The March to Victory
Marshall Ganz of John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, in his 2008 Public Policy lecture notes states as follows:
Learning organizing is not only a matter of hands and head, but also of the heart. My approach is rooted in the democratic tradition of engaging people to act on common interests, including holding their own leadership accountable. Although some tactics may be similar, civic organizing is not about how to organize an army, a corporation, or a social service agency. The values that motivate democratic practice grow out of our moral – religious, cultural, political - traditions. The understanding of organizing upon which I build emerged from the religious, civic, and popular traditions of the West. As democracy has become a goal of peoples around the world, this tradition has been enlarged, challenged and enriched. Perhaps the most creative 20th Century innovator of democratic organizing was (Mahatma) Gandhi. His combination of Eastern and Western traditions created a legacy further developed in the African freedom movement, the American Civil Rights movement, the work of Solidarity in Poland, and elsewhere.
Our framework consists of just three practices: (1) identifying, recruiting, and developing leaders; (2) building community around those leaders; and (3) building power from that community. Our framework is built of just three components: (1) Actors who do the work: you, your leaders, your constituents, your opposition, your supporters, etc.; (2) Processes we use to do the work: building relationships, telling stories, devising strategy, and taking action; (3) Structures we use to create the space within which we can do the work: campaigns (time) and organizations (space).
Much organizing is done as campaigns - a way of mobilizing time, resources, and energy to achieve an outcome – time as an “arrow” rather than a “cycle.” Thinking of time as a “cycle” helps us to maintain our routines, our normal procedures, our annual budget, etc. Thinking of time as an “arrow” on the other hand focuses us on making change, on achieving specific outcomes, on focusing our efforts. A campaign is time as an “arrow". It is an intense stream of activity that begins with a foundational period, builds to a kick-off, builds to periodic peaks, and culminates in a final peak, followed by a resolution. This creates momentum strategically by gathering more and more. Campaigns can also create momentum motivationally, as early successes can create the credibility to make later successes more achievable.
In particular, Ganz thesis of time as an arrow and building periodic peaks that can lead to success at the April 2 Senatorial elections has challenged us to think of the campaigns as series of activities that clearly build up to higher peaks. The objective should be to build public confidence and challenge our opposition. To that extent, we are able to:
1. Our Women Committee have organised a Mass Meeting of Women from all the eight (8) Local Governments in the constituency on January 15, 2011 at our family compound (No. 34 Anguwan Alkali), Zaria City. More than 300 women attended the meeting. Ten sewing machines, ten knitting machines, mats and other support were given to more than fifteen community organizations across all the eight (8) Local Governments.
2. A Youth Town Hall held on January 22, 2011 at Saminaka Resort. More than 500 youths from all the eight (8) Local Governments attended.
3. Effective March 6, we are able to commence a door-to-door voter mobilization and this is ongoing.
4. Media activities are also ongoing.
While these activities have made some considerable impact, it is important we develop bigger campaign activities that would generate higher peaks. Accordingly therefore, the following activities have been lined up:
1. Youth Football Tornament:
Competition: Salihu Mohammed Lukman Peace Unity Cup Competition, Zone One (Kaduna North Senatorial Zone), Kaduna State
Organisers: Youth Sports Federation, Zaria Branch
Competition Date: February 19 – March 6, 2011
Participating Teams:
i. Zaria Standard
ii. Zaria Strikers
iii. Flying Bees Tudun Wada
iv. Greater Academy Saminaka
v. Soba Strikers
vi. Kudan United
vii. Anchau Strikers
viii. Makarfi United
ix. Ikara Academy
x. Zuma F. C. Sabon Gari
xi. F. C. Frontliners
xii. Lawal Aliyu Academy Zaria
Schedule:
S/No. | Date | Teams | Venue |
1. | Sat, Feb 19, 2011 | Zuma F. C. Vs. Kudan United | Zaria |
2. | Sun, Feb 20, 2011 | Soba Strikers Vs. Anchau | Saminaka |
3. | Mon, Feb 21, 2011 | Lawal Aliyu Academy Vs. Makarfi United | Soba |
4. | Mon, Feb 22, 2011 | Ikara Acd Vs. Frontliners | Makarfi |
5. | Tues, Feb 23, 2011 | Winner 4 Vs Greater Academy | Anchau |
6. | Wed, Feb 24, 2011 | Winner 3 Vs Zaria Strikers | Kudan |
7. | Thurs, Feb 25, 2011 | Winner 2 Vs Zaria Standard | Ikara |
8. | Wed, Mar 2 | Semi Final | Dogarawa |
9. | Wed, Mar 2 | Semi Final | Dogarawa |
10. | Sun, Mar 6, 2011 | Final | Babandodo |
As a strategy of inspiring our young players, guest appearances are being organized. The guests would be successful footballers led by Daniel Amokachi (The Bull). We are indeed grateful to all those who have accepted to make guest appearances and hereby invite other footballer to join this initiative of supporting the development of the footballing talent of the younger ones.
2. Local Governments Public Town Halls are being organized as follow:
S/No. | Date | Time | Local Government |
a. | Tuesday, March 1 | 10.00 am | Makarfi Local Government |
b. | Tuesday, March 1 | 4.00 pm | Kudan Local Government |
c. | Wednesday, March 2 | 10.00 am | Soba Local Government |
d. | Wednesday, March 2 | 4.00 pm | Sabon Gari Local Government |
e. | Thursday, March 3 | 10.00 am | Kubau Local Government |
f. | Friday, March 4 | 10.00 am | Lere Local Government |
g. | Friday, March 4 | 4.00 pm | Ikara Local Government |
h. | Saturday, March 5 | 10.00 am | Zaria Local Government |
While the Town Halls will hold at Local Government headquarters, the exact venue will be determined by the Local Campaign Team.
3. Women Youth Rally is scheduled to hold 10.00 am March 8, 2011 (International Women’s Day) at Ikara.
Framework for developing specific strategy for the election is taking shape and a tactical committee under the leadership of Dr. Abubakar Siddique Mohammed of the Yusuf Bala Usman Centre has been constituted. Among other things, the committee is saddled with the responsibility of developing strategies and facilitates the recruitment and organizes training for the election staff, etc. We welcome suggestion in this respect.
I want to thank you most sincerely for your kind support and generous contributions to the campaign. I am indeed very humbled and challenged to justify the confidence you repose in me.
As we move to the election D-Day, I appeal for your continued support in every way possible. So far, the campaign has expended slightly above N23 million. We do hope you will continue to bless the campaign with your generous financial contributions. As usual, all contributions should be directed to Salihu M. Lukman: Bank PHB 1011484448
For other information on the campaigns, visit http://www.smlukman.org.
Salihu Mohammed Lukman
ACN Candidate, Kaduna North Senatorial Seat
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