Liberalism derives its origin from an old Greek mythology which sees an essential enmity between the world of gods and world of men. It explains that the former, represented by religion, always tries to maintain its domination over man by forcing him to accept whatever befalls him , good or bad, to be from them (gods). On the contrary, the world of man, represented by science and reason, continuously revolts against such domination and tries to liberate himself from the gods by accepting that his destiny lies in his own hands. This means that it is natural for man to administer his own affairs and hate whatever is religious. Firas Ahmad argues that liberal democracy, in contrast to the procedural requirements of democracy, is infused with the values of political liberalism. Liberalism plays the role of philosophical undercurrent of the so-called democratic ideals. It basically means the formulation of government as a means of protecting individual liberty. Liberal democracy therefore implies administering people's affairs without any intervention of, regard or resort to religion. Novices of this system are the liberal democrats. Politics, economy, etc, are considered to be the prerogative of humankind alone and outside the domain of religion. "modern western man" explains Bernard Lewis, "being unable for the most part to assign a dominant and central place for religion in his own affairs, found himself unable to conceive that any other people in any other place could have done so…"
In Nigeria the situation is not different. Politics is considered to be a In Nigeria the situation is not different. Politics is considered to be a no go area for religion and a territory in which religious people are declared Persona non grata. Deceits, lies rhetoric and empty slogans are the anointed condiments of liberal democracy. In all the past republics, especially the last four, promises of portable drinking water, roads, electricity, and healthcare and (in some rare cases) provision of employment preponderate in the campaigns of politicians. Niceties, pleasantries and melodious oratory are employed to hypnotize voters. People are made to understand development as merely infrastructural and not human. In all their speeches references are made from statements of philosophers and free thinkers and not from religious texts. Youths are conscripted into political brigands and vanguards with no regard to their future. Power is looked upon as a business enterprise and not a trust. Public wealth is shared on the table between political stake holders while the general public is impoverished and pushed further to nose-dive into the river of squalor and indigence. Budgets are executed only on paper while the money allocated for various projects is siphoned into the pockets of political oligarchies. Democracy is advocated and kleptocracy is operated. Government abstains and distances herself from building religious schools or houses of worship. Religion and religious men are only resorted to in the times of crises or when seeking election into offices.
The common man with whose vote the power is obtained becomes despised of and distanced from leaders. Contrary to the popular slogan 'rule of the people by the people for the people' the leader surrounds himself with courtiers and praise-singers who harp only encomiums on him and make him feel infallible. The widows, orphans, sick, old, incapacitated, etc, have no avenue of being heard let alone being rescued. Public treasury is made a personal property of the leader who can do with it whatever he likes. Official guests are not only provided with liquor of their liking but also night mates of their choice, whether males or females. The latter are derived from government girls schools all of whom are the daughters of the oppressed and the down-trodden. Dictatorship assumes full control as private and government-owned media can only broadcast or print what the leadership likes. Arbitrary arrests and detentions become the order of the day and insecurity becomes predominant.
These are our liberal democrats and their style of leadership.
Unfortunately for them a different leader, in the person of Mallam Ibrahin Shekarau, now comes into the arena. He is a man of God and not a man of matter. He conceives leadership as a trust and a burden for which one will give account of on the Day of Judgment. He is a disbeliever in the essential enmity between people and God. He not only speaks religiously but also acts, campaigns and leads religiously. This is not surprising as it is religion, and not any military general, which brought him into office. In any public gathering he recites Surah al-Fatihah and invokes blessings on the Prophet, Sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, meaning that he is a devout adherent of the Islamic faith. He is a reknown Muslim activist long before he became a governor. He made prudence, probity and accountability his guiding principles which brought him at loggerheads with many, including the self-acclaimed king makers. Based on the teachings of Islam he embarked on both physical and human development programmes. Prudent, strong and state-of-the-art physical projects are executed at a very less cost. The warm hands of government are extended to the common man. Some instances are very relevant here.
A widow with five children inherited only an old and cracked house which might collapse any time. Whenever it rained they could not sleep as all the rooms leaked. She was so poor that she could not even be able to feed herself, talkless of repairing a single room. Immediately the governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, was briefed about her predicament he ordered that a new house be purchased for them and the old one be renovated. She was given more than enough food stuff and a substantial amount of money to get going along with the children. This has never been witnessed in the political history of Kano State.
Among the pagan Hausa community there was a boy who happened to be a hermaphrodite. Neither his parents nor relatives were financially able to sponsor his treatment. He finally concluded that he had to cope with being a hermaphrodite for life. Fortunately for him one of the Muslim missionary organizations realized his predicament and informed the governor. With the recommendations of doctors here he was taken to Saudi-German hospital where he and his parents remained there for about eight months being treated. About five million naira was spent on this operation by the state government. His female side is found to be stronger than the male side. He is now a woman. She has since been married off and is now pregnant.
During one of his unscheduled visits to hospitals, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau came across a boy around 1:30 am. He was succumbing to a genital problem. It happened that he was shot during the Yalwan Shendam crises and a bullet pierced through his buttocks and came out through his testes. The situation became so acute that the boy got his bladder exhausted. Sponsored by the state government, the boy, along with his parents, was taken to Egypt for medication. About four million naira was spent. The boy is now in a very good condition.
Such is the type of governance which Mallam ibrahim Shekarau operates to the dismay of the liberal democrats. These case are only but a few among hundreds or even thousands. One interesting thging is that all the beneficiaries come from poor families with no political connection whatsoever.
The performance of Mallam IbrahimShekarau faulted the usual assertion that the government has very meager resource. In addition to paying twenty three year pension arrears to the state pensioners, the government employed more than thirty thousand workers. In January 2006 the government was able to pay salaries and other related expenditures from the revenue it generated internally. Before, this kind of money was only shared among political juggernauts.
Mallam Ibrahin Shekarau is the only governor in Kano State who campaigned on Shari'ah and implemented it when he came into office. He has never hidden his Islamic identity as even in his recent campaigns he and the entire gathering recite Fatihah in chorus. None of the gubernatorial aspirants in Kano has ever mentioned the word 'Shari'ah' talk less of promising anything about it.
Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau falksified the notion that only the liberals are progressives and the religious people are retrogressive. The government has succeeded in recording monumental achievements in the political history of Kano State. He has changed the political perception of Kano people, especially with regard to leadership credentials, forever. They now have more confidence in the likes of Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and the 'Ulama' (Muslim scholars) than the secular politicians. Mere campaign with water, road, electricity, etc without Shari'ah is now no longer enough to win the hearts of the great Kano people. They now realize that solution to all their problems lies at their doorsteps i.e. in their religion than in the remote west. Money is now no longer reliable in buying people's opinion. They have seen great improvements in every aspect of their lives under Shari'ah governance and will no longer allow anybody to play on their psyche. Liberalism and liberal democrats are now forgone issues in Kano state.
This explains why the liberal democrats will never commend Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau because their items no longer sell in the political market of Kano State. Abin haushi, nama na jan Kare Mara na tafe ne gafara Sa!.
*Ahmad Yahya Fagge writes from Department Of Islamic Studies Federal College Of Education, Kano