Governor Lamido: Tribute to History and the Missing link.
"Somewhere between my ambition and my ideals, I lost my ethical compass'
----Jeb Magruder(1934- ) U.S. Political aide.
Alhaji Sule Lamido, really needs no introduction even before his emergence as an
executive governor of Jigawa State in 2007, on the ticket of the People Democratic Party (P.D.P), he was before then the Nigerian Foreign affairs minister in the first tenure of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (1999 - 2003) and he held a position as a chairman Nigeria Agricultural and co-operative Bank (N.A.C.B) during Abacha's regime. He was before then, elected as a member of the House of Representatives and was one of the NEPU orient and late Malam Aminu Kano's disciple among others.
Gov. Lamido has hit more headlines in evaluation with his contemporaries, he is right back on the new track. He is currently waging a different intellectual war against those who he accused of being responsible for Nigerian's diminutive growth right from the first republic political class, (The Awos, Tafawa Balewas, Ziks, Sardaunas and Malam Aminu Kanos etc) and how to join that missing link.
At a recent forum organized by the Jigawa State Governemtn to mark the Nigerian Democracy Day celebration (May 29) which Governor Lamido chaired, he binded out at the country's leadership accusing the political elites of spendthrift the opportunities that would have facilitated the realization and sustain of the country's faith, progress and good leadership potential after 50 years of national hood. Lamido also use the event to showcase (review) what Jigawa State is doing to uplift the poor masses.
Many keen observers in and outside Nigeria and even those in Diaspora are viewing or regarding Lamido's leadership style and some strategies programme as gaffe and making cheap popularity and also is for selfish inspiration, selfish interest and self aggrandizement. The theme of the event or lecture, Tribute to history and where the missing link, was carefully chosen to capture the historical voyage of Nigeria and its willful challenges since independence in 1960, unlike Ghana which Governor Lamido does want to hear, most part of our lives here been going through systematic defacement.
However, there are so many individual who are of the opinion that the Jigawa State governor could have been sincere in his style of leadership given the fact that he has been part of the political elite he talked about. Though, Lamido has the right to comment on any issue of interest to him. Unfortunately, the governor belongs to that group that has continues to hold the country and her people hostage. So, Lamido cannot vindicate himself from the piece of music he was talking about or the trumpet he has been blowing, because you remain part of the problems. Good example is the issue of zoning which Governor Lamido fails to take side whether pro or against zoning, which the issue is clutching Nigeria to ransom lately. Allah ya kiyaye! (May God protect) Amen.
Lamido's style of politics and leadership has often been interpreted from the classical and stand point of astonishing by his critics. But that, according to his admirers and lieutenants especially Mr. Drogba Onaja, the adviser to the Governor on the media, has not demeaned the Talawaka's governor as a dogged politician with a sensation that is uncommon among his peers and contemporaries. He describes him as a hero, matured, warrior, experienced politician and his come along way from the hard and bitter political struggle to disentangle the country from military rule (The G9 to G18 to G34) and to the so called P.D.P forgetting the struggle of Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Sardauna and the Late Mallam Aminu Kano of all works of life.
I will say it over and over, that Lamido is part and parcel of the present problems of this country Nigeria. A leader is expected to be honest, fair, committed, dedicated and transparent among others, if Lamido is not part of the problems, why did he spent billions of Naira in building a structure to remember the Late Mallam Aminu Kano and also spent millions to organize the so - called Talakawa summit?, which on more than four television stations aired the programme. What did OPC in Lagos, militants in Niger Delta or Jasawa in plateau want to know or hear about the Talakawa summit in my young and poorest state in the federation, Jigawa?
Could such huge amount of millions if not billions spent on jamboree, why have not been made available to the poor to truly and genuinely alleviate their suffering, or poverty? Jigawa with population of almost five million people, the poverty rate was estimated at over 60%. Which the monthly allowance he introduced is given to only less than five thousand (5,000) out of over fifty (50,000) thousand down trodden (poor) in Jigawa. Haba Governor Lamido!
In line with our discussion; Another summit was still organized in Dutse the state capital to mark this year's 2010 Democracy Day(May 29).This time around, the down trodden(poor) were absent, not invited, replaced by some of the high-ranking politician in our country, in which over 500 notable personalities across the country were initiated to grace the occasion whereby the government of Jigawa state must have been responsible for their accommodation,feeding,transportation among others, all in the name of tribute to history and where is the missing link?( commemorating Malam Aminu Kano). Here is the missing link, the huge embezzlement! Even before the time, that is, ahead of the celebration, millions of naira where spent for advisements in both print and electronic media.
Governor lamido should be made to know that, he is not immortalizing Malam Aminu Kano, rather than downgrading his name and staining his ideologies. Malam Aminu Kano was such an individual who attempted to help the helpless, guide the wonderers, give voice to the voiceless. A visionary, selfless, committed, honest and who have a love of the common man at heart not verbally, not for eye service and selfish inspiration. No! Governor Lamido is however confused or he has missed a link about the principles of his late mentor, because governor Lamido's utterances, actions and initiatives contradict the values and doctrines of late Malam.
To this respect, I give applause to professor Jerry Ghana, who was one of the special guest of honour at the occasion in which one of the buildings, built by Jigawa State was named after him, who stated in his speech at Dutse on May 29 th that 'We have rich culture and heritage and we have generally agreed that our past leaders where good people but why the contemporary leadership is different?' That was why we said Lamido is the part of the problem and he is also the problem with regards to his policies and also base on the above statement by Professor Jerry Gana. .
At this juncture, I will appeal to Jigawa state governor to ask, struggle and insist for constitutional amendment and implementation of Justice Uwais electoral reform, instead of these summits and jamborees. To this end, I totally I agree with doctor Mohammed Jumare, a formal zonal electorate officer of the INEC who was one of the discussant at the lecture organized by Jigawa state on May, 29, 2010 who said ' The kind of constitution we have today in Nigeria will have never allow the emergence of the Good of leaders who have ideology, mission and vision for the country to move forward; therefore, if we need to get linked with the vision of our past leaders ( The Ziks, Awos, Sardaunas and Aminu Kanos etc emphasis mine ) and produce genuine leaders, we must review and redesign our constitution to become more democratic and people oriented'. But, not jamboree. Yes not jamboree, jamboree for selfish aspiration and aggrandizement which is making us to miss the link of the history for us to give our tribute to our past leaders (The Aminu Kanos) etc. May God guide us aright.
Adamu Muh'd Usman
Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa-State