The governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has been hailed for enrolling his son in a public school. It will be recalled that Mallam El-Rufai took his son, Abubakar Al-Siddique El-Rufai, to the Kaduna Capital School on Monday, 23rd September, 2019.
Making this commendation was an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). The group described the governor’s move as bold, daring and highly commendable. This was contained in a press statement issued on Sunday, 29th September, 2019 by the organisation’s arrow-head, Ishaq Akintola, a professor of Islamic Studies at the Lagos State University (LASU).
“This is good news. It is unheard of in the history of this country that a state governor identifies with the masses by enrolling his biological son or daughter in a public school. El-Rufai is an uncommon political leader. MURIC is proud of him.
“We are particularly interested in what El-Rufai has done because MURIC had long been advocating that public officers should enroll their children in public schools up to tertiary level. We are therefore excited that at least one sitting governor has hearkened to our tiding.
“El-Rufai’s action signifies exemplary leadership and good governance. It is also a fulfilment of promise because he promised in 2017 to enroll his son in a public school. He said, ‘I will by personal example ensure that my son that will be six years of age in 2019 is enrolled in a public school in Kaduna State, by God’s grace’.
“MURIC salutes El-Rufai for walking his talk. Come to think of it: how many of our leaders of today keep their promises? On the contrary, they double-speak, cheat and lie without batting an eyelid. Whereas El-Rufai has identified with the Kaduna people, other political leaders have held tightly to a mentality of class compartmentalisation of the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’, the poor jamahiir and the capitalist comprador bourgeouisie.
“If we put ethnic, religious and political sentiments aside, we will see that El-Rufai has done what we all thought was impossible in our lifetime. It is the hallmark of good governance. Change is definitely here. The mantra of change introduced by the Buhari regime is now a reality.
MURIC highlighted the advantages of the enrolment of children of public office holders in public schools.
“There are many advantages in the enrolment of children of public office holders in public schools. For instance, it boosts public confidence in the education system. It also ensures that leaders become active stakeholders in the affairs of public schools. There is no gainsaying that political leaders may not pay proper attention to public schools unless their own children enroll in them. This may attract the much needed infrastructural facilities and improved teachers’ welfare to public schools.
“To cap the edifice, we call on other governors and political leaders to emulate Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. In particular, we appeal to Nigerians in general to take their destiny in their own hands by refusing to vote for politicians who distance themselves from the masses.”
