Throughout its history, Borno has fostered international contacts and attracted scholars and diplomats to its cities like Birni Gazargamo, Kukawa, Geidam and others. Borno has established contacts with several important states in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere. It established the first West African Foundation in Egypt, the Ibn Tashid School, where Borno students went to study. Borno was the first in the black world to embrace Islam and its Hajj’s contacts were so vast that several Sefawa rulers had performed the pilgrimage to Mecca and encouraged their subjects, providing the Borno caliphate with international contacts.
Right from the emergency of Birni to present day Yerwa, Borno’s position has been very outstanding in the field of Quranic or Islamic learning. The whole of Geidan once represented the massive structure of a university. In one part of the city, the great Imams read and discussed the Quran, the Tafsir while in another part of the city, scholars were engaged in debate in figh, Hadith and philosophy.
Borno was also the centre of Trans-Saharan trade with commercial links with most regions of the globe. In the management of crisis and conflicts, Borno was diplomatic, decisive and legal.
The foregoing narrative is to buttress the argument that though the history of Borno dates back over a millennium, its recognition and greatness stemmed from service-oriented and unifying leadership. There were leaders of honour and respect who placed public interest above self.
Even as a province in the Northern Nigerian, the good leadership quality demonstrated by the Shehus, Emirs, Councilors, District Heads and Heads of Departments helped in providing the famous Mohammed Lawans, Ahmed Talibs, Bukar Shuaibs, the Damcidas, the Liman Ciromas and a host of others for the Regional, Federal, Provincial and Native Authority Civil Service.
Borno’s ascendancy has plunged due to poor leadership, corruption, unbridled ambition and poverty. Borno has turned coat as it now doublespeaks to the extent that it has become the theater of war and division
However, from the late 20th century to the present day, Borno’s ascendancy due to poor leadership, corruption, unbridled ambition and poverty has plunged downward. Borno has turned coat as it now double-speaks to the extent that it has become the theater of war and division.
Borno, with the cherished philosophy of “home of peace and hospitality,” has become the “Home of pieces” (apology to Senator Mohammed Sanusi Dagash). It is now witnessing deaths, blood and sorrow unprecedented in Nigeria history – no thanks to Boko Haram and its sponsors.
Yes, it true that in the war to liquidate the insurgency, there are indeed honest and sincere stakeholders from Borno, who put their lives on line for the triumph over the evil called Boko Haram.
It is equally a fact that there are other stakeholders made up of elite, politicians and others who are partners in the crime by design or default. Kashim Shettima, the state governor on assumption of office spoke of this unhealthy state of affairs and the security challenges he inherited.
In his first major policy statement, titled, “Islam and Peace in Borno,” on July 16, 2011, Governor Kashim pointed out, “The current state of insecurity and deplorable state of affairs is not unconnected with the attempt to impose the opinion of a small group on the larger society, a situation which clearly abridges the freedom to freely hold and express one’s opinion.”
He went on, “I am personally deeply pained by the trend of events. I am a native of Maiduguri, Borno, bred and buttered right in the heart of Yerwa, from Nimeri Korongoso. Most of the insurgents are from well known neighbourhood of Shehuri North, Shehuri South, Limanti, Lamisu, Gamboru, Fezzan and Hausari wards of the Metropolis. I say unto you my brothers what Hamid Karzai, the Afghan President said at the burial of his brother, Wali Ahmed Karzai some few days ago.
“……. My message for them (Taliban) is that my countrymen, my brothers, should stop killing their own people. It is easy to kill and everyone can do it, but the real man is the one who can save people’s lives”.
Governor Shettima indicted some prominent Borno citizens who abandoned the state from the onset of the insurgency for other parts of the country from where they incite discord and conflict between their surrogates in the state and the state government.
Recently, the Governor, in Abuja, carpeted his predecessor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff for his inaction, which he said led to the escalation of Boko Haram insurgency. Delivering a paper, titled, “Managing the Boko Haram crisis in Borno state, experiences and lessons for a multiparty, multi-ethnic and multireligious Nigeria”, during the annual lecture in honour of late Murtala Mohammed, Shettima explained that Mohammed Yusuf, the leader of Boko Haram sect, took advantage of Senator Ali Modu’s failure as the then governor of the state to provide leadership to declare a Jihad.
According to him, “The fact is that Sheriff allowed his ego to overcome his action and failed to settle the differences between armed forces and members of the Yusuffiya movement at the time. Shettima took the opportunity to respond to an earlier “political statement” by Senator Sheriff in which he (Sheriff) stated that Boko Haram did not hold any territory in Borno when he was in power. No matter the successes of the military in subduing Boko Haram, all efforts at ending the onslaught and effects of the insurgency as well as the ongoing reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement programmes would make lasting impact if some of the Borno stakeholders choose to play the ostrich dance.
The federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated practically the will power to bring Boko Haram to its knees. It is however sad to note that in spite of all efforts aimed at bringing to a close this sad chapter of the people’s history, the distraction and obstacles are more from within. Recent renewed attacks, increased suicide bombings especially in Maiduguri and allegation of arrests of some of the commanders of Boko Haram in homes of some prominent men in the state capital is sour to taste. This is not the Borno of the founding fathers.
