News

The Bigot In Kperogi’s Mirror

Published

4 years ago

May 10, 2022

Aliyu Salisu Barau,PhD

Aliyu Salisu Barau

@farooqkperogi is among the too few Nigerians who elegantly sandwiched scholarship, media, and English language expertise. On the contrary, I am neither a linguistic expert nor a political analyst. Here, I am just trying to figure out the naughtiness of @farooqkperogi’s thinking machinery. How @farooqkperogi thinks substantially determines his writings and opinions. No doubt, Kperogi’s articles are a cynosure of eyes of many Nigerians across political, cultural and social divides. Some of his Nigerian readers pluck his linguistically well-crafted and yet asymmetric views and dye them in the colours of their sentiments or ignorance. It is normal to manipulate any text on this planet. Interestingly, it is not unusual for bohemians and intellectuals to dress and feast on controversies. I see @farooqkperogi as a sort of a roller coaster dripping joyful and sorrowful moments on public sentiments and obsessions. Indeed, considering Nigeria’s contested socio-political landscapes, @farooqkperogi personifies Hankaka (a pied crow in Hausa) which they say, who sees its black must see its white too.

I am indifferent with @farooqkperogi’s criticisms of the powers that be. I don’t care about his tirades and vituperations directed at the political class who sold their moral rights at the market of failures and misgovernance. So, what’s my headache with @farooqkperogi? Well, I am deeply touched by his overriding superficiality, unidirectional views, bigotry, extremism and spider mannerisms. To be fair to Kperogi, no elites of the social and political divides of this country are immune from his pen. Nevertheless, his seamless and borderless forays are in many instances unconscionable and peddling post-truth constructs. My labelling of @farooqkperogi is based on my readings and analysis of his recent blog stuffs:
• Presidents Who’ll Make Me Renounce Nigeria (https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2022/03/presidents-wholl-make-me-renounce.html)
• Osinbajo’s RCCGification Part of Plot for Theocratic State Capture (https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2022/04/osinbajos-rccgification-part-of-plot.html)
• 10 Reasons Osinbajo Will Ignite a Religious Civil War (https://www.farooqkperogi.com/2022/03/10-reasons-osinbajo-will-ignite.html)

As a transdisciplinary environmental researcher, I always prefer wider views, co-produced, and inclusive opinions. I am diametrically opposed to ‘single story’ constructions – as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie would say. My readings of the above articles has convinced me of Kperogi’s single story driven narrowed conclusions on crucial and critical national issues. Before I explain my points, I have tried further analysis on Kperogi’s knowledge production mannerisms to see how that fits my labelling of him. For instance, I conducted a rapid assessment of his authorship of academic works on leading research archives namely Researchgate and Google Scholar. Both repositories reveal in him a professor with a very limited network and co-authorship. By implication, any scholar with limited networking and co-authorship will have little room for alternative view, tolerance, and thorough analysis. This evidence convinces me as to why @farooqkperogi writes less holistically and cares less to get into deep layers of issues. Kperogi is a good reflection of Dubarudu- a character in one of the Hausa riddles. Dubarudu owns a mirror in a town where no one owns any. He alone uses it and no one can use it including his wife. Nigeria is a mirror that we need to share to see our faces and appreciate our different outlooks.

ASUU Strike And Posterity-Ameer Abdul Aziz

My reading of the three blog articles by @farooqkperogi leads me to carry further analysis on how this versatile writer thinks. Scholars make use of Low-Order Thinking Skills (LOTS) and Higher-Order Thinking Skills to determine thinking capacity of scholars and students. I always assume that Nobel Prize winners and other high ranking scholars utilise HOTS. Without prejudice, blog articles produced by @farooqkperogi appear to belong to low-order thinking skills. Then, how is @farooqkperogi a low thinker at least in the three articles under consideration? The answer is discernible to all his readers that care. He uses interrogatives such as ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘which’, ‘how many’ and ‘who’ inn driving his opinions in the tree articles. We could see mentions of places, names of persons, number of persons, places, when and where in his labelling of religious bigotry by VP Osinbajo. Healthy and informed minds would care only about the HOTS interrogatives such as ‘why’, ‘how’; ‘what evidence is there?’, ‘cause and consequences’ etc. Unfortunately, less informed and sentimental Nigerian readers can easily be misled by the lots of LOTS amplified by @farooqkperogi.

At this point I am bringing out my real problems with this language scholar. I really find it very nauseating and irritating when @farooqkperogi declared in his blog of March 28, 2022 that he would renounce his citizenship of Nigeria if any of the four individuals he listed in the blog would become Nigeria’s next president. The four Nigerians he condemned are Osinbajo, Tinubu, Bello and Wike. How on earth? What depth of hatred is this? What if God has decided one of them to be? To me this is an exotic bigotry, branded intolerance and egregious extremism. Where is his knowledge of the language of contestations, resistance and resilience that characterize works of Edward Said, Frantz Fanon, Michel Foucault, and Karl Marx? Maybe, I should remind him of the struggles of the Irish activists captured in Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh’s Language, Resistance and Revival. Such a Kperogian declaration amounts to cowardice, hopelessness, and disillusionment. How can I give up my citizenship on account of a tenured president that could be at the mercy of the judiciary, parliament, media and civil society? I never expected @farooqkperogi to easily forget how spirited men and women stood against the caudillos (strongmen of Latin America) seen in Pinochet of Chile, Stroessner of Paraguay, Somoza in Nicaragua, and Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. I wish good luck to the listed four and to Kperogi when you forsake Nigeria for America where black lives matter. The people brutalized by the Nigerian junta yesterday are princes of the Aso Rock Villa of today. That is how time works.

No little thanks to @farooqkperogi for giving us a neologism -RCCGification through his April 14th 2022 blog opinion. I was distraught reading that as I saw in it that article tight shortness of sight and breath considering it is coming from a scholar. Saying that one church denomination will overrun Nigeria is a devilish statement. Even Satan might call that the last post-truth reality. Nevertheless, I find solace in Mehdi Hassan’s response to Anne-Marie Waters during Oxford Union Debate On Islam held at the Oxford University in the UK sometime in 2015. Putting your article in the context of that debate and Mehdi’s response means @farooqkperogi is a big fanatic and bigot. Why? Because RCCGification is the same thing as Islamisation. Every time a Muslim rules Nigeria some Christian bigots use the thread of Islamisation to weave clothes of suspicion and division. So what’s the difference between the advocates of Islamisation and RCCGification? Is it not flipping sides of the same coin? I would be happier to have as leader a just Christian than unjust Muslim. RCCGification of Islam, Catholicism, Protestants, and traditional religions is a mirage. RCCGification of Nigeria is a charade since this church has not even seen intergenerational transition of itself let alone overrun others. Let us be frank to ourselves, it has been a standing tradition of Nigerian political, religious and business leaders to bring close to them the people that they know. Hence, I am unruffled by any list of political appointees associated with RCCGification agenda. I am always amused by fears of Islamisation and I always see Christians as its drivers and authors. When you insist on going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem as Muslims do in Mecca, you are just Islamising Nigeria Christianity. When you say let us block the Muslims or deny them their rights what is your name? Islamaphobe, unjust, conspirator or still a Christian? What I like most about religion is sweet taste of spirituality. Those forwarding RCCGification agenda are either mischief makers or ignorant of Nigeria’s social, historical and political institutions. When I saw the casket of Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu draped in Nigeria’s flag and carried by the Nigerian military officers, that is the day I realised that Nigeria is bigger than all its citizens. Nigeria overwhelms anybody with any hidden agenda. A critic must learn how not be like a spider. Its knowledge of design is superb and its nest is outstandingly beautiful. However, the skinny guy builds its nest on the common pathways not minding trapping everybody.
Aliyu Barau, PhD
Kano, Sunday, 11.44 AM
Twitter: @aliyubarau

News

Impeachment Notice: Kano Assembly Advises Deputy Governor, Comr. Abdulsalam, to Vacate Office

Published

4 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

By Salisu Baso

The Kano State House of Assembly has advised the State Deputy Governor, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to honourably resign from office or face impeachment.

The House Leader, Hon. Lawan Hussaini Dala, revealed this to journalists shortly after the plenary session headed by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Jubril Ismail Falgore, today (Thursday).

He said the decision of the members followed allegations against the Deputy Governor of financial misappropriation and embezzlement uncovered by the legislature.

Hon. Dala added that the members have considered Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which empowers the House to impeach the Governor or his Deputy if they violate the law or engage in misconduct.

News

At 89, Obasanjo Reflects: “Leadership’s Burden and Blessing Are Often the Same

Published

18 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo marked his 89th birthday not with quiet celebration, but with a characteristically frank discourse on the nature of power, using his own dramatic life story—from military commander to imprisoned dissident to democratically elected president—as the central case study.

Delivering a keynote address at an international colloquium in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Obasanjo described leadership as a double-edged sword: a profound burden that is also a deep privilege. The event, titled “Burden and Blessing of Leadership: Reflections from Global Africa to the World,” saw the elder statesman argue that the quality of a nation’s leaders is the primary determinant of its fate.

Obasanjo opened with a stark personal testament, recalling his imprisonment by the late military ruler Sani Abacha. He framed the experience not just as personal suffering, but as evidence of a core principle.

“My imprisonment proves the price of a principled stand,” he told the audience. “Leadership without principle is mere management. True leadership demands that you say no when yes would be more convenient — and that comes at a cost.”

He argued that many who seek power are seduced by its perks, underestimating the immense personal sacrifices required. Drawing on his experience commanding the Third Marine Commando Division during the Nigerian Civil War, he painted a vivid picture of leadership’s isolating core.

“There is the loneliness of the final decision,” Obasanjo explained. “When all the briefings have been received and all arguments made, you alone must decide. That weight does not distribute itself.” He recalled the final days of the war in January 1970, when he chose restraint to protect civilians. “No textbook told me what to do. The decision was mine alone,” he stated, underscoring the immense moral weight that leaders must carry.

Despite the hardships—including more than three years in detention—Obasanjo insisted he would choose the same path again. He spoke of the profound fulfilment found in service, describing Nigeria’s first peaceful transition from military to civilian rule in 1979, when he handed over power to Shehu Shagari, as one of the most rewarding moments of his career.

“There is the blessing of having been given the opportunity to matter—to serve at the hinge of history,” he reflected. “It was the relief of having been tested and not found wanting. The greatest burden a man can carry is his country on his shoulders. The greatest blessing he can also receive is that country’s gratitude. At 89, I now understand that the burden and the blessing are often the same.”

Shifting his focus from the personal to the continental, Obasanjo offered a sharp diagnosis of Africa’s struggles, arguing that the root cause is not a lack of resources but a failure of governance.

“Africa is richly endowed—with mineral wealth, vast arable land and the world’s youngest population. By every measure, we should be prosperous and stable,” he noted. “Instead, too much of our continent remains trapped in preventable suffering.”

He placed the blame squarely on poor leadership, weak institutions, and systemic corruption, warning of the fragility inherent in personality-driven governance. “When a country’s trajectory depends solely on the character of one person, that country is permanently fragile,” he cautioned.

Looking forward, Obasanjo called for a fundamental rethinking of the continent’s political and economic models. He urged leaders to adapt democratic systems to local realities without sacrificing the core principles of accountability, transparency, and inclusiveness.

He advocated for a massive investment in leadership development and institutional strengthening, emphasizing that sustainable progress requires systems that outlast any single individual. He also identified the global African diaspora as a critical, underutilized asset and urged governments to create conditions that encourage their engagement and investment.

On the economic front, Obasanjo pointed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a transformative opportunity that, if fully implemented, could reshape the continent’s global standing.

He concluded with a message of hope and a charge to the next generation, framing leadership as the key to unlocking the continent’s vast potential.

“Africa is not a problem to be managed,” Obasanjo declared. “Africa is a promise to be fulfilled — and leadership is how that promise gets kept.”

News

Walida Was 16, Not 20’ — Father Fires Back at Women Minister, Demands Justice

Published

19 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

A fresh controversy has emerged in the ongoing case of Walida Abdulhadi, the young woman whose alleged abduction by a Department of State Services (DSS) operative, Ifeanyi Onyewuenyi, has sparked national outrage, as conflicting accounts of her age continue to dominate public discourse.

Walida’s father, Malam Abdulhadi, has strongly rejected a claim by the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, that his daughter was about 20 years old at the time of the alleged abduction. He described the minister’s statement as “baseless hearsay,” insisting that family records clearly show that Walida was a minor when she was taken.

Malam Abdulhadi questioned how a government official who is not a member of the family could determine the birth date of his daughter.

“The minister was not the one who gave birth to her,” he said. “I married her mother in 2007, and I can tell you that she was abducted when she was 16 years old. She only recently turned 18.”

He further dismissed references to what he described as a “strange indigene certificate” allegedly used to support claims about Walida’s age, arguing that the timeline of his marriage and family history provides a clearer basis for verification.

“Is the minister in a position to tell me the age of my daughter when she does not know when I got married to her mother?” he asked. “She should come out publicly and say what she said was not true. It is simply propaganda.”

Adding weight to the family’s position, Walida’s maternal uncle, Malam Yunusa Kani, also challenged the minister’s statement, insisting that the family’s records contradict the official narrative.

According to him, Walida’s mother was married in Anku in 2007 and gave birth to Walida the following year.

“We were witnesses to the marriage ceremony in 2007,” Kani said. “After about a year, the family was blessed with Walida’s birth in 2008. That is the fact. We do not know where the minister got her information.”

He urged the government to handle the matter with fairness and sensitivity, noting that the family had already endured significant emotional distress since the alleged abduction.

“She must remember that public officials will be held accountable for what they say. We plead with the government to take pity on us and ensure justice is done,” he added.

Walida’s younger sister, Fatima Abdulhadi, also spoke during the programme, offering further details about the family timeline.

“I am 14 years old, and my brother who was born after Walida is 16 years old,” she said. “Walida was abducted two years ago.”

Source: Veteran Journalist and a PR Guru Yushau Shuaibu