“Northerners can no longer farm”
The Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman, has warned Abdulaziz Yari, Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, that political lies will catch up with him if President Bola Tinubu fails to deliver on his re-election promises.
The emir spoke when Yari and his delegation visited his palace in Katsina on Thursday as part of wide consultations for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Addressing Yari, Usman said traditional rulers have a responsibility to tell political leaders the truth, warning that those who treat people badly would face the consequences.
“Director-general, you are now on board. Not only in Katsina, but across the entire country. We as traditional leaders must tell you the truth,” he said in Hausa.
“I swear, you must love, value, and respect people before Allah will be with you. Whoever you are, if you treat people badly, you will also experience things you do not like.”
The emir cautioned politicians against making promises they knew could not be fulfilled, saying they would ultimately be held accountable for their actions.
“It is permissible to lie to please your wife, to lie to a patient so they can recover, and to lie during a war by claiming you are going west when you are actually heading east. These are all permissible,” he said.
“But lies of this political nature will catch up with you, especially when you know he will not deliver on his promises. God will judge us, wallahi, I swear to God.”
Usman also criticised politicians for prioritising personal interests and attacking opponents instead of working for the public good.
“As traditional leaders, we have talked and advised that the first among you should be the one who separates his personal interest from the interest of others,” he said.
“However, that is no longer the case. Why? Today, we have no other preoccupation than to castigate people, destroy their wealth, and slander one another.”
The monarch questioned the conduct of politicians, insisting that politics should not be reduced to a fight, while expressing concern over divisions in the north-west.
Using a Hausa proverb to illustrate the extent of the divisions, Usman said the wall holding the region together had effectively collapsed.
“What is politics? Convince me into your conviction that it is politics, not a fight,” he said.
“We were told to behave like children of the same father and mother and not to divide ourselves, because Allah knows that division is dangerous.
“A Hausa proverb says that a wall only cracks to let a lizard enter, but now, it is not just a lizard, even a camel can pass through because the wall has already fallen.”
‘They stopped us from farming’
The monarch also lamented the decline of industries in the north, saying the developments should concern leaders across the region.
“Where is the north-west heading? Forum upon forum. Northern forums, where are we? They stopped us from farming. Go to Kaduna, where are DIC and the Peugeot company? They have all collapsed while we remain mute. Where are the elders? We have to talk, we must wake up,” he said.
Usman urged leaders to prioritise the welfare of the people rather than flaunting their wealth and travelling abroad.
“It is not just about driving cars worth billions of naira, travelling to England, and visiting other places; that is not the way out,” he said.
“Helping others is far better than helping yourself. Give to others, and Allah will give to you. If you refuse to give, Allah will not give to you either.”
