By Our Reporter
It appears young children in Kaduna State do not know exactly what to make of their governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai. This is the impression created in an interview with Mariam, a thirteen year old JSS 3 pupil of one of the private schools in Kaduna metropolis.
Mariam who speaks good English and seems well-informed about happenings in the city, compared to many in her age group, is of the view that regarding some issues she thinks highly of her state governor. On some other issues however, she thinks the governor has not done what she likes especially with regard to the closure of schools during the corona virus pandemic.
According to Mariam, the state governor has tried in terms of infrastructural development. But she also thinks the governor is too strict.
“I think he is trying,” she said, pointing to the ongoing massive road construction projects in the Kaduna metropolis. “He has tried with the road and bridges he is constructing.”
But will Mariam vote for her governor if he had the opportunity to contest again?
Mariam said, “I am not eighteen years old, so I cannot vote.”
Asked if she would vote for El-Rufai assuming she were 18 years old, she shook her head.
“I think he is too strict,” Mariam said.
When asked to explain why she said her governor was too strict, she said. “He closed schools because of corona virus.”
But was she aware that it was for public good that schools were closed because of rising cases of covid 19, as well as ensure that children did not take the disease home to their aged parents and other family members? To this explanation, Mariam did not have any response but simply listened attentively. In fact it seemed she was hearing this kind of explanation for the first time.
Moreover, like many young people, apart from the new physical infrastructure across the metropolis that Mariam could see and appreciate her governor for, it seemed much of what the 13 year old knew about public affairs was informed by the views expressed by older family members who might belong to the opposition party.
As observers have noted though, the Kaduna State Government may need to do more to explain to the younger generations those measures that concern them in order to carry the group along regarding its policy decisions.
