Adamawa state: still fighting to achieve good governance?

Adamawa state: still fighting to achieve good governance?
The media has been awash lately with news and analyses of Admiral Murtala Nyako’s style of stewardship of Adamawa State. The first salvo was fired by a group of ‘concerned Adamawa citizens’ who in a paid advertorial accused Nyako of appointing a large number of members of his immediate family in different government positions – this was later confirmed through a rejoinder by the government with the excuse that the Nyako family is found all over Africa. Last year, being my role model, I was forced to write in the New Nigerian, (October 1, 2008, page 11), to advise him on his decision to actively involve his family members in governance.
Similarly in an interview with a weekly newspaper, Newspage, (April 13 – 19, 2009 P.33), Alhaji Adamu Modibbo, a one-time governorship candidate in Adamawa State and now Chief Executive Officer, Sigma Pension seems to share the same views. He said in part “He (Nyako) is never in the State. He left the running of the state to his senior son, Abdulaziz who is a serving military officer. Nothing moves without the boy’s knowledge. Abdulaziz is the biggest contractor and commission collector in Adamawa State today.” He went on to add “At the party level, Nyako who is the leader of the party has also failed; the structure in the state is amusing why? Because the party chairman and the governor are from the same ward. In fact they are related which is wrong. In a State where you have intellectuals this is unacceptable.” These are damning testimonies of how Nyako has disappointed many an Adamawa state citizen within and in the Diaspora.
Adamawa State has been blessed with past and latter day political leaders and technocrats. In fact, Adamawa state can be described as the political driving force of the North East. The tradition has been that the former group benefitted the state and its people far more than the latter group.
The former group brought development and empowerment to the people and the State as a whole at the slightest opportunity. The federal University, the airport, the NNPC depot etc were brought by these group, while technocrats within this group brought about empowerment for their people as exemplified by the late Salihijo Ahmad of blessed memory.
The latter day political class failed to emulate and build on the modest achievements of the former political class despite the fact that one of them occupied the number two citizen status in Nigeria. For the eight years of part one of this republic, Adamawa state, despite achieving this feat, was left to fallow.
Coming from the above scenario, the people of Adamawa could be forgiven for rallying behind the mango farmer to usher them in the second part of the political journey in this republic. Having been amongst the first set of political leaders and technocrats, it was unanimously concurred that Admiral Murtala Nyako will certainly behave in the same manner and ways as his co-travelers. The expectation was therefore for him to provide quality leadership in the provision of the much needed infrastructural development, people empowerment through selfless service.
But unfortunately, these expectations as hoped and prayed by the people of Adamawa could not be met by Nyako. He chooses instead to empower members of his family and in an effort to take greed to its highest level, brought his own son to partake in the governance of the state.
What could have pushed Nyako to, at his age and accomplishment, dwell on the path of nepotism rather than dwelling on the path of self righteousness, love of the people and selfless service? Does Nyako not know that this rare opportunity given to him by God Almighty is like bringing back a man from the dead for him to right all the wrongs he did before death after realizing same at death?
Adamawa state is one of the few states in Nigeria today that are yet to experience what good governance is all about, especially in this democratic dispensation, despite the fact that it habours brilliant people of high intellect, top class business men and women and also top level technocrats who labour day and night in building a greater Nigeria.
It is therefore pertinent for the good people of Adamawa state, especially the political elites, to come together and put their house in order by in the first instance calling Nyako to order and then if he fails to heed to the calls plan for an alternative that will meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people. Adamawa state cannot continue like this.
You cannot run a government as a business enterprise or family. Governance is trust, confidence which the electorates have for you. Was it not Admiral who declared after he was re-elected as governor that he won the re-run election basically because of the trust, which the people of Adamawa have on him? He told group of journalist in Yola immediately after the announcement of the election results that the previous administration that ruled the state for eight years did practically nothing. And it was true, the previous administration was a complete mess, but the question is; can Baba Mai Mangoro be different from his predecessor if his government is run as a family affair? Why all the political elites are silent about this?
As I said in my advice to him, nobody, even his critics can doubt his integrity, but he has to be very careful. He should run his family separate from governance, especially his children. On their part, the political elites in Adamawa have to speak out and tell Admiral the truth, if not, Adamawa people will be forced to take a decision come 2011.