“Unity among the
cattle makes the lion lie down hungry.”
Nigerian Proverb
In
the midst of doom and gloom regarding the future of the nation, a spark of hope
was ignited in a small town in Kebbi State. On Saturday 25th of
August the small town of Koko was filled to the brim with Nigerians from every
nook and cranny of the nation, and a rich assortment of representatives of the
international community. Even the Emir and Governor of Kebbi State said they
had never seen anything like it in the history of Koko town. Everything you
would expect in the circumstances of our existence today was there. There were thousands
of locals, horses and camels, musicians, praise singers and many, many
politicians. There were also hundreds of soldiers and policemen, and a curious
group in bright red obviously organized around law and order and security put
together by the state government. In short, a small army and thousands of
curious and cautious locals gathered around an occasion which was entirely novel:
the turbanning of a man from Edo State as the Dan Majen Koko by the Sarkin
Koko, Alhaji Salihu Koko.
To
get to Koko town, if you were one of the hundreds of the powerful, privileged
or foreign diplomats, you flew to Birnin Kebbi or Sokoto, and then drove for
about 2 hours on roads that could do with some serious rehabilitation. You drove
through the heart of the Muslim north, a rich agricultural land and friendly and
hardworking people battling the odds to stay afloat in a rural economy. You saw
no evidence of Boko Haram insurgency on the faces of the people, but many
villages in danger of being swept away in this year’s heavy rains. You would
have seen bumper harvests of millet and guinea corn, and hardworking villagers hoping
to survive the rains and harvest them. You would not have seen small or medium-scale
agro-allied industries, but hundreds of petrol tankers and lorries which ferret
fuel and other goods to neighbouring countries, quite possibly against the law.
You would have passed numerous police and army checkpoints, and most probably,
you would have been persuaded to part with some money to show appreciation for the
diligence of security men under arms, exposed and vulnerable to the elements
and enemies they suspect could be anyone.
Then
you got to Koko, a town founded in 1907 by 50 people who left Jega to find
better farming land. Famous for its sons who reached great heights in western
education and public service, you may be taken aback by its relatively small
size and predominantly rural economy. Driving to the palace, you were stared at
by thousands of young people and adults who would not attend the turbanning
because security will be too tight for ordinary citizens. But when you got to
the palace, you would have been amazed by the huge turn-out of people, hundreds
of gaily-dressed camels, horses and donkeys, and an elaborate presence of
security personnel equipped to fight a war. If you were not intimidated by the
water-tight security, you would have witnessed a truly remarkable event that was
profound in its implications for the present state of our nation, and its
future.
All
that elaborate gathering of the nation and the world was to help the people of
Koko and Kebbi State express their appreciation to a man who, at the age of 22,
was sent by the federal government in 1976 to Government Secondary School Koko
to teach during his N.Y.S.C. He was from Edo State, and had read History at the
University of Ibadan. Obviously this young man, who today is Ambassador (Dr)
Martin Ohumoibhi, K.S.J and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, must have left a profound impression on the community and his former
students. Thirty six years since then, they honoured him with a title normally
reserved for princes, in a ceremony rich with symbolism, sincerity and
openness. In those 36 years, the man had acquired a Doctroate degree from
Oxford, and served in many capacities, including being Nigerian Ambassador to
Switzerland before becoming Permanent Secretary in quite possibly the most
difficult Ministry to lead. You could tell from the crowd that followed him to
Koko that he led a life which touched a lot more than a young class in 1976.
There
was no evidence that Martin lobbied for, or paid in any manner, for this
symbolic gesture of appreciation from a community to an individual. The huge
entourage of Nigerians from many parts of the nation, particularly those from
his home State must have been impressed by the sincerity of the gesture without
the usual political trappings. The Koko and Kebbi State community itself must
have been pleasantly surprised that such numbers of V.I.Ps, including many
foreign diplomats, will disregard the threat and reports of insecurity, and
inconveniences of long-distance travels in remote parts of the far north to
witness a three-hour event that was largely symbolic, but profound in terms of
its statement about the people of Nigeria.
Those
who did make the journey will have many tales to tell. First time visitors will
marvel at the serenity and beauty and peace of rural Hausaland. They would also
have been struck by the poverty of the population living in a simple economy,
without the industry to add value to the agricultural products that line every
inch of the land. Infrequent visitors will be shocked by the huge explosion of
population and the sheer number of young people with little or nothing to do,
even making allowances for school holidays. Those who listened to the speeches
were struck by the outpouring of sentiments which highlight the values of
sacrifice and hard work. Those who listened to the inspiring remarks of Ambassador
Ohumoibhi will be struck by the feeling that there are many Nigerians who
genuinely believe in the utility of preserving our unity, and are willing to
work towards it. Those who listened to Governor Dakingari were struck by his
admission that money has corrupted Nigerian politics; but good people in
politics can mitigate its damage. Those who noticed the large numbers of local Igbo
and Yoruba people (whose chiefs were also turbaned at the ceremony) would draw
the conclusion that the roots of this nation go very deep indeed; and they are
the artisans, shopkeepers, chemist operators, distributors and millions of
other small operators who brave all the odds to travel to and live in
communities thousands of miles from their original homes, trusting that they
are safe.
Above
all, those who attended the event would have come away with the strong
impression that a good man will stand out wherever he is. Ambassador (Dr)
Martin Uhomoibhi built a bridge all the way from Ewatto in Esan South Local
Government Area of Edo State to Koko in Kebbi State. The class he taught during
his National Service produced many people who made their marks on the nation,
including two State Governors. The people of Koko have preserved that bridge by
acknowledging that there is still room in our hearts as a nation for
appreciating sacrifice and service. There are profound lessons in the
turbanning of the Dan Majen Koko, and it says that the leaders who play the
dangerous game of pushing our nation to the brink, can be challenged by others
who believe in it, and who work to salvage it.
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