Gombe’s four stages of development
The man President Muhammadu Buhari won an election on a campaign promise to bring change and bring insurgency to an end, fight corruption and revamp the economy. President Muhammadu Buhari got the mandate of Nigerians because of other plethora of reasons: Integrity, sincerity of purpose, experience, a believer in, and passion for the project Nigeria. […]
The man President Muhammadu Buhari won an election on a campaign promise to bring change and bring insurgency to an end, fight corruption and revamp the economy.
President Muhammadu Buhari got the mandate of Nigerians because of other plethora of reasons: Integrity, sincerity of purpose, experience, a believer in, and passion for the project Nigeria.
Today, President Buhari’s integrity remains unquestionable. His success to power in 2015 and re-election in2019 remains a blessing to Nigeria. The man came at the right moment. He is the walking mission statement of Nigeria. He is completely detribalized, a living rebuke to bigotry, regionalism, misogynists, and all forms of what Eskor Toyor (1974) called jingoistic chauvinism. On the fight against corruption, corrupt officials are being investigated and those found guilty have been punished. Transparency, probity and accountability have been restored. The semblance of responsibility has been restored. His economic policies have yielded positive results.
Nigeria’s political and economic development trajectory after the return to civilian rule in 1999 bear some similarity to that of Gombe state. The state trajectory can be classified into four stages: The Beginning, The Golden Period, The Dark Ages, and The Renaissance.
In the beginning, the hopes, aspirations, and optimisms of the good people of Gombe State set by the founding fathers were dashed by the government that ruled between 1999 and 2003. It was during that regime that the dreaded Kalare and Kalare boys emerged. After carrying out those heinous crimes they will again rustle people’s cattle, sheep, goats and seize their belongings including hard earned money. The government could not execute most projects proposed by the founding fathers. The disappointment and bewilderment were so deeply rooted that citizens began to wonder about the creation of the state. Some dubbed it the medieval period of Gombe State. It was at that stage that the man: Mohammad Danjuma Goje emerged as the Governor of the state.
Goje, intelligent, brilliant, very knowledgeable, experienced, courageous, strategic, tactical and smart, with legendary prowess came to the rescue. He deployed the afore mentioned attributes, qualities, characteristics and prowess to mobilize, galvanize, and build confidence into the citizens and turn the people’s anger, disappointment, bewilderment and agony into power to unseat the former government. Goje’s victory injected spirit into the souls of Gombe state citizens the way President Buhari’s victory did to Nigerians in 2015. He first created a sociological environment for every citizen to participate irrespective of tribe, religion, geographical location, ideological bent, or gender. He took sustainable development projects to all parts of the state. He grew the middle class to a number no governor ever did. The state never experienced any form of curfew. The period between 2003 and 2011 is described as the golden period of Gombe State. Succession was brilliantly managed that the 2011 elections were, credible, free and fair. His successor Alh.Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo was sworn in on 29th May, 2011.There were jubilations, optimism, high hopes and expectations among the citizenry, because the 2011 campaign and election were on the mantra ‘continuity’, a continuation of the Golden Period.
But no sooner had the government settled dawn than rumors, innuendo, blackmail, calumny campaign merchants started their business to create a destructive divide between the predecessor and the successor. Almost all those who helped to bring the regime to power were sidelined, branded and given negative names one can hardly think of. During public functions such people were called names. Elders, politicians, technocrats, relations and experts made several efforts and attempts to create avenues for the warring parties to rub minds, brain storm to have a golden opportunity to resolve matters. All proved abortive. Nobody was allowed to speak truth to power. Good people were eager for truth to be spoken to power for the continuation of the golden period. Though the leadership appeared intelligent, unknown to the people, it was intellectually lazy. The leadership was economical with their thoughts and was too lazy to invite ideas from willing contributors. If ever it listened, it listened to one side of the story. And that was further worsened by idea ‘gate keepers’. That state of affairs stifled creativity and innovation, so bad that, strictly speaking, no creative or innovative projects were conceived and executed.
That the regime was so pathologically lazy intellectually, no responses were made. The regime denied itself ideas, good counseling, advises, guidance and direction. It was leadership by trial and error. The result is an inventory of work-in progress, debt burden, broken business men, demoralized workforce, broken promises, broken homes, and high mortality rate. Retirement benefits were not looked into. The regime lost its transactional reputation so much so that no body or institutions local or international wanted to enter into partnership with it. There is no successful project through Private, Public, Partnership (PPP), bilateral or multi-lateral arrangement completed by the regime.
Late Sir Ahmadu Bello ( The Sardauna of Sokoto) once said ‘If we deny our children and the youth education now, they will later deny our sons and daughters sleeping with their two eyes closed’. With good counseling and advises, priority would have been given to the belated University of Science and Technology, Kumo, a University of Education, Billiri, conversion of the College of Horticulture into a University of Agriculture and Engineering, another University at Bajoga, increase the carrying capacity of Gombe State University, the Amajiri and secondary schools projects in the state instead of the multi-billion Naira International Conference Center.
The era between 2011and 2019 has been described by historians and pundits as the Dark Ages of Gombe State.
Indigenes started to look back and wonder, what a disappointment. Not long ago the state was in its golden period and then the citizenry entered a state of despair. People began to ask questions as to who will lead the renaissance. The man to bring back past glory emerged as the Governor of Gombe State. He is Alh. Mohammadu Inuwa Yahya.
He was one of the hand maidens of the Golden period as Commissioner of Finance. Tried and tested and an expert in corporate governance and turnarounds. His first leadership challenge is to build a good team. A good team requires a good coach. The good news is that Distinguished Senator Goje who led the creation of the Golden era coached Gov. Inuwa’s campaign team. He is a fountain of knowledge and wisdom. He is not lazy and not economical with thoughts and advises in both style and substance.
The state is located in the center of the North East sub-region. It has three Universities, a Federal Polytechnic, a Federal College of Education, and one of Transport Technology, two dams, vast land mass, railway line, an international airport, road network linking her with neighboring states. These vantage position and resources give Gombe State many options. The new Governor has started hitting the ground by recovering government property. The supply of electricity, water and the provision of security have been restored. Like President Muhammadu Buhari, Inuwa is from a fully cultured home with honor and integrity to guard and protect. The stage is now set for the turn around. Cometh the moment: Cometh the man.
Ayuba Buba Kinafa, a management consultant, wrote from Gombe