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Jigawa Citizen’s And Kano-Base Syndrome By Sani Ibrahim Taura
Since the creation of Jigawa State from the defunct Kano State in August 1991 by the then Military regime of IBB, the State Capital – Dutse seems to have lost in touch with the realities of what makeup a state capital.
What this writer is trying to scrutinize, analyze and reveal here is the behavior of the State citizens vis- a-vis the condition the State Capital. More particularly as the citizens are from `different emirates councils that made-up the state, their unwarranted behavior of residing and dwelling in Kano- the Kano State Capital culminated into present pitiful situation of Dutse, making up what is described here as Kano-base syndrome.
There is nothing wrong in accepting the fact that Dutse is worth a State Capital, but what is worrisome is how its development is not yet far reaching.
This writer is from Ringim Emirate popularly known as close-to Kano – Emirates but the bone of contention here is, it is imaginably uncalled for to realize the economic gains of Jigawa is spent nearly 90 percent in Kano at the detriment of economic empowerment of Dutse.
Of course, the defunct Kano was harbouring most of the Jigawa citizens- precreation of Dutse, this is not unconnected with its metropolitan –mega-mopolitan in nature, upon creation a cosmopolitan residence within, would have saved the prevalent unwarranted posture.
A civil servant once told me that he has been in Kano for the last Twenty (25)Five years of his service -family wise, yet he told me that he has to shuttle to Dutse on daily basis simply because he cannot see the situation whereby he would move to a virgin land with no good social infrastructure.
This sentiment seems to have been shared by the many if not all of the workforce that makes up the public and civil service.
However, what is a city and what make a city with a good social infrastructure? The answer is -human and economic activities. In economic terms, the economic empowerment of a place-be it a villages, town or city is determined by its economic activity through a multiplier effect, so, one has to reside, sell or buy to increase money within and improve the purchase of social amenities. This cannot be possible if we all decide to reside in Kano.
Kano itself was not like it’s now, if not because of incessant migration of outsides. Situations whereby the citizens are always within encourage development and migration of others.
If one’s complains of lack of good school, hospital, water and electricity in Dutse, this writer dismiss such as balderdash, considering the effort of the successive administration in the State at improving the provision of such.
Infact, it is not a precondition that provision of social amenities is an exclusive preserve of government, but what this writer wants to people to realise is that the efforts by the people would always propel Government to improve their lot if they so desired by a way of commitment. As at now Dutse is as good as Hadejia, Gumel, Ringim and Birnin-Kudu, one see no reason as to why citizens would prepare to reside in a place different from their home town whereas their State Capital has reach a height far from their expectations.
Of course, policy demarcation buy successive regime seems to have favour or disfavour Dutse, yet this writer wants to people to accept the fact that the policy of each regime has always been determined by the people that make that regime vis-a vis their behavior and acceptability of the state capital.
Many regimes decided to enact policies that would favour Dutse, in fact some administrations force people to Dutse, build houses, road and provided electricity, while other regimes seems to be indifferent, this writer dismisses the notion that the present regime is not determined to improve the futune of Dutse.
While the administration has directed for relaxation of some ministry and parastatals to some emirates out site Dutse, this writer analyze such to have been done because of the behaviors of the citizens vis-ŕ-vis the acceptability of the state capital. In as much as the policy is perceived to derailed by the people, what the writer want to accept is, it was done on good heart by the administration base on the advice of people craving for even development.
But the Dutse capital development Authority (DCDA) would have advised otherwise if not because of lack of proper conception. Infact, DCDA is manned by the indigenes of Dutse and would have helped improve its situations. You cannot imagine building a house in a city and be shuttling to another city on daily basis because of craving for greener urban posture. Infact the spending habit would always make one economically unstable if one indulges in shuttling up and down on daily basis.
Infact for public servants to always be hibernating in hotels in Kano during the weekends would always derail a good habit of initiating a good economic fortune of -Dutse with its own recreation centres.
This writer must confess the fact that all the public and civil servant partly reside in Kano and partly in Dutse with ninety (90) percent owning houses and business in Kano including self, but one would not be prevented from saying the fact that the situation is detrimental to the improvement of our own fortune. Infact it is of heavy cost burden to our self, family, children not to talk of the State in General.
It is when we decided to move down here, and then we are bound to improve our working conditions, prevent risk, of to and fro movement, improve the fortune and pride of our State Capital and improve the development of the State in General.
With few schools, - Dutse Capital School and some few other private schools, the government own schools would be improved if the public and civil servants are resident here. Infact G.S.M .service provisions, presence of newspapers, internet service providers, some restaurants and the improvement of roads, water and electricity now in Dutse is worth staying if people so desires.
SANI IBRAHIM TAURA YADI DUTSE JIGAWA STATE
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