Leadership, development challenges for Fintiri

Barley a month after the razzmatazz that greeted the change of guards across the federation, the new helmsmen in each of the states across the political landscape are now faced with the stark realities of governance. Now, it has dawn on them that to make good their campaign rhetorics is not a walk- in- the- […]

Barley a month after the razzmatazz that greeted the change of guards across the federation, the new helmsmen in each of the states across the political landscape are now faced with the stark realities of governance. Now, it has dawn on them that to make good their campaign rhetorics is not a walk- in- the- park, but rather a herculean task, towards making a huge difference in the lot of their citizenry.

The scenario is particularly graphic in Adamawa State, perceived to be in the league of 10 poorest and least developed states in the federation. Arguably Adamawa State is a classic metaphor for underdevelopment, due largely to the serial leadership deficits that had characterized the governance of the state, in the cumulative two decades of democratic dispensation.

This is the challenge of the new governor of Adamawa State, Rt Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who must squarely address the vexed leadership question. There must be a radical departure from the recent past when the state was practically on auto-pilot drive, rudderless and adrift without any sense of development template and focus.

Given his political pedigree as member and eventually Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly over the years, coupled with his brief stint as Acting Governor in 2014, Fintiri should be coming back to the saddle as one with a clear sense of vision, purpose and realistic development blueprint, with a view to uplifting the hapless populace from abject poverty, underdevelopment and the debilitating despair that have been their social condition over the years.

Indeed, it is gratifying that Governor Fintiri has hit the ground running without any need to learn on the job the critical social needs of the people as well as the infrastructural challenges in both the urban and rural communities. He has already taken off seamlessly from where he had stopped in 2014, sequel to a melodramatic exit from the seat of power, on account of the court judgment that terminated his widely acclaimed remarkable feat as acting governor of Adamawa State.

To this end, therefore a radical change of governance narrative is envisioned by all and sundry in the years ahead. Already, Governor Fintri has started to demonstrate that he will not disappoint on the prompt delivery of his campaign promises, which are tailored to have social impact across the broad spectrum of this heterogeneous and complex state. No wonder, with a strong conviction and the zeal to fast-tract development, he has in his inaugural speech vowed that he will “have to step on toes” to succeed, no matter whose ox is gored.

Necessarily, the imperative of bringing a breath of fresh air in this rural and agrarian state is indeed needful. Therefore, Fintiri’s administration must rekindle and sustain the hope and confidence of the despondent populace who have for long been terrible victims of failed promises, bad governance, missed opportunities and arrested development, to wit.

Primarily, therefore the focal areas of development should be Education, Human Capital Development (through Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition for the purpose of youths engagement and wealth creation), Agriculture and Rural Development (road linkages, water provision, etc.), Health as well as security of lives and property. Matter of fact, these should be the key areas of sustainable development, prosperity and socio-economic transformation that would impact and enhance tremendously the quality of lives of the people.

Moving forward, to the extent that Governor Fintiri demonstrates high degree of commitment and sensitivity to the common good of all the heterogeneous groups in Adamawa State, peace and unity would most certainly catalyze the much-needed development in the state. Transformative leadership is therefore the much-needed tonic for the total transformation of the state, to the much acclaimed “Land of Beauty” indeed.

By and large, this should be Fintiri’s core vision in course of his first tenure, as a prequalification for another. Simply put, a good turn, nay performance, would always deserve re-election.

The bottom-line therefore, is that any re-election bid can only be guaranteed by high performance in the first instance. And since government, development and democracy are all about people, their social transformation would always determine their electoral behavior and ultimately, their leadership preferences. Therefore, the material condition of the people must be at the very core of governance because the people matter a great deal.

Elder Butrous Pembi, a public affairs, development strategist, wrote from Michika, Adamawa State.