Zulum’s projects: When nays turned deaf

It simply beggars belief, that in Nigeria’s political firmament, a Governor could achieve a feat so rare and so uncommon in such a short period of time. It is more of a rarity if such a governor is a first termer. So, when the news hit the streets that Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, the Governor […]

It simply beggars belief, that in Nigeria’s political firmament, a Governor could achieve a feat so rare and so uncommon in such a short period of time. It is more of a rarity if such a governor is a first termer. So, when the news hit the streets that Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, the Governor of Borno state had attained an unusual feat of executing a total of 120 projects in 100 days, the career cynics, most especially from my part of the country where such feats are simply incomprehensible, found it hard to chew the reality.

It therefore became a tug of war between some of us who shared the Borno feat on several social media platforms and the incurable pessimists who would rather express doubts about such possibilities in order to make excuses for their mediocre and under-performing Governors. In two particular states in the northwest (my home state included) where the Governors are struggling to ward off public outrage on account of questions about their commitment to developing their states, the news of the accomplishments in Borno attracted disbelief from quarters associated with the apologists of those in power. The dust generated on the social media was only calmed by the release of a comprehensive list of the 120 projects, their nature and location by the Borno state government few days after.

This storm on the social media reminded me of the negative interpretations and attribution laced and bandied about by some naysayers and political speculators who picked holes when former Governor Kashim Shettima insisted on the candidature of Professor Zulum as the most suitable person out of the motley of other equally competent suitors, to succeed him as governor of Borno state. This also reminds me of the foresight and vision of Kashim Shettima in the way he singlehandedly and successfully job-hunted the Professor; how he quietly brought him closer to him; how he gradually and deliberately involved him in high level governance before he calculatingly worked out a strategy which resulted in his emergence as the candidate in a process that was free and fair to all aspirants. Kashim Shettima was unequivocal in the conviction of his choice as he never spared moments to inform all and sundry that Professor Zulum was better than him and that he will perform better in the onerous task of rebuilding Borno.

Ironically, the same cynics who doubted the choice have since melted into the majority Borno population who are today singing praises of the new Governor and elogizing him for adding exceptional value to their lives so quickly. As Nigerians all over celebrate the emergence of a rare personable workaholic who has, through dint of sheer hard-work and exemplary courage, waltzed his way into their hearts, I must say here that my interest in this matter is three fold. Firstly, I am bothered, just as thousands of other Kebbi state indigenes, with the underdevelopment of my state, arising from high level corruption and unabated leadership deficit. My belief is that examples such as the capacity of Professor Zulum to achieve as much as he did under 100 days will open the eyes of my people to realize that with the right leadership selection process and collective belief in the inviolability of effective, transparent and patriotic leadership turn-over, attainments and achievements are possible. This was key in the case of Borno.

Secondly, I see myself as a stakeholder in the development and peace in Borno state. I spent nearly forty years of my life domiciled in Borno state where I worked, pay taxes, built my first abode, born all my children, have my best friends and where my first child graduated from. I was not born there but I was brought up and buttered there. The attainment of peace, progress and positive developments there by Professor Zulum has a way it directly affects me, my children, the hundreds of my friends and the entire humanity. The examples Professor Zulum has set too, have become a parameter by which leadership in our respective states would be gauged and leveraged on to set standards and targets.  Lastly, I believe that former Governor and now Senator Kashim Shettima’s selflessness and contribution as well as his position as the architect of modern Borno has not been fully taken in, or that there exist a grand orchestration by some political opponents to down play and thus mutilate and undermine the man’s  place in history.

Two important incidents have however restored my hope that a golden fish has no hiding place. Man of the moment Professor Zulum has, in his congratulatory message to Kashim Shettima on his 53rd birthday anniversary recently, disappointed cynics when he described his predecessor, among many other very kind and patronizing words, as his mentor. The reciprocal gesture by Shettima in the way he sponsored front page advertisements in mainstream newspapers to celebrate his successor’s 100 days in office and the achievements he had made has proved, without doubt that those who wanted to ignite strain in relationship between the two have a long time to wait.

The importance of the two men to build and sustain amity and impregnable relationship cannot be over emphasized. The task to achieve peace in Borno, in view of the urgent need, can never be possible in an atmosphere of needless altercation between its two most important and influential personalities. Again, peaceful transition and post-transition tranquility will not only influence another seamless succession for the current holder, but will ultimately benefit the Borno nation in its quest to become an important player in the evolution of a new and next-level Nigeria. The dangers of prosecuting an all-important anti-insurgency campaign in a rancor-filled atmosphere, at a time when all hands must be on deck to extricate the state from a beckoning abyss can only be imagined.

Ahmed-BK wrote in from Gesse III, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State