Governor Bago is not only renewing the hope of Nigerlites but people like me from Osun State who have been disenchanted with politics. Hope is usually defined as a longing, a desire, or an expectation of fulfilment. Hope, along with faith and love, is one of the three timeless and enduring eternal values. It is an ethereal quality that enables us to keep going in the direst of circumstances. Hope is what makes democracy work
LIKE most Nigerians, I am utterly disenchanted by politics. The current economic reality in the country has further exacerbated the situation. Nigeria is going through straitened economic times with the country reeling under a crushing mountain of debts. The Renewed Hope agenda of the nascent administration of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to improve outcomes for all Nigerians is unfortunately clouded with the immediate painful consequences of the bold, inescapable action of subsidy removal and the unification of the Forex regime. The new government is not only fighting the five dreaded evils of idleness (unemployment), want (poverty), ignorance (education), squalor (housing) and disease (health), it is also fighting the war on banditry and all forms of criminalities, especially in the Eastern and Northern parts of the country.
I wanted to set this article in context as an objective political observer and commentator who has no party-politics affiliation. In a country bereft of credible and genuine servant-leader politicians, Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State has caught my fancy as a refreshing exception, as a dynamic governor, full of zeal and boundless energy to transform Niger State to the best governed state in Nigeria. His can-do attitude and positive disposition to new, innovative ideas that can move his state forward is not only infectious but laudable.
Anyone who has the privilege of knowing the governor will know that he is on a mission to transform Niger State to the envy of other states in the federation. Until recently when he became the governor of Niger State, I had always known him, from afar for a number of years during his terms as a lawmaker, through two mutual friends. In all these years, he’s always come across as a fiercely loyal person to his friends, full of integrity and respect, with an inquisitive bright mind.
Governor Mohammed Bago is a very pragmatic leader who has the overriding interest of his people at heart.
The largest state by land mass, Niger is fortunate at this critical time in its development to have a young, vibrant and innovative governor, with a bright mind who is ready to think outside the box. I have seen him embrace and approve genuine, innovative and impactful ideas within minutes of their presentations and asking the most relevant questions that are in the common good. I have also seen him tear down and reject proposals that do not add any value to the lives of Nigerlites.
A state termed the “Power House” of the nation with four hydropower dams, close proximity to the FCT, millions of hectares of fertile land for agriculture, highly hospitable people and a high youthful population, Niger has a lot going for it and the governor is understandably in a hurry to exploit these potentials. His commitment to lifting education standards in the state and improving the working conditions of teachers are bound to yield positive results in years to come in higher student enrolments, better performance at WAEC in the state and better infrastructure in all the state schools.
I was not surprised when I learnt earlier in the week that the governor was hosting the first Green Economy Summit in the country. This is especially timely, as it acts as a precursor to the World Green Economy Summit scheduled to take place in Dubai at the end of November.
From his programmes and published plans, Governor Bago has a vision of social reconstruction and social progress for Niger State and all Nigerlites. There is a palpable feeling of hope in the state at the moment, thanks to the ubiquity of his development programmes that are clearly in virtually every area, from commencing work on over 500kms of road networks, supporting an enduring and wide-ranging education funding and development initiatives, building a world-class teaching hospital in Minna, to leading on the immediate provision of CNG buses to ease the burden and cost of transportation for the people of Niger State.
With just four months in office, it is quite heartening to see the trajectory of his administration in terms of visible development. A Yoruba aphorism says “Bí alé bá ti máa rí, àárò l’ati nmò” (we know how the night is going to be, right from the morning). The first four months of Governor Bago are a good pointer to what lies ahead. He has succeeded in creating a feel-good factor in the state forw hich he should be supported to sustain and translate to improved economic, social, health and educational outcomes for all and sundry in the state.
It is not rocket science to figure out that delivering on the Renewed Hope agenda of the government at a time when revenue from our main source of income is dwindling and a crippling debt burden looms, will require thinking outside the box – a sort of paradigm shift. This is what the governor of Niger State is doing almost effortlessly – embracing and supporting new ideas and ways of doing things.
Governor Bago is not only renewing the hope of Nigerlites but people like me from Osun State who have been disenchanted with politics. Hope is usually defined as a longing, a desire, or an expectation of fulfilment. Hope, along with faith and love, is one of the three timeless and enduring eternal values. It is an ethereal quality that enables us to keep going in the direst of circumstances. Hope is what makes democracy work. It is the “hope” that the government would fulfil its campaign promises that oils the engine of democracy. In the case of governor Bago’s Niger State, it is the knowledge that in four years’ time, we can return him through the ballot again to continue the great work he has started and in other states where this is not the case, the knowledge that in four years’ time, they can punish their governments by voting them out is what makes us endure the pain of expectations.
Governor Mohammed Bago is giving the people of Niger State hope by all his actions. Hope is what makes the economy grow and what makes for good health. In times of economic recession, what is most important is to bring in investors into the state and thereby boost consumer spending, leading to the promotion of genuine hope – the hope of a better tomorrow. In other climes, it is referred to as the “feel-good factor”. If people feel good, they will spend more, businesses will invest more, productivity will improve, everyone will become better off and the economy will grow. On the other hand, if there is a pervading feeling of pessimism and despondency, that cycle is reversed, people become fearful, depressed and worry about tomorrow and they naturally want to hold on to what they have. People batten down the hatches and of course, the expected happens – things go from bad to worse.
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State is a man on a mission – a mission to transform his beautiful state to the envy of other states. His passion for education is of special interest to me and he is giving his full backing and support to the great initiatives being rolled out, especially in the basic and secondary education levels where the needs are greatest and I am proud to be a part of this.
May God bless Niger State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
*Olukiran, Social Policy analyst, Education Consultant and Voluntary Sector Strategist, can be contacted at [email protected]
