Raayi riga-kowa da irin tasa
By Bala Ibrahim
The title above is in Hausa, the simple definition of which is, viewpoint is comparable to the garb, everyone has his, or her choice.
We all know that opinions are judgements that are formed about someone or something, that may not necessarily be based on fact or true knowledge.
In choosing the colour of our garbs, some go for black, some white, while others would wear only, the combination of the two. And to each, in their opinion, that is what is right.
Liberally minded people are supposed to be open-minded and progressive in their viewpoints, by accepting new ideas that will bring progress, even if they are not traditional.
Because democracy is a way of governing, which depends on the will of the people, opinions or viewpoints of the people, make the people feel fulfilled, by boosting their self-esteem.
Through the expression of thoughts and words in participatory democracy, everyone would have the feeling of living in a free environment. You own the opinion as a right and you expressed it without any fear.
But there should be a caveat- if you give your opinion, you should allow others to give theirs also.
Your freedom of expression stops, where the right of others to express their opinions begin. And precisely that’s where some of us are good at goofing around.
Some feel they know everything, and only their opinions should count. No!
It was Henry William Chesbrough, the American organizational theorist and professor at the Garwood Centre for Corporate Innovation that said, “No one has a monopoly on knowledge”. What is right to you, may be left to another person. And in democracy, the two of you have equal rights.
I was listening to a Hausa programme this morning on Freedom Radio, where the minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika featured. It was a good PR for him as the minister of aviation, and Muhammasu Buhari as the President of Nigeria.
There is a long held prejudice about Hadi Sirika, that he is arrogant, apathetic to duty, full of himself, and completely inaccessible, even to his old friends. But listening to him today, I got a different opinion.
Through a detailed explanation of the things his ministry is doing, Hadi kept me, and by extension the listening public, informed about the activities of the Buhari administration with regards aviation, explaining some policy decisions, aimed at improving the aviation infrastructure in Nigeria, including airports, air traffic controls, and airport/aircraft’s safety. It was a marvellous presentation, packaged with humour and no sign of arrogance.
On the issue of Nigeria launching a national carrier, minister Hadi said it will be 100 per cent private with no government control.
When asked if the government would be able to keep its hands off it, he said, “Whatever we said we will do since 2015, we are doing. That’s why Emirates Airlines, Qatar Airways and other airlines today, are rushing to Nigeria in multiple frequencies and multiple landing points, because Nigeria is destined to be the best country to provide airline business, courtesy of Buhari’s commitments.
As a Buharist, listening to minister Hadi Sirika only enhanced my respect for the President. But that’s my opinion. To the anti-Buhari, all that’s being said is nothing but balderdash. And that’s also an opinion.
Another ardent Buharist forwarded a message to me on WhatsApp, under the hashtag #PositiveFactsNG, captioned, THE ABUJA – KADUNA – KANO EXPRESSWAY PROJECT IS NOW AT ITS PEAK!
It reads:
“With the contractor working assiduously as demanded by the Buhari administration, do you know that the construction project of the Abuja – Kaduna – Kano Expressway has now reached its peak, and is on track to be completed in the 1st Quarter of 2023?”
‘The 375.9km road project now has an increased bearing capacity, reinforced with a granular base so that it can have an extended lifespan.
And it includes the upgrade and reconstruction of about 100 bridges and box culverts, especially at the Zaria – Kano section of the Expressway.”
“As repeatedly said, this project is currently a big employer of labour along the long stretch of communities that span the FCT, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano, which underlines its huge economic benefit to the country.”
“Yes, Nigeria is on track!”
Nigeria is on track is the opinion or viewpoint of this Buharist, and so is mine. But that may not be the opinion of others, who strongly believe, because Buhari is in charge, and has failed to bring paradise closer to Nigeria, the country is ill fated and destined for doom.
By doing the Kano-Kaduna-Abuja road, Buhari has shamed the likes of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who couldn’t do the road from Gombe to Yola, despite holding the second highest office in Nigeria for 8 years. But that’s also my own opinion.
On the issue of insecurity, I also stumbled on the opinion of Michael Ogueke, who wrote thus:
“If anyone is looking for whom to blame & vent idiotic hypocritical anger on about IPOB’s mayhem in the South East, they should pour their foolish anger on all the governors of South East, former governors of South East, South East Senators, Ohaneze leaders, Igbo traditional leaders, Igbo PDP politicians that nurtured the IPOB monster for political capital. Their rendezvous with Nnamdi Kanu was well documented.
They should hold responsible the church leaders and clergy in South East, whose pulpit and church newsletters are dedicated to amplifying Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB’S hate and divisive agenda every given Sunday.
They should vent their hypocritical anger on Igbo sons and daughters abroad pouring millions of dollars into Nnamdi Kanu’s accounts and IPOB’s war chests to buy arms, drugs for them and pay ESN boys.
They should drag out Femi Fani Kayode and Ayo Fayose for their support to IPOB, for the embers of hate and division they fanned in Igboland against other tribes.
Finally, they should blame Nnamdi Kanu and his gang, who are sons and daughters of Igboland for the destruction they are bringing to their homeland.
Yes, we Ndigbo must blame ourselves for our silence, our defence on social media of the self-destructive activities of Kanu and his gang of cut-throats to feed our foolish contrived hate for a Fulani man that has brought a 100 times more development to Igboland as president in the past 7 years, than the Umbrella party we buried our umbilical cord with ever did in their entire 16 years.
This madness will stop when Ndigbo are ready to end it”.
Above is the opinion of Michael, which I believe differs, and may even have the potential of offending others, whose believe is that Buhari is doing nothing to salvage Nigeria.
Yes, the self-serving believe he is always right, and that’s where the idiom raayi riga, should always come handy, because, kowa da irin tasa.
Raayi riga-kowa da irin tasa
