Senator Sani: A Pretentious Puritan With A Polluted Pedagogy

By Bala Ibrahim.

Historically, in the late 16th and 17th centuries, a group of English Protestants known as the Puritans emerged. They believed the Reformation of the Church under Elizabeth I was incomplete and sought to simplify and regulate worship forms. The Puritans considered themselves superior, claiming to adhere to a stricter moral code than others. They prided themselves on practicing what they termed “puritanical Evangelism,” asserting that their method of sharing the Christian gospel was superior.

In the 21st century, a similar yet unrelated figure has emerged: Senator Sani Musa from Niger State. Unlike the Puritan evangelists, he professes to be purer in his use of English as a means of communication. Ironically, he is neither of English origin nor recognized as a specialist in English phonetics. In fact, he has never been certified as a linguist. Nevertheless, he arrogantly criticizes others for their perceived inadequacies in English presentation. The latest target of his ire is Senator Kawu Sumaila from Kano State.

In a widely circulated video, Senator Sani Musa expressed astonishment and condemnation regarding what he claimed was Senator Kawu’s poor construction of a message in English. He stated that the language and manner of presentation portrayed Senator Kawu as lacking in both senatorial culture and basic English skills. Ironically, less than a minute into his own presentation, I found myself turning off the video, due to his own linguistic missteps. A person who presents himself as superior in English should not be prone to such errors, especially in a workplace like the National Assembly.

He remarked, “In the morning when I saw a message from Kawu Sumaila, I felt we should have acted as Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I felt sad when I saw it. And that message is going around. Look at the message, look at the content, look at the English. IS IT SENATORS? Is that our quality, is that our standard?”

Before delving into the academic qualifications of both senators, I will analyze Senator Sani’s reaction linguistically. I assert that he has a polluted pedagogy and is a poor English teacher who misuses emotional outrage. The use of the word “sad” is particularly misplaced, as it imports emotion into a situation that does not warrant it. Additionally, his question, “IS IT SENATORS?” could be grammatically correct in a specific context, but when referring to a group as a whole, the proper form should be “Are senators responsible for this decision?” Thus, Senator Sani is both semantically and phonetically incorrect. Furthermore, he questions Senator Kawu’s linguistic fluidity, while bringing in ethics—a moral issue—into the conversation, suggesting a personal bias.

I have not viewed the message that outraged Senator Sani, but if his reactions were scrutinized by both puritanical and descriptive linguists, he would fail to demonstrate the mastery of the English grammar he claims. Like Senator Sani, Senator Kawu is not a native English speaker and belongs to the category of second language learners, who should always be given some leeway, regarding their spoken and written English.

Nigeria has had a history of law makers that made name because of their fearlessness on the floor of the Assembly. People like late Sabon Bakin Zuwo in the second republic and Gudaji Kazaure in the ninth assemble, were not known to be timid or lacking in courage or confidence, when the need arises for them to speak. English is only a means of communication in the Assembly, and not what the lawyers would call, a sine qua non. If Senator Sani wants to convince us that he is a perfectionist in English language, he needs to educate us on the basis of his linguistic analysis, and where he found Senator Kawu faulty. Is it morphological, syntactic, phonological or simple semantics?

Regarding academic qualifications, Senator Sani holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy and Management from the University of London. He also has a Postgraduate Certificate in International Management from the University of Liverpool.

In contrast, Senator Kawu Sumaila’s educational journey began with Islamic education, where he focused on teaching and memorizing the Quran, acquiring knowledge of religious principles and moral development. He is a Hafiz, having memorized the entire Quran, and delivers sermons to Muslims. Following this, he pursued western education.

As of now, Senator Kawu holds a PhD in Political Science from Al-Qalam University, Katsina. He also obtained a Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Educational Management from Bayero University Kano, a Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies from the National Open University of Nigeria, and a Master’s in Leadership Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy. Furthermore, he earned another master’s degree in Development Studies from Bayero University Kano and a Master’s in Political Science from Maryam Abacha University in Niger Republic. His commitment to education extends to short courses at Harvard University and Oxford University. Additionally, he is the founder and proprietor of Al-Istiqama University in Sumaila, Kano State.

Senator Sani’s pretentiousness and polluted pedagogy are evident in his criticism of Senator Kawu’s English language skills. Rather than focusing on constructive criticism, Senator Sani’s approach seems driven by personal biases and a desire to assert superiority. Issues are the major concerns now; “the master of the language is that native speaker. And Senator Sani does not belong there.”