Of two promises in December

Written by Shehu Mustapha Chaji

Every listener of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Hausa service is aware and looking forward to the fulfilment of promises made by a serving and a former Minister. They promised Nigerians unconditionally under no duress on different platforms and reasons. In one interview that Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure, the Minister for Special Duties, granted the radio station, he promised Nigerians that they will unfailingly enjoy 6,000 megawatts of power in the month of December (2009). Also, in the same radio station, Mallam Nasir el-Rufa’i, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, promised to be in Nigeria before Christmas day (2009).

What made these promises unique is that none of them (Kazaure and el-Rufa’i) was forced to make the promises to Nigerians. And since then, Nigerians have been looking forward to the month of December to see if the promises would be fulfilled. Will both of them fulfil their promises or will both of them make excuses for their inability to fulfil their promises? And lastly, will one of them fulfil his promise and the other unable to do so?

Leaders and men of repute all over the world are mindful of the responsibilities they shoulder and these always make them to be mindful of their words and actions. In some societies, when men of nobility realise that they cannot fulfil the promises they made, they either resign or apologise for their inability to do so. And this has made such societies to value, respect and honour their leaders as very serious people.

On the other hand, when citizens of a country come to realise that their leaders always make promises that they cannot fulfil, it affects their relationship in whatever the leadership plans to do in the future. The personality of whoever fails to fulfil a promise that he voluntarily makes is at stake; nobody will ever take him/her serious again.

Due to the importance of electricity in the modern world and availability of it constantly as the gateway to industrial development, Nigerians were very happy with Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure’s promise of 6000 megawatts in the month of December. I personally have been monitoring the hours we get electricity daily in the part I live in Kano. It has been improving and getting worse at the same time. Sometimes, we enjoy electricity for about two to six hours daily and almost complete blackout for a day or more. It has really improved unlike in the past when we’d spend about a week without electricity.

Ibrahim Kazaure had even promised to take Hajiya Jamilah Tangaza, the Head of BBC Hausa service to any state and village of her choice on 31st December, 2009 to see for herself and bear witness on how by then Nigerians would be enjoying electricity. Nigerians will be looking forward to hear her part of the story (Tangaza) after 31st December, 2009.

On the part of Nasir el-Rufa’i, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who is on the wanted list of the EFCC for corrupt practices who’s also presently a critic of President Umaru Yar’adua’s government, has vowed to return to Nigeria from self exile before Christmas day. He vowed to return even if he would lose his life. el-Rufa’i is fighting the battle of his life as his integrity, personality and name are at stake.

To some Nigerians, el-Rufa’i is a hero who fearlessly and religiously implemented the Abuja Master Plan. In their opinion, he brought sanity and beauty to the Federal Capital Territory while some Nigerians also view him as a sadist, the chief executor of any anti-human, masses and people policies of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. The name Nasir el-Rufa’i means terror to those whose homes and source of livelihood he had destroyed and to the families of those that lost their lives due to the after shock of his actions.

Many Nigerians will like el-Rufa’i to be back to clear his name on several allegations of corruption, self-enrichment and abuse of power, if he is innocent. If he is innocent, he will earn more respect from Nigerians. They will continue to count the days before Christmas, expecting el-Rufa’i’s return to the country.

Kazaure and el-Rufai’s promises to Nigerians in December are all very important -- 6,000 megawatts of electricity will definitely add value to Nigerians’ way of life and economy. The billions of naira that el-Rufa’i is being asked to account for when he returns in December will most likely return to the treasury. And if they’re lies, Nigerians will know that he has no monies of theirs with him.

May Almighty Allah strengthen them in fulfilling their promises to Nigerians in the month of December.

Chaji can be reached through shehuchaji@yahoo.com

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