By Tijjani Isa
When Musa Hassan wrote a commitment that he will support Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he did Muhammadu Buhari, I concurred with him, our unrecognized and unalloyed support we gave with no strings attached.
Moments later Hajaru Usman in her usual fashion reminded the president elect to right the wrongs of Buhari’s eight years where its reward system was faulty and skewed to favor only fair weather friends who got into the cycle when the battle was won.
The trio of us are without doubt committed progressives, not necessarily after any reward but would accept one if offered, are of the belief that the APC administration deserves our encouragement and support.
I am sure they won’t mind if I say we shall continue to do so with no apology to anyone.
It won’t be fair to me though to deny that I am hurt already to the extent my wife oft-reminds me, latest reminder only happened on the eve of the just concluded last week’s presidential election. This is what she said when I asked her when she would be ready for the short walk to our polling booth:
“there you go again. What did they do to us in this 8 years. You can’t learn, can you?
“I am refusing to vote, and you won’t make me. And I am hoping you will take a cue to stop open support for them. But here you are again. Shin kai kam jikinka bai gaya maka ba ne? Toh, ni kam dai ina ji a jikina”.
Who would say this if not one genuinely hurt?
She even listed names to reiterate her “what have they done to us?”
You think I should have argued with her?
Well, I didn’t because she is right.
By last count I have eight “friends” (whenever the opportunity presents itself they tell their staff and genuine friends that I am their friend) currently in Buhari administration – one representing each year, if you like.
The first one, I met when he finished law school and gained employment at the then Gongola state ministry of Justice. Long time isn’t it?
The second and the third – by order of precedence – in the course of my career as a practicing journalist. The media was the one link in the chain that bounds us.
The fourth and fifth I encountered in same media world but at different levels. The former when I gained employment at the Plateau State Publishing Company, owners of the Nigerian Standard in the early 80s. We used to have a rendezvous at the Press Club in Jos.
The latter when he needed to be put through editing and publishing a new government owned newspaper he was to co-managed.
For the last three, our paths crossed on account of being friends to a friend, and we either hit off right away or met at an opportuned time to compare notes on pressing national issues. Our respect for each other was mutual.
To cut a long story short it appears I love them more than they did me. I can’t really understand why I but that is it.
The story of my life.
I can’t however forget three great human beings: my landlord General Ibrahim Alawode who has tolerated me thus far when he has no reason to except for his humanness.
I am also indebted to other two who were at different times my former editors, Mohammed Haruna and Yakub Aliyu.
They have always been available whenever I needed them and without any doubt would have done for me more than they have and already been doing given same opportunities the first four have.
And I thank them all.
Phew! I feel relieved already having taken this off my chest.
To summarize, I would like to hope that Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s in-coming administration shall be different, and not have those who will hide under the cover of any mantra, akin to the oft-repeated Muhammadu Buhari’s anti corruption crusade, to deny us a little trickle of the milk of human kindness.
When we needed it the most.