June 19. 2014
NewsRescue
By Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah
Before the 2011 general election, over 70 percent of the Students in Nasarawa State and Diaspora totally believed in Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura to bring the needed change in terms of the Students welfares and educational sector to Nasarawa State than previous Government led by People Democratic Party (PDP) but unfortunately, as I write, the people are regretting till this day because Al-Makura is not performing in Governance as expected.
Having gone through the modalities of 280m (Two Hundred and Eighty Millions Naira Only) released by Governor Al-Makura for the payment of bursary after “3 wasted years” in the Government house, I am disturbed on the future of the unborn generation in Nasarawa State, how on earth would someone who claimed his administration to be transparent, accountable and have respect for the rule of law and yet indirectly denying the Students and youths the major tool they need most at this crucial time of economy crisis in Nigeria to further or continue their fundamental human rights called EDUCATION.
Ordinarily I am not supposed comment on the unholy funds releases for the payment of bursary, but as a person who has benefited 4 times from Nasarawa State Scholarship Board during my days in the greatest Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, I feel pains to lend my voice in order to set the record straight.
It is a very sad commentary that Al-Makura who is claiming that the lowest minimum wage in Nasarawa State is 18,000 (Eighteen Thousand Naira Only) has descended so low to the extent that other undergraduate should be paid 10,000 (Ten thousand Naira Only) for the bursary, this attitude alone has clearly shown that Al-Makura led government is really the Government of deception.
It is on record that since the inception of democracy in Nasarawa State, Law Students are always paid 500,000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira Only) as their Scholarship in the Nigerian Law School, why is it different now in the administration of Al-Makura, if I may ask, is Barrister Innocent Lagi and other Barristers part of Al-Makura’s cabinet? I think the answer is definitely NO, lol.
It is so disheartening that some of the people we are looking up to in Nasarawa State has finally failed their immediate constituency (Students and Youths) because of their personal interest and looting of our public treasury.
Apparently, I want to also use this platform in calling on the attention of governor Al-Makura and relevant security agencies to call this disgruntled element called Kassim Muhammad Kassim, the SA Students to order, whose stock-in-trade is balkanization of the National body of Nasarawa State Students Association (NASSA) because of his selfish interest and the percentage of remittance of the bursary that will be deducted for the Students body in the couples of weeks, with the information available to me, Kassim has recently called a purported meeting of some Student leaders in the State, that Nasarawa State government said there will be NO REMITTANCE for NASSA National body in order to extort money from the treasury of NASSA. The government should be aware of those that their aimed is to destroy the Students Association in Nasarawa State.
Consequently upon the foregoing, the entire Students community has vowed that they would not hesitate to mobilized its armless members to Lafia, the administrative capital of Nasarawa State to put a stop to this impunity, because “in a state of lawlessness, it is unlawful to be law abiding” therefore Nasarawa State Government should be exhausted of these con-artist whose desperate plot to impose their loyalists on Nigerian Students in nasarawa State like Kassim did in his uncelebrated and quest to factionalized the Presidency of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) immediately after the 2012 National Convention in Akwa Ibom State which is still fresh in our memories.
Therefore, to the ever militants Students in Nasarawa State, with or without bursary, nobody should be deceived that Al-Makura is working, just get the little amount of money and be ready to vote Al-Makura out of office come 2015.
If the mistakes of the 2011 general election should be repeated again, then before the next bursary will be paid, it will be in 2018, without fear of intimidation or ill-wound people like Al-Makura should not be trusted with political power anymore.
As a responsible former Students leader and in our quest for decent and egalitarian society, we are still in the field searching for the alternative of Al-Makura in 2015 that will save us and yet unborn generation from these mess and give us HOPE and better FUTURE.
Conclusively, Oh Al-Makura has lost his sanity and mind in governance; he sees a hero in a tyrant, he sees peace in hurricane. Let our neighbouring States hear the cry of the Nigerian Students and Youths in Nasarawa State, let our friends and foes feel the plight of the Students and Youths in Nasarawa State. Our heart is heavy, our soul bleeding, our body seeks for change of leadership in Nasarawa State. For how long do we have to wait? How long must patience stays in our homes? Our palms are hitching, our toes swelling.
As the 2015 general election approach, let us keep on watching with keen interest and critical observation.
Author’s Opinion
Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah, Is The Former Assistant Secretary General Of NASSA, Writes From Lafia, @ik_dallah On Twitter