Overview
- Lesson Title: Conflicts Over Reports on Nigerian President's Health
- This is an interview with Kabir Kijibta, a commentator on Nigerian affairs, about tensions between the government and the media in Nigeria.
- Language: Hausa
- Topic: Economics/Politics
- ILR Level: 2+/3
- ACTFL Proficiency: Superior, Advanced-High
- This ACTFL rating is an approximation based on the ILR level
- Modality: Listening
- Learning Objective: Maintenance & Improvement
- Subject Area: Language
- Material Type: LLO
- Publication Year: 2009
- ObjectID: T8LHA08
Transcript
| Source Text | Translation |
|---|---|
| Rahotonha.1 da gwamnatin Amurka ta bada ya soki lamirin gwamnatin Nigeria akan kare hakin bil adama
A: Kwanankin baya wani rahoton da gwamnatin Amurka ta ba da ya soki lamirin gwamnatin Najeriya a kan kare haqqin bil adama. Umar Faruk Musa ya ce musamman rahoton ya yi batun sanya qafar wando da gwamnatin ke yi da ’yan jaridar da suka ce uffan a game da lafiyar Shugaban Najeriyar. B: Ga dukkan alamu qyamar da gwamnatin Umaru Musa ’Yar Aduwa ke nunawa a kan rahotannin da ke bayani a kan rashin lafiyar shugaban qasar, na neman ya jawo wa gwamnatin baqin jini a idon qasashen duniya. Wani rahoton kwamitin da ke kula da kare haqqokin bil adama, na gwamnatin qasar Amurka ya nuna cewar martabar gwamnatin Umaru ’Yar Aduwan na yin qasa ne kullum, idan aka yi la’akari da irin da matakan da gwamnatin ke xauka a kan ’yan jaridu, da kuma kasha-kashen gillar da ke wanzuwa a cikin qasar, da ma izgilancin mulki da gwamnatin ke nuna wa a kan mulki na qasar. Kwanan baya ne gwamnatin ’Yar Aduwa ta shiga qafar wando xaya, tsakaninta da waxansu ’yan jaridu da kamfanoninsu, saboda bayani a kan rashin lafiyarsa, da mahukunta suke ganin cewar ba gaskiya ba ne irin bayanan da ’yan jaridun ke sanyawa a kafofin watsa labarai, har ma tuni maganar ta kai gaban kotu domin a warware wannan takaddama. A firar da na yi da shi a kan wannan rahoto, wanda ya nuna damuwa a kan qimar gwamnatin Umaru Musa ’Yar Aduwa, Malam Kabir Kijibta, wani mai sharhi a kan al’amura a Najeriya, na ganin cewar akwai buqatar a sami fahimtar juna tsakanin masu mulkin Najeriya, da kuma ’yan jaridu. C: A tsaya a fahimci juna, ko wanne wuri da kake gani ko wacce qasa, tana da matsalar ta iya gwargwado. To abin da ni na gani nan, su zauna tsakanin da masu mulki, da su ’yan jarida su fahimci juna, kuma shi mulki Allah ke ba da shi. Ni abin da na gani ke nan. B: To amma maganar rashin lafiyarsa za ta ci gaba da kasancewa abin kawo taqaddama tsakaninsa da manema labaru, kana ganin akwai wata hanya da za a abi domin a daidaita al’amura ta yadda ’yan jaridar za su yi aikinsu ba tare da gwamnatin ta ta ci gaba da sa qafar wando xaya da su ba, wanda zai iya sanya kuma suna gwamnatin ya vaci a idanun qasashen waje? C: Haqiqa akwai hanyar da za a warware wannan matsala, shi dai xan jarida a kullum yana so ya sami abin da zai rubuta ko ya faxi duniya ta sani. Ita kuma gwamnati, a kullum tana da abin da za ta voye na sirri. To ni a nan abin da na gani, shi dai shugaban qasa ba qaramin mutum ba ne, Allah ya ba shi mulkin nan. Abin da ni na ga ya kamata, in bai lahiya, su fito su gaya wa duniya cewa ga ciwon shi, ga abin da ke damun shi, zai je asibiti, zai dawo lokaci kaza, kamar yadda qasashen duniya ke yi. To ni iya abin da nake ganin zai warware wannan matsala ke nan. B: Amma kai ganin yadda abubuwa ke faruwa a Najeriya da irin matsayin da ita gwamnatin da muqarrabanta ke xauka dangane da bayanin da ya shafi lafiyar shugaban qasa, kana ganin za a kai wani lokacin da za su iya bayyanawa mutane irin halin kiwon lafiyarsa da yake ciki, da kuma irin matakan da ake xauka da samun lafiyar nan, da kuma irin fahimtar da ’yan qasa za su yi cewa eh gaskiya ne ake gaya masu ba voye-voye ba ne kada a kai halin da za a iya cewa ya sauka mulki saboda baya da lafiya? C: To dai ka ga ni yanzu ni da kake gani na nan, ban iya cewa Shugaban qasa bai da lafiya, domin duk wani {function [English]} da ake wani taron aikin gwamnati na ga yana zuwa, kuma ana nuna shi, {so [English]} wani abu ne dai wanda ni, ban iya gaya ma, amma akwai wa’yanda su ke {position [English]} din da za su iya gaya ma, yana da likitan shi, yana da na kusa da shi. B: To amma tun da su ba su fito suka bayyana ba kuma ’yan qasa suna ganin shi yana zuwa wurin tarurrukan nan, sun ga siffofinsa, ana gwada shi a talibijin, Ya za a yi a kare ’yan qasa daga bayyana cewa baya da lafiya in dai sun ga baya da ita? C: I to ai ka san biri yana da wuya amma ake xaure shi ta baya. B: Alhaji Kabir Kajibta ke nan wani mai sharhi a kan al’amura a Najeriya a tattaunawar da na yi da shi, bayan da rahoto ya bayyana daga qasar Amurka, dangane da irin matakan da gwamnatin Umaru Musa ’Yar Aduwa ke xauka wurin kare haqqoqin bil adama, musamman idan akai la’akari da rigingimun da ake samu tsakanin Gwamnatin da ’yan jaridu, dangane da bayani a kan qoshin lafiyar shugaban qasar. Umar Faruk Musa, Muryar Amurka, a Abuja. |
American Government Reportsen.1 About Nigeran Government Violation of Its Citizens' Human Rights
A: A report published recently by the U.S. government criticized the government of Nigeria on the issue of protecting human rights. Umar Farouk Musa says the report focused specifically on the issue of the government’s antagonism toward journalists who say anything about the health of the Nigerian president. B: Umaru Musa ‘Yar Aduwa’s administration has clearly demonstrated that it does not approve of reports that give an account of the president’s failing health, and this is making the government unpopular in the eyes of the international community. A report by a U.S. government human rights committee has indicated that the prestige of Umaru ‘Yar Aduwa’s administration is decreasing daily, considering the actions the government has taken in regard to journalists, the assassinations that are occuring in the country, and the arrogant authority the government displays in its control over the country. Recently, the 'Yar Aduwa administration got into a dispute with some journalists and their agencies over accounts [that were released] on the subject of his poor health. The authorities claimed these accounts that journalists had released to the news media were false, and the issue was finally brought to court in order to resolve the dispute. The report expressed concern about the excesses of Umaru Musa 'Yar Aduwa’s administration, and in a conversation I had with Malam Kabir Kijibta, the commentator on Nigerian affairs felt there was a need to develop an understanding between the Nigerian authorities and journalists. C: They should stop and try to understand each other. No matter where you look, in any country, there’s always a problem at some point. So the way I see it is, those in power and those in the press should sit down together and understand each other, because it’s God who really provides the authority. That's what I believe. B: All right, but the issue of his failing health will continue to be a source of conflict between him and the press. Do you believe there is a course that could be followed in order to remedy the situation, so that journalists could do their jobs without the government continuing to antagonize them, which could make the government look bad in the eyes of the international community? C: Yes, there is definitely a way to solve this problem. Journalists are always looking for something to write or tell the world about. And the government always has secrets to hide. The way I see it, the president is not an ordinary person; God gave him his power. What I think should happen is that, if he is not well, they should come out and tell everyone: here is his disease, here is what's bothering him, he’s going to go to the hospital, he'll return at such and such a time, the way the rest of the world does. In my opinion, this is what will solve this problem. B: But seeing what has been happening in Nigeria, and the position that the government and its supporters have taken in regard to stories concerning the president’s health, do you believe a time will come when they will be able to publicly reveal the state of his health, as well as the treatment he is receiving? And therefore provide a sort of understanding whereby citizens might say, yes, they are being told the truth, without creating a situation where it could be said that he should leave office on account of his failing health? C. Well, you see, sitting here with you now, I can’t say that the president isn't in good health. Because all these functions have been taking place, including a government conference that I believe is coming up, and he has been out and about, so this is something that I myself cannot tell you. But there are those who are in a position to say: his doctor, his associates. . . B: Okay, but since they have not come out and revealed anything, and the citizens see him arriving at these meetings, they see how he looks and evaluate him on television, why should the public be shielded from reports that he is not well if they can see that he is not well? C: Yes, well, as you know, there’s always tension between freedom and control. B: That was Alhaji Kabir Kajibta, a commentator on Nigerian affairs, in a discussion that I had with him following the release of a report by the U.S. concerning actions Umaru Musa ‘Yar Aduwa’s administration has taken that violate human rights, including in particular the conflict that has taken place between the government and journalists in response to reports on the state of the president’s health. Umar Faruk Musa, Voice of America, in Abuja. |
Glossary
| Items | Explanations |
|---|---|
| soki lamiri | criticized |
| baqin jini | (lit: black blood) unpopular |
| sanya ƙafar wando daya | (lit: to slip in the same pants' leg) antagonism |
| kasha-kashen gillar | assassinations |
| izgilanci | "authorities |
| Izgilanciimplies boldness on the part of the authorities in this case." | |
| kafofin watsa labarai | news media |
| warware wannan taƙaddama | an understanding (between the Nigerian authorities and journalists) |
| biri yana da wuya, amma ake ɗaure shi ta baya | (lit: the monkey has a neck but it is tied from the waist) there’s always tension between freedom and control |
Notes
1. The President’s Health
Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua won the presidential elections in Nigeria in 2007; however, there was much criticism from local and international sources that the election was undemocratic and fraudulent. Yar’Adua’s health became an issue during the election campaign; he was forced to travel to Germany for treatment during the campaign. The president’s health continues to be an issue and has raised controversial questions about the president’s ability to lead the country. Many members of the political elite, the public, and the media feel that his frequent absences from the country and his administration’s refusal to disclose the state of the president’s health are proof that he is unfit to lead the country. These accusations have caused tensions between the administration and the media, and have even led to the prosecution of members of the media in some cases. Recently Yar’Adua has claimed that he is committed to establishing transparency and better communication with the media.
Modibbo Kawu, Is’haq. “Nigeria: Yar’Adua Is Sick, Country Is on Life Support.” Daily Trust, retrieved September 4, 2008, from: http://allafrica.com/stories/200809050692.html
Imobo-Tswam, Simon. “Yar’Adua Sick Again.” Leadership Nigeria, November 8, 2008. http://leadership.nigeriannewsservice.com/?c=149&a=1911
Agande, Ben. “Yar’Adua Healthy, FG Insists.” Vanguard, August 31, 2008. http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/15697/41/
2. More Information
If you would like more information about the Yar’Adua administration and its relationship with the media and people of Nigeria, please read the following articles:
Momoh, Tony. “Nigeria: Our President and His Health.” AllAfrica.com, April 27, 2008. http://allafrica.com/stories/200804280065.html
“Nigerian President to Sue Newspaper for His Health Rumor.” People Daily. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90855/6530335.html