2015: Why Jigawa deserves a more robust leadership

The issue of succeeds Governor Sule Lamido as governor of Jigawa State in 2015 is one of serious concern to me. That is why any notion of Lamido singlehandedly foisting a successor on the people appals me. Jigawa has not had a robust representation in the National Assembly because only few of the members are […]

The issue of succeeds Governor Sule Lamido as governor of Jigawa State in 2015 is one of serious concern to me. That is why any notion of Lamido singlehandedly foisting a successor on the people appals me. Jigawa has not had a robust representation in the National Assembly because only few of the members are good. That’s Lamido sent only his loyalists there rather than the right people who can effectively represent their constituencies. This is not good for effective democratic representation.
I recently read a list of ten politicians seeking to succeed Governor Lamido in 2015. Apart from two names, the list is one of who’s who of attention seekers who have nothing to offer as governor material. Jigawa State deserves the best.  
I cannot afford to show indifference to the quality of elected officials from Jigawa State. In a society with very low illiteracy level, many people have no means of adding their voices to debate issues of governance that impact their lives.  
The godfather politics that we have seen under the present administration will take Jigawa nowhere. For one thing, Lamido has proved to be intolerant of criticism even where this is honest and well-meaning.
Despite the media hype about Lamido’s achievements, the fact is that these do not reflect in the living standard of the people who are beset by grinding poverty.  Why build grandiose projects when the people are in such dire straits? In a peasant society like ours, marvellous projects alone are not enough when the people are hungry.
You cannot tackle poverty through cosmetic methods. Former Governor Saminu Turaki had his faults too; but at least while in office, he created a special fund from which each ward and community could benefit from a monthly financial support to meet their basic needs. Governor Lamido has abandoned that direct approach to alleviating the basic financial problems of the ordinary people.   The poverty level in Jigawa is one of the severest in the northwest.
Sad to say, but the 486 northerners arrested in Abia State are mostly from Jigawa. It is a disgrace for Jigawa that its indigenes would escape to southern states in search of better economic prospects because of the grinding poverty back home. Such large-scale economic migration of Jigawa indigenes is a national embarrassment to the people of Jigawa. It has been established that these poor people are not Boko Haram members as some bigots would want the world to believe; they are economic migrants running away from poverty.
The Jigawa State government is building an ‘international airport’ of its own. Is this project a priority for a state grappling with grinding poverty?  The Malam Aminu Kano International Airport can adequately serve the needs of Jigawa State air travellers both local and International. In a serious democratic society, the government would not embark on prestige projects that have no relevance to the basic needs of the people. Despite a federal university sited in the state, in addition to the Bayero University, in kano both of which can serve the students of  Jigawa state, the Lamido administration has gone ahead to award a contract  for the construction of a state university.
 Thanks to Saminu’s vision of establishing and information and communication technology (ICT) hub, many indigenes of Jigawa and other states have benefitted from the training they acquired at the Informatics Centre. Some indigenes of Jigawa State are currently working in the United States, thanks to the opportunities opened to them by the informatics Centres. It may be too late to cry over spilt milk now, but  In 2015, the person who should lead Jigawa as governor must not be handpicked, but be one who understands the priorities of the people, a competent leader with vision, a leader who puts the higher interest of Jigawa State above the selfish interest of friends and cronies.

Kaugama wrote from Hadejia Road, Kano <[email protected]>;