Most of the time, when someone is desperate in politics and in social-life, he or she becomes not only confused but restless. Clearly, the original author of the writeup – Unmasking The So-Called Jimeta Critical Stakeholders was Bashir Ahmad himself, not Ahmed Ibrahim Jimeta
The Adamawa former Secretary to the state government, Mallam Bashir Ahmad, didn’t only exhibit shallow thinking on how politics works but also exhibited his poor understanding of what is going on, between him and the Yola-North PDP Critical Stakeholders. How can you say you’re unmasking a group of people, who have publically dismissed you from their midst? People that are openly doing what they think is best for their community? Mallam Bashir Ahmad should have best; titled his write-up: ‘Insulting the Jimeta Critical Stakeholders’. Furthermore, Bashir has failed to differentiate between Jimeta Critical Stakeholders and Yola-North PDP Stakeholders- though when someone is desperate, he sees things with his heart instead of with his head.
Let’s look at some other things said by Bashir- he said that the critical stakeholders wanted to bring their cronies into the proposed 2023 list of Yola-North’s best eleven (11), The question is how? The critical stakeholders that insisted that Governor Fintiri’s directives must be followed unfailingly? when Bashir’s ‘mercenaries’ tried to trick them to partake in his plans to compile a compromised list.
Bashir claimed that he is a longtime and dogged close-ally of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, and a technocrat per excellence, who Governor Fintiri so much believed in his capacity, truth, and worthiness. Well, that’s commendable. But why the much worry and agitation for reappointment as SSG, when the governor knows your worth? Though, Bashir himself used a past tense- ‘Fintiri so much believed’, Things have changed by now, it appears.
Bashir also said, in appointing an SSG, one’s local government area is not considered. This has again exposed Bashir’s weak understanding of the Adamawa complex nature and the doctrine of political representation. Well, this is not a surprise, Bashir will always love to use an opportunity to de-emphasize one’s local government area, because Bashir’s own is surrounded by controversies,
Bashir said that all the Jimeta Critical Stakeholders, non-possessed his CV- he is a qualified Quantity Surveyor, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, and a part-time lecturer for 13 years. There is a proverb in Hausa- ‘Yabon Kai Jahilci’. In this era, in Jimeta, we have younmen in their 30s who are PhDs. If it’s a matter of ‘book’, Bashir will not have seen or smelled the walls of the SSG’s office. Or is Bashir telling us that he has now pegged the standard of becoming Adamawa SSG to possession of a certificate in Quantity Survey?
When we talk as people with the proper education, we must be ‘measured’ and moderate in the choice of our words. Bashir has tagged 13 Jimeta Critical Stakeholders (Kawu Wandala, Bala Hamajoda, Musa Garba, Yayaji Audu Gombi, Mohammed I. Attah, Umaru Liman, Abba Mallam Babba, Sabo Bamanga, Adamu Wakili, Musa Chaye, Usman Danyaro (Kaura), Ibrahim Mijinyawa and Hamidu Sajo Lekki). as: ‘Merchants of Conflicts’, ‘ So-Called’, ‘Enemies of Jimeta’, ‘Gutless’, ‘Amorphous and Faceless’ ‘Haven’t contributed anything to Jimeta people, and ‘ Have no capacity come close to Governor Fintiri nor talk to him’. Haba!, even a child will not only disputed this but laugh it off. But let’s not forget that Bashir has a kind of inherited illness, which everybody is aware of.
Ibrahim Mijinyawa is the immediate past commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, he was a former Chairman of Yola-North Local Government Area and a former governorship aspirant in 2015. His father Alhaji Mijinyawa Girei was an elder statesman in Jimeta. Mohammed Ibrahim Attah is a current Board Commissioner in the Local Government Service Commission and former chairman of Yola-North LGA, and a founding member of the PDP, his father Alh Ibrahim Attah was one of the richest people in Jimeta, and his grandfather Madugu Mai Azumi is one of among the first beneficiaries of land titles when original Jimeta layout was planned. Yayaji Audu Gombi, a former state Chairman of the NNPP and the current Chairman of PDP Adamawa Central zone, his father was a respected Islamic scholar in Zango. Abba Mallam Babba is a big businessman with a well-established business in Jimeta, his grandfather – Mallam Abubakar Kaluma is also among the people that created Jimeta, while his father Mallam Babba Maharbi is a well-known name, Alh Musa Garba is the President of the multi-billion naira conglomerate – Madugu Commercial and Construction Company, his father Alh Garba Ibrahim- a brother to Mohammed Ibrahim Attah was a former member of the then Gongola State House of Assembly, while his great-grandfather is also among the first set of people to be issued with Land Document in Jimeta. Umaru Liman,’s father was the chief imam of Jimeta when Jimeta had only two Jumma’at mosques, Hamidu Sajo Lekki, is the current member representing Yola-North in the Adamawa state House of Assembly, Alh Hammajoda Pari’s name is well-known not only in Jimeta but Nigeria as well, he is Bala Hamajoda’s father, who doesn’t know Musa Chaye family’s and father’s contribution to Jimeta and its history. All these 13 illustrious sons of Jimeta, insulted by Bashir are not only Jimeta Critical Stakeholders by chance, not only them as individuals but their fathers and grandfathers have also contributed immensely to Jimeta’s growth, its people’s history and accommodated people from other states, like Bashir Ahmad, who don’t even have father’s houses in Jimeta.
Finally, we must ask ourselves some honest questions- why is it that 13 politically-important individuals are against one man? Why is Bashir Ahmad always having one issue or another with people? All his ‘lieutenants’ that started the journey with him from 2019 are now not only apart but not in speaking terms with him. Why is ‘Technocrat’ Bashir so desperate for reappointment as SSG? Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has a bright political future not only in Adamawa but Nigeria. First-Rate politicians always choose where the majority are, not people with much political-baggages.
Ahmed Buba Jimeta writes from Nasarawo Ward, Jimeta, Yola-North
