Brief Background
My name is Abdullahi Muhammed-Chindo, chairman, Hausa community in Kwara State. I’m also the chairman of Jamatul Izalatul Bidius Walkamatul Sunnah with headquarters in Jos, Plateau State.
When you were growing up, how was northern Nigeria in terms of security and job opportunities?
Well, I was born in Ilorin, Kwara State. I attended primary school in Ilorin. I started my secondary school education in Ilorin and after my first year in the school, my parents decided that I should go back to the north. We are from Zaria in Kaduna State. I was asked to go and stay with my brother who was a vice principal in a school in Zaria. That time life was very smooth; life was good in the north. From Giwa we could move to Funtua; there was peace, honesty and brotherhood, though there was no much civilisation then.
On employment opportunities, in the past, there were a lot of industries in the north; textiles industries, groundnut pyramid, among others. At that time, the population was small. When you graduated from school, you could get a job easily. Then the economy was good in Nigeria. In my view, population explosion and unemployment have contributed greatly to the challenges of insecurity in the country.
What is the solution to the problem of unemployment?
Since the government cannot provide enough jobs for the teeming unemployed youths, my advice is that parents should encourage their children to embrace vocational training and skills acquisition so that they can become self- employed. The role of the government in this regard will be to assist the graduates of vocational training with startup capital. The youths can also be exposed to trade/ buying and selling so that they can become self-reliant after their graduation from higher institutions.
The problem of insecurity in the north is worrisome. What is your take on this?
Like I said earlier, the security challenges stemmed from youth joblessness. The youths of nowadays only want to acquire Western education; they don’t want to learn a trade. So, after graduation, they become jobless because the white collar jobs are not readily available. So, if someone completed secondary school and university, and there is no job and does not know how to do anything business, devilish thoughts would set in and he will venture into crime to make money to survive. So, unemployment is one of factor responsible for insecurity in the north.
What about drug abuse?
Honestly speaking, as far back as 30 years ago, the issue of drug or substance abuse was not prevalent in the north but now, it is rampant, even housewives in the north now take cough syrup and water from the gutter. It’s only God that can help us.
Is there any role that the traditional rulers, community leaders and parents can play in eradicating drug abuse amongst the youths?
Yes, even the first people who are supposed to play a role are the parents; they should put an eye on their wards by monitoring them while they are in schools. Drug and substance abuses are as a result of bad company. Sensitise the youths let them know the danger that drug addiction poses to them and the society. Since northerners hold the scholars and Imam in high esteem, if the Imam speaks on the danger of drug addiction in their sermon after congregational prayer, there’s the tendency that the youths will heed the Imams’ advice. Through this approach, the problem will reduced. Then the traditional rulers should be consistent in counseling the youths on the danger of substance abuse through the parents.
Generally, what do you think the government should do to reduce the security problem?
Insecurity in the country, before we heard it happening in other places, like play, like play, it has entered into so many places, even we are used to it now in the country. For instance, I cannot travel to Zamfara and I have family there, why? Because they said the bandits are there and they can strike at any time. And if you look at these bandits, they are all Nigerians too. Like people normally say “ah” its Fulani that usually do banditry and if you look at the issue of Fulanis too, may be they have clashed with farmers in various villages/ community they reside. So, these farmers/ herders clash lead the Fulani/ people to become bandits. I want to advise the government to put more eyes on issue of security.
What’s the solution to the insecurity situation?
I think the only way out of this is to pray to Almighty Allah to help us solve the problem. The government should introduce ranching. This will put an end to herdsmen allowing their cows stray and eat up farm crops. If ranching is implemented, the herdsmen will know their routes and farmers will be able to farm well. As things are now, I want to go to farm but I am afraid of being kidnapped. Insecurity is affecting food production. If there’s adequate security and people are able to go to the farms, there won’t be shortage of food.
If you go to farm in the north, the kidnappers would tell you not to come there again and if you do, they will kidnap you.
Kwara is a ‘state of harmony,’ how are you helping the government to ensure peaceful co- existence?
In Kwara, we have a very amiable leader in person of the governor, His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Why I said he is amiable is because since he assumed office, he has been carrying all the non-indigenes along. For instance, we Hausas, His Excellency gave us a slot of special adviser who oversees anything relating to Hausa community.
Ilorin is very peaceful; everybody respects one another; the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba respect each other. Ilorin is a good place, they accommodate non-indigenes.
How are you sensitising your people on the maintenance of peace?
Well, that is why the Hausa Community Union was formed. Even when we said Ilorin is peaceful, that doesn’t mean you don’t have little misunderstandings. So, anytime, like you see, our Hausa people selling beans or other things on wheelbarrow and the Yoruba women may be selling meat or have a shop, in this situation if there is any misunderstanding between them, if care is not taken it can escalate. So, in this situation, we quickly come in and settle the matter.
Your advice to the Hausas.
As community leaders, we have been sensitising our people on the dangers of engaging in any uprising.
Our Imams also cautioned our people against joining the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024. That was why no protest took place in Kwara State.
