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Worrisome portents from Borno
EARLY this week, reports emerged in the media that former Borno state governor, Ali Modu Sheriff (SAS), returned to the state, after an 11 months absence. The visit had been long in coming and after many botched attempts, owing to fears of an alleged security threats which his visit could generate, Sheriff finally entered Maiduguri. And before anyone could spell Borno, the worst fear came to pass.
In recent months, it was becoming clearer to observers of events in the state, that the relationship between SAS and incumbent governor, Kashim Shettima was very rocky at best. SAS was said to be unhappy with his anointed successor, Shettima, who has become increasingly popular in Borno (and has garnered a lot of sympathy and understanding nationwide) for his adroit handling of the serious security challenge that he inherited; and the fact that he has applied himself wholeheartedly to delivering development in many areas of endeavour, despite the security situation.
As it was, a presidential plane was alleged to have brought into Maiduguri, former Borno state chairman of the defunct ANPP, Mohammed Imam, who is being touted as Ali Modu Sheriff’s new anointed candidate to replace Kashim Shettima, in 2015. Governor Shettima was coincidentally also at the airport to inspect installations to facilitate the resumption of flights after the last attack by BOKO HARAM, which led to the closure of the airport.
Thugs welcoming Imam saw the governor’s convoy and started hurling stones and pure water. These thugs were dispersed by security men; while the governor carried out his inspection and then walked two kilometres into town, during which he received plaudits of hundreds of residents of the city.
In what observers described as a retaliatory response, on Tuesday this week, DAILY TRUST reported from Maiduguri, that former Governor Ali Sheriff “had to abandon his car and make a fast escape” when youths and thugs attacked his over 200 car convoy near the Shehu of Borno’s palace.
I feel very worried about the rising political tension in Borno. And soon as these reports emerged, I made several calls to people on both sides of the political divide to get a rounded picture of developments. I feel worried because these deployments of thugs and violence are not good for Borno state.
In recent times, there has been a gradual consolidation of the peace in the state and a gradual return to normalcy. I have returned to Borno, before the most recent spike in insurgent violence and the newly orchestrated political violence and people had become increasingly optimistic, that they were turning a corner for the better. Businesses were re-opening; there is a construction boom tied to developments gingered by the state government and there are several youth and women empowerment initiatives and agricultural projects that are taking off.
2015 posturing.
But the posturing for 2015 is beginning to rub off the society negatively and the tragic irony, is that most of the crises that Borno will potentially have to deal with, will come from within the same political camp. It is a situation of a godfather attempting to remove his anointed successor.
This irony is compounded by the fact that Governor Kashim Shettima has given his all to the development process in Borno, a situation that ordinarily should make former governor Sheriff a happy man. I have spent many hours discussing with Governor Kashim Shettima in the past three years, and he has NEVER, not even once, spoken negatively about Sheriff.
He proudly describes himself as Sheriff’s “boy”; says all the time that he remains eternally grateful to his predecessor for his own political elevation. It is this that confuses observers of Borno politics. What then led to the deterioration of the relationship between Sheriff and Shettima? And can’t they mend the relationship for the sake of Borno’s people?
What might Shettima have done to lead to the concerted effort by Sheriff to upturn the applecart, with dire consequences for the development that the state has begun to witness and the consolidating peace? Borno state deserves the peace and empathy it can secure from its political leaders.
THE BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY HAS WROUGHT A TERRIBLE TOLL ON THE LIVES OF THE CITIZENS AND RESIDENCE OF BORNO AND THE NEW TREND OF POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE WILL JUST SCATTER THINGS IRREPARABLY. ON THE ONE HAND, THERE IS THE NEED FOR POLITICAL WISDOM ON THE PART OF ALI MODU SHERIFF; HE MUST NOT GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT HIS OWN POLITICAL AMBITION IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT OF BORNO.
The emergent tendency towards political violence can negatively redound to hurt his political agenda. On the other hand, Kashim Shetimma must show absolute tact so as not to be distracted from his commitment to delivering on the development agenda. At the end of the day, it is how he has delivered to the long-suffering people of Borno that will ultimately be the reference point for his re-election in 2015. On all sides, what is most important is the people, not tall political egos.
