MATAWALLE: WHERE ARE THE MERCHANTS OF DISCORD?- It has been a while since the merchants of discord introduced their latest onslaught on the progress of our land. It has come in various cunning ways to placate their evil machinations and also the inadequacies of their representatives in power. The peace we so much yearn for in the North West has eluded us due to one of their schemes or the other. The latest being on the succcesses being recorded in Zamfara state and the grand new role Matawalle is assuming in the peace strategy in the zone and in Nigeria.
A mad rush to discredit Matawalle is ongoing especially (and surprisingly) including from Katsina based social media participators. A state sharing the same problem with Zamfara and one that is immensely benefitting from his exclusive efforts at ending the banditry that ravages the region. A rogue writer from Katsina for instance, insinuated that Matawalle has abandoned his post and bandits are now having sway in Zamfara because Matawalle lavished them with money that’s why they stopped attacks in Zamfara. Now that he’s away, they resumed. Very foolish and pedestrian thinking indeed. If Matawalle lavished them with money to stop banditry in Zamfara, what stops him from lavishing them with money from wherever he is? In any case, God always speaks for the righteous. Just as the rogue writer penned down and released his bunkum, the Military in Zamfara had a breakthrough in line with Matawalles carrot and stick approach to peace in his state as they annihilated more than 50 bandits and recovered more than 300 heads of cattle. The onus mow lies on the heads of those who sponsor these rag-tag writers to explain why nothing good such as this is happening elsewhere but in Zamfara state.
I always wonder why people fail to understand that Matawalles approach works in Zamfara and fails elsewhere because the big difference is commitment, truthfulness, honesty and doggedness which is lacking elsewhere but a constant wit in Matawalles peace and resolution efforts with the bandits. If Matawalle lavishes money on the bandits to stop banditry, what stops others from doing sane to save the lives and blood of their innocent citizens whom they swore to protect? No. They know it is not about money. They know it takes more than what they lack to do what Matawalle is doing.
I will continue to write in favour of Matawalle because I know he is like the proverbial lamb surrounded by wolves. The enemies of peace in the Country will not allow him to succeed because they have multitude of interests in the ongoing banditry in the zone. The failure of their favorites in power also inclusive. But at our own end, we shall continue to revere and support Matawalle in all ramifications.
Abdulkadir Sulaiman writes from Gusau
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