Shuaibu Usman
The word Nasara which represents Nasarawa’s root word stands to mean victory and being victorious is what Nasarawa State looks after as a state of complete endowments in all sense and context of the word’s idiosyncratic linguistic analysis.
With Nasarawa’s unreliable, estimated previous population of over 1.5 million, the state which had an abundant solid minerals endowments, like iron ore, limestone, brytes marbles, coal, tin and columbite with an appreciable heap of human resources in practically all walks of life, came alive on 1st October, 1996 after a thorough consideration and bold assessment of a Committee on the Creation of State and Local Governments during the Military Administration of General Sani Abacha.
Nasarawa State swiftly swung into action to demonstrate its unassailable growing commitment shown in the creation process as its first military governor, Wing Commander Ibrahim Abdullahi pioneered the process of making the state green and great in his short-lived administration.
The trajectory put in place by the leaders of Nasarawa State sowed a seed of uncommonly well architecture of the state which was not experienced by the citizenry in the earliest years of its creation.
Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule, a consummate industrialist and successful administrator, came with a robust action plan of putting Nasarawa State among the three most competitive states in Nigeria by 2023. This action plan known as the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy, NEDS, has been the gospel of the administration in invigorating economic growth and advancing development approach of the State with a particular emphasis on the nation’s nearness to the nation’s seat of power, industrialization and many other options.
With indices of government’s economic capitalization and financialisation adjudged by analysts as a driver to fulfilment of the Nasarawa State’s founding fathers collective dreams which is on track in catapulting the State to buoyancy.
Governor Sule has kept his head high to restore the loss of Nasarawa State in many areas which are not limited to civil service refrorm, real estate development, industrialization, security, education, healthcare delivery, urban-rural development, agriculture, solid minerals development and a host of others.
The Sule-led administration still considers giving the people a quality public education as a base for all forms of globalization. This is sighted in his decision to apportion the largest budgetary expenditure of his government of over 30 percent to the education sector as the sector is now appreciably boasting of strength and having considerable ventilation to breathe in life of Nasarawa State, a State that desires a great deal of activity involved professionals to steer its fortunes, has renewed the mandate of the Engineer of Modern Nasarawa State. With the State’s celebration of 28 years of development, it is now a public decision to make or mar the State through full-blown building, rebuilding and growth project. A 28- year-old needs not to be told of the importance of a great, better and stronger society.
This brings us to the argument of entertainability and integrity of political hopefuls that may wish to succeed the current helmsperson of the state. One thing is certain. And that is how clean the hands of the baton-receiver is in accessing his people and to attract their attention with tact, intellect, political comportment and attitude entertainability without bigotry, fanaticism and rascality to meet up the yearnings and aspirations of the people without a condescension syndrome which some would-be gubernatorial hopefuls possess radically in reality.
To some of us, attention is drawn to the person of Rt. Hon. Dr. Musa Ahmed Mohammed (Baraden Nasarawa) This is a reputable politician, academic, corporate administrator and philanthropist with a world-view of accessibility, statesmanship, adequate knowledge of the dynamics of Nasarawa State’s politics and its people in sharing same bonds of promoting peace, unity, ethnic and religious tolerance by strengthening politics of one indivisible Nasarawa State.
Their choice for leadership is a call to destiny just like Philip Shaibu, immediate past Deputy Governor of Edo State would say. We must not be forced into accepting a candidacy of anyone of sheer stubbornness and acute thuggery. Circumstances have changed. Any attempt of unconstitutionality will hang in the balance.
Barade is a trusted, dependable, loyal, and reliable ally that can abide by the laws of the game. He is not building fortresses to protect himself. His hands are clean for every sane voter to feel satisfied of his credibility of sustainable development.
We must be concerned about making decisions. Not just decisions but good decisions for our destiny. And this time begins now as Baraden Nasarawa is a new dawn for Nasarawa State to raise its standards and rewrite its records.
Shuaibu Usman is a news editor and broadcaster in Lafia.