2014: My thoughts on Nigeria, politics, elections and social media - Atiku Abubakar

2014 is an important year for Nigeria. 100 years ago this year, what is today known as Nigeria came into being, after the amalgamation of the territories known as the Northern and Southern Protectorates.

It is also an important year for the world, being the centenary of the start of the 1^st World War.

For me personally it marks the silver jubilee of my retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service, as Deputy Director, the second highest office in the Service. On the 28^th of April 1989 I submitted my resignation letter, two months shy of the twentieth anniversary of my joining the public service.

It’s hard to believe twenty-five years have passed so quickly. In that time a lot has happened. I went into full-time business, and also became a politician. And that’s what I’ve done since then. A quarter of a century on, I remain as committed as ever to seeing Nigeria prosper and take an enviable place in the global economy.

There will be a lot of things happening this year. We will see elections in Ekiti and Osun States, and we will see preparations for the 2015 elections. How time flies! All eyes are on Nigeria, and there is much nervousness at home and abroad, about how this season will play out.

I believe the political class has a responsibility to start this year pledging their commitment towards peaceful electioneering. We all must shun incendiary language, and all action that leaves the impression that the electoral battle is a do-or-die one. There’s nothing do-or-die about politics! There is no justification for the loss of even a single life, in the quest for the realisation of a political ambition.

Now is the time to start holding ourselves to higher standards. There is too much toxic language in the political space at the moment. No one ever said politics should or could happen without disagreement. It is in the very nature of politics that its players should belong to different camps. But we can compete and disagree sensibly, without descending into abuse and violence.

At the end of the day it is not the angry press statements and conferences that bring development; it is well-thought-out plans and policies.

This year, on this blog I intend to set a good example, devoting a sizable potion of my time and attention to matters of public policy and good governance. Because, at the end of the day, that is all that matters.

And politicians will be judged, not on the basis of what party they belong to, or how many pages of letters they can write, but on the basis of how they’re able to touch the lives of the people they profess to serve.

Before I close, let me cast my mind back to May 2013, when I came to Twitter. (Actually I’d been there a few years earlier, but halfheartedly, and had taken a long break). I posted my first tweet totally unsure what to expect.

Looking back it has been an interesting ride. I’ve met and interacted with a lot of interesting people, endured a lot of hostility, and generally learnt a great deal. I think it has helped that my children are active there as well; they have helped me – the sixty-something year old grandfather – better understand how it works, and how to behave myself.
It would have been a lot tougher settling in without them.

I also started writing actively, and am grateful for your feedback on my blog. To see how I did in my 2013 blogging year, the people in my office sent me this exciting link http://jetpack.me/annual-report/56179862/2013/

I look forward to an exciting social media experience in 2014. I expect that I will continue to have to deal with a lot of criticism and cynicism, and I’m more than prepared to engage with as many people as possible.

And, who knows, maybe this year I will even venture out into newer territory. My children have been telling me about Instagram. I won’t promise them anything, of course, but I’ll keep an open mind. Which, I think, is the best way to approach a new year.

Wishing you all the very best in 2014, on and off the Internet!

Atiku Abubakar (Turakin Adamawa)
Former Vice President of Nigeria 

From Zahrah Buba's Blog

Last weekend during a peaceful afternoon with the family my Brother in law suggested I start a blog as I love taking photos so much. My sister suggested I blog about Nigeria and the North in particular because every time she tried to show her colleagues abroad photos of where she comes from she never really finds a blog or website that could explain it as she sees it. Several days later the blog came to life and I have encouraging traffic on the blog, my facebook profiles is on fire with friend requests and my wall and inbox crazy with words of encouragement. I guess we have wanted this for a while now. I'm so excited and promise to keep you all entertained. Thanks for the tremendous support.

      

      From Nigeria Through Zahrah's Eyes

Abokan Juna

Abokan juna

Wannan hoton ya burge ni sosai, ya kuma tuna min da tsofaffin abokaina, wadanda muka taso tare, mu ma, mu uku ne, (Abbas, Sudais da ni Bashir) kuma komai tare muke yi. Ba zan taba manta wannan lokaci ba, it's unforgettable memory. Na godewa Allah, dukkanmu muna raye, sai dai kuma rayuwa ta raba mu, kowa a cikinmu is living in his on world.

Allah ya bar mu da abokanmu na gaskiya.

HOTO: Babban Masallacin Nigeria

Babban masallacin Juma'a na Nigeria (Nigeria Central Mosque) dake birnin tarayya Abuja. Masallacin na daya daga cikin wuraren bude ido ga baki 'yan kasar waje idan sun zo Nigeria, ko kuma mutanen dake zaune a wasu sassa na Nigeria da ba su taba zuwa babban birnin kasar ba.

Mu Cigaba Da Son Matanmu Bayan Aure

Akwai wani mutum mai suna Balarabe, yana neman wata budurwa mai suna Ladidi da aure. Kullum yana zuwa hira gidansu da yamma budurwar tana kawo masa ruwan sha a duk lokacin da ya zo gidansu hira.

Wata rana da ya zo sai kakar Ladidi ta ce mata: “Ga kunu mai dumi ki kai wa Balarabe ko zai sha.”

Ladidi ta ce to, sai ta zo ta tambayi saurayin cewa zai sha kunu? Bayan ya yi dan murmushi ya ce "eh zan sha", sai Ladidi ta koma cikin gida ta dauko kunun da nufin ta kawo masa. Tana zuwa kusa da shi sai santsi ya dauke ta ta zame ta yi tangal-tangal ta fadi, kwanon kunun nan ya kife a jikin sabon dinkin shadda da wannan saurayi ya ci ado da ita. Hankalin wannan budurwa ya tashi, ta rude ta rasa me za ta ce masa. 

Amma shi gogan naka bai damu da jika shi da kunun da ta yi ba, hankalinsa yana kanta ne, yana cewa: “Ladidi sannu, ina fatan dai ba ki ji ciwo ba?”

Yana ta kokarin dagata da lallashinta, ita kuma da ta tashi abin da ya fi damun ta shi ne yadda ta bata masa ado da ruwan kunu. Nan take ta je ta debo ruwa a buta tana zuba masa yana wanke jikinsa, tana ta ba shi hakuri. Shi kuma yana murmushi yana ce mata, ai ba komai.

Da ya ga Ladidi tana ta nuna damuwarta kan abin da ya faru, sai ya nuna mata alamun cewa za ta bata masa rai, ya za a yi ta rinka damuwa kan abin da baitaka-kara-ya karya ba! A haka dai abin ya wuce.

Bayan wani lokaci sai aka daura auren Balarabe da Ladidi, Allah Ya azurta su da ’ya’ya guda biyu.

Wata rana da yamma Balarabe ya dawo gida don yin wanka, sai Ladidi ta kawo masa abinci. Bayan ta ajiye, sai ta je debo masa ruwa a kofi da nufin idan ya gama cin abincin ya sha ruwa. Bisa tsautsayi, sai ga babbar rigar da Balarabe ta sarkafe Ladidi ta fadi kasa, ruwan da ke kofin ya zube a jikin Balarabe, ai sai ya mike tsaye ya rinka bambami, kai ka ce wuta ta zuba masa.

“Ke dai wallahi ban san ranar da za ki yi hankali ba! Sam ba ki da lissafi da natsuwa! Idan ban da hauka da rashin hankali, me ya jawo
haka? Ke dai kam Allah wadaran ki........!”

Karshe dai wannan dalilin sai da ya janyo Balarabe ya saki Ladidi.

Mu yi nazarin wannan abin da idon basira, lokacin da Balarabe ke neman matarsa da aure, ta yi masa barin kunu mai zafi a jikin sabbin tufafinsa, amma bai nuna bacin ransa ba, hasali ma yana nuna wannan abin ba komai bane illa tsautsayi. Amma yau barin ruwan sanyi ya zama tamkar ruwan narkakkiyar dalma!

Mu duba yadda ya damu da ita a wancan lokacin, amma yau ba damuwarsa ne ta ji ciwo ko ba ta ji ba, shi dai kawai laifin da ta yi masa yake kallo.

Ya kamata maza mu rinka tuna baya, bai kamata a lokacin da matayenmu suka saba mana za mu ke yanke hukunci ba. 

-  Maimaitawa, na taba rubuta wannan rubutu a wannan shafi a ranar 14 ga watan Disambar 2010.