaching violent behaviours. This allegation is offensive not only to Saudi Arabia as a country but also to the Wahabo-Salafi adherents in the country.

The negative implications of such inciteful utterances can be summed up as follows:

(a) Political implication
(b) Religious implication

POLITICAL IMPLICATION

As an Imam occupying that national portfolio, his statement on international issues may be taken to reflect the position of the Nigerian government. Therefore, making such statement is capable of impairing the Saudi-Nigeria diplomatic relationship.

RELIGIOUS IMPLICATION

Saudi Arabia is the spiritual nerve centre of Sunni-Islam and its intellectual development, to which the majority of Muslims in Nigeria are linked ideologically. Thus, denigrating it by attributing terrorism to it is offensive. It triggers futile sectarian arguments and further aggravates the already volatile situation thereby fueling the fire of disunity in the Ummah.

#MyOpinion

Ibrahim Bello Zauma
20/10 /2017

INSECURITY IN ZAMFARA: TRUTH AND CONSPIRACY THEORY

I am not a fan of conspiracy theories because I believe they are mostly born out of paranoia and the desperate attempt to explain things that are yet to be known. The evidence often used to back a conspiracy theory hangs on the pegs of conjectures and unproven hypothesis. When Boko Haram was thriving, the Goodluck Jonathan's government was fingered to have "directly sponsored it" to destroy the North but it defies rationality to believe in such fiery tales. However, I believe GEJ loosely allowed it to thrive but didn't have direct link to its sponsorship as his political opponents wanted us to believe.

This is equally my stand with regard to the dwindling security in Zamfara State. There is a conspiracy theory making rounds directly implicating the Governor Yari's administration in the deteriorating security situation in the state. There is a political undertone in the spread of such hearsay. It isn't just possible to accommodate the assumption that that the state government is the brain behind the rustling and kidnappings gaining grounds in the state.

However, there are points of connection between the government and the current upsurge in crimes in the state. The Yari-led administration have created breeding ground for such criminal activities by deliberately inviting poverty to take over the state. To cite typical examples; the state government's dissolution of skill acquisition programme, neglect of agriculture and creating unemployment are the some of the reasons why crimes are skyrocketing in Zamfara state. The reason why the Yari's administration is getting all accusing fingers pointed at it is his utter indifference to the plight of Zamfara people. 

IBRAHIM BELLO ZAUMA
02/10/2017

#SaveZamfara

WAEC 2017 RELEASED: ZAMFARA'S STUDENTS WAITING...

As the 2017 WAEC results started to hit screens, Zamfara State's students awaiting result are getting strong pulmonary thumping with the fear that theirs may not be forth-coming anytime soon like the previous results.

This is indeed worrying because the delay in the settlement of SSCE fees in the last six years of Shehi's administration has cost Zamfara a terrible educational loss. Many a secondary school leavers could not further their education for years.

While the children of the common men are being educationally stagnated albeit deliberately and their little learning exploited to serve the people who persecuted them by making them their ''social media campaigners'', their own children are enrolled in the best of schools, exposed to the best of instructions using best instructional materials in the most conducive environment.

There is no reason this time around to misplace priority again or delay the payment of the fees on flimsy grounds. It is in our living memory how from 2014 to 2016 the SSCE results were made to hang in the world of unknown for a long time overlapping academic sessions in the tertiary institutions within which they could enroll and continue with their education. Alas! Time elapsed in futility! Some of these youths, victims of insensitivity end up roaming the streets, some getting into drug abuse and become social nuisance.

The state government should not allow the painful history to repeat itself. We have had enough of this tragedy and we expect no more reverse gear in this journey of life. Our state have already made a stinking history of having 1000000 (One Million) out of the the total of 7000000 (Seven Million) out of school children in Nigeria! (UNICEF 2013). More recently, the HILWA 2016 statistics shows that the percentage of out-of-school children hits about 76% while the pupil teacher ration is 50:1.

Our plea is that His Execellency #GovernorYari should look into this issue promptly with the view to saving the future of our sons daughters and brothers, so that they can further their education and stay off streets. 

By Ibrahim Bello Zauma