Not an Elegy, but a Simple Response to Ayo Fayose, By Haruna Adamu K/Liman Hadejia

While the country is facing political and governance uncertainty during this period of national hunger protests, some people, both openly and behind the scenes, are busy adding insult to injury in the name of love and solidarity to the President at a time when he needs soothers, mediators, and seasoned diplomats to intervene for the unity of the country. Various media handles are flooded with self-serving and sentimental posts aimed only at exacerbating the situation.

I chose to comment on one issue because I am a Nigerian interested in equity, inclusion, rights access, and the do-no-harm principle where every view is respected. I refer to the recent comment made by Mr. Ayo Fayose.

While reading some social media posts, I came across a quote attributed to Ayo Fayose, former Governor of Ekiti State, where he said, “Northerners marrying wives, giving birth recklessly, causing problems for Tinubu.” This issue cannot be ignored, as the statement is extremely defamatory, belittling, degrading, and sentimental, calling for those who care about their integrity to respond appropriately. Historically, northerners are known for their courtesy and hospitality. We often tolerate many issues that others cannot. However, what remains uncompromising is the integrity of the north.

Fayose, as a former governor, is assumed to be capable of holding any position in the country, regardless of his background, gender, religion, or tribe, whether he is ‘careful’ or ‘careless,’ ‘reckless’ or ‘peaceful.’ In God’s wisdom, each of us has the choice to live our lives as we see fit. However, what we do not control is destiny, just as Fayose was destined to be a complete Yoruba from the Southwest of Nigeria. Equally, some of us belong to different tribes (Hausa, Berom, Kanuri, etc.) but are destined to be from the North, where we fall under Fayose’s definition of “reckless.” Without any regret, I am a northerner, proud of my heritage and children, who are not in any way “reckless.”

As a reminder, the same “reckless” northern population overwhelmingly voted for late MKO Abiola in 1992, nearly defeating their brother, the late Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, in Kano. In 2023, these “reckless” northerners voted for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, defeating their northern brother. Given these examples, is Ayo implying we should now withdraw our mandate for “recklessly” giving it to a “non-reckless” person?

Our ancestors trained us on many values, including respect, which we always cherish and maintain. This respect is extended to every human being of every class. The same “reckless” population supported Fayose’s appointment as Chairman of a Facts-Finding Committee set up by the Peoples’ Democratic Party and assigned to Kaduna State in 2003 when the PDP was trying to organize itself.

I am not surprised to hear such an utterance from Ayo because I understand he did not travel and interact widely within Nigeria, especially in the North. He could have used more considerate language in his remarks.

I am confident that President Bola did not mandate Ayo to use such words against the north, fully aware of how useful numbers are and their role in politics. The most astonishing part of Fayose’s short statement is the mention of “marrying wives.” There are millions of married Yoruba men and women in the North, and Fayose might need to tell us who is truly “reckless” in this regard.

An example to illustrate the power of “recklessness”: My state, Jigawa, indeed from the North, gave President Tinubu 421,390 votes (winning 19 out of 27 LGs), which formed part of the (36.61%) of the total votes cast nationally. In contrast, Ekiti gave only 201,494 votes in the 2023 general elections. This illustrates the “reckless” votes given to Tinubu compared to the fewer votes from the “careful” people who claim BAT as their own. Fayose, as a leader, must learn how to communicate; if he cannot, he should remain reserved, or his “recklessness” may ruin his reputation (if he has any).

I assure Ayo that my parents were not “reckless” for giving birth to me and my siblings. If Ayo still believes I am “reckless,” what problem have I caused for BAT? Is it just because I voted for him or endured the full-scale suffering between 2023-2024?

By the way, it is not my concern to ask Fayose about his personal life, but it takes nothing away from me to tell him that I have more than one wife and a child. They all “recklessly” voted for BAT in the 2023 general elections. Could this be one of my “recklessnesses?”

Fayose should remember that people do not fight with guns today; even the so-called superpowers fight with drones. Communication in politics has evolved; one does not need to own newspaper companies or printing presses. The digital environment, with its transformative ideas, is enough to stand for us. This is not the same North Fayose might think it is. We can truly match the present situation.

After all, who is this Ayo Fayose? They say he is fearless and outspoken, having served two terms (though not consecutive) as governor of Ekiti State. I also learned that he was impeached on October 16, 2006.

We can all remember how, in 2016, Justice Mohammed Idris approved an order for the EFCC to freeze all funds in some Zenith Bank accounts belonging to Ayo and his Spotless Hotel in Ado Ekiti.

The word “reckless”:
Many academicians describe “reckless” (adjective) and “recklessly” (adverb) differently. Oxford Languages define “reckless” as acting with a lack of care or caution, not regarding consequences, headlong, or irresponsible.

By this definition, how can Fayose look at the faces of our fathers and seniors, numbering in millions, and call them irresponsible? Clearly, he knows he cannot match millions of them in any aspect till eternity! Such words must be avoided when addressing fellow humans.

Remember his impeachment saga in 2006?
I wish Fayose could be sincere and as outspoken as some describe him to justify the statement credited to him when commissioning a building of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, where he said, “impeach me, risk political death.”

Is this an innocent or “reckless” statement by a “careful” and responsible person like Fayose? Ironically, he was eventually impeached by the assembly. At that time, some concerned citizens in the state said the statement was “too mean” for a governor and an attempt to intimidate the assembly members. What a “careful” Fayose!

I await Fayose’s next lexicon about the north amidst this national hunger protest, especially after Nigerians heard the “unexpected” from Mr. President during his “address of concern” on Sunday, August 4, 2024, during this trying period.

I leave the President’s speech for another day. But Fayose must know, I was not born “recklessly.”

Haruna Adamu K/Liman Hadejia
Wrote this piece from Hadejia, Jigawa State