Yobe at 34: A Legacy of hope, dreams and sequential growth

Thirty four years ago, on August 27, 1991, Yobe State was carved from the old Borno. As young public servants, along with many other contemporaries, we embarked on a journey that was to forge our new territorial and administrative identity. A new dawn to build a future for generations to come. It was, to most […]

Thirty four years ago, on August 27, 1991, Yobe State was carved from the old Borno. As young public servants, along with many other contemporaries, we embarked on a journey that was to forge our new territorial and administrative identity. A new dawn to build a future for generations to come. It was, to most of us, an enthusiastic beginning. Since then, we cherish every 27th day of August as a day to reflect on a legacy of institution building and the sacrifice of the leaders who, brick by brick, laid the foundation for the Yobe we know today. The progress we made in the past three decades is inextricably linked to the distinct contributions of successive leaders and administrators, civilian and military, each of whom built upon the work of their predecessor.

The start of our movement from Borno was met with the task of building from what seemed like scratch, a responsibility that fell so heavily on the first set of technocrats and military leaders. A little later, we had the chance to make a democratic choice, which brought the late Alhaji Bukar Abba Ibrahim as our governor. I was a Deputy Director when the State was created and a permanent secretary in 2007. Hence, it was not difficult for me to figure out that Governor Bukar was tilting heavily on building human capital. He was, in my judgment, quick to understand that the greatest resource of our new state was its people. That I believe prompted him to begin the onerous exercise of building education by establishing more basic schools, tertiary institutions, and recruiting teachers. Later in his second coming, he established the first university in the state. He also introduced a policy of sustained sponsorship for countless indigenes at various institutions of learning across the country. These deliberate policy steps also allowed many young employed boys and girls to pursue further education without much bureaucratic hurdle. What these liberal measures achieved was the propelling of the first critical mass of educated Yobe indigenes who would become the engineers, doctors, lawyers, teachers and administrators of the future. It paid. They are, today, the drivers of our system in almost every sector. It was also at the early stage of this journey that Bukar recognised the need to build a community to stabilise the workforce. This led to an ambitious but successful mass housing programme for civil servants that relocated from the former Borno State. He capped that with the first idea of owner occupier scheme that until today is the home and haven for many  public servants.

Following these foundational years, the late Governor Mamman Ali assumed the governorship of the state. Although his tenure was short, the impact was evident. Governor Mamman focused very much on strengthening governance and institutions, ensuring that some of the inceptive structures and policies become robust and more effective. His brief period in office provided a crucial pathway to continuity and also steadied the journey we began in 1991.

The responsibility then fell on the shoulders of Governor Ibrahim Geidam. Working with him for six years as permanent secretary and four years as secretary to the state government revealed to me the true character of the man he is. A seasoned technocrat who brought a wealth of administrative experience over a span of 10 years as governor. His tenure was phenomenal and transformative, especially in the areas of physical infrastructure. Governor Geidam was a true builder. He embarked on an unprecedented infrastructural revolution that includes the construction of more roads, schools, and hospitals, reaching almost every corner of the state. Geidam did not just build, he expanded the functions of existing institutions while establishing new ones to meet the evolving needs of the people. He is also the man who had the most challenging of times dealing with an insurgency which, at some point, threatened the very fabric of this great nation. It was a time when our resilience was tested. With Allah’s help, we prevailed.

It is against this history that I understood the prominence of His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, a man I have been working with for the past six years. Governor Buni is a pragmatist, a bridge-builder, and a man who sees possibilities in every situation. That mindset is central to Yobe’s remarkable resurgence and the many ups we see today. Governor Buni’s record tells of the courage and sanguineness to accelerate the drive towards development. His approach to policy and programmes is systematic, measured, and firmly wrapped in an ambition to bring government and development closer to the people. He is also particular about the younger generation. Through his valid notion of inclusivity, he has given the young and women a tangible stake in governance and a role in defining their future, while he continued the essential work of building the state. Governor Buni has also reignited the founding flame of human capital development, paying a great deal of attention to the things that matter: education, health, agriculture, skills, security and peacebuilding, all of which directly resonate with the ideals at the beginning of this 34-year journey. His antecedent as a national figure has attracted many positives and also put Yobe at the centre of a larger discourse.

Today, we see the results of visionary leadership that led to sequential progress. From Bukar Abba Ibrahim’s foundational commitment to human capital, to Mamman Ali’s institutional strengthening, to Ibrahim Geidam’s infrastructural expansion, and to Mai Mala Buni’s recovery and renewal, each leader, each team has played a profound but also timely role in this journey. Together, we have endured and evolved. And by learning and leaning on each other, we have made our story bold, resounding, and optimistic. The duty upon us all and for the future is to cherish and uphold the values that led to these hard-earned legacies. For the few of us who have been given the rare privilege and opportunity to be part of this monumental journey since the creation of the state, it is our duty to tell the positive stories, despite all the ups and downs associated with nurturing a nascent state. We must also continue the project of building the Yobe of our dream.

 

Wali mni is the Secretary to the Government of Yobe State