Opinion: Mamman Daura And Others; What Roles In Presidential Villa?

Posted by African Examiner Articles/Opinion, Latest Headlines Thursday, October 1st, 2015

By Abubakar Ahmed Kurfi

Nigeria’s decades of stagnation and its associated upheavals are traced to intrusion of political interest that some of our elders who have proved not to be successful in their main endeavours, both past and present. This time around, they seem to be out to distract the good mission of President Muhammadu Buhari, the President and Commander in Chief. My prayer is that such individuals will not succeed in distracting the hopes and direction created by the President for Nigeria because he is on course.

President Buhari is a fearless and straight forward person and this attestation was confirmed by many people who were opportune to work with him when he was the Head of state.

Buhari never lied to anybody and will not tell lies under any pressure or circumstance and whoever lies for whatever reasons will not be entertained by him.

The President beliefs in equity, fairness and justice; highly distinguished when it comes to rationality and he always try his best to balance the equation in the midst of all demands tabled before him. Permit to refer to his inauguration speech, where he said; “I belongs to nobody but I belongs to everyone”.

He has no record of any social vices – alcohol, women, gambling and all forms of recklessness. These were never part of his life since childhood to exposure, opportunities and exalted positions he held while serving the nation.

He is an epitome of change driven by our total desire to have a nation that is free from corruption, atrocities and decay as we look forward to the President to set the stage for our new journey to the Promised Land.

Ironically, some relations of the President will not let him be. For instance, one of his uncles, Mamman Daura has allegedly relocated to the Presidential Villa, offering underground advice which I considered quite unusual in the Nigerian democracy and also untraditional with the President Buhari’s Vision and Mission. Probably Daura’s presence could be responsible for the undue interferences, delays and lapses that we have begun to notice in Buhari’s style of leadership.

What Nigerians didn’t know is that Mamman Daura and Buhari are two different persons politically. President Buhari has a record of success; Mamman Daura has not distinguished himself along that line. For example; the New Nigerian Newspapers in Kaduna became dilapidated when Daura was the Editor. United Nigeria Textiles Limited (UNTL) Kaduna, died and never functioned again under the leadership of the same Daura. The BCCI of the famous Sultan Dasuki and Africa International Bank all became failed Banks under the Chairmanship of Mamman Daura.

Similarly, Buhari is progressive, but the Mamman Daura that we know is conservative of typical northern extraction and above all, he is over 90 years, a contemporary to Clement Isong, Liman Chiroma, Obafemi Awolowo, Namdi Azikwe etc. At this age, Daura should be more at home praying for his son as we all do to enable the President rise above his enemies and make Nigeria a proud place to live once again.

Put succinctly, since this critical moment in the Nigeria’s national life demands good governance, the President needs to be reminded that Nigerians went for him at the last polls base on his antecedents of the usual fire brand of sustained positive action for the nation to move forward and those strides of transparency and prudence have come to stay.

What we read in the papers of late made us to believe that the Buhari’s are Fulanis from Daura in Katsina State, but for his Uncle to relocate to the seat of power in Abuja and offer advice on how the President runs his government runs contrary to the Fulani culture unless if Buhari has changed from his position as a detribalized person.

It is, however, noted that the current delays, interruptions and particularly the endless crisis of ministerial list has confirmed the allegations of interferences of Mamman Daura and others in the discharge of Mr. President’s mandate. Unfortunately, the issue of entertaining people who failed the North and Nigeria has indeed been justified by the reports of some Nigerian dailies on undue interference on Presidents’ job by some of his close people.

Mr President should take heed and free himself from such undue pressure because Nigerians place strong hope on his ability to return the country to the part of greatness.

*Abubakar Ahmed Kurfi, public commentator, sent this piece from Kano