BORNO ELDERS WERE BELITTLED BY GOV. SHETTIMA: Written by Abba Abuy Ahkuwa, 1/07/2017.

There is a famous saying that "what a seated elderly person can see, a young man can not see even if he is standing" they went further to say that even if the young man climbed to a ladder, he may not possibly see. This assertion is valid to all generations including the present one.

Today in Borno, almighty Allah has bestowed us with a young governor who is blinded by power and is desperate to belittle the established norms and principles of our dear great state. He went further to belittled our respected elders.

Before I delve into the fundamentals of my write up, I will like to bring to your ample notice that those who are accusing our elder of doing nothing in regard to the bedeviling security problems surrounding our dear state, should seek for their forgiveness. I'm also guilty of this for a quite a while now until an elder put some senses into me this Ramadhan. These are people who hold different positions, some of which are former governors, former deputy governors, SSG, Perm Sec, and all sorts of ambassadorial and ministerial positions. They really deserve our sympathy and prayers.

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Could you believe that most of them have contained, feed, and even shelter a huge number of displaced persons from their living homes and elsewhere? This are people who are not corrupt throughout their entire service life, they diligently serve their constituent with high degree and spirit of fairness, they did not loot public treasury and they predominantly survive with their pension and of cause with little support from their family members. Indeed, they deserve our commendation and not criticism.

The Story Proper....

Borno State is considered to be one of the favoured states in terms of appointment into key positions by Buhari led administration. We are saddled with lucrative appointment by PMB government to help expedite the crushing of Boko Haram insurgents. The Chief of army staff, Chief Security Officer, Chief of Staff and and other lucrative or 'juicy' posts as we refer them- who happen to be part and parcel of Borno. All these are important posts that deserve to say a thank you to Mr. President. Looking at this gesture, the Borno State Elders Forum convened a meeting to prepare its arsenal by sending a high powered delegation to thank His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential Villa. The Elders after fruitful deliberations, have agreed to write a befitting speech believed to be delivered by His Royal Highness the Shehu of Borno at the presidential villa.

Upon concluding the meeting, the elders sees that it deemed necessary to seek an appointment with His Excellency Gov. Shettima, through their secretary Bulama Mali Gubio to facilitate the meeting with the president. The Governor agreed to meet with them on an agreed date, the elders converged at the Borno state government house in the early hours of the appointment date. The governor despite being around and healthy, left the elders in the waiting room and went for another official engagement. After several hours of his returned, the elders are still waiting and were asked to leave because the governor is said to have a tight schedules.

Nevertheless, a subsequent appointment was arranged by the governor himself, this time around, he promised to meet them at Amb. Gaji Galtimari's resident. As usual, the elders converged in early hours awaiting the arrival of Gov. Shettima. After several hours, the governor failed to appear before the elders. In an effort to respect the young governor, they send their secretary to alert the governor of their presence. The governor assured them of coming, it was becoming late and the elders were seems to be tired of the governor's tricks of playing with their intelligence. They unanimously resolved to send again Bulama Mali Gubio to informed the governor of their dissatisfaction. It was becoming late and by 9pm the elders decided to get back to their respective homes.

The main purpose of seeing him was to intimate him on the efficacy of introducing the hunters in the war against insurgency just as how it magically worked in both Adamawa and Yobe states, and, to also arrange a thank you visit to Mr President for those lucrative appointments he gave our sons.

This scenario have left the elders with so many questions to ask themselves. It was believed that the visit to PMB is for the betterment of Borno. Why would the governor refused to appear before them? Why would he become an obstacle for seeing President Buhari? What was he afraid of? and Why is he sabotaging the move to see the president?

Therefore, after killing the moral of our respected elders. In just a recent time, the governor called for another meeting with the same body, to his greatest shocked, majority of the elders failed to appear in the meeting. Thus, due to low turnout of the elders, the meeting was merged with that BOCCIMA. After completing the meeting, the BOCCIMA President in person of Alh. Ahmed Ashemi was asked to give a board of thanks. In his remarks, he categorically states his displeasure by mentioning names of absentees elders "Your Excellency, something is really fishy, when a gathering of Borno elders is without so so and so so persons", things falls apart.

The governor was touched by the statement accredited to Alh. Ahmed Ashemi. Immediately after the meeting, the governor proceeded to Ambassador Gaji Galtimari's resident to poster a reconciliation move, upon reaching the house, the old man refuses to see the governor. After several attempts with a gift of cash and kind, the chairman Borno elders forum refuses to give audience to the governor. It has been reported that most of the elders had rejected the two million naira gift with clothing presented to them by the governor.

Base on the above happenings the elders of Borno have since caught ties with the governor. The elder who have been disrespected by the governor are now onlookers in the state. Borno is in the hands some few individuals who does not care what will happen to the future of our great state.

There is the ardent need to join hands and please this wisdom owners (elders) and bring back peace unity and tranquillity to our dear state.

Borno of today is in the hands of demonic, who only cares for their pockets. They have succeeded by truncating our life line to the outer world. They have succeeded by burying our voices by purchasing all media outlets. They have succeeded by blocking all avenues to reach out to our people within. Only those information like by them are allowed to see the light of the day.

The only weapon we have is the Almighty Allah. Let's use our personal contacts to disseminate this information to reach out the world. Let us inform our brothers who are stabbed and displaced to know who is their real enemy. Let us tell our  illiterate brothers and sisters about who is our enemy. Let us stand up to fight these demonic elements sabotaging our peace, farming, livelihood, and our wellbeing.

May Almighty Allah bring a lasting peace to our dear state Borno.