Exactly 56 years ago, a child was born to a little known, indigent, peasant farming family in Ajikamai village, Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State. He was immediately christened Simon, a carefully selected biblical name. Names, they say, stick with people, and like his patron, Saint Simon Peter, the child shall grow up to do exploits.
In spite of a challenging background, the ambitious, determined, resilient, uncompromising, dogged and focused young Lalong overcame all odds and began a tortuous journey of life, which today, is to say the least, a glorious one.
From elementary school at the Transferred Roman Catholic Primary School in Shendam, to a stint at Government College, Toto, completing at Government Secondary School, Shendam, and then to the School of Preliminary Studies, Keffi, and a stint at the University of Jos before proceeding to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Law, consolidating it with the mandatory Nigerian Law School, Lagos and a master’s degree in Law at the University of Jos much later, Lalong’s life and academic exploits are a study in a combination of uncommon ambitiousness, determination, doggedness and resilience.
Governor Lalong has carved a niche for himself as a lawyer, lawmaker and leader, having successfully traversed the three arms of government. He has never lost an election.
Before he ventured into fulltime politics, he was a legal practitioner of high standing. In all the leadership positions he held in the past, he did not disappoint those who believed in his ability. This paved the way for him in politics.
Governor Lalong became a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly in 1999 and was subsequently elected as speaker. In 2003, he was re-elected into the House of Assembly and again elected as speaker, making him the longest serving speaker in the history of the state Assembly, a record that has remained unbroken till date. There is no gainsaying that Governor Lalong led the Assembly with wisdom and commitment in spite of some challenges that confronted the state at that time.
In 2015, the people of Plateau State overwhelmingly voting for him as their governor despite a stiff challenge from the then ruling party in the state. On assumption of office, Lalong quickly settled down and handled the affairs of governance with the expertise and experience of a benevolent statesman. He silenced his critics in his first term in office and further endeared himself to his supporters, especially with his inclusive style of governance.
The governor promptly liaised with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders and nipped the security challenge in the state in the bud; hence there is relative peace. As part of efforts to sustain peace, the governor created the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA), which developed a five-year strategic peace plan. He adopted dialogue to unite aggrieved parties, both in government and other areas.
The Plateau State Government under Lalong has also procured security vehicles and other logistics for security agencies operating in the state to facilitate their operations.
Also worthy of note is the fact that the governor did not take advantage of his position to compromise the electoral process, a development that cost his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) some national and state assembly seats.
To tackle unemployment in the state, Governor Lalong created the Plateau State Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (PLASMEDA). The agency has achieved a lot in terms of training women and youths in entrepreneurial skills and supporting them to set up their businesses. Many youths are now gainfully employed and some are employers of labour. This has no doubt taken them off the list of potential crisis mongers.
The Governor Simon Lalong-led administration successfully cleared N18 billion salary arrears it inherited and has been consistent in prompt and regular payment of salaries and other entitlements of workers and pensioners. This has gone a long way in promoting industrial harmony, which is a bedrock for productivity and peaceful coexistence between the government and the governed.
The regular payment of salaries has helped workers to plan their lives according to their earnings and give their best in service to the state. That was not the situation before the present administration came on board.
Posterity will be kind to him for continuing with projects started by his predecessors, a deviation from what has become a common feature of governance in Nigeria. He has completed some of the projects for the overall benefit of the entire people of the state. Prominent among the projects are the Mararaban Jema’a-British America expressway and the state secretariat flyover, thus ending the anti-development culture of ignoring or abandoning inherited projects in Plateau State. The governor also initiated and completed some key projects.
In line with the Federal Government’s resolve to diversify the nation’s economy to agriculture, Governor Lalong has revived the Plateau Fertilizer Blending Plant in Bokkos, procured 400 tractors and distributed same among farmers in the state to help harness the state’s abundant agricultural potentials, with a view to turning around the economic fortunes of Plateau State.
Industrialisation has also been given attention as the government has resuscitated the Highland Bottling Company in Barkin Ladi, in partnership with Hummer Drinks Limited, on the basis of a private-public partnership agreement.
As he clocks 56 years of age, we know there is no such thing as going the downhill for overachievers like him. We urge him to continue looking forward to conquering the Next Level as the people are behind him.
Happy birthday sir, and many more years of sound health, success and prosperity.
Longyen is Lalong’s senior special assistant on media and publicity.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
