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The Yarima of Bakura. Why all the noises??! By Abba Idris Adam
Many articles and write-ups are being issued almost on daily basis condemning, castigating and criticizing the intention of Yariman Bakura to blow his own trumpet, asserting that he did not leave any tangible legacy to qualify him embark on such a back-breaking race. However, these writers indicated that his political pervasiveness may get drown for his intention to put the cat among the pigeons. While others declared his eyes on presidency come 2007 as an achievable reality, following the critical evaluation of the out standing performance and leadership qualities he possessed. Clearly, in our current political dispensation where people toil for some peanuts amount of money to enable them feed their household. People need a visionary politician who see possibilities and inspire others with his vision. A leader who has the ability to articulate a compelling picture of a desirable future, and this picture motivates people to follow their lead. A visionary leader generates new ideas, approaches, and solutions. He is a risk taker who sees opportunity in every difficulty; he uses his enthusiasm and charisma to build confidence in people.
Most of the articles written on him have no an iota or glimmer of truth or reality in their contents. When they are scrutinized impartially you will get to the conclusion that most of them were/are meant to distort the purity of his clean image. To make this fact lucid, we need to know that Yarima’s ardent desire is to touch the lives of common people at the grassroots through his various community oriented projects. In fact, all those who interact with him know that he is not only a Nigerian, but some one who believes in corporate existence of Nigeria as a single and indivisible entity. He is scrupulous Nigerian who is fair to all irrespective of their ethnic, religious and tribal affiliation. Moreover, if you want to know the present of individual or group of individuals you need to go back to his/their past, because past is the best predictor of present.
Yarima began his career as early as 1983, when he joined The Sokoto State Ministry Of Finance And Development as Planning Officer II. This pioneering career assisted him to acquire basic skills of administration and gained experience needed to work with experienced bureaucrats. In 1988 he joined The National Directorate Of Employment. From 1990-1994 he worked at Foreign Operation Department Of The Central Bank Of Nigeria. Later he returned to Sokoto State in 1994 as Director Of Budget Ministry Of Finance. Consequently, after the creation of Zamfara state in 1996 he was appointed by the then military administrator as Director General Department of Land, Survey And Housing. It was in 1998 he resign his job as permanent secretary to participate in politics.
Following this further, his services to Sokoto and later Zamfara States had a positive impact on his relationship with his people as a result of spending his time, energy and wealth in their service. However, it is funny to hear his opponents saying he is not a good leader because he cannot satisfy everybody. Well, let’s dwell a little and see what a wise said when asked on a key to success “ I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to satisfy everybody ”. Ask any motivational guru and they will promptly tell you the bald facts of leadership. Leadership is not for wimps, it takes strength of character, diplomatic skills and a set of steadfast principles to amount to good leadership. A leader has got to be charismatic enough to infect his work force with the will and motivation to get the task done, and the primary key in achieving this revolves around the notion of vision.
The secret behind his achievements is setting directions, intellectual flexibility, broad scanning, political astuteness and driving for result. He listens to people’s complaints on daily basis; by listening you show the speakers that they have your attention. Good listeners give focused and undivided attention as they are interested in finding the best solution to their people. How wonderful it is when people believe in their leader! But it is even more wonderful when the leader believe in his people.
Coming back to his wonderful achievements, for those who refuse to understand simply because he jeopardized their chances in spreading vices in the state. People in Zamfara state bear witness that immediately he step in as a governor, he identified seven key sectors that are in dear need of his attention, namely:
1. Agriculture. 2. Education. 3. Rural Electrification. 4. Rural Road. 5. Health. 6. Water Supply. 7. Small and medium-scale Enterprises.
That is what is called ( ZASIDEP ) Zamfara State Integrated Development Programme, pumping billions of Naira annually for their smooth running. Another programme that made people from neighbouring states flew to Zamfara especially people with disabilities is ( ZAPA ) Zamfara State Poverty Alleviation programme, where motorcycles, pick-up vans, wheel barrows, grinding machines, cars and busses were distributed to people mostly with disabilities and destitute, and even get allowances for their up keeping.
Upon all these great jobs, yet some people prefer to ignore this undisputed reality and hold on to subterfuge plans made by some sycophantic politicians who, by one way or the other, involve themselves in politics to achieve their personal aggrandizement, people who take politics as a personal wealth-making endeavour, people who are corrupt, profoundly not competent except for nepotism. I am therefore, calling with clarion voice on innocent Nigerians who are likely to be used and dumped, to come back to their senses and not make a mistake of their life, which burden’s and consequences will be transferred to our entire posterity. As for those politicians I say to them please do not let the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice, and when you are mobilizing people to create chaos make sure yourself, sons and grandsons are included, so as to show that your movements are of the people, by the people and for the people. Harold Geneen was reported to have said “I don’t believe in ordering people to do things, you have to grab an oar and row with them” What a nice statement!
Yarima is a human being, and thus can make a mistake worthy of condemnation and castigation. But we don’t have to capitalize the mistakes, weaknesses and shortcomings of the people and forget their uprightness in their vision. Because leadership is not so much about techniques and methods as it is about opening of the heart. Leadership is about inspiration of oneself and others, human experiences not processes. Leadership is not a formula or programme, it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others, it is attitude not routine. It is what the leader struggles for, competes for, fights for and sacrifices for and under good leadership that success will be attained. And it is quite true that a leader who doesn’t feel the thrill of challenge is not a potential leader.
In addition to that, there are preponderance intellectuals out there who can move Nigeria to promise land, but their spirit had been dampened due to our recalcitrant behaviours. We fired them and sacked them because we differ in focus and determination. While common people who suffer the system shouting saying: It’s not the people you fire that make our life miserable, but it is the people you don’t.
In conclusion, it is not fair to narrow the power to a set of self serving capitalist politicians who have since discredit their career. We don’t need to muddy the water more than it is. The door should be opened to all, to display their vision and skills, so that people can distinguish between the skills of performance and the skills of leading the performance. People may be illiterates but certainly not ignorant, they know the person who has ability and that who has ability to discover the abilities of others.
Yariman Bakura is one of those embarking on a race to presidency come 2007, so let Nigerians decide who will be their guide to remove all the hurdles and obstacles on their way to bright future. So for those who don’t want the heat, we simply say to them: Get out of the kitchen.
ABBA IDRIS ADAM IIUM, MALAYSIA
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