By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Once in a while, doing-well leaders need to be told about their good work and excellent character either from within or without, as it spurs them into more positive actions.
FILE: From Left: Director General, Research Development and Documentation, Government House Kano, Hajia Nana Asma’u Jibrin; CEO/Publisher, Defender Media Limited, Prince Bashir Adefaka; and Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano, Mallam Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
This time, an example of such leadership is found in ‘Abba Gida-Gida’, as the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, is fondly called especially by his supporters in and around the state. Abba has been stunning, not only me – an Isolo, Akure South, Ondo State Prince – but also, many Nigerians. He was not expected to be active during his travails in the period of politically motivated attempt to snatch his mandate but he was very active, steady and steadfast.
La! to speak the Arab tongue from my unsolicited angle of saying about the governor what I know and think needs to be said. Governor Abba Yusuf simply moved on with life in office because he knew that, “the one we transact with in a market square is one that is deserving of our attention not the notice of the market”, as said in the Yoruba parlance.
‘Abba Gida-Gida’ has not only reinstated the political ideology of the Aminu Kano of the old where power truly resided in the talakawas and which is simply the trait of the Kwankwasiyya Movement led by His Excellency Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, since he has had his hand laid on the administration of Kano.
Like His Excellency Rochas Okorocha would scream to his people in the Imo State of the old, “My Peeeople! My Peeeoppppple! !! !!!!”, Abba Kabir Yusuf has a simple covenant with his “employers”, the over one million voters who elected him, in the actualisation of Modern Kano he has inherited from Kwankwaso, albeit through a regime that did not care inbetween. And the covenant is to actualise a Kano State that revolutionalises limitless greatness, growth and development through investment in the people.
He has done that in continuity, from policy of no other than of past administrations of Kwankwaso, which saw Kano’s education development not just from what could be called the lens of Papa Obafemi Awolowo’s free education but, more from the angle of the Sardauna’s dream of making the Northern Nigeria giant, both in the political strength by population, calculation and real state-assisted educational policy as a prioritised focus of government.
To this end, no one will be in doubt that where the North and South West stand today, from what major governors of the region do in terms of the educational programme for their youths as epitomised in the Kwankwasiyya government of Abba Gida-Gida in Kano, the South West is being overtaken and being relegated to the back seat from its glorious position of the “Educated Status” of the Awolowo’s past. “Being”, I said? Yes. That is if it has not been pushed to the abysmal of illiteracy already, considering that, wittingly or unwittingly, hooliganism, thuggery and medeocrity have now been sold to the consciousness of South West youths as role models. That is as against the elegant professionalism, integrity and quality education that used to be the pride in the days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, GCFR.
This unfortunate institution that the non-state actors (agberos) represent, fully strengthened by politicians in power in the region as seen to be the norm in Lagos State does not befit the standard anticipated of a nation’s state that is called the Centre of Excellence. Certainly these non-state actors are not run by indigenous IBILE Lagosians but by the non-indigenous occupation forces from other South West states).
More saddening, whereas those from other South West states in the region who have turned Lagos to what it become where education development is now miles apart in standard compared to the height to which hooliganism is raised and none of the actors want to be told the implications of their actions, a leader like His Royal Highness Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II would come on the podium, on the mimbar at jumat, in video made viral on social media abd other channels, and tell his fellow Northern leaders the deplorable conditions of Northern people of Nigeria tobthe extent they were 80 percent poor against South that were 20 percent poor.
While our leaders of the South West continue to gloat over their respective transient political powers and dislike to be told what they arevdoibg wrong about human capital development and real investment in their people, the clever ones in Northern Nigeriavfollowed keenly the wisdom of Sanusi II and the result, as being felt already in states of North like Kano and Borno, will shock not only South West but the entire world soonest. The North will overtake the Educated Ngbati of the old and become a society with less poverty.
This and others including infrastructure building, going concurrently with sound healthcare delivery programme, must have motivated those who are praising the Kano State Governor to do so.
One of them is his aide, Nana Asma’u Jubrin, who on Wednesday January 24, 2024, posted her reaction to the brilliant performance of her boss. Asma’u must have been motivated by something for her to come out via her X handle to say the governor is an amazing leader.
Nana Asma’u Jibrin is the Director General on Research Development and Documentation, Government House Kano.
Nana, like Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa the energetic Media and Publicity Director General doing great with the Governor in the same Governor House, Nasarawa GRA, Kano, is one lady and friend that I would simply describe as amazon. One bullet that shoots down birds of challenges in torrents.
She stood with Abba Gida-Gida through the hills and valley of the struggles past with many of her prophetic, invariably angelic words of encouragement and hopes, and today the glory is here. Governor Yusuf is not one leader that cares about flattering. None of the people around him does. But it is in line with the tradition of Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – that anyone who is doing well should be acknowledged and told.
Not for anything but for him to know that he is doing what is right and be encouraged to do more. Nana Asma’u Jibrin, just like Dawakin Tofa, on Wednesday said to her boss, “U’re an amazing leader”.
She said, “leader not only shows the way but also walks the way. U’re an amazing leader and we can never be more grateful that you are our boss. I have learned so many things that make me a better worker and a better person. You are truly the best boss ever,” she said and I agree with her.
