Northern, Southern Kaduna: We need each other
Assessing the trajectory of the recent killings in Kaduna State, it would appear vividly to the sane mind that the attacks are nothing but products of some political forces trying to destroy the strong bond that has been holding our ethnically and religiously diverse peoples together for years.
Kajuru, and most recently Sanga, the stories force hot tears down my cheeks. Like that of Abbah Danmori for example, who in the first attack of the series in Unguwar Barde lost six family members including a foetus in an instance, Zule Ahmadu who lost four and all others who fell victim of this sardonic brutality; the stories deep my mind into a melancholic stream.
Within the period of a month, Kaduna State has witnessed series of merciless attacks and reprisals, leaving hundreds dead and lots more displaced. The victims mostly Adara and Fulanis; a people once peacefully living together.
I was forced to tag the incitement of these violence as deliberate and politically motivated by some demonic agents- who think the negative political value of violence is something worth harnessing for selfish political interests - after reading both party’s sides of the story as published in a special online media report.
The Adara and Fulanis are peace loving people, they loved living with each other as neighbors, they enjoy each others company.
Mallam Ibrahim, a Fulani survivor even said “We have been living in peace with Adara people over the years. I am now 39-year-old and I have been living in this community since my childhood. We cook together and sometimes they do cook for us during celebrations, that has been the tradition. I grew up to meet that and I don’t know the motives behind this tradition, the only thing is we don’t marry ourselves ....... ”. So also an Adara survivor, Mr Abba who established that there was no quarrel between them and the Fulanis.
Yet, at the end, after reminiscing about the peaceful days, after heavy doubts and disbelieve, both parties were convinced that the perpetrators were their peaceful, loving neighbors.
Why would a peaceful heterogeneous settlement, who have been living in harmony and love for years, be suddenly at each other’s throats as the Fulanis and Adara community are today?
I’d say there must be a fuel, there must be agents perpetrating this barbarism in the background. Those demonic advocates that have taken it upon themselves the commitment to harness the negative value of violence in order to foster some selfish political interests of theirs.
They have found our weak points; the triggers of our volatility and they won’t stop at anything until they see us uncouple. That is their aim. But it shall never prevail, we have been through this, we’ve experienced worse, yet we understood each other, lived together, loved each other, and moved on.
I urge us to invoke the natural, unwritten peace treaty there is between us. I implore us to see ample reasons why dialogue and mutual understanding is our only hope for harmony again. We need each other now more than ever. Because we are one people, we are Kadalites and we shall put to shame every enemy of our peace, harmony and mutual progress.
Let’s join hands and call for justice for the slain while we collectively and unequivocally stand firm in our advocacy for peace, harmony and ONE Kaduna!
Abdulhaleem Ishaq Ringim Haleemabdul1999@gmail.com