Peace Without Oppression: Uba Sani’s Break from El-Rufai’s Playbook
Comrade Habeeb Bello
When President John F. Kennedy declared, “Our goal is not the victory of might, but the vindication of right — not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom,” he was setting a leadership standard that resonates today in a place few would expect: Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Governor Uba Sani has emerged as a refreshing deviation from the brash, iron-fisted style of his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, whose reign was marked by aggressive policies, divisive rhetoric, and a governance model that often confused raw power with progress. Under El-Rufai, many Kaduna citizens felt alienated. Dialogue was traded for decrees. Peace was enforced, not nurtured. Critics were silenced, and community engagement was minimal.
Enter Uba Sani — a leader who understands that real peace doesn’t come from the barrel of state power, but from inclusion, fairness, and compassion. In less than two years, his governance style has restored a sense of dignity to public leadership. He listens. He consults. He governs with people, not over them.
The results are telling. Labour unions once brutalized now engage in constructive dialogue. Opposition voices, once seen as enemies of the state, are now treated as stakeholders. Even in tackling insecurity, Uba Sani has avoided strongman theatrics, choosing instead to partner with communities, security agencies, and civil society for sustainable peace.
This is not weakness — it is strategic strength. Uba Sani’s Kaduna is one where schools are being reopened, hospitals remodelled, and critical infrastructure revived — all while maintaining peace without oppression. No journalist has been jailed. No religious leader hounded. No community bulldozed in the dead of night.
The contrast is stark. Where El-Rufai thrived on might, Uba Sani is vindicating right. He is proving that leadership is not about instilling fear, but earning trust. Not about dominating headlines, but building legacies.
President Kennedy’s words, spoken over 60 years ago, have found new life in Kaduna: peace with freedom is not only possible — it’s powerful. And Governor Uba Sani is quietly showing the world how it’s done.
Habeeb, a public commentator, wrote from Chikaji, Gabon Gari LG, Kaduna State
