“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”- John Adams
Sule Lamido, a full-time politician, who has been in politics for over four decades aptly fits into the above description of a leader by America’s sixth President, John Adams, who himself had served as a diplomat in George Washington’s administration, and played numerous other roles in the US parliament, and so is competent enough to describe who a leader is.
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Sule Lamido was a unionist (leader of a national youth parliament in his early life), he was in the House of Reps, a party leader (state chairman and National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party – SDP), a diplomat (Foreign Affairs minister under the Obasanjo administration), a state governor (2007-2015, and also a presidential aspirant in the 2015 presidential primary election of the PDP.
He is one of the nine founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and father of the party in his home state of Jigawa. Lamido traversed the rough terrain and political landscape of Nigeria as a towering personality. He is so often in the news for a combination of reasons: his imposing physical presence, his simple style, his solid record of achievements especially when he was the foreign affairs minister and since 2007 when he became the helmsman of Jigawa State, his fearless stance on all national issues, controversial and otherwise. In fact, he is periodically misunderstood, some times mischievously so by those who fear his enviable political profile.
Sule Lamido always speaks his mind, and his stance on national and even international issues align, at all times, with the interests of the common man. He never succumbs to sentiments. He is not a fair-weather politician, and so is firmly rooted in the principles of progressive politics. Equally important is that he brings his rich personal experience to bear in all he does.
Lamido’s strength of courage came to the fore in his 8-year tenure as governor of Jigawa State during which he regularly conducted local government elections at a time most of his colleagues avoided doing that like a plague, preferring instead to preserve their self-appointed caretaker committees in the various local government areas in their states.
Since 1999 when the PDP came on board, he has deployed his unmatched energy and political skills in campaigning for the party and its candidates from the top to the bottom, and has remained loyal to the party despite certain upheavals that pushed some of his colleagues out, including those who joined the party shortly after its inception. This partly attests to the strength of Alhaji Sule Lamido’s character as a man of principles.
On the record of performance of this eminent citizen of our country, there is so much to point at in every community in Jigawa State, and this fact has made the PDP stands firmly rooted in the state. And so, at every level of electoral contests in the state, Lamido’s indelible marks have given PDP candidates the powerful reference materials with which to sell the party, His gigantic projects dot the education, transportation, health, and economic spheres of life, and thus serving as tonic to PDP aspirants.
Lamido has also been a model in peaceful and issue-based politics. No mudslinging, foul language, intimidation and violence. Why will he indulge in mudslinging when he has an enviable record of achievement to showcase?
After the 2015 general elections, and the subsequent turn of events in the economic, political and social fortunes of a greater number of Nigerians, including the adverse security situation all across Nigeria, many citizens have now become wiser, politically speaking. And so, a lot of citizens now look in the direction of individual rather than party platforms. Individuals with sound records in quality leadership, developmental initiatives and vast political network are getting unprecedented support in many localities, states and at the national level, depending on their political reputation. One of such personalities, no doubt, is Sule Lamido.
Yes, Lamido is a core ‘developmentalist’ and a true progressive, who shares the political ideals of late Mallam Aminu Kano – ‘the masses first’ and ‘development as it ought to be’. One of the most unique things about Sule Lamido’s approach to people’s developmental needs is he mixed what the people need with what they want- local needs blend with modern development.
One of the most outstanding strides of the inclusive governance structures that he had in place while serving as governor in Jigawa State, came up with the most robust and win-win solution to the persistent farmer-herder conflicts. In most parts of the state, Lamido established grazing reserves and water pumping windmills for herdsmen to freely nosh their herds. This is a model that I recommend to the Buhari administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the centre. The president can task his ministers of agriculture and water resources to learn from this thesis.
The programme, apart from promoting peaceful co-existence and harmony between farmers and herders, also helped to accelerate irrigation farming.
Many Nigerians were also impressed by Lamido’s social security programme for the poor; a monthly stipend that was being given to less privilege people. No fewer than 100 people were chosen from each of the 27 LGAs of Jigawa State for this scheme. His administration also provided free scholarship to Jigawa students, including non-indigenes, and he also appointed non Muslims and non indigenes to political offices during his two-terms as governor.
And thus, for me, having someone like Sule Lamido as president of Nigeria will be a turning-point at a critical juncture like this for our nationhood. Whether or not his party will give this a thought is something I cannot predict. What I am certain about, however, is that once fielded as a candidate by the PDP in 2023, Nigerians would overwhelmingly vote for the party.
But that is by the way, what I actually set out to this here is to join millions of sons, disciples, admirers and well-wishers to celebrate this eminent citizen, whose exemplary and unique qualities through his services to our dear nation demonstrate his uncommon leadership traits.
As you mark yet another birthday, may the Almighty Allah prolong your life, and sustain you in good health to continue to serve this nation with enduring grace.
Happy birthday, Jagoran Talakawan Nigeria.
Adamu Muhammad Usman, media aide to Sule Lamido, wrote from Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa State.
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