Governor Kure’s Insult
I don’t know how many Nigerians of
Southern origin, aside from the elite,
can recognise Niger State Governor, Engr. Abdulkadir Kure, in a crowd.
I first saw him in Jos in 2001, at a seminar organised to celebrate former President Ibrahim Babangida’s years in office. At that event, I was privileged to be a discussant.Kure came in colourless with Babangida and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar. As always, the two men so over-shadowed him that not many people knew he was present. But Kure is not complaining. It is thanks to those men, especially Babangida, that some people accord him recognition and attach any importance to him. Kure is neither hot nor cold. He is just there. Until now, there has been no quotable quotes from him. But suddenly, Kure seems to have woken up.
In the wake of the ill-advised Third Term agenda of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Kure found himself on the side of the people. We know why. But well, his profile gradually inched up. Suddenly, he found himself as one of those on the cover of a respectable weekly newsmagazine with the caption: “Heroes of Democracy.” So, Kure has suddenly, in his thoughts, become a superstar. So, he can wake up and insult a whole people, a whole zone, ethnic groups, and think nothing of it. It is thanks to this his new profile that he made the lead story of ThisDay issue of Wednesday, May 24.
I don’t know whether you read Kure that day; but for the purposes of this write-up, I intend to quote him generously. It was Kure at his most irresponsible and his most arrogant. In the interview, Kure insulted the whole South south zone. And he insulted the whole of the Southern Nigeria to boot. And what was the crime committed? Speculations that the PDP may look towards the South south for a presidential material for 2007.
To Kure, nobody in the South south deserves it. No politician in the zone, Kure says, is a serious contender to the Presidency. Kure: “...If you are talking about South south, of course, you will be talking about Governor Peter Odili. But then, who is Odili? Yes, he has been governor since 1999. But then, what is his performance?
“How strong is he to contend with the challenge of state? What is his reach? Is his reach a result of the big purse he has or because people like him? Really, to me, people are only saying South south, South south. I have not seen anything happening. Who from South south, who?”
When the interviewer suggested that underdogs could spring surprises, Kure put out the only quotable quote he would be associated with since he became a governor: “That is why there is “under” in the dog; they are always under, never seen.” So, we clap?
Dear reader, if this isn't arrogance, I don’t know what is. How can Kure look at all the bright minds in the South-south and say there is nobody there? And what did Odili do to deserve a special run-down from his brother-governor? So, the South south is only good as a gold mine for Nigeria and nothing else? Really, it is such lousy, irresponsible talks that push the South south youths to take up arms in anger now and again.
As for Odili, I guess by singling him out for attack Kure has paid him a compliment. It means that Odili cannot be ignored. It means that he is doing something right which keeps him in the national consciousness. And let the truth be told, it has, more than ever, confirmed that Odili is the envy of people like Kure. Otherwise, how can Kure ask: “Who is Odili?” If he is a nobody, why single him out for mention? How can Kure ask about Odili’s performance? It is pointless to comment on this. Kure should go on a tour of Rivers State. After that, he should be in a position to talk about performance.
So Odili is not strong enough to contend with the challenges of State? Good. Why then is Kure worried? And Odili has no reach? Good. So, why is Kure having sleepless nights over him? Talking about a big purse, what has Kure done with the small purse he has? Who has he helped, and what small things has he achieved, or done for his people? Has he conducted a census of the thousands of unemployed youths in his state, as confirmed by Alhaji Sani Musa, his fan, who wants to succeed him in office? Musa says the unemployed youths are just loitering about when they should be kept busy in the agricultural sector. Has Kure not seen what Governor Donald Duke is doing in the area of agriculture in Cross River State for his people, and Nigeria at large, with a small purse?
Kure didn't stop at insulting the South south and Odili. He insulted the whole of Southern Nigeria too when he talks about power shift. Kure: “... I assure you that the next president will come from the North, the one that will follow will also come from the North and this trend will continue because it is a game of numbers...”
What nonsense is Kure talking about? It is such arrogant talks by some people in the North that make the South ask why power should go back to that region after they have been in the saddle for over 35 years. A game of numbers? Who is talking about numbers here? The talk is on justice and equity. Nothing more. But what does Kure mean really? This is the problem. It is why most Nigerians are desirous of a credible census. That was why most people in the South and religious bodies were insisting on allowing Nigerians record their ethnicity and religion in the just concluded census exercise. But nobody listened. And unfortunately, the South, and especially, the South-east botched it. They don’t understand the importance of census. Otherwise, Kure wouldn’t have been talking about numbers. It is sad that a governor would speak the way Kure spoke. The consolation is that Kure's Principal would never speak this way.
But let me end by quoting Kure again: "... You want to show power. God will show you that, really, power belongs to Him." This should haunt Kure. For, indeed, power belongs to God.
