An unprecedented development is taking place in all sectors in Jigawa State. Governor Sule Lamido is demonstrating the general belief that, a leadership that is well-read, competent; with the right leadership skills, exposure and behavior is a competitive advantage for any state, including the nation at large.
Governor Sule Lamido’s careful planning and execution of people-oriented projects and programmes, including the visibly enhanced economic growth and quality of governance in Jigawa State is a clear indication that, despite the general poverty of ideas among public office holders and the scarce resources in most northern states, there are leaders who are genuinely committed to development. Sule Lamido means what he says and he is doing exactly so. Indeed, Lamido’s development strategies should be a working document for states in Nigeria, especially the other 18 northern states who share similar geographical, cultural and economic terrain with Jigawa State. Lamido himself should be seen as a role model for public office holders and youths because he is exhibiting what is expected of elected leadership.
In Jigawa, Sule Lamido is using a reductionistic approach to development- attending to the big problems by solving the small ones. The approach encompasses new thinking, new strategy, and new concept maps. The approach completely shifts away from the traditional way of development in most states in Nigeria. Governor Lamido’s concept is a new strategy where development in agriculture, roads, education, electricity, healthcare, water supply, youth development and other sectors are tackled through segmentation of the various sectors into their smallest units, then a head-on tackling of each unit with the participation of the people. The involvement of the people ensures the people and their communities come first in all circumstances, including accountability.
In Jigawa State, development is as it ought to be. All spheres of the society is systematically and systemically being touched by the impact of development- massive roads construction, rehabilitation and expansion, construction of institutional structures, free girls and disabled education, free maternal and child health, the rural solar electricity project. Worthy of a special mention is the first of its kind successful youths and poverty alleviation programme.
For example, the population of Jigawa people is made up of mainly rural dwellers and peasant farmers. Governor Lamido has remodeled the typical Nigeria’s rural development strategies- where rural development is mainly targeted at only agricultural productivity. Rural development in Jigawa State has gone beyond agricultural productivity. In Jigawa today, rural development is also directed at the development of human and natural resources; rural road, energy, education, culture, social order, and political awareness. This re-direction has conformed rural development in Jigawa state with the global concept of rural development- “quantitative change or uplift in the standard of people in the rural areas, brought about through integrated approach, by both governmental and non-governmental agencies and the people themselves”.
Through Governor Lamido, the Jigawa people are realizing the Jigawa of their dream, while through his new approach to development in Jigawa; other Nigerians are beginning to see in Sule Lamido the leadership of their dream.
Zayyad I. Muhammad, writes from Jimeta, Adamawa State, zaymohd@yahoo.com, 08036070980.
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