Niger state @ half a century

Fellow Citizens of Niger State, I present to you the first budget of Niger State Government for the financial year of 1976/1977. As you are aware, this State was created from the defunct North-Western State of Nigeria on 3rd February 1976 by the Federal Military Government. With effect from 1st April, 1976, the State Government has assumed full responsibility for its services. The overall budget of the State for this financial year comprises a total revenue of N105, 544, 704 (One hundred and Five Million, Five hundred and forty four thousand, seven hundred and five Naira) only against the total expenditure of N131, 116, 695:00 (One hundred and thirty one Million, one hundred and sixteen thousand, six hundred and ninety five Naira) which gives the overall deficit of N25,571,990 (Twenty Five Million, Five hundred and seventy one thousand, nine hundred and ninety Naira ). These were the words of the then 32-years shy of 33 stern-looking young naval officer; Commander Murtala Hamman Yero Nyako, as the first Military Governor.

After Nyako, the following, in that order, were the succeeding Governors of the State: Commodore Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe, Brigadier Olayemi Oni, Mal. Muhammadu Awal Ibrahim, Lt. Col. David Mark, Col. Garba Ali Muhammad aka ka rantse, Col. Lawal Gwadabe, Late Dr. Musa Inuwa, Col. Cletus K. Emein, Late CP Simon Oduoye, Col. Habibu Idris Shuaib, Late Engineer A.A Kure, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello and the incumbent, Hon. Umar Mohammed Bago. The state’s initial budget, which was far less than what a single LGA receives today in the State as monthly allocation, was for numerous projects which included provision of office accommodation, construction of dual carriage (Bosso Road) in Minna, electrification of Agaie, Lapai, Baro and Kagara towns, construction of 570 housing units for senior, intermediate and junior staff, additional divisional secretariats at Bida and Kontagora, continuation of water scheme projects in Minna, Bida, Abuja (Suleja) and Kagara, Minna-Abuja (Suleja) Road, High Court buildings in Bida and Kontagora, Judges quarters, upgrading of Mokwa and Badeggi water schemes, construction of primary schools for the take off of Universal Primary Education (UPE) across the state, modernization of existing wards in Bida General Hospital, expansion of Tungan Magajiya Hospital with additional wards and quarters, construction of 72-Bed hospital in Mokwa, expansion of Kontagora and Abuja (Suleja) General Hospitals, building of Health Centres, expansion of Staff training centre in Bida and many more. In addition to the listed projects, the take-off budget also catered for the absorption of all staff of State origin and others deployed from the service of the defunct North-Western State Government.

Fifty years after, most of the projects/structures executed with the take-off budget of Niger State in 1976/77 have not only outlived their lifespan, they are still visible and in use by Nigerlites. However, from 1999 onwards, the tempo for economic boom which the first budget triggered has tragically died, and the hope and the goodwill of the people have been frittered away by successive governments’ failures to sustain the economic tempo. The state’s failure can be traced to corruption, visionless leaders, lack of effective policies, corruption, sentiment, maladministration and incompetence, all leading to the avoidable poor governance. Many of our schools and hospitals look more like abandoned farm houses and abattoirs, while the roads across the State have become death traps. Poor or absence of good drinking water, poor infrastructural development and unemployment have become monstrous challenges. The State does not lack manpower, as it is endowed with brilliant professionals in all spheres of life. Sadly, it lags far behind many of its contemporaries and even those states created long after in 1987, 1991 and 1996 in terms of human and infrastructural development and other development indices. One wonders who is to be blamed for the woes of the state. Is it the dozens of elder statesmen, professionals and technocrats that failed to guide and advise the elected public officers or is it the elected political and appointed public officers that opt to ignore their wise counsel or choose to do what suits them?

Niger State landmass is bigger than the entire Netherlands and Belgium, and richer in terms of mineral resources (Gold, Talc, Silica Sand, Tourmaline, Kyanite, Kaolin, Ball Clays, Mable, Manganese, Dolomite, Feldspar, Graphite, Mica, Lead & Copper, Quartzite, Abbestors, Granite etc). The state’s intimidating landmass of 76,244sq.km is so fertile and has the capacity to produce virtually all of Nigeria’s stable crops with ample opportunities for Mechanized Farming, grazing, fishing and forestry. In the area of revenue generation, Suleja, Gurara and Tafa Local Governments of the State have untapped revenue potentials which are not utilized to boost its revenue generation. If not for the developmental holocaust the State went through, it would have been ranked among the strongest and economically viable hubs in Africa due to its massive agrarian landmass. But the huge resources in its landmass have remained untapped, while investment opportunities, revenue generation, industrial development and employment generation have remained stifled. However, the emergence of Hon. Umar Bago has come with a renewed enthusiasm of putting the State on the positive path of massive infrastructures, especially in the area of road construction, investment opportunities and agricultural development across the State. Today, most of the current appointed, elected and career civil servants were toddlers or yet unborn when Niger State was created in 1976. But the infants of yesteryears are the ones now ministering to the affairs of the State. Their youthful age and vibrancy have no excuse for not doing better and surpass the good works of the founding fathers.

His Excellency, Governor Umar Bago must do everything possible not fall to the trap and allow himself to take a knee-jerk stance on funding. For instance, during his campaign he called for an end to diversions, which the trick budget writers have used to take money that is supposed to go to one area (School, Hospital renovations, water supply, electricity and equipment, for example) and redirect it to projects that were meant to siphon public treasury). Let’s be honest, no one favours diversions, and you are not the first politician to call for their demise. Our state is powerful enough to invest in the future in a way that is prudent without shirking our responsibility for generations to come. But it will require your leadership—and your steadfastness in the face of predictable criticism and sabotage.

Mr Farmer Governor Sir, as the sitting Governor, I hope you will inspire politics of conviction to replace the politics of convenience. We have had a plethora of leaders and appointees in the State who behave more like statues than statues themselves. Even statues are demolished when regimes change. However, it is difficult to demolish the statuesque inertia in dealing with corruption. I hope you will reflect on how a land of opportunity for all does not degenerate into the big bazaar of a few opportunists. The real threat to the State come not so much from external sources — it is from our inherent inconsistencies in dealing with issues critical to the State. We want you as a Governor who will close the credibility gap between rhetoric and reality about the state.

His Excellency Sir, always remember that the essence of democracy is accountability, and the essence of leadership is humility – the humility to accept feedback, however uncomfortable, is a gift. A performing leader should welcome scrutiny, not to suppress it. Niger State under your leadership does not need chorus of praise singers, merchant politicians and sycophants. It needs leaders and citizens unafraid to ask questions. The true antidote to fear is hope, not optimism. Hope comes from seeing your leader lead in a way that brings out the best in people by inspiring collaboration, common purpose and future possibilities. It takes hope to overcome great fear and meet great challenges. People do, of course, appreciate good news and optimism from their leaders, but only if it’s grounded in reality, authenticity, facts and data, not by deception. Humble leaders actually make themselves smaller than the moment. They know that they alone cannot fix everything. So they create the space for others to join them and to rise to do big things — together. As the State celebrates its fifty (50) years of creation, there is a thrill of recognition that Niger State is still alive and walking. We want our State to move ahead when you are working, walking, talking and awake. If the destiny of Niger State under your leadership remains crafted in such dilapidated Schools, Hospitals, infrastructures and Roads— history will judge you to be a part of that karma as well. Your true victory will be when the State is back on its track.

I won’t end this piece without paying special tribute to the following individuals who were the first set of Commissioners (Incorruptible) one’s emphasis mine that utilized the merger resources at their disposal prudently for the successful take off and executing of various projects in the State, they are; Lates: Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, Alhaji Abdullahi Bisalla, Alhaji Sidi Aliyu Enagi, Alhaji Abdulraheem Dangana, Alhaji Sallau Agaie, Alhaji Idris Ibrahim Kuta, Alhaji Muhammadu Kundu, Alhaji Muhammadu King and Alhaji Umaru Mashegu. In fact, it’s an incongruity today that apart from Late Justice Idris Kutigi that has an edifice named after him in the State, none of the aforementioned individuals is remembered to be honour by the successive administrations. Happy Birthday, Niger State @ 50, where are we now and where are we heading to?

Mr. Yahaya wrote from Abuja. He can be reached via [email protected]

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