Dr. Abdullahi Bala Isah is the national president of Gamji Members’ Association, and national adviser to Gamji Memorial Clubs in Tertiary Institutions of Learning in Nigeria. In this interview, he spoke about the objective of the association, the prevalence of drugs among youths in the North, the almajirai syndrome, and other major issues.
What are the objectives of the Gamji Members’ Association?
It is a non-governmental organisation and its objectives include immortalising the exemplary leadership qualities of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardaunan Sokoto and other past national leaders from the North. The association has two components – Gamji Memorial Clubs for Students in the Tertiary Institutions of Learning and GAMA for graduates of Gamji Memorial Clubs and others. GAMA is registered with the Corporate Affairs as a civil society organisation while Gamji Clubs are run according to the by-laws of the respective institutions where they are located. The association’s national patron is an ideologue of the late premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Justice Mamman Nasir, Galadiman Katsina and former minister of justice during the First Republic, as well as former president of the Court of Appeal.
What can you say about the legacies Sir Ahmadu Bello left behind? Are his lofty dreams being sustained?
Sardauna did a lot during his period, looking at the institutions he left behind, his simplicity and all that. It is unfortunate that we are not able to sustain the many legacies he bequeathed to us. Most of the institutions and structures he put in place are crumbling. The poverty level is rising, so also is the crime rate, even as the region is terribly divided along ethnic and religious lines. It is an unfortunate departure from the ideal of its founding fathers.
Sardauna mentored many prominent northerners, some of who are still alive; why is his legacies not sustained by this crop of people?
Well, a few of them imbibed his lifestyle and strived to sustain his legacies, but some also allowed themselves to be affected by the virus of corruption, which manifested after his demise. We tried to reach out to those who distinguished themselves for inspiration. Somebody like Justice Mamman Nasir is a living example of what the Sardauna represented. Unfortunately, even the corrupt ones dangled the late premier’s name as a reference point. They held several positions but had nothing point to at in the end. That is why we are where we are today. We are working relentlessly to change this orientation through enlightenment and other means.
Beyond the rising crime rate and endemic poverty, the region is also believed to be far behind the South in education and other key sectors. What do you think can be done to bridge this gap?
Frankly, a lot need to be done in this regard. Our association has been doing a lot through sensitisation and lectures, especially in the area of school enrolment of our children and the alarming out-of-school situation. We have also been advocating the need for the government to adopt strategy for non-formal education, especially through the almajirai system. One of the problems we have is that the Nigerian constitution does not regard those who attain Islamic education as being literate. However, we are advocating the introduction of a special remedial system where the almajirai can access formal education.
But there are a number of almajirai schools established by the Federal Government to address this problem.
The existing structure is deficient, in the sense that the planners did not take into cognizance the pattern and lifestyle of the intended beneficiaries. If you look at the Pakistani example, what was done was to introduce a little bit of the non-formal aspect to encourage the beneficiaries to embrace the formal education alongside entrepreneurial skills. The same style can also be adopted here.
How do you see the enrolment rate of the girl-child in the North?
The situation has greatly improved, especially with the intervention of international organisations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). What is required is to provide entrepreneurial skills alongside formal education.
The North is currently contending with the issue of drug abuse among its youths. What is your take on this disturbing trend?
It is very disheartening. Even married women are embracing it. That these drugs are more in the North than any other part of the country is of serious concern to us. We are beginning to suspect that there is a systematic design to flood the region with illicit drugs.
As a trained chemist, where do you think these drugs are coming from?
That is the mystery we want the Federal Government, the Pharmaceutical Council and other stakeholders to help unravel. Drugs are usually sold in regulated environments like the pharmacies and patent medicine stores. So, how the youths get these drugs is common knowledge. That is why we are insisting that government and other stakeholders must step in to halt the menace.
Traditional rulers also have a great role to play. In the past they had control over families, but they have gradually distanced themselves from their subjects. Unfortunately, parents now find it difficult to control their children. As a result, the youth are becoming increasingly independent; and in most cases, they become easy prey in the hands of drug dealers.
During his official visit to Kano recently, President Muhammadu Buhari directed security operatives to clamp down on the dealers of these illicit drugs. Do you think such measure would tackle the menace?
We welcome the directive, but we think the problem should be holistically tackled. As we keep emphasizing, to achieve the desired result, government must engage traditional institutions in the fight.
