By Olawale Olaleye
One irreducible takeaway from QUALITY education – guaranteed – is that it obliterates every form of ignorance and its markers from the life of an individual. This is why a certain saying appears very famous in the academic environment, even at the foundation level.
“If you say education is expensive,” the academic will gladly advise you “try ignorance.”
However, when a professor, who supposedly worked really hard to earn the degree and not honourary, believes that the answer to an evident leadership challenge can be located in prayer, then it is finished. In fact, it’s game over.
Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State is not just a professor but of civil engineering, one of the most technical and intricate fields of human interest. It is not for the fickle and feeble-minded. China is an engineering giant today, not by conceding their challenges to prayers but working through them.
Zulum not only held a teaching professor at the University of Maiduguri, but he also rose through the ranks to become a professor before emerging the governor of Borno State. This much his resume states.
Yesterday, Zulum dedicated the day to prayer and fasting in the state, an idea he claimed was to foster unity, spiritual resilience, and hope among the people amid the ongoing security challenges in the state.
The governor, who arrived in Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government Council, before sunset on Sunday, had spent the night coordinating support for security agencies and volunteer forces, during which he begged the federal government not to let Marta, a part of the state, fall to Boko Haram.
“In light of our current security challenges, I am calling on all residents of Borno State to unite in a collective act of faith and solidarity.
“This Monday, I am inviting you to join me in a voluntary day of fasting and prayer for peace to reign in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, and indeed the entire country,” he said.
Being a professor, anyone would have thought that Zulum knew better. But, clearly, he did not. Unfortunately, for him, any prayer that puts human responsibility on God is an irresponsible prayer and will never be answered by God. It’s a basic principle in man-God relationship.
While security challenges vary from terrain to terrain, the management, too, is dependent on the respective leadership, speaking of competence, capacity, and their understanding of the issues.
In recent years, three governors – all from the south – faced tough and decimating security challenges in their states. But without sulking or wailing about it, they all tamed the scourge effectively.
The first is a former governor of Rivers State, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi. Rivers was a no-go-area when he became governor. It was a major test of leadership as the various criminal syndicates had become institutions in the oil-rich state.
But Amaechi rose to the challenge and uprooted everything labeled crime. With the support of the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, who was wowed by Amaechi’s courage and determination, Rivers soon heaved a sigh of relief.
In one December, the criminals had the temerity to ask people not to go to crossover service. Amaechi responded immediately and asked people to go about their annual rite. Indeed, the criminals struck as promised, Amaechi, too, responded as a government, picked them all up overnight.
On many occasions, he went to different clubs to give people confidence in the security of the state. Leadership! Whatever happened to the security architecture that he designed after he left office was also a function of leadership.
The second example was Lagos State under former governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. Fashola was so confident about the security of Lagos that if crime was perpetrated anywhere, he’d confidently tell you, “We’ll get them within 24 hours.”
With a weekly security meeting held every Wednesday, Lagos became too hostile for criminals that they started fleeing to neighbouring states. There was a particular Sunday that the same set of robbers raided about four locations, and in 24 hours, Lagos rounded them all up.
A kidnapper once traced to his bedroom somewhere outside the state in Mowe or Ibafon, part of Ogun State, where he hid, had told security operatives they must have caught him with the aid of potent charm. He couldn’t believe the clinical accuracy of the operation. Yet, it was all technology.
Fashola will gladly tell anyone his biggest achievement as governor was in security. He, too, like Amaechi, went to clubs to send a clear security message to the state. He was proud of himself and his team. The Lagos template has endured because of continuity.
The number three example is Ogun State under Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Ogun was a mess in terms of insecurity when he took over. Robbers carried out operations at any time of the day. Banks started shutting down operations, mostly in the eastern part of the state.
But Ajiri omo oye, as he loves to proudly call himself, picked up the gauntlet, and did the needful, without trading blame or seeking pity party. Soon, the criminals found Ogun unwelcoming and relocated elsewhere. That was leadership. The truth is that nothing meaningful can work in any terrain where insecurity reigns supreme, and playing the victim will never help.
Unfortunately, those who were part of the team that Amosun put together could not replicate anything after they, too, assumed office. The state is groaning today under suffocating insecurity, in addition to poor governance and infantile leadership. The problem is still leadership, even though they are not organising prayers like Zulum.
The problem with people like Zulum is that they don’t seek counsel. What does it take to ask those who had done it before, ‘steal’ ideas from them, and replicate where applicable in your state? This is not a Bola Tinubu problem. It is your problem as a governor, who is bereft of requisite capacity to tackle the particular challenges.
It seems Zulum’s idea of leadership, in spite of his professorship, is still very primitive and inane. Leadership is not a circus show. Clowns are, therefore, not needed around here. If the prayer idea was intended to embarrass the federal government and put up a face of helplessness, then the joke is on Zulum, who has failed in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of Borno.
God is not for Nigeria alone. The resort to prayer at every turn is now very embarrassing. You have only wasted your time and that of your people fasting and praying amiss. If you guys in the north are not praying, you are either negotiating with criminals, which questions even the regional collaboration you often allude to across the northern states.
Pray all you can, Professor Zulum. The answer to your challenge is leadership. QED! If you genuinely desire results in the security of Borno State, first seek counsel on plausible ideas from those who know better, then buckle your strap, roll up your sleeves, and get to some serious work.
Prayer and fasting ko, biribiri and singing ni. Olodo!
Olaleye, a journalist and public affairs analyst writes from Lagos
