The talk of a political star and a new development agent to some seems only to spill out a leaking chalice of dreamers or is but an intoxicant used by cynical political operators and opportunists to delude the public. The talk of a personality in lenitive of political praise singing is always a topic that some authors are careful about because skepticism abounds nowadays, the only strong beliefs is to disbelieve.
Today in Kogi state there is the dearth of political elite and professionals who seek to improve the state. But there is light at the end of the tunnel because presently in Kogi a new type of politician has arrived and this professional banker turned politician has arrived with a difference. He is Alhaji Zekeri Alfa, commissioner for finance in the Capt Idris Wada administration. Zekeri has demonstrated the capacity to put the people’s interest above personal gain through his benevolence by his transparent and accountable stewardship when he was commissioner. He was taught early enough by his father that the only thing not to do is to look out for oneself. If thy neighbor stumbles, reach down to pick him up and take those things that he dropped while falling. Self profit should not be a commandment is one of the basic lessons he learnt from his parents that has guided him through life.
While some of our elite believe things heard in mosques and churches should be left there and not pursued in the course of everyday life, Zekeri believes the opposite. He believes that the very dynamics of the current societal or individual developmental goals should not be to separate people from one another. He believes rather in aggravandising rather that aggravating the people for development. Such mean isolation was never part of him and he did not allow it creep into his personality. He believes in this part of newness. The world has entered a new period where progressive, human reforms are not fashionable. We are told by these same debilitating elite to be practical, to accept things the way they are. There is no struggle over competing ideals. we are told the current political economy is immutable. The only thing that matters is to master its dynamics to succeed or sink. To attempt to change things is as futile as trying to change the sky and clouds. To Zekeri Alfa this is a blatant lie. To him change is possible and change we must. He believes there is no such thing as having no personal ideology. He believes every personality is bound by one value, thought system or another. He believes to accept the false premise that there is no alternative to how things are is to acquiesce in the unfair ideology that has brought our state, society and people to our current predicament. Zekeri rather has chosen to help galvanize his professional and political experience to develop the society. This is the difference.
As a banker, the former commissioner has dedicated his life to the dream of making institutions strong in the state. A strict disciplinarian and philanthropist, Zekeri has touched the lives of his ordinary folks in his native Kogi state and Nigeria in general.
In the hard sciences such as physics, chemistry and mathematics one can speak of immutable principles and objective formulas. In the affairs of man, most things are subjective, virtues and vices, good and bad, what is optimal and what is not have fixed meanings. Definitions change with this ideological and moral perspective of each group. But Zekeri believes in his principles and goals and this goal is the emancipation of his people. He is a principled politician that is pained by the present state of things in Kogi state. It is worrisome that Kogi state isn’t fulfilling the aspirations of its founding fathers. It is very disheartening too to see that Kogi state currently is bedeviled by a myriad of problems that suggests a state on the brink. Yes, there is insecurity, economic woes, political instability, youth restiveness and many others bedeviling this once prosperous state. Zekeri believes our beloved Kogi has seen turbulent times that leave you wondering how we got into this quagmire. As a professional banker who believes in his ability to right the wrong and put the state on the road of development if given the chance to govern the state.
It will definitely not be out of place to opine that the state of giddiness being experienced now in spite of all the lamentations about our situation is brought about by the levity with which successive regimes and government has tackled are still tackling corruption. Zekeri believes that corruption is the bane of the state and as a professional he will encourage local businesses that will develop potentially viable areas such as ICT, sports, arts, tourism, etc. He thinks in these areas lots of opportunities abound, especially for the youths; in these core areas they represent new globally recognized money spinning ventures. He urges all tiers of government and other stakeholders to have a rethink and make efforts at developing these promising areas if only for their job creation potentials and capabilities. He believes in as much as the state has myriad of problems to be solved there is nothing about these problems or our current situation that is insurmountable. Several states had similar experiences. The only difference is that while others identify their challenges and frontally work on them, we tend to cover our own and keep on living with the pretext that they never exist. The former commissioner always owns up as this is a prerequisite to solving problems for development. He believes that states that attain valid development are those that demonstrate sufficient resolve to solve their problems.
Musawa writes from Abuja
