Gwaggo: The game getting closer to the gulag- Bala Ibrahim

There is an old and popular adage that says, the chickens have come home to roost. The saying is normally used to mean that, the bad things one has done in the past, have inevitably come back to haunt him or her. In other words, one is now coming face to face with the consequences of his or her misdeeds.

The social media has woken us up this morning, with the story that the wife of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano, Hafsat Ganduje, was yesterday Monday evening arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over a bribery and land fraud case reported by her son. The story leaked out late, probably because of the challenge faced by Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram yesterday.

It may be recalled that, sequel to a petition sent to the EFCC by her son, Abdulazeez Ganduje, Mrs. Ganduje had earlier been invited to report to the EFCC’s Abuja headquarters on September 13, but she did not appear, instead, she was reported to have travelled to the UK, to attend the graduation ceremony of her son.

In his petition, Abdulazeez, the son of Gwaggo, as Mrs. Ganduje is fondly called, mentioned that he was approached by a property developer to help facilitate the acquisition of some plots of land in Kano, with a large quantity of US dollars, and at least 35 million naira as “commission for fixing”.

He said he paid the sum in dollars to his mother, Gwaggo, but three months later, the property developer discovered that the plots of land were allocated to other buyers. As such, he requested to be refunded, and Gwaggo refused to oblige the refund.

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Mrs. Ganduje had earned herself a very bad name when it comes to meddling into the administrative affairs of Kano State. Just mention any unwarranted interference in the governance of Kano State, the first name to be called would be the first lady, Gwaggo. She is into appointments, compulsory retirements, land grabbing and selling of same, in addition to the commission of many unwholesome activities, including the invasion of the sanctity of God’s worshipping places.

Only yesterday Monday, 04/10/21, a renowned Islamic cleric from the State, Sheikh Tijjani Bala Kalarawi, resigns from the mosque committee membership, over land allocation irregularities. Although he didn’t mention Gwaggo specifically, the reasons adduced by him, fall in line with the general public suspicion of the modus operandi of the Kano first lady.

Speaking on a local radio program in Kano, Sheik Kalarawi said that it became necessary for him to resign his membership of the trustee committee, because of the indiscriminate buildings and land allocation within the mosque perimeters, in sheer disregard to the sanctity of God’s sacredness.

Particularly perplexing is the indifference of the First lady to the day of reckoning, because she seems to be acting as if tomorrow would never come.

People became puzzled the more, when her son, Abdulazeez Ganduje, decided to flee the country shortly after reporting the case to the EFCC, an indicator to the fact that the son has given up on the likelihood of the repentance of his mother.

Those closer to him said he left the country immediately after filing the petition, to avoid the wrath of his parents, particularly the anger of Gwaggo. He is reported to be currently in Cairo, Egypt, with his family. And would remain there until the father leaves office.

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Gwaggo may need to visit history, particularly the history of a famous military governor’s wife in Kano, who, out of the intoxication of power, ordered the complete closure of a segment of the Government House.

Motorists were banned from the Tarauni axis of the Government house, while vehicular movements were restricted to the those sections of the highway that would not in any way, attract the Almighty attention of the then First Lady.

She detested noise so much that if a car hoots in the air, the noise could cause her several days of sleeplessness, it was said. And for a governor’s wife, that was an inconvenience she couldn’t live with.

Today, destiny, or the hidden power that is in control of the future, is keeping the same lady alive, but sentenced to an abode at the noisiest part of Kano. She is now a resident of Gyadi-Gyadi, at the three layer junction that is most notorious for traffic jam and vehicular noise pollution in Kano.

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The original ambition of the creators of the office of the First Lady in our democracy was for the wife of the President or Governor, to play significant roles in the realization of democratic dividends, particularly to women, children and the less endowed.

They are expected to be very visible in the execution of social welfare programs, such as health care, education, and other ancillary services.

Land grabbing and unwholesome involvement in the administration of the state is not within their purview, or scope of influence. And if they engage in same, they should know that sooner or later, the day of reckoning would come beckoning.

And that’s when the game would go to the gulag, as the chicken would necessarily come home to roost.

Ibrahim, a media advisor writes from Abuja