Nigeria Is Great, Can Be Greater Through Unity

Being an abridged text of address by GOV. AMINU WAZIRI TAMBUWAL (CFR, MUTAWALLEN SOKOTO) at the signing ceremony of the Sokoto State new Hisbah Commission Law.

For purposes of clarity, this law was in existence before the advent of this administration, but it was never activated. As a result of that, we witnessed in the state groups coming up to claim leadership of the Hisbah Board d... Following consultations with His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and other stakeholders; and indeed the security Council of the State, we agreed that those parties should be brought together, first to amicably resolve their differences; and, secondly, for us to have a way forward on how to either activate the existing law or amend or repeal; and enact a law, and then constitute leadership pursuant to the law for the Hisbah Commission.

Part of the result of the consultation led to the establishment of a committee under the leadership of Wazirin Sokoto that reviewed the situation, and; also reviewed the law, and advised the government on the way forward. After receiving the report, to which was attached the proposed bill, the Executive Council looked at it, deliberated on it and passed it to the state House of Assembly for passage into law.

The state House of Assembly received the bill, processed it through every stage of the processes of the passage of  a bill, including public hearing, whereby everyone was allowed to come and air his views on the provisions of the bill in consonance with parliamentary practice and procedure. At the end it was passed into law by the state House of Assembly and returned to the Governor for assent.
 
Let me also, on this note, appeal to the people of Sokoto State and particularly those outside who may not have the understanding of what Hisbah and the Hisbah Commission is, to kindly exercise some patience to understand what it is all about, before misconstruing and misrepresenting our action of coming up with this law.

Our own Hisbah in Sokoto State was midwifed, as at today, in full collaboration with all of the security agencies in the state. And, they had representation in the committee that came up with this law. Our Hisbah law do not and is not in conflict with any provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is not a State Police. It is not Sharia Police. It is more of a Community Policing device, organ, agency; for want of a singular adjective to qualify it, that is coming on board to help the other Constitutionally recognized security outfits operating in the state in, first and foremost providing intelligence: collecting, collating and providing intelligence to the security services; complimenting the role, of also nipping in the bud and reporting to appropriate agencies any likelihood of the commission of a crime.

As we know under the Constitution, and, other extant laws, even private citizens has power of arrest where you see a crime being committed by a fellow citizen, in aid of the constituted authority and security agencies. So, we are not coming up with a Police that is here to discriminate against believers of another faith. No. We are coming up with an outfit that is to what the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria enshrined and provide for in terms of support to the agencies of security that are established by the Constitution.

Having said this, I must thank the entire stakeholders and assure you that we shall get people of proven integrity and character to populate, as prescribed by the law, this Commission; to operationalize it almost immediately. Let me appeal to Nigerians that as we are talking about security and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, people are allowed, by the Constitution, to move freely in the country and to reside wherever they so chose, provided that they remain law abiding. Even if you are in your ancestral home and you are not law abiding, or you are a criminal, the law is very clear about what is to be done to you.

So, I appeal to those who have chosen to live in other places other than their ancestral homes, to accept the norms and the traditions of their host communities; and to be law abiding. It is only when we are law abiding and we follow the rule of law that we can have a crime free society that will engender peace and peaceful coexistence that will bring about environment for development- personal, private or even government programmes.

We must learn from what has happened in the past, particularly in recent weeks and months, in this country. Our country is great, but that our greatness can only be drived and showcased through our collective resolve to remain as one, law abiding and peaceful people that believe in our collective humanity; and our various abilities and endowments that can propel the development of this country.

So, I appeal to everyone, particularly those that are still feeling aggrieved to sheathe their swords and embrace peace; and let us continue to face other challenges of development that are militating against our realizing our full potentials. Check it out. There is hardly any state in Nigeria whose potential if harnessed, cannot be fully independent in terms of revenues, human and capital resources to develop fully beyond what we are having today. But because we often face mundane and primordial issues; and intend to further escalate small issues to assume very large dimension and proportions, we have been having this drawbacks. It is time for us to pull together in this country, jump start it, kick start it ad see what God has given us. I bet you, there is hardly any country that has been so endowed in the world as Nigeria.

When you go out of this country and even in then country, you see most of the celebrated individuals that have intellectual capacity coming from Nigeria. Go to any country at all, most of their best professionals are Nigerians. And, when you talk about mineral resources. What is it that is of value to mankind that we don’t have? When you talk of agriculture, look at our climate across the country. If a crop does not grow here, it grows elsewhere. There is hardly any crop or plant that cannot grow on Nigerian soil. When you look at fisheries, look at the bodies of water we have. When talk about animals and animal husbandry, we are one of the frontline countries in the world that have high number of herds, cattle and ruminants. So, what is it that we are lacking? Nothing. 

But with tolerance, understanding and leadership... So, I appeal that we must, as we normally provide leadership in our respective homes, see this country as ours take it as ours and work with the rest of our brothers and sisters from wherever they come from, whatever leanings are are, be it cultural, religious, traditional; and work together because God doesnt make mistake. 

I am not among those who believe that Nigeria is a mistake. Nigeria is not a mistake. Nigeria is God’s own wish for all of us to work with and make it work. It can work and we must all put our hands together in order to make this country move.

Feb. 22, 2021

Government House, Sokoto.