Why 2011 is important in Gombe

The recent launching of the book on the struggle for the creation of Gombe State out of Bauchi State titled ‘The Making of Gombe State’ in Abuja on Wednesday 20th October, 2010 was an eye opener for most of those who attended the occasion, most especially those who were in their teens when the struggle was begun in the early eighties. I attended the event, got a copy of the book and went through it with the carefulness such an important historical document deserves. The book was written by none other than one of Gombe’s notable illustrious sons, Alhaji Usman Faruk (Jarman Gombe), who was the governor of the North-Western region when Nigeria as a country was in its infancy, so to say. I was not only moved by the struggle and those that ‘fought’ for the creation of the ‘Jewel in the Savannah’ but saw the need to remind all ‘Gombawas’ that the ‘struggle’ should not be allowed to die because we are not yet there; after getting statehood we need to develop it beyond anyone’s wildest dream, after all we are not known as Gombawa Iban Fari for nothing! It crossed my mind that the time to do that is now since we will soon be given the opportunity to elect a chief executive again for the state.

We are lucky, anyway, that in the last 14 years after the state was created on October 1, 1996 during the military administration of late General Sani Abacha, Gombe has witnessed an admirable level of progress, most especially in the last eight years during the civilian administration of Alhaji Muhammad Danjuma Goje. During the period, township roads were constructed not only in Gombe metropolis but throughout the eleven local government areas of the state. Gombe state now has an international airport as well as a state university. Perennial water shortage which Gombe and environs was known for has now become history. To cap it all the state will soon have a modern stadium, comparable to any in the world. By and large the citizens of Gombe State have every reason to be happy for having a state of their own, but like some people say; it is one thing to achieve success and another thing to sustain that success. This is the crux of the matter! How do the Gombawas ensure that the tempo is sustained? Who, among the number of governorship aspirants, has what it takes to keep the flag of progress flying?

There are at the moment about ten people aspiring for the state’s number one seat in the ruling PDP alone while there are others towing along in other parties. Those in the PDP are all said to be in the race with the blessings of the state governor, Alhaji Muhammad Danjuma Goje. There is the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, immediate past state Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honorable Usman Bayero to name but a few in the ruling party while the opposition ANPP has Senator Sa’idu Umar Kumo, immediate past National Secretary of the party, and CPC Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, a retired federal civil servant.

Now it is left to the people of Gombe to make the right decision in next year’s general elections in the interest of their future and the future of their children. They should have in mind that the collective progress of the state surpasses the selfish interest of an individual or group of individuals. They should also have it at the back of their minds that posterity will never forgive them if they foist on the state someone inimical to its progress no matter what they were paid. I think it will not be out of place to suggest to the state governor to come up with a process of selecting a consensus candidate from all the aspirants irrespective of party affiliations. Goje should know that the people of Gombe State will not forgive him if he imposed on them a weakling that will draw the hands of the proverbial clock backward. He should also know he will turn to naught all that he built for the state if he allows a non performer gets access to the Gombe State Government House in 2011!