When Providence Beckons

God in His infinite wisdom created the world and made it a dwelling place for mankind, birds, fishes, animals, insects and many other creatures including the different species of plants. Among the mankind made to inhabit the earth are the blacks, the whites, the coloured; observing different belief systems, cultures and traditions, but all equal before Him, with those among the people that fear Him most being the best, the exalted. And all these different peoples, though living in different parts of the world, are dwelling not in two or three different worlds but one. There are wisdom and abundant lessons in this.
It is obviously what obtains in the world that reflects in our respective continents. In Nigeria, our country, and back hare in Kaduna State the story is not any different.
It is indeed providence that brought us, the diverse peoples of Kaduna State, together to live within one unique geographical entity called Kaduna State. We have so lived, and peacefully too, since the defunct North Central State, the former Kaduna State, including the present day Katsina State, and now our present day Kaduna State, where, again by providence, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa is the governor.
I say the people of Kaduna State have lived peacefully not oblivious of the fact that there were some times in history like in 1986, 1992, 1999 and 2002 when the selfish and inconsiderate whims of some political class were allowed to prevail and several lives were lost while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed. Yet in my opinion, the people of Kaduna State still live peacefully with one another despite their ethnic, religious and traditional differences.
Providence has once again beckon on Kaduna State first as the erstwhile governor, Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has been selected as Nigeria's vice president following the demise of late president Yar'Adua and the promotion of his deputy, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, to the seat of the state governor; and secondly, the unanimous, peaceful and collective resolve of the people of the state from the north and the south to respectively agitate and clamour for their separate states.
While it becomes imperative to congratulate the new governor, knowing well that he is a true democrat, who believes in carrying everybody along, it is also necessary to call on the good people of the state, especially from the northern part to discard their unfounded apprehensions surrounding the political development in the state. Zaria, for example, should be assured that just like the whole state was considered by the government when one of their own held sway as the state governor, the same gesture should and would be extended by the new governor.
On the agitations for new Kaduna State and Gurara State by the people of the northern and southern parts of our dear state respectively, it should and must be seen first and foremost as a very legitimate move for the two sections of the state to seek 'emancipation' from their real or perceived dominations.
It is important to mention here that it is essentially wrong for a people to be oppressed and dominated by anybody especially in a democratic setting like the one we have in operation now in the country. That was why the good people of the state collectively put their hands on deck and ensured that the people of the southern part of the state, who claimed being oppressed, using the Emirate system, were so emancipated with the creation and upgrading of their traditional institutions.
Now, the northern part of Kaduna State has, with reference to official statistics, come to realize that despite the fact that they constitute about 70% of the population of the state, their contribution to the state's civil service is only about 35%; while their counter parts from the southern part, constituting about 30% of the state's population, actually dominates the state's civil service by about 65%.
However, since the southern Kaduna people, who though have appreciated government's gesture when their own chiefdoms were created for them, still feel marginalized and have communicated so to their northern counterparts, who nodded even if not in total agreement at least but in appreciation of their neighbours' plight, now is the time for the southern part to also reciprocate by appreciating the plight of their northern counterparts. These we must say, the southern Kaduna people have already done hence the resolve to support their northern counter parts in their clamour for new Kaduna State.
The people of Kaduna State from both the north and the south deserve commendations first for living together peacefully and secondly for agreeing to support each others agitation for their respective states. And this should be the basis for prompt consideration of the agitations by the National Assembly, even as the two groups, representing the northern and southern Kaduna, have together submitted their respective memoranda.
However, even as the two groups were collectively commended for the maturity and peaceful nature with which they both go about their agitations; they must as well be warned to remain focused as the slightest derailment will lead to the breach of the peace. They both must therefore remain considerate and fair in their claims for land area. Specifically, both groups must remember to leave Kaduna city where it belongs - with the Zazzau Emirate as contained in historical archives.