By Sule Ya’u Sule

WHEN therefore Malam told his NIDOA audience in New Jersey that the success of his administration has been a philosophical commitment “guided by the universal principles of Shari’a which enjoin good governance in the running of the affairs of the state”, he was essentially outlining the basic difference between the Kano model of moral leadership and contending models.  What underlines the social contract between the Nigerian masses and their leaders?

For Malam, it is a two-way process.  “Government involves the people in deciding projects, listens and accommodates divergent views, and a transparent leadership would attract respect from the citizenry and encourage them to make contributions and sacrifices”.

Providing further insight into why the Kano leadership model has been such a spectacular success, Malam said: “Participation could be either direct through legitimate institutions or representatives.  Hence, we introduced the Constituency Project, under which 1000 projects were executed based on requests by communities through their representatives in the State House of Assembly.

It should be noted that these projects are not part of conventional projects executed by the Executive branch of government”.  Presently, other states in the Federation are implementing the Kano Constituency Project model, as a bottom-up approach to participatory governance.

Harping on the theme of the day, “Financing Infrastructure for Sustainable Development in Nigeria”, Malam argued that democracy was an empty epithet without development.  Credible elections, free press, independent judiciary and other conditions of democratic governance, laudable and desirable on their merit, are empty slogans if unaccompanied by democratic dividends.  “It is meaningless to be ruled by civilians who transfer power through elections in the name of democracy but without development”.  In his submission, development empowers the people to participate meaningfully in the democratic process.  “When citizens are properly empowered they will ask questions and they make the right choice”.  While acknowledging obvious challenges in infrastructures in Nigeria, Malam warned that: “We cannot hide under the pretext of structural inadequacies as an excuse for our underdevelopment when most of the world is moving toward regional economic integration.

Making a strong case for societal re-orientation, Malam told the gathering how his administration made A Daidaita Sahu, a cardinal policy of his administration, with the result that Kano is now peaceful, with no social unrests as it was the case in the past when it was a tinderbox for retaliation of communal clashes in other parts of the country.  He challenges NIDOA and other civil society organisations to support programmes geared toward attitudinal change introduced by government in Nigeria as this will, in the long run, bring about value re-orientation and restoration of self-respect for one another in the Nigerian society.

Two topics which engaged the interest of the audience during Malam’s speech were the issues of political inclusion and peaceful transfer of power.  Giving example with Kano, Malam argued that both were not only possible and desirable, but were actually a panacea for political instability and underdevelopment.  He gave illustrations with Kano and Lagos states where the people insisted on free and fair elections by voting for the opposition.  Both states, he observed, have recorded more progress in physical and social infrastructures. “It is only in these two states that you find people regarded as non-indigenes holding key positions.  For example, for the first time in the history of predominantly Muslim Kano State, an Igbo Christian is a member of the State Government as Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter Community Relations.  If we are able to practice politics of inclusion as in Kano and Lagos states, Nigeria will be a better place.

According to Malam: “This has been possible because the leadership in the two states was truly elected by the people in sharp contrast with other states where social tensions persist because of leaders who came to power through the backdoor”.  Ominously, the ruling party has now vowed to take over Kano and Lagos states by all means in 2011, since they are opposite models. In summary, Malam argued for the robust participation of Nigerian professionals abroad in the domestic democratic and development process.  He warned that democracy must have development content.  He strongly condemned policy inconsistency, corruption and absence of free and credible elections, especially at the centre.  He challenged Nigerians to see the wisdom in voting for the opposition and experience rapid transformation.

Mr. Sule is the Senior Special Assistant, Media and Public Relations, to the Kano State Governor.