” _Success is based on our worth in comparison with others. Excellence gauges our value by measuring us against our potential. Success grants its reward to the few, but it is the dream of the multitude”. ——-Dele Carnegie._
One may think or say why I said Dr. Sule Lamido (CON), the former Jigawa state governor, and Malam Umar Namadi (FCA), a.k.a. Dan Modi, the serving governor of the state, shouldn’t have met at the wedding of the daughter of the former head of service during Sule Lamido’s administration, Alhaji Aminu Mustapha (mni), the Wamban Dutse, in the state capital, Dutse, on Friday, January 26, 2024. Yes, rather they should have met in other avenues privately, one-on-one or on air, especially for the proper discussion about Jigawa and its future and the welfare and wellbeing of the people of the state and humanity in general.
If one considers humanitarian relationships, religious injunctions, traditional norms, cultural values, social living, civilised orientation, business interactions, mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence, political stability, and unity of purpose and focus, one must relate to and interact with people freely, even imbibe and exchange ideas, and seek help and guidance irrespective of belief, tribe, sectionalism, opinion, or political affiliations. So it is not a bad idea, a crime, or even a sin when the two leaders meet and put their heads together to discuss Jigawa State, its people, and governance.
Yes, I think Jigawa needs the day before yesterday’s programmes, policies, system of governance, style, or prudence in leadership in today’s world since something went wrong yesterday. Calm down, take it easy, and don’t be in a haste. At present, we don’t need a soothsayer, fortune teller, or magician to tell us Jigawa is lagging behind or is in serious trouble regarding the current economic situation in the country.
If one may say it is a party manifesto or political direction that will save Jigawa from this mussiness, not prayers, collective will, love, passion, and working for the common goal, we are just deceiving ourselves. At this crucial and critical moment, all hands must be on deck to save the state because Jigawa is deteriorating and things are falling apart. In short, there are areas that are in total coma, if I may guess right. Now let us take a short analysis.
When Sule Lamido took over power in 2007, Jigawa was at the peak of political, social, economic, and even mental degradation. You cannot imagine seeing the condition of our schools, hospitals, roads, and other infrastructure, which were in a total state of dilapidation. But within a short time, Lamido restored a new social life for the people by providing services that changed the social, economic, and mental thinking of the people of the state.
When he left office in 2015, Jigawa was a prosperous state; it became a reference point in Nigeria. No one is timid or shy to be identified as Jigawan but things went wrong along the way because the educational sector went in trouble as a result of the negligence of policies that were in place before, ranging from a lack of staff employment to their welfare. Shortage of supply of teaching and learning materials, lack of logistics, absence, or poor staff training and retraining. Poor and delayed payment of the student’s scholarship, cancellation of WAEC by the state government, and poor performance in the senior secondary school examinations. The feeding in boarding schools was a disaster. Also pupils in primary one and students in JSS1 and SS1 do not resume school in first term every session during H E Badaru’s stewardship till second term but thank God Malam Umar Namadi has started addressing all those issues. Even the resumption of pupils/students in first term has took effect last September in 2023 when he was three months in office as Jigawa governor.
Don’t get me wrong and say Malam Umar was part of that administration; yes, he was, but he wasn’t the steward, and he has no authority to decide or have final say on anything as deputy. Example: You can build a house, but your child or wife can damage or destroy something in the house. What you should try to do is fix the damaged portion. Dan Modi is trying to restructure, reorganise, rehabilitate, reconstruct, renew, and replace so many things in Jigawa.
The health sector was a shadow of itself. Lack of manpower, poor delivery of free medical services (drugs) to pregnant women and under-five-year old children, even the Haihuwa Lafiya Scheme was nowhere to be found. The health sector lapses have started getting the attention of Dan Modi. His visitations to some hospitals is an indication of consideration and is one area one should extol him for the passion he has for the sector.
Unemployment became a nightmare in Jigawa in the last eight years, but in his eight months in office, Governor Namadi has taken positive steps towards reducing the unemployment palaver in the state by recruiting more J-Power casual staff and confirming about 4,500 people who suffered and were deceived in previous administrations. Another 100 first-class students were interviewed, waiting for an appointment soon. In-Sha-Allah.
Retereers have suffered in the administration after Lamido. An episode or story of my late friend, Ismaila Idris (a.k.a. Sumailu or Nasallah), will continue to linger in my memory because he was compulsorily retired because of a health challenge he got while in active service for over 23 years and spent over 8 months without his benefits. It is a story for another day. May he rest in peace. There are those who used to spend over 9-10 months to a year or so without pay (salary stopped, gratuity not in place, and pension not yet started coming), unlike Lamido’s tenure in less than two to three months. A full benefit for a retired person must be ready. Ma-Sha-Allah, even last week, about 800 reterees got paid for their entitlements under Dan Modi’s administration. Thank you Malam. Someone may not know the suffering of a retired person without his benefits ready, but ask one relative close to you.
In Lamido’s administration, thousands of houses were built across the state, even in the 27 local government areas in the state you can see some. The local government chairmen (duplexes) and councillors houses were part of Lamido’s housing initiative, but in the last eight years (2015–2023), can someone or anyone show me or describe where even 800 houses were built? but in the 8 months of Malam Umar, 1,500 houses were allocated for construction, the works are ongoing. Mr. yesterday was the special guest invited for the laying foundation ceremony.
During Lamido, we did not suffer from a rampaging flood disaster, but between 2015 and 2023, we had three serious, frightening and damaging flood cases in Jigawa. There were no serious and strong measures to avert those disturbing issue then, but thank God we have seen a serious commitment from Governor Namadi in his few days in office towards eradicating or reducing that calamity.
Everyone knows how agricultural production was under Lamido’s administration, but we thought what Dan Modi started doing in his early months shouldn’t be taking place at present. We expected it in 2015-16 or 2017, but due to neglect of the sector, the clock turned the other way around. Look at the Fadama issue misappropriation. Thank God Malam Umar has sanctioned those involved in that alleged fraud. We still thank Dan Modi for the wheat farming support packages, even if casual observers can attest to that move or agenda.
Also, looking at some areas of governance that benefit the common man under Malam Umar, especially those that were in place during Lamido, is commendable and worth emulating. I admire and support his desire of revisiting the welfare and well-being of physically challenged people. It is a package initiated by the former governor, Dr. Sule Lamido (CON).
His excellency Malam Umar increased the amount (stipend) from N7,000 since Lamido’s time without increment till now to N10,000 per person and the beneficiaries from 150 to 200 persons from each of the 27 local areas of the state. Also, the deceased beneficiaries were replaced with new ones.
Another thrilling issue is, Amid of zero FDI, Jigawa is among the 14 states in the federation spends. N21b on foreign trips. Jigawa spent N1.10bn on foreign trips between 2021 and the third quarter of 2023 without any beneficial investment to the state. Wonders never end. But Lamido travels to abroad once in years during his tenure as Jigawa governor. So, one can compare and contrast. Thank God, the one in charge of the state is an ICAN if I may guess right and I hope he can address that issue. Since Jigawa has all what it takes to lure and motivate investors troop into the state like security, airport, good road network etc.
The last issue I will bring up is the issue of windmills. These hand mills are solar pumps established over 50 across the state that supply the herders with water during the dry season period, thereby reducing or halting farmer/herdsmen clashes in the state. How I wish his excellency would look at that area also, because observations have confirmed they are not functional or even some have spoiled.
At this juncture, as I know Lamido. He is a nationalist, fine administrator, good manager, aged and old politician, Nigerian political leader, architect of modern Jigawa. Jigawa political father and prudent leader who always think and love his people will not shy away, ignore, or run away from giving or making any effort to move Jigawa to reach to greater height if contacted or if the need arises. I hope the two Jigawa leaders can endeavour to share things in common for the peace, safety, unity, happiness, progress, and wellbeing of the state and its people. It is my thinking, my hope, and my prayer.
