‎Nasarawa: Al-Makura Give Us Peace Not War

By Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah

“The intellectual must ruthlessly criticise everything under the sun with the determination and courage to pursue rational inquiry to wherever it may lead irrespective of the consequences”,
Paul Baran.

As an intellectual minded young man, I have taken my time in the recent past to watch with keen interest the political happenings in Nasarawa State under Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

Yesterday, I heard with one ear that Gov Al-Makura declared November, 15th as a PEACE DAY and I laughed in Greek and French, for some of us that knows the antecedent of Al-Makura and what he stand for, are aware that the peace talk or walk as he claimed is not achievable based on the fact that he's the architect of the communal crisis in Nasarawa State.

I wondered how a state that is known for peace and tranquility would be turned into banana republic all in the name of realizing the 2015 selfish ambition, Al-Makura has succeeded in dividing the two most populous tribes (Alago and Eggon) in Nasarawa State, in fact disunity is now the order of the day under the watch of Gov Al-Makura.

For the purpose of clarity and intellectual clear-headedness I am not an ethnic bigot but someone that desires peace and progress of Nasarawa State because there will never be any meaningful progress in an atmosphere of violence and insecurity.

As a core Muslim I believe in the famous admonition by Jesus Christ that “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free”, as a patriotic Nigerian I am not and will never be against the Fulani's because it is a known fact that they have contributed positively in the progress of the Nigerian State but I am against the ways and manners Gov Al-Makura is using them to cause communal crisis in our dear Nasarawa State where their rewards is by political appointment in the APC-led administration.

Nothing is working in Nasarawa State, as I write, the Students of Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) are suffering from the irresponsible and failure of Gov Al-Makura to provide the needed water supply in Keffi, if not how would one described the water scarcity that's supposed to be story by now based on the water crisis of 25th February, 2013 that led to the death of the two harmless Nigerian Students of NSUK, the students are afraid to demand for solution, fear may shutdown again as in the case of 2013 Students protest.

It is painful that Gov Al-makura has not deem it fits to find a lasting solution to the problem of the water scarcity in NSUK, after much of our struggles despite the fact that NSUK is a state own higher institution, the Federal government has donated N20 Million to NSUK through the office of the Senior Special Assistant to President on Youth and Student Matters Comrade Jude G. Imagwe MON, but the money has been recklessly spent by the NSUK management without anything meaningful on the issue of the water scarcity.

I am concerned about the fact that after almost 2 years of “water scarcity and insecurity” in Nasarawa State, Al-Makura has not shown any signs of stopping the problem of water scarcity and insecurity, my heart bleed for my dear State!
The time has come for the youths of Nasarawa State to be united in order to bring sanity back to the state by voting Al-makura out as the 2015 general election draw close.


What is more pathetic is that some of our youths in Nasarawa State, previously engaged and involved in this struggle of the Nigerian Youths and Students, have been blighted by the struggle's one-step forward, twenty- steps-backward scenario, and have either joined them, the so-called oppressors, or have been settled financially to keep mute in the midst of evil, or have been threatened to be disabled physically, mentally, spiritually and economically.

In Nasarawa State when you fight corruption, corruption will surely fight back, we are equally not unaware of the fact that if you speak truth to power and you take on the system be rest assured that the system will fight back and they will attempt to blackmail you. As a person none of their threat matters because the only thing that is extremely important is that history and posterity will be kind to me and my generation.

As a responsible youth organization in Nasarawa State, we advised that the ONLY solution to the problems in our state is to vote Al-Makura out of Government House come 2015.

Therefore, without being hypocritical or sensational Gov Al-Makura should as a matter of urgency give us PEACE not WAR.

This Too Shall Pass, Nothing More, Nothing Less.

[Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah Is The National President, Nasarawa State Youth Network (NASTYNET), Writes From Lafia, The Capital City of Nasarawa State, @ik_dallah, +234(0)8035166981 SMS Only]

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