The Right of Reply (RoR) – An Opinion

By Abdu Labaran Malumfashi

It is often the writer’s lot to bear the cane for doing what he believes is the right thing, even though the untoward practices of some people (gatecrashers, they are to me) have made many suspicion of the motive of doing a particular write up. All the same, the actions of some people should not stand on the way of telling the truth as one knows it.

In my article a few days ago, on 28/8/2025 to be precise, I promised to continue the ‘publication’ of readers’s right of response, which I had started somewhat briefly, but postponed to continue on a later date. There were more pressing matters to write about at the time, so dwelling entirely on the people’s thoughts on what yours sincerely churns out regularly is something that can wait for another time.

Someone called to complain that I do not appear to have anything to do but criticise the ruling regime. Since it was a direct call, I responded saying that he is at liberty to say all, or some of the good things that the regime has done in the country. I advise him to write them, and inform skeptics like me the ‘good things done by the present central government’, so as to balance the ‘misinformation’ I have been feeding the people with.

Not only that, I stated that I blamed the oga at the top of the federal government because the buck stops on his table. And the oga does not hesitate to prove to anyone, who really is the ‘oga on top’, if he sets his mind to it. To drive home my point I told him to ask the elected Rivers State Governor, Siminalaye Fabura or Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal or Professor Usman Yusuf among others, what the president can do.

Another supporter of the ruling regime, had this to say about my regular write ups, ‘Your write ups are always predictable, can’t you speak of something else?’ He suggested that I should sometimes focus my attention to the state governors, rather than “blaming the president all the time”.

I told him that the president promised to guarantee my life and my property, but my state governor did not, because he knows right from the beginning he will not be in charge of the military, the police, and other security agencies in the country. And the president has failed to guarantee that to many citizens, some of whom have paid with their lives.

I added that he should read an earlier article I had written on 19/1/2025 titled, ‘Tinubu Bashing Not A Hobby, Just A Necessity’. In the article, I took the pains to point out that I have not always been against the president for the sake of bashing him for fun, all the time.

In that article, I stated that, “Long before anyone outside the immediate Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu family, and those very close to them, became aware that the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), popularly referred to as ‘leader of APC’, was going to finally throw his hat in to the ring to vie for the presidential ticket of the ruling party, I supported my then principal who was the first person to publicly support the presidential aspiration of Senator Tinubu.

“My principal did not only stop at supporting the aspiration of the Senator, he also campaigned for him, among the most prominent members of the ruling party, and even those outside it. On the realisation of my boss’s political angling, I started writing in his support, adding with my own endorsement of the presidential aspiration of the ‘APC leader’.

“I have so far penned about 10 articles in support of the aspiration, candidature and presidency of Tinubu. Some of the articles are: TINUBU: (1) How Masari Galvanized The North For The Jagaban Borgu, (2) Between “Reviving” The Hope Of The People And “Recovering” The Nation, (3) Of Tinubu And ‘Muslim/Muslim Ticket’, (4) The President-Elect And Those With The ‘Gift Of The Garb’, (5) Congratulations, Mr. President, (6) An Open Letter To The President: Enforce The Use Of The Mother Tongue, Please, (7) Many Of The Presidential Missteps, (8) Count Me Out Of The Planned ‘Peaceful Nationwide’ Protest, (9) About The President’s Speech, and least, but not the last, (10) An Open Letter To The President.”

Still, someone wrote to tell me that I did not know much about someone I have been praising for his ‘impeccable integrity, honesty and fear of God’. I replied to him, suggesting that he should write the ‘bad’ things he knows about my role model, and share them on the internet, including WhatsApp groups. But I somehow made him to understand that I know more about the person than he thought I did. His next reply was a meek ‘ok’.

But it is not always condemnations or mare criticisms that I receive. Very often, some people, including serving big and small civil servants at both levels of government, call to express appreciation for what we wrote on a particular matter. Such responses give one the courage and confidence to continue the ‘crusade’.

Many of the positive responses are in form of outright approval, or Emojis that signify approval, and encouragement to ‘go ahead with the good work’.

And the GOOD WORK, to be noted, is not done by Northerners alone. In fact, Northerners are in the minority when it comes to taking exception to the WOEFUL performance of the Tinubu regime. Southerners appear to be ahead, because survival is more expensive South of the River Niger. Besides, poverty, hunger and hardship, respect no tribe or religion. They are just as hostile to the Northerners as they are to the Southerners. Check the INTERNET groups, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, and X (former Twitter), to get my point.

May Allah give us the president who will walk his talk at every turn of event, except where it is beyond his power to do so successfully. Even then, the citizens should be left in no doubt that he has done his best.

Malumfashi wrtes from Katsina