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Sani Danladi and Uba Maigari, right
By Rikwense Muri
When Mr President sent the second list of his ministerial nominees to the Senate for confirmation on Wednesday 2nd August 2023, very few Tarabans expected another Taraba State nominee included. But as God have it, Mr President graciously sent the name of the former Deputy Governor of Taraba State, H.E Barr Uba Maigari Ahmadu. We all celebrated across political camps and parties for this rare privilege to Taraba State which only took place more than 20 years ago under President Obasanjo when General T Y Danjuma and Dr Mohammed Shatta were appointed from Taraba State to serve as Ministers.
I have worked closely with Barr Uba Maigari Ahmadu recently when he was the Chairman of Senator Bwacha Gubernatorial Campaign Council. He was always available and committed to ensure the victory of APC at the Gubernatorial and Presidential election. Even when there was fallout due to some irreconcilable differences in the party, Uba stood with Senator Bwacha, the party and Mr President. His friendship and loyalty to the Vice president, Senator Kassim Shetima is a public knowledge. And we know that loyalty pays in politics that’s why his emergence in the second list didn’t come as a surprise to many people.
However this morning I woke up to a sad narrative from some quarters in the state trying to create mischief into our joy with a religious propaganda. According to these people, religion should have been at the forefront of the appointment instead of service, commitment and loyalty to the party. They claimed that since Senator Sani Abubakar Danladi has been appointed as a Muslim from Taraba North, a Christian should have been considered from Taraba South in the second list.
To these folks, I wish to remind them that the appointment of Barr Uba Maigari is a bonus package from President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shetima because of their political relationships and struggle together in the APC. Many have even argued that even if they would have appointed one Minister of their choice, it may have been Uba Maigari because Senator Sani was the choice of Major stakeholders in Taraba State who sees him as the symbol of unity in APC Taraba while Uba was Vice President Kashim Shetima ‘s choice. We are happy that both the wishes of our stakeholders and the presidency has been met.
My only disappointment in this issue is geared from the fact that those that are promoting these religious narrative where silent when Dr Agbu Kefas formed his cabinet with a little Muslim representation without any protest from the Muslim community in the state. I believe it’s high time we Christians learn to be consistent in our criticism of government policies. Personally as a peace and justice advocate, with these appointments I now believe that there is balance of power in the state amongst Christians and Muslims in the interest of peace, justice and development. Also, with the way Barr Uba Maigari Ahmadu supported Senator Emmanuel Bwacha in the last Gubernatorial Election in Taraba is a testimony that he is not a religious or ethnic bigot.
As a citizen of Taraba from the conflict and poverty ridden South made up of Majority Christians, I can boldly say that being a Christian or a Muslim in a political position doesn’t matter as much being a good or a bad person. We need people with character and sense of justice, not those who only ride on religious sentiment to get political power. We have seen both profess Christians who rose to prominence using religion later abuse their political opportunities for self aggrandizement and ethnic chauvinism at the expense of peace, justice, inclusiveness brotherhood and sustainable development of Southern Taraba.
The people in government that has denied us General Hospital, Road and social amenities intentionally in Ussa are Christians. The people that politically isolated Yangtu into a marginalized communities that has wallowed in poverty and lack of social services because of their tribes are Christian leaders in power.
Those people that fought themselves and destroyed Tiv/Chamba/Kuteb/Jukun communities because of politics without any intervention from their religious communities are Christians. The people in government that sponsored Bandits to destroy our communities to reduce our population and settlements while they watch our people languish in pains without any emergency interventions are Christians. The people that insisted that there must not be a Paramount Ruler in the interest of peace and development in Takum because of ethnic sentiment are Christians.
If it is only Christianity that ensures peace, justice and development, Southern Taraba won’t be the way it is today. We saw how the government watched as bandits and ethnic militias destroyed more than 200 villages and rendered thousands homeless without any emergency interventions in the last 4 years just to consolidate ethnic political dominance.
Don’t talk to me about Christianity or Islam in our political arena because I know that the ongoing great performances of Prof Zulum in Borno State and Dr Agbu Kefas of Taraba State has nothing to do with their faiths but all to do with their patriotic zeal and leadership skills. The banditry and looting of communities in Zamfara, Katsina, Kogi, Benue etc has nothing to do with religion but lack of right leadership in place. Politics is all about interest. In Taraba State of recent many politicians only use religion to win election or get appointment, but end up using ethnic bigotry and tribalism to run their government just to consolidate their hold in power.
As a Christian I can authoritatively say that most of our churches in the state are run base on ethnicity and tribal sentiment with many attempts to take advantage of each other. Most of the ethnic crisis we face even started from the church. These sad realities have left us more divided than the days of our forefathers who were practicing Traditional Africa worship which promoted Ubuntu philosophy of communal living.
Please don’t let anyone deceive you with religious sentiment in politics in Taraba State. I’m happy for H.E Barr Uba Maigari and H.E Sani Abubakar Danladi. My prayers is that God almighty who has brought them will empower them to join hands with the state Government to be blessings to the people of Taraba State irrespective of tribe and religion. Power comes from God!! May God of Heaven direct our noble cause, guide our leaders right and help our youths the truth to know. May we aspire to greater heights and build a nation where peace and justice shall reign.
Ambassador Rikwense Muri, mspsp, mnipr
President, Southern Taraba Youths Coalition for Peace (STYCOP)
