The community in Northern Nigeria is an entity encompassing over half
the population of the country. The North possesses widespread water
resources, vast land, the most fertile agricultural soil in the nation,
abundant natural endowments awaiting development, amongst so many other
virtues. An entity I am so proud of; one, which, once upon a time,
yielded much power and produced the most selfless, patriotic leaders
this country has ever witnessed, but continues to find itself caught in a
web of disarray.With the damage that the north had been subjected to in recent times, today Arewa remains a ghost of
her former self; crying out for redirection; desperate for salvation. As disparate as the performance of the founding fathers, our leadership now almost seems at odds with the spirit of building a strong, united and virile Arewa. Our standing is ebbed further because we are no longer perceived with the same pride, humility, unity and integrity we were once known for.
It is a pity that, despite the camaraderie and unity we were once known for as Northerners, we have been bought to the point of killing ourselves in the name of religion; undermined our brothers in the name of politics. It is a pity that half a century since our independence, the north is forced to continuously refer to the person of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto whenever asked to produce a northern leader of selflessness, courage, distinction, dedication and detribalized sentiment. The Sardauna of Sokoto did for Arewa what Chief Obafemi Awolowo did for the Yorubas. But unlike the southwest where the majority of the population is Yoruba, Sir Ahmadu Bello was able to unify the various diverse tribes found in the north. Although a Hausa/Fulani, the Sardauna regarded every northerner as one and the same. Never did he discriminate based on tribe and always, he would encourage people to practice their religion regardless of what it was. He appreciated the fact that the people of the north needed each other and needed a common identity as “‘Yan Arewa” in order to function successfully and completely as an entity. So he taught the north to understand and value its differences and look upon them as its strength by accommodating every “‘Dan Arewa” that shared his vision to fortify and modernize the north.
Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto was integral in guiding the nation through some of its major landmarks and lead Arewa through some of the most difficult periods in our history. A leader in the vision of Sir Ahmadu Bello is what the North presently needs to enhance its prospect of a brighter future. So the question is, ‘Does the North presently have one?” The accusation that the North lacks much effective leadership may be a reality all too sad to behold. However, the notion that the North does ‘not’ have identifiable leaders to take the lead of the yearning space is not so. The closest to the leadership of the Sardauna that we presently have is, perhaps, General T.Y Danjuma.
When one thinks of the legend of an extraordinary man such as The Sardauna of Sokoto, the silhouette of a leader comes to mind. We know true leaders when we see one. Sir Ahmadu Bello was a true leader and in the same vein General TY Danjuma is a true leader.
Give or take, General T.Y Danjuma embodies the spirit of Sir Ahmadu Bello; that, together, we can meet all the challenges we face with fierce determination and if we stand as one.
True leaders light the path for others during the testiest of times. True leaders don’t have the luxury to merely walk away from challenges; they need to actively make things better by finding ways to get through hard times. True leaders have faith in the asset of their people. These were some of the characteristics that distinguished The Sardauna from other leaders. These are some of the characteristics that distinguish General Danjuma in this day and time.
General Danjuma is a perfectionist-aesthete, exhaustively obsessive about the plight of the underdog and his country’s future. He is thoughtful and hopeful about the future of Arewa and that of Nigeria as a whole. Despite his privilege in life, he has always made choices for the betterment of the whole country and worked together with everyone in the interest of all.
He has built his record of public service on professionalism; collaboration, expediency and an enduring resolve to do what’s best for Nigeria. The competence he has shown through his career, his work ethic, and spirit of cooperation are why he has the admiration and respect of communities throughout Nigeria. He is one of the only leaders to have the privilege of summoning anyone and mediating between all issues that come up in Nigeria.
Over the course of his life, he has demonstrated the resilience, empathy, and disposition that one must have to meet the title and challenges of leadership. He knows that leadership is not about holding on to power; it’s about having a clear foresight. And in not desiring to hold onto power, he always looks beyond petty politics to consider the unintended and long-term impacts of the policies and decisions that shape the country. This far-sighted approach is a testament of his dedication to his beloved country’s future.
The Sardauna of Sokoto was the type of leader Arewa and Nigeria needed in his era, General T.Y Danjuma is the type of leader Arewa and Nigeria need right now.
Arewa, the former powerhouse of Nigerian politics, an entity, once proud of its leaders and history is fortunate to have General Danjuma in its midst and one of its own, seeing for itself the affability, determination, and commitment to Arewa and Nigeria’s future that have propelled him. Thank The Almighty we have the leadership of a ‘National Treasure and Regional Gem’ to help propel us on the way; General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma GCON FSS psc (Rtd).
ref: http://leadership.ng/columns/563804/national-treasure-regional-gem
No comments:
Post a Comment