The Public and Institutional Backlash against the Desecration and Dehumanization of Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru: A Glimpse of Hope for the Resurrection of Honor, Integrity and Human Dignity in Nigeria

It has been more than a week now since a viral video of one of the highest symbols of authority in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), precisely, its National Commissioner, representing the North-west Zone, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru was desecrated and dehumanized in a veiled attempt by yet to be known individuals to unduly influence the outcome of the Supplementary Governorship Elections held in Adamawa State on the 15th April, 2023.

The viral video of the revered Professor of Applied (Petroleum) Chemistry and a seasoned University Administrator made the rounds in diverse social media handles in a very disgusting and dehumanizing condition. The architects of the dastardly barbaric act, by all intents and purposes, wanted to convince the world of the complicity of the most respected Professor in an electoral sham of an odd pattern and grave magnitude. Earlier before the video, the Returning Officer of the Supplementary Governorship Elections in the state had announced a recess to be reconvened by 11:00am. However, in a contravention of the INEC established procedures of collation, declaration and return of victorious candidates in an election, the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Adamawa state appeared alongside some security chiefs (without the State Returning Officer) and announced that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored the highest votes and she was thus returned elected. This was though resisted by the audience and he left amidst jeers, boos and taunts, rejecting the illegal declaration of the results by him as an unauthorized official.

Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru

INEC National Commissioner, North-West

It was some moments after this strange electoral fraud that the short video of Prof. Zuru went viral. In the video, he was seen forcibly undressed by his captors with blood flowing from parts of his face and a voice in Hausa Language mocking him, perhaps for not cooperating with them (whoever they are and/or whoever they represent). The video was meant to be believed that he fell victim of a spontaneous mob action that was angry of his perceived role in the process of supplementary elections held in Adamawa state. The video, though show no evidence of any mob action and those who pretended to be his rescuers were also faceless and unsympathetic to him given the few words heard from them.
Apparently, the whole episode seemed to look like a drama, well preplanned and/or false flag operation that went wrong without a coherent strategy for damage control. Unfortunately, the architects of this national embarrassment has little or no knowledge of the pedigree of Prof. Zuru, particularly the profile he built overtime of integrity and diligence in public service. Therefore, few moments after the video circulated, there was massive backlash from a cross sections of the public and many institutions familiar with the sterling personality of Prof. A.A. Zuru.
Since this unfortunate incidence and my knowledge of it, from a glance in one of the social media outlets, I was stunned, wonder-struck, astounded and dumfounded. I was immediately thrown into moments of confusion and mourning. At a glimpse, I was unbelievably rattled with sorrow and grief, reflecting deeply on the life and times of a finest scholar and patriot whose dedication, commitment and loyalty to this nation has caused him and his family monumental psychological damage that in my view was irreparable. From those hard moments and a few days thereafter, I was speechless, helpless and even hopeless about this nation. I couldn’t even place a call to condole and console the family because I couldn’t at those moments choose the most appropriate words to imagine what had happened let alone to appropriately provide succor to the family I know was built on positive values of integrity, hard work and respect for human dignity. Not until when goodwill messages began to overflow both conventional and social media outlets in total condemnation of the barbaric acts of desecration against the personality of Prof. Zuru that I summoned the courage to join multitude of aggrieved Nigerians to console the family, though not on the public space but directly to the family. It was the moment that it occurred to me that the safety of this statesman is of paramount importance and that only the family can provide such details. I was pleased to have confirmed from the most credible family sources that he was safe with little details of what had actually happened, which further traumatized me. Thereafter, I summoned the courage to keep tap on the most trending issue in Nigeria with the view to understanding and analyzing the reactions of the people and indeed the various institutions that matter in this unfortunate debacle.
My initial thought of the incidence was that this nation is not worth any person’s sacrifices if only this could be the reward for honesty, integrity, loyalty and commitment to just courses. I however immediately adjusted my viewpoint when I read the backlash from the public and many institutions on the issue. At the moment I was conclusive that integrity, honesty and hard work are gruesomely murdered. However, a glimpse of hope resurfaced in public space that suggested the resurrection of those positive values that symbolizes Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru. These messages of support and solidarity and his vindication even before investigations are carried out suggested to me that people and institutions are the real custodian of societal values and the memories of people’s conduct can regenerate hope even in the most gloomiest of circumstances. Those are the moments of positive dimensions of the most horrible national disaster associated with this unfortunate incidence. Many people and institutions were unanimous not only in the condemnation of what happened but also in extolling the virtues of the personality of the victim. This was sufficient in consoling the family, his associates and even the nation.
From the institutional point of view, INEC was quick and swift in its condemnation of the purported declaration and return of a candidate in the election by its Resident Electoral Commissioner, who by its regulations has no authority to do so. The statement by INEC through its National Commissioner in-charge of Information and Voter Education, Barrister Festus Okoye condemned the desecration and dehumanization of Prof. Zuru who was on official assignment in Adamawa state to monitor and support the INEC Team in the execution of the Supplementary Governorship Elections. INEC requested the Inspector General of Police, to among other things unraveled those behind the shameful and barbaric acts of desecration and dehumanization of its National Commissioner on official assignment in Adamawa state. The tone of INEC was though unconvincing and to many, but it at least, came out in protection of its staff who is a symbol of authority in the electoral institution at the moment of the unfortunate event. Much later, many institutions, groups and individuals flooded both the conventional and social media in defense of one of the most respected Professors of our time.
The Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, where he was the immediate past Vice Chancellor also responded in similar posture to that of INEC. The management of the University gave a Press Conference and re-echoed the credentials of its last but one Vice Chancellor particularly his well known track records of integrity and diligence throughout his service of the university from 1983 until his appointment as INEC National Commissioner a couple of years back. The university thus requested that the relevant authorities need to conduct full-scale investigation into the matter and ensure that those behind this unacceptable conduct are brought to book.
As if that was not enough, the university-based unions at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, comprising of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) also gave a Joint-Press Conference and condemned the desecration of the reputable Professor. They asserted in the press conference that
Prof. Zuru, had throughout his career as an academic and University administrator distinguished himself as an epitome of integrity, honesty and diligence. They demanded that the relevant authorities should do the needful to ensure that Prof. Zuru gets justice as well as the requisite compensation for the dehumanization he suffered in the hands of unpatriotic and scrupulous elements, who had done disservice to this nation.
As a respected community person, the Zuru Emirate Council also issued a press release, authorized by the Emir himself, Maj. Gen (Dr.) Sani Sami, Sami Gomo II in defense of one of its diligent and trustworthy sons of the Zuru Community. Prof. Zuru holds the traditional title of _Danmasanin_ Zuru and is being held in high esteemed by the leadership and people of his community. This press release was also a valuable addition to the strong voices of support, largely as an evidence of the good health of Prof. Zuru’s character as a man of honor that can hardly be involved in abuse of office such as what has been purportedly alleged against him. MURIC, which is also another respected Nongovernmental organization, issued a press statement condemning the act of physical and psychological violence meted on the revered Prof. and called on the relevant authorities to ensure that justice is served to the victim in accordance with the established laws.
Suddenly also, a league of staff and students across the Nigerian universities and tertiary institutions including staff and students’ based unions emerged and berated the perpetrators of this heinous crime against humanity and demanded in strong terms that relevant authorities must swiftly act fast to unravel those groups and individuals that are responsible for this act of national dishonor and ensure that regardless of how highly placed they are, be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Thereafter, there was a popular massive campaign on various social media platforms that the videos shared be taken down by the proprietors of those handles as a mark of respect for the most revered Professor. There were also series of petitions initiated online signed by multitude of thousands of people, largely instigated by those familiar with the sterling qualities of integrity, honesty, diligence and honor of Prof. Zuru. These petitions spread quickly and with speed suggesting that those involved has done disservice to the Nigerian nation and humanity at large. Suddenly, his face become the profile image of many people from across divides as a show of solidarity and a mark of respect to a personality that has been known in his life to have built an image of integrity and selflessness in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities in different capacities as a public servant for more than four decades.

It was largely as a result of the backlash that trailed the unfortunate desecration of this fine scholar and a gentleman that caught my attention to believe that Nigeria as a country is not yet doom and a glimpse of hope still exist if only people can appreciate people of honor, integrity and diligence. For those who perpetrated the uncivilized act of desecration and dehumanization of the respected scholar and public servant, their assumption could be that they murdered integrity and honesty, which prevented him from doing their bidding. However, the backlash, which have been unanimous as a goodwill and solidarity to the man of integrity, the honor and integrity that was supposedly murdered in Adamamwa state have been resurrected by the public and established institutions that came in full support of Prof. Zuru as one that can hardly be found complicit and culpable of dishonesty and abuse of office that his captors alleged he was involved.
This is nasty experience therefore came with strange lessons to be learnt by all. For those who stick to doing the right things against all odds, not only prosperity, people may have the opportunity to judge ghem in their lifetime, as is the case with Prof. Zuru. And for those unpatriotic and fraudulent elements in various of public and private realms, whose mission have been to desecrate people of integrity, this also serve as a lesson that public and institutional memories of upright people is sufficient to vindicate them.

May Almighty Allah continue to protect and guide our revered Professor and all those who uphold the principles of integrity, honesty and diligence for the prosperity of our dear nation, amen.

Prof. Yahaya T. Baba

Department of Political Science, Usamanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto