By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo
If you are engaging in humane enterprise all your life; you are invariably helping yourself and contributing to Nation building.
Similarly,if you are providing succour for the wellbeing of the people around you; you will get conversant with it in such away that if you attain a greater responsibility in life the idea for development would have heightened in you.This is the case of Governor of Niger state.So whenever you have opportunity to help people around you,do it quickly.Dont wait until you have much or plenty.Like the popular slogan on social media”it is not the rich people that help but good or kind people do”. When Bago was a member of House of Representatives for three term, humanity was the face of its activities.I saw it not that someone narrated it to me.I have mentioned few of it in my previous piece titled” Governor Mohammed Governor Mohammed Umar Bago and His Progressive Tenacity Bago:An embodiment of prayer, generosity and patience”.
He came onboard as Governor of Niger state on May 29,2023 like any other first term Governor barely five months ago but he has hit the ground running immediately he assumed office.There are few Governors who came unprepared such Governors can easily be seen accross geopolitical zones in the country, because of the way they govern their states.No Nigerians would come out today and discredit Governor Zulum of Borno state, because he is a workaholic.If you have not seen anything about him,the way he has built secondary schools like a university’s standard and how he has handled the issue of palliatives should convince any reasonable Nigerian that he is trust worthy.
The Governor of Niger state ,Mohammed Umar Bago also did so well in the sharing of palliatives because I was in Ilorin -my hometown when my neighbour called me and said they have brought my own package of palliative.In Kwara it was shared like that as well.But the issue of palliatives is not the reason for which I have come up with this piece rather the way the new Governor of Niger state is setting the pace for greater development, most especially in education sector.
Governance has to do with exposure and ability to recruit men of great knowledge and integrity around you.As a pragmatic leader if you achieve this,many will give kudos to your administration even after you might have left office. Governor Bago has the tenacity to turn things around for the good and progress of Niger state.
Recently,I was going to work and I saw how the Niger state Government has commenced work to convert Shiroro hotel to Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Teaching Hospital.Besides, the good news is also all over the social media. It is a welcome development.
According to AbdulIbergy U Ebbo, the SA to the Governor on Digital Media and Strategy
“For the Teaching Hospital, there are strategic considerations regarding the location of the teaching hospital. It has been proposed that Phase One of the teaching hospital should be established in Minna, where an existing structure(Shiroro Hotel) can be readily converted. This not only presents a cost-effective solution but also ensures a swift completion of the project.
Additionally, the funds allocated for the teaching hospital initially have yet to be accessed, while the state has a willing partner prepared to invest in the conversion of the Shiroro Hotel into a teaching hospital. It would be a wise decision for any leader who is genuinely committed to the well-being of his people to accept this development”.
Another thing is the recent news that broke the internet that Governor Bago has secured NUC approval to convert Niger state College of Education to Niger state University of education.In the letter such move have been made in 2015 but was not successful.The determination of current administration has made it to see the light of the day.It is obvious that Nigerlites would praise Bago even after his tenure, because these are legacy projects that would continue to be relevant in the lives of the people of the state and beyond.His Excellency should make the university affordable, because it is in an affordability that the Nigerlites across political parties would appreciate him more.
A pragmatic leader is a good thinker.Acording to late Nelson Mandela “Education is a powerful weapon which can be used to change the world”.Indeed Governor Bago is changing the world through education and progressive tenacity in Niger state.
