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Yobe in the eyes of critics
The kind of democracy, practiced in Nigeria is unique. Even though factors such as ethnicity, religion and even environment make democracy different in practice from country to country, Nigeria’s case is different. One particular thing Nigerian writers and public affairs commentators are in agreement without any ambiguity is the inherent contradictions that have beclouded our psyche and the attendant consequences of underdevelopment.
Politically, leadership at all levels has, become an instrument to coax, harrass, intimidate and pauperize the people. It is only in Nigeria that politicians constantly and recklessly speak from both sides of the mouth.
Democracy in Nigeria to a large extent starts and ends the very moment “elected” officials are sworn into their respective offices. It appears as if electioneering processes are the only components of democracy, which our politicians religiously embrace and practice.
Yobe state, prior to the 1999 elections is known as a civil service state where people do very little other than to run around government offices in search of means of livelihood and ultimately wallowing in abject poverty. Today, five years into democratic civil rule and under the able leadership of Governor Bukar Abba Ibrahim, who is gradually assuming the toga of flag bearer, Damaturu the state capital wears a new pleasant look. It is a city of commerce, growth and development with hitherto economically landlocked citizenry who are now economically empowered.
The chain of people oriented projects dotting the Yobe landscape has gone a long way, in changing the fortunes of the people by way of bringing about opportunities and benefits to the people. The deliberate policy of the governor by targeting physical infrastructural development, education and the youth, women in its economic empowerment programmes has, on its own, liberated a good chunk of the populace from want.
Governor Bukar has undertaken numerous rural electrification projects spread in all the nooks and crannies of the state. Electricity, according to the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) is very vital in fighting poverty at the grassroots in developing countries. The most vulnerable group of people is able-bodied youth and women who require electricity to engage in sustainable and meaningful self-help developmental projects. The efforts of the Yobe state government in the area of road construction, industrialization and electrification can therefore be said to have opened many windows of opportunities as is evidenced by the increase in the volume of trade that is circulating as well as the noticeable increase in the volume of commercial activities amongst middle cadre and small scale traders, artisans, market women and labourers among others. The Yobe state Board of Internal Revenue and the various revenue units of the local government areas have all reported a sharp increase in revenue generation in their respective motor parks, markets, produce entry points, abattoirs and other sources of revenue generation.
The Yobe State Board of Internal Revenue in particular, is compiling a formal report, which may likely show unprecedented hike in the economic activities in general terms brought about mainly by the influx of both people and services into the state in the last five years.
In the area of road construction, the Yobe state government has set another record by constructing intercity and township roads across the state. At the last count all the penciled down roads in Potiskum, Nguru, Gashua and Damaturu and other parts of the state have either been completed and put to use or close to being completed. The revolution in Yobe as the development in the state is nationally known is an all-encompassing revolution, which has touched virtually all facets of development. Take a look at education sector, which has suffered untold neglect prior to the advent of the present administration.
Apart from the nearly a thousand classrooms that have been constructed over one thousand others have been renovated across the state. In addition a good number of teachers have been promoted while more others have been recruited. The result of this gargantuan development in the education sector can be seen in the fact that while primary and secondary school enrolment figures as at 1999 were very negligible the figure as at last year was hundreds of thousands in the primary and over 50,000 more in the secondary.
The establishment of a ministry of higher education, science and technology by the Yobe state government for a singular purpose of encouraging students to seek for higher education and concentrate more on sciences is in line with government policy of giving education first class attention now and far a very long time to come.
Democracy and development have indeed taken roots in Yobe state and the recent two day official visit to the state by President, Olusegun Obasanjo during which many important projects were commissioned and the foundation of others laid, attest to the vigorous manner in which the Yobe state government is committed to developing the state. The projects commissioned by the President spread equitably in all parts of the state, including areas that are topographically impassable and in places on the landlocked Sahara desert border with Niger Republic were deliberately initiated and executed to ensure even distribution of amenities and opportunities.
The recent release by the state government of three billion naira for capital projects for the rest of the year will soon see to the completion of various major projects in the state.
The kind of encouraging words which the President had for the state during the visit and the confidence which he exuded were generally indications of a good job well done by an action governor and a torch-bearer of the finest brand of political leaders in the country.
Jirgi is the Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to the Governor of Yobe state.
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