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On an ICT business tip to Hadejia Jigawa State, we had the singular opportunity to experience Hadejia the age long beautiful City in Jigawa State.
The trip was very smooth as the only rough patch was as a result of road construction. This is not a long story, but a word of note for any one ready to hear.
The mosquitoes are very friendly as they return to tell you, we are still here even after Air-conditioner, Baygon spray and Mosquito coil. As a zoologist by training I will recommend that town for sitting of the Nigerian Institute of Mosquitoes and Malarial Research. The researches will not need to go far for specimens as Dogon Yaro Trees (Nimph) are also every where. This is the seat of the river basin authority, so be ready for fish too.
If like us, you are into ICT, you will smell it every where, as a hand that came to assist us do some crimping is like a person that will be fetching and selling water in Abuja. So internet/computer technicians are silently springing up. I hope the state will include Computer to Koranic Allo Schools, as this singular act will introduce our children (Koranic School Students) to computer early and make them a good resources for the nations of the Arab League that are importing tons of man power daily to assist them meet their local demands.
The Business Centres unlike the many in the north are manned by Jigawa Locals and that is good for their economy.
A point of controversy, came when one top civil servant kept complaining that their governor has destroyed the civil service and he is a totalitarian governor.
Another civil servant top too will not stop praising the Governor, because he has been able to cut off the middle men that eat up the dividend of democracy refusing to allow it reach the grass root. In Jigawa the case is different. The Governor divided villages and towns into polling centres like. And every month money is shared to the representatives in the various polling centres at ward levels. This civil servant said if Ibrahim Turaki wants to come back ten times. The Jigawa people will vote for him, because the state allocation is reaching them at polling centre level. The monies are used for projects the people plan design and implement. Local Government Chairmen (ALGON) will be wise to visit and learn how this novel idea is working in Jigawa. The South South NDDC will also be wise to visit Jigawa and study style. If implemented will reduce the many crisis that unemployment and idleness causes amongst the growing youths especially.
The case of sending 5 students/local Government Area fully sponsored to Singapore to study ICT is one the people will never forget Ibrahim Turaki for. So also the so many students that are trained at local areas on ICT. So every Local Government Area Council has an ICT training facility. The ecstasy of one of the testifiers was the fact that one of the Singaporean students was a driver. So it was not a selection of the mighty.
In all. I am praying that who ever will continue as Governor in Jigawa state will be one who will appreciate, the Sugar Cane Plantation and Fuel Project. One who will appreciate the Gum Arabic project, One who will not forget the Trade free Zone, one who will realise that Solar Energy is so important especially now that the world is looking for alternative to petrol. One who will move the state forward towards the Singapore, India or china of our day. Jigawa is a state of tomorrow living today. If continued I see a state that will produce more Foreign exchange like India form ICT and other non petrol sources that even the petrol resources.
I ask the Northern Excellencies, to send students on study trips for one two or three months. I ask the federal Government to see the possibility of moving the Youths of the South South wanting to learn Computer to Jigawa State for three to six months studies on ICT. When this exchange students return they will be Ambassadors of change in their right. And then we will see reduction is not removal of the tensions and troubles that arises with idleness. You may not believe it we have too many youths that have never left their homes for some other parts of the country, let them try it and they will see that we are all the same.
I hope on my next visit to Jigawa state, I will see people earning money on the internet as result of e commerce and Outsourcing of support by the developed world.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Adamu Ayuba Abuja Nigeria
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