By Muazu Abari
Nasarawa state is blessed with abundant human and materials resources. In addition to its proximity to the FCT, which if properly harnessed and effectively utilized will catapult the state into Nigeria socio-economic map. But regrettably, the state continued to slide backward in all phases of development as a result of vision less leadership perpetrated by various administrations that ruled the state.
Since the creation of the state in 1996, especially with the restoration of democracy in 1999, Nasarawa state, have always been unlucky with right and visionary leadership that can change its fortunes for good. with the exception of Almakura’s administration, which succeeded to turn the state into a model of good governance and infrastructural development in Nigeria. It has always been from one bad leadership to another.
From the autocratic Government of Abdullahi Adamu, to a sleepy Government of Akwe Doma of blessed memory, to a focus less administration of Gov. Sule, it was one political disaster to another. But in all these squandering of good will, there is no time in the history of Nasarawa state, when this failure and incompetent leadership has become more evident degenerating into complete failure and total stagnation in all sectors of the state, and turning governance into charade and mere rhetorics with no actions synonymous with not having a government at all in Nasarawa state than under the present administration of Gov. Abdullahi Sule.
The infrastructural tempo of the state, which was on high speedometer handed over to sule in 2019 did not only crash landed but completely knocked by incompetent leadership.There is no replacement much more of addition from where it was handed over with citizens’ hopes eroding by the day and since replaced with despair as a result of bad governance and timid leadership imposed on the people of the state in the last two and half years making Nasarawa state a laughing stock in the eyes of the world. Even the charades embarked upon in the name of projects cannot be completed much more of commissioning them for public use in the last two and half years of wested leadership.
Amidst this complete breakdown of governance, hopelessness and squandering of good will, 2022 holds a promising future for the people of Nasarawa state, as political activities towards 2023 election move towards its zenith and expected to commence in earnest any moment from now. With people of Nasarawa state anxiously waiting and looking forward to witness what promised to be “An historic declaration” when Santalin Lafia, Gambo Jibrin Umaru will officially declare his aspiration for Shendam Road Government House Lafia, under the PDP which will mark the beginning of the second phase of rescue mission in Nasarawa state.
The enthusiasm by the people of the state who are anxiously waiting for this mother of all declarations and their earlier decision to drag this man of honour and integrity into the gubernatorial race of the state, is not only due to leadership deficit of the present administration but also their firm belief in Santalin Lafia’s ability and capacity to enthrone good democratic governance and responsible leadership that will take Nasarawa state to the highest peak of its development as envisioned by the founding fathers.
This is also in addition to his, unblemished record of proven integrity, uncommon patriotism, credibility,competence, commitments and dedication to duty as well as his love and passion for the common man and immense contributions to the development of the state. Where he succeeded to leave behind a proud legacy of honesty and patriotism in all the places he served and bring respect, honour and dignity to the state and its citizens.
Little wonder, since accepting the clarion calls of his people to contest for the Gubernatorial seat of the state, under PDP his aspiration continued to spread like wild fire across the state and receiving peoples endorsements, blessings and goodwill from individuals, groups, communities and organization’s who see him as a messiah that can rescue the state from the present quagmire and look forward to him with high hopes and optimism of a better, greater and prosperous Nasarawa state.
He is indeed, a man of history whose antecedents, historical background magnanimity, large heartedness and other ebullient qualities has proved Williams Shakespeares wrong in his popular theory. In his theory of face construction and heart content many decades ago, Williams Shakespeare said that, “there is no art to find the mind construction in the face.” But Shakespeares was a dramatist and a fiction writer who conceived and wrote according to his own thinking and perceptions. No doubt, he was a great playwright but he missed the target on this patriotic son of Nasarawa state called Gambo Jibrin Umaru.
While the workings of the minds cannot be seen but a mans disposition, amiability, humility, simplicity, records of service, commitments to the cause of humanity and development, intimidating records of achievements in the past and present can tell a lot about him, Santalin Lafia is one of the reasons why most people believe that Shakespeares theory should not be taken seriously and did not apply in all situations. He is a living proof that one can look good both within and outside.
Nasarawa state like other states of the federation is blessed with prominent political icons, reputable civil servants, business moguls, captains of industry, prominent sons and daughters of repute among other pools of professionals who have not only excelled in their various fields of endeavours but also make and still making their marks in Nigerian socio-economic and political arena and succeeded to bring honour to their people and state. Mallam Gambo Umaru Jibrin is one of such gifts to the people of Nasarawa state.
This young, vibrant, dynamic, focused, energetic, successful young man, philanthropist, entrepreneur, industrialist and patriotic son of Nasarawa state who rose to fame through sheer dint of hardwork, commitments and dedication to duty continued to live for God and humanity putting the collective interest of the masses above himself in all his endeavours and served the country in various capacities with high sense of honesty and fear of leaving behind his footprints in the sand of time before he switched into the private sector where he is currently making his marks in the oil and gas sector, economic and business world as an entrepreneur and captain of industry.
In his 47 years of existence on this planet, he has continued to be a beacon of hope and inspiration to the youths and poor masses committing his public and private life to the services of God and humanity, deploying his hard earned resources to put smiles on the faces of the masses at a time when most wealthy individuals in the state are more concerned with their families and how to divert public funds to their personal pockets for political relevance.
He continued to invest his hard earned resources on the ordinary people of the state, communities and various sectors of Nasarawa state which has a direct bearing on the lives of the masses which continued to endeared him to the hearts of the electorates who saw the need to have him as Governor come 2023 and dragged him into the gubernatorial race of the state to salvage the people and re-set Nasarawa on the path of peace, progress and development.
His footprints today can be felt in various critical sectors of Nasarawa state which include infrastructural development, health, education, empowerment, employment opportunities, community development services among numerous of his contributions to the development of the state which make him a jack of all trades and master of all and individual government to the people of Nasarawa state.
Educationally, he continued to build schools for the orphans and children of the poor masses starting from his own town of Azara, where education is being given free of charged from primary to secondary schools inaddition to, payments of WAEC, NECO, JAMB and other national examinations for the children of the less privileged across the length and breadth of the state.
In addition to payments of scholarship to different categories of people in the state as well as distributions of over 100,000 free exercise books to schools across the state among many other interventions in the education sector which the state Government itself cannot achieve in their over two years of wested leadership.
In the health sector Santalin Lafia has been committing his personal resources to offsetting the medical bills of the poor and the needy across the state who need medical assistance in addition to constituting permanent medical team to service the people of Nasarawa state where he is expending over 4m monthly in free medical outreaches to the people of the state inline with his commitments to save the lives of his people.
He has also supported communities to rebuild infrastructures and embarked on community development service especially in the provision of boreholes, constructions of bridges, road rehabilitations, financial support to groups and organizations as well as building of places of worship among other humanitarian gestures which bring succour to the people across all the nook and crannies of the state.
Furthermore,This patriotic son of Nasarawa state has also provided employment opportunities to many youths and women in Nasarawa state in both public and private organizations to make them self reliant and enable them to contribute their quota to the development of the state.
Even as he continued to provide financial support to the teaming youths and women in the state, individuals and groups to grow up their businesses and trained others inline with his empowerment drive geared towards reducing poverty and unemployment in the state among many other humanitarian interventions that continued to add value to the people of the state especially the down trodden masses.
