Politicians in Fagge Local Government area of Kano State and beyond have kicked against the mass circumcision programme sponsored by a member representing Fagge Federal Constituency, Mohammad Bello Shehu.
Circumcision in Hausa society is traditionally done during harmattan season.
The lawmaker, who was elected on the platform of New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, therefore availed himself of the opportunity to sponsor the circumcision of over 1,000 boys across the 11 wards of his constituency.
This newspaper learned that the programme had been launched on Sunday at Ofishin Galadima Primary Healthcare Centre, Fagge B ward.
The programme however sparked widespread outrage from opposition party as well as the NNPP stakeholders in the constituency.
The aggrieved supporters expressed fear whether the lawmaker, who was recently affirmed by the court of appeal, would fulfill his campaign promises to his constituents who came out en mass to vote for him in the February 25 election.
One of the Mr Shehu’s campaigners, Ibrahim Usaini, expressed disgust over the proposed exercise, saying “this is shameful”.
According to Mr Usaini, at a time when the constituents are feeling the negative impact of fuel subsidy removal, Mr Shehu should have proposed distribution of palliative to his people, not mass circumcision of children.
Mr Usaini added that while his colleagues in other constituencies had already gone far in executing developmental projects for the betterment of their constituents, Fagge constituency is yet to see the MB Shehu’s good representation at the green chamber.
“Some members of the House of Representatives are distributing palliatives such as food and empowerment schemes to their constituents. Some are even distributing motorcycles and tricycles, unfortunately, our Rep has not shown any sign of fulfilling his campaign promises.
“Look at how he has now proposed to conduct mass circumcision programme as constituency project. I have never seen this before. Circumcision has never been our problem.
“Distribute palliatives to your constituency. Show them appreciation for the overwhelming support they showed you during election. Come up with empowerment schemes for youths and women.
“But what is the benefit of this circumcision programme? I have never seen when parents can not afford their son’s circumcision. I call on MB Shehu to rescind this plan,” Usaini, popularly known as Lalin urged.
Another NNPP stalwart, Basiru Chile, said Mr Shehu should look at critical issues within the constituency and address them squarely.
Mr Chile advised the lawmaker to sustain his commitments to support the constituents during his electioneering campaign, not to allow the people see it as he was doing it to get their votes.
According to Mr Chile, Mr Shehu should look at the issue of empowerment, education support, health and security at the beginning of his tenure, not to waste his resources and time on issues like circumcision.
“During his electioneering campaigns, MB Shehu performed well by touching the lives of the people of Fagge, and even beyond.
“However, as he won election, he should not do things that would cast doubt in the minds of the people that voted for him overwhelmingly.
“I am not in support of this mass circumcision programme. I am totally against it. There are more pressing issues than this trivial one. Circumcision has never been our problem. It is not up to N2,000. This is a common household expenditure that has never been a burden to the Hausa people.
“Let him look at other problems and address them. If he wants to win election again, he should show appreciation for the overwhelming support he got from the people of Fagge Local Government.
“I advised him to sustain the commitments he initiated before he was elected as the member representing Fagge federal constituency,” Mr Chile advised.
Mr Chile urged Mr Shehu to pay attention to health and job provision to the teeming youths to avoid restiveness in the constituency and beyond.
The issue of the proposed programme had become a topic of discussion in Fagge constituency as oppositions mock the NNPP lawmaker and his supporters over the plan.
When contacted for comment, the lawmaker clarified that the circumcision exercise is not in any way part of constituency project, disclosing that he sponsored it with his personal money.
According to him, the idea behind the programme was borne out of a request from a constituent, who asked the lawmaker to help him with money to pay for his three children’s circumcision.
“When I received the man’s request, I developed the idea of organizing a mass circumcision to support parents who could not pay for their children,” he said.
According to the lawmaker, 1,000 forms that were initially issued for the exercise had finished and more parents are coming to request for it.
Mr Shehu explained that the programme was not a constituency project as the 2024 budget had just been passed by the Senate on Saturday.
He expressed displeasure over the criticism that followed the mass circumcision programme, saying “all the good things we are doing are not being appreciated but people would be criticising this important programme?
He said out of his pocket, he spent about N58 million for payment of registration fees for his constituents studying at various tertiary institutions, including post graduate students and NECO candidates.
According to the lawmaker, he had distributed food items in three batches since assuming office, insisting that he purchased the grains with his own money.
“On palliative alone, I distributed food items three times since becoming a lawmaker and I did this with my money not government money.
“Only two weeks ago, I distributed 1,000 bags of 50kg, 25kg and 10kg rice and we will soon launch a bigger palliative distribution programme in the constituency. These are the projects that we did not meet when we assume office. We found that some Fagge constituency projects had been diverted to another states and it was too late to reclaim them. I met zero projects out of the 2023 budget.
“So, when we assumed office, we did not meet any constituency project from the 2023 budget. It is now that I have struggled to secure some projects in the budget
“I have spent over N200m for my constituents out of my pocket, ranging from health, education, feeding, and so on.
“Every week, I visit my constituency to listen to people’s problems and I try to address many of them.
“All these should have been appreciated and people have ignored all these but dwell on circumcision programme,” he said.