What kind of 20 years has Jigawa spent?
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- Written by Sani Ibrahim Taura
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Unfortunately however, the choice of Dutse was resisted by the elitist giant Hadejia via violent protests. But this did not mar the acceptance and continuous existence of Dutse as the state capital. Nevertheless, this phenomenon contributed to the fragility of the state which started, inherited and transmitted onward to the future the culture of disharmony and hostility amongst the constituent towns and villages of the state.
Each and every successive governor promised to provide social amenities and improve on the then existing poor state of education, agriculture, urban and rural infrastructure of the then baby state. Things started on a shaky foundation with the first military administrator Olayinka Sule. The Colonel tried hard to make everything possible at jumpstarting the socio economic condition of the new state. He drafted some economic blueprints while infrastructural provisions started well but could not be sustained probably as a result of the regime’s short term mandate.
Politically however, the only option for Olayinka then was to make the creation of additional two more emirates of Dutse and Ringim amongst the existing three emirates to compliment Kazaure, Gumel and Hadejia emirate councils so as to dowse the then prevailing conflicts among the constituencies of the state.
Olayinka Sule spearheaded the administration of the new state for a period of about three months. A transition from military to civilian regime succeeded in enthroning Alhaji Ali Sa’adu of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the succeeding governor. But the civilian administration under Ali Sa’adu did not enjoy a smooth relationship with the emirates’ leadership because he tried to rule without any biases. The emirates’ politics was more devastating under the SDP leadership. The emirate’s indigenes accuse one another of biases and sectionalism brought by the alleged sectional leadership that favoured its sons for appointments into public service of that period. The provision of social amenities in Jigawa under Ali Sa’adu as governor was criticized by many that see the leadership then as more of favouritism than nationalism. Nevertheless, Governor Ali Saadu ruled for nearly two years and was later ousted by military intervention.
The military administration of Ibrahim Aliyu was pragmatic in its approach to solving the problems of the young state but the governor could only succeed in calming down frayed nerves. When Colonel Rasheed Alade Shokene became military administrator in the state he provided standard and befitting infrastructures for Dutse and environment. The infrastructural decay in the state was tackled by the administration that refused to accept any substandard constructions of roads, houses, hotel, hospital or electrification contracted to any company chosen for the job, and this was evidently manifest in Dutse town. Unfortunately also, the emirate politics inherited from the past still made an incursion into this people-oriented military leadership.
The succeeding military government of Maimalari that lasted for nearly a year also succeeded in reversing some infrastructural decay in the state but it was bogged down by a lot of administrative problems. The existing educational, agricultural and economic predicament of the state at that time could not be improved upon drastically enough to meet people’s expectations. But this cannot be unconnected with the short tenure of the military leadership.
The incoming civilian administration of Saminu Turaki was seen as a dribbler. The young politician and gubernatorial winner under the APP party ticket was fortunate to defeat a more political elderly and experienced Sule Lamido of PDP during that period because of so many factors. But Ibrahim Saminu Turaki as the oldest serving Governor in Jigawa worsened the emirate politics in his attempt at solving them. He decentralized the administrative tiers of government out of Dutse, the administrative headquarters of Jigawa state. This singular action, though hailed by some as visionary and aimed at spreading even development, was criticized by many people, particularly people of Dutse emirate who frowned at the policy and accused Saminu Turaki of misgovernance.
Within this period, the emirate politics worsened while hostility and envy by those who felt offended by the new policy was rife. In fact this ugly emirate politics could not allow Saminu to rule well and contributed immensely to some inconsistencies during the period of his eight years rule.
Governor Sule Lamido succeeded Saminu Turaki. The new administration started well and was poised to improve on the anomalies of the past under Saminu Turaki. The leadership sought to make progress by dismantling the emirate politics. Sule Lamido is the only Governor who attempted to dismantle emirate politics from the mind of its adherents totally through the introduction of Constitutional Senatorial districts in appointments. Names are not allowed to be prefixed before one’s home of origin. In fact provisions of social infrastructure under Sule Lamido as a governor was prioritized not to be sectional or slated to favor or disregard any section. The relocation of ministries back to Dutse was a right step in the right direction. But the administration has its short comings. Some people believe that as a result of its existing policy on developing Dutse, it may over empower Dutse at the expense of other urban centres in the state who are equally deprived.
As a state that is 20 years old, we in Jigawa hail all those who contributed towards the development of our dear state and we equally appreciate the gesture of the new leadership in the state for declaring 27th August a public holiday in the state, to commemorate the date of its creation.
Taura wrote from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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What kind of 20 years has Jigawa spent?
Category: Comments Written by Sani Ibrahim Taura Hits: 6010
It is twenty years now since Jigawa State was created on the 27th of August 1991. The General Ibrahim Babangida military administration sought to change the status quo of state creation then by creating new states out of desolate lands existing in developed areas. This favoured Jigawa to the consternation and bewilderment of those states proposed by the movement for state creation, hitherto perceived as more likely prosperous. Dutse town was chosen to host the new state capital of Jigawa State. This is in disregard to the semi urban centers of Hadejia and Tigari State agitators (now under Jigawa State) that craved for a state of their own. These were seen then as more competent and appropriate to be offered a state. But as destiny will have it, the hilly Dutse town was the favoured state capital situated within the sand dunes of the semi arid desert in the North Western state of Kano.Unfortunately however, the choice of Dutse was resisted by the elitist giant Hadejia via violent protests. But this did not mar the acceptance and continuous existence of Dutse as the state capital. Nevertheless, this phenomenon contributed to the fragility of the state which started, inherited and transmitted onward to the future the culture of disharmony and hostility amongst the constituent towns and villages of the state.
Each and every successive governor promised to provide social amenities and improve on the then existing poor state of education, agriculture, urban and rural infrastructure of the then baby state. Things started on a shaky foundation with the first military administrator Olayinka Sule. The Colonel tried hard to make everything possible at jumpstarting the socio economic condition of the new state. He drafted some economic blueprints while infrastructural provisions started well but could not be sustained probably as a result of the regime’s short term mandate.
Politically however, the only option for Olayinka then was to make the creation of additional two more emirates of Dutse and Ringim amongst the existing three emirates to compliment Kazaure, Gumel and Hadejia emirate councils so as to dowse the then prevailing conflicts among the constituencies of the state.
Olayinka Sule spearheaded the administration of the new state for a period of about three months. A transition from military to civilian regime succeeded in enthroning Alhaji Ali Sa’adu of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) as the succeeding governor. But the civilian administration under Ali Sa’adu did not enjoy a smooth relationship with the emirates’ leadership because he tried to rule without any biases. The emirates’ politics was more devastating under the SDP leadership. The emirate’s indigenes accuse one another of biases and sectionalism brought by the alleged sectional leadership that favoured its sons for appointments into public service of that period. The provision of social amenities in Jigawa under Ali Sa’adu as governor was criticized by many that see the leadership then as more of favouritism than nationalism. Nevertheless, Governor Ali Saadu ruled for nearly two years and was later ousted by military intervention.
The military administration of Ibrahim Aliyu was pragmatic in its approach to solving the problems of the young state but the governor could only succeed in calming down frayed nerves. When Colonel Rasheed Alade Shokene became military administrator in the state he provided standard and befitting infrastructures for Dutse and environment. The infrastructural decay in the state was tackled by the administration that refused to accept any substandard constructions of roads, houses, hotel, hospital or electrification contracted to any company chosen for the job, and this was evidently manifest in Dutse town. Unfortunately also, the emirate politics inherited from the past still made an incursion into this people-oriented military leadership.
The succeeding military government of Maimalari that lasted for nearly a year also succeeded in reversing some infrastructural decay in the state but it was bogged down by a lot of administrative problems. The existing educational, agricultural and economic predicament of the state at that time could not be improved upon drastically enough to meet people’s expectations. But this cannot be unconnected with the short tenure of the military leadership.
The incoming civilian administration of Saminu Turaki was seen as a dribbler. The young politician and gubernatorial winner under the APP party ticket was fortunate to defeat a more political elderly and experienced Sule Lamido of PDP during that period because of so many factors. But Ibrahim Saminu Turaki as the oldest serving Governor in Jigawa worsened the emirate politics in his attempt at solving them. He decentralized the administrative tiers of government out of Dutse, the administrative headquarters of Jigawa state. This singular action, though hailed by some as visionary and aimed at spreading even development, was criticized by many people, particularly people of Dutse emirate who frowned at the policy and accused Saminu Turaki of misgovernance.
Within this period, the emirate politics worsened while hostility and envy by those who felt offended by the new policy was rife. In fact this ugly emirate politics could not allow Saminu to rule well and contributed immensely to some inconsistencies during the period of his eight years rule.
Governor Sule Lamido succeeded Saminu Turaki. The new administration started well and was poised to improve on the anomalies of the past under Saminu Turaki. The leadership sought to make progress by dismantling the emirate politics. Sule Lamido is the only Governor who attempted to dismantle emirate politics from the mind of its adherents totally through the introduction of Constitutional Senatorial districts in appointments. Names are not allowed to be prefixed before one’s home of origin. In fact provisions of social infrastructure under Sule Lamido as a governor was prioritized not to be sectional or slated to favor or disregard any section. The relocation of ministries back to Dutse was a right step in the right direction. But the administration has its short comings. Some people believe that as a result of its existing policy on developing Dutse, it may over empower Dutse at the expense of other urban centres in the state who are equally deprived.
As a state that is 20 years old, we in Jigawa hail all those who contributed towards the development of our dear state and we equally appreciate the gesture of the new leadership in the state for declaring 27th August a public holiday in the state, to commemorate the date of its creation.
Taura wrote from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.