Adamawa to the Next Level

I personally do not have any problems with Governor Bindow Jibrilla of Adamawa State. I have been writing op-eds for more than ten years now, and during these periods, I have critiqued many members of the Nigerian ruling elite, but I cannot remember making Bindow the subject of my reproach. In fact, while living outside Nigeria for an extended period, and on one visit to Yola, I was delighted on seeing the efforts of the governor in revamping the roads in Yola, the Adamawa State capital. Because of that delight, I published an essay in one of the newspapers to applaud the governor’s efforts and encourage him to do more for the state. In that essay, I noted that prior to Bindow’s administration, Yola had suffered tremendously from decaying road infrastructure, and that condition was like no other state in the north-east. It was therefore impressive that credible transformational change was achieved within the first two years of the administration. Nevertheless, critics argue that the governor’s major problem is the disinclination toward paying salaries to state workers. That, to me, is a legitimate basis for disapproval in the minds of everyday citizens. Perhaps I would have seriously critiqued him if I were a state worker.

At the personal level, several things are said about the governor, apparently by those who know him. I have not been able to independently verify those supposedly negative qualities of his that are undesirable of serious leadership. On the level of familiarity, I only met him twice. First, I met him in a shop in the Jewish quarters of East London in the summer of 2013. We would not have engaged each other save for the fact that he heard me speaking Fulfulde to my sister and he would later speak same to me; introducing himself as a senator from my state! We had a brief discussion, and, in some way, I was not proud that I did not know him by face even though I knew his name from discussions on local politics back home. Second, I met him in Abuja airport sometime in 2016 when we were both embarking on a flight to Yola. I did not hesitate to ask about his experience and any lessons learned in leading a vastly multi-ethnic state as Adamawa. From his response to my questions, I saw him as some kind of a humble leader who was trying his best to lead the state amidst some frustrations which he was reluctant in explaining.

But I understand that lately, there are issues surrounding the genuineness of his WASC/WASSC certificate, which are now to be settled by the courts. By my own principles, I would not support certificate forgery, and I would be happy to even participate in the process of easing any leader out once the facts on forgery are established. Although he vacates the government house soon, it will be interesting to see to the closure of the case on his certificate. At the completion of Bindow’s tenure in office, I hope that Ahmadu Fintiri, who takes over from the former, will work tirelessly on the other vital sectors of the economy. The new governor can focus on education, agriculture and possibly solid minerals development. The state cannot be an exception in the plight of the educational challenge afflicting northern Nigeria. It is in this purview that education should be given a special priority to promote the stakes even higher and to offer a competitive advantage on the part of the state’s younger citizenry.

The state government could also innovate new ideas to optimize agricultural production. As a first step, incentives can be put in place for citizens to see the need to patronize and consume locally produced food from rural farmers who engage in small and medium agriculture. In addition, increased interest can be placed on mechanized farming to help agricultural produce consumption. If these can be achieved, the state government can begin to put mechanisms in place to pave way for the local and international export of agricultural produce that could not be consumed within the state. In the Benue Valley, for instance, modern irrigation control methods, if explored, can greatly improve farm productivity. But it is also important to note that for effective agricultural production to be achieved, the government must not only declare agriculture as one of its highly prioritized areas, but it also must ensure efficient provision and delivery of fertilizers and seeds, and other tools that aid farmers participation in agribusiness. Beyond these, there could also be a need for the state government to encourage agricultural entrepreneurship and businesses by giving out loans of various kinds to local farmers.

The solid mineral sector of Adamawa state is yet to be explored for commercial advantage. From a more holistic perspective, it is not in doubt that the solid mineral potential of Nigeria can greatly complement earnings from the energy sector. The solid mineral deposits in Adamawa state include iron ore, lead-zinc, cassiterite, manganese, columbite, tantalite, limestone, gypsum, kaolin, etc. Since the federal government has kept aside funds for the solid minerals sector in a bid to develop it to a reasonable degree that could attract foreign investors on the one hand, and a reduction in the overdependence on oil on the other hand, it would not be out of place for the state government to create its own priorities and align the deliverability of such priorities with that which is already put in place by the federal government. The federal government had already indicated that since Nigeria is starting from a low base, it is important to have a portfolio of exploration activities in place that could stimulate the attention of investors, and so can this be for Adamawa State. In the final analysis, I wish the incoming governor well, and I hope that he can advance the state to the next level; the truly next level bereft of multi-layered scams and deceits.