Life And People
Hon. Sani Sha’aban The Prince And The Leader Of The Commoners -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed
The strident call for him to join the race to Kaduna State Government house is necessitated by many factors chiefly the leadership gap and the need to enthrone peace in the state of liberty. Secondly, his sterling qualities and perceived leadership aura and forthrightness endear him to others.
As the countdown to forthcoming general election in 2023 began and as my self-assigned duty to search out and identify credible Nigerians for leadership positions continues, my searchlight zooms on Hon. Sani M. Sha’aban who was recently awarded the title of Jagoran Talakawa by the Kaduna based Nagarta Radio station. According to the management of the esteemed radio station, the award “was in recognition of his outstanding performance and achievements in life generally and above all his constant alignment with the poor in all situations.” Given his political inclinations and philosophy, Alhaji Sani rightly merited the award which literally means the “the leader of the ordinary people or commoners” conferred on him by the highly respected media group for in spite of his “aristocratic status” and accomplishments in life, he has always identified and hobnobbed with the poor and the lowly in his environment.
Alhaji Sani Sha’aban is a prince of the Zazzua Emirate holding the title of “Danburam Zazzua” He also has the traditional title of Barde of Keffi. Yes, he is a man who is born into royalty and yet maintains an unassuming disposition. He is a man who has always identified with the downtrodden and the vulnerable in the society. He is a man with a heart of gold and to the people; he is seen as the “new Aminu Kano”. A little wonder there has been very strident calls for him to come out to vie for the post of Kaduna State Governor in forth-coming 2023 election.
But, he is not only popular among the poor. He is also accepted across the broad spectrum of Kaduna people including the youths who have given him numerous awards. He has youth empowerment program and skill acquisition programs designed to equip and motivate them to work. He has a special scheme for the needy and a scholarship program for indigent students. As a businessman, he has empowered many through direct employment.
No doubt, in a multi-ethnic environment like Kaduna, the leadership of people like Alhaji Sani Sha’aban will be needed to douse ethnic tension and restiveness that has engulfed the state in recent times. He is an avowed advocate of national unity and peaceful coexistence. He does not believe in politics of bitterness. Although he is deeply religious, yet he is not fanatical. He believes in freedom of worship and association. There are visible strains of ethnic and religious tensions in Kaduna and Nigeria. And thus, it is the leadership of broadminded personalities like Hon. Sha’aban that will carry all stakeholders along that is required to manage the crisis. As a business man that has multi-million investments across the nation, he appreciates the imperatives of peace and security without which genuine business cannot thrive. Thus, Kaduna State, nay, Nigeria in general needs peace-loving people like Hon. Sha’aban in leadership positions to steer the ship of the state away from the brink.
He is a Nigerian politician and business mogul with cross-sectoral investments within and outside Nigeria. And by every standard of measurement, Hon. Shabban could be adjudged to be a very wealthy man and so if elected the governor of his state; the fear of coming to loot the state treasury is not there. He is coming to serve and to make a name for himself. Professionals that are used to achievements and accolades work to emboss their names in the heroes’ book while the unscrupulous politicians who are usually jobless and whose means of sustenance is politicking come for primitive accumulation. Thus, in a country like Nigeria where the political landscape is hijacked by charlatans and self-seeking pettifoggers, the presence of credible people like Hon. Sani Sha’aban who are willing to do something different keeps hope alive.
The strident call for him to join the race to Kaduna State Government house is necessitated by many factors chiefly the leadership gap and the need to enthrone peace in the state of liberty. Secondly, his sterling qualities and perceived leadership aura and forthrightness endear him to others. He served as a member of the Nigerian House of Representatives from May 2003 to May 2007 representing the Zaria Federal Constituency. And while in the National Assembly, he made his marks. He was part of the team that worked for the pension reform in Nigeria as we have it today.
Added to this is the growing need to repopulate our body politic with real professionals and technocrats; people with pedigree and the hunger to make a mark. In advanced democracies, leadership positions are given to those who have successfully and profitably managed their own personal business. Today, in the world over, the emphasis on public management is on prudence, accountability and optimal resource utilization. The Recent gubernatorial election in Anambra State that produced Prof. Charles Soludo a renowned economist and former CBN governor as winner has reawakened this consciousness for Nigerians to weed out the jobless politicians who have constituted nuisance in our system and replace them with purpose-driven professionals to which the likes of Hon. Sani Sha’aban belongs.
Without doubt, the growing demand for professionals in politics as against professional politicians has necessitated the call by Kaduna sons and daughters to make the strident call for Hon. Sani Sha’aban to seek to be elected as the governor of Kaduna State in the forth coming election in 2023. Anambra has clearly taken the lead by electing a true professional with track record of performance in his career and public service.
Hajia Hadiza Mohammed
An actress, social activist, politician London, UK
