Gombe state leadership needs a thunderous applause and to be praised considering how it works effectively to see the betterment of the state despite the troublesome social evils and the threatening economic stability of the country in the past and now.
Leadership under these selfless leaders whose leadership can be hardly compared with other Northeastern governors despite their different political parties is what can be interpreted as leadership that is devoid of any hindrance of challenges and one amongst the means for pursuing the dream for a better Nigeria.
As a vagabond who visits some parts of the geopolitical zone, Northeast, I have discovered a lot and cognised very distant miles of progress and development that Gombe state has gone within the few years of her existence. And it can be said the exigency of this whirlwind attainment of progress and development is being produced by the effective and selfless leadership of her governors considering how every single one of them contributed in strengthening the state in one way or the other.
The first governor of the state was Alhaji Abubakar Habu Hashidu (may his soul rest in perfect peace), who governed the state through the All People’s Party (APP) from 1999 – 2003. His leadership is commendable. Despite his four-year tenure, he worked positively in promotion of peace and harmony in the state.
Alh. Muhammad Danjuma Goje, a fatherly figure, who took the lead from 2003-2011 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before he decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC), brought a notable development to the state. Under his leadership, he built the prestigious Gombe State University (GSU), Gombe International Hotel, brought electricity, and also brought a federal university in the state, the Federal University of Kashere, along with Gombe State Stadium, Specialist Hospital, and Federal Medical Center in the state.
Dr Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo is the architect of modern Gombe state. There’s a lot of lessons to learn from him as a promising governor of Gombe state on the platform of the PDP from 2011 to 2019. Dankwambo, who believes in education as a tool for building a nation, built numerous schools both in the rural areas and in the cities. He built the Federal College of Education in Billiri, State Polytechnic in Bajoga, State University of Technology Kumo, Medical College of Gombe State University, School of Nursing and Midwifery Dukku, Central Primary Schools in all the 11 local government areas, and numerous secondary schools. In his eighth-year tenure, he procured numerous units of tractors to enhance agriculture development in the state, followed by training of poultry farmers and recruitment of Gombe state marshalls.
The current ingenious Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, has made giant strides in developing the state just two years in office. There’s a prospect for a greater future of Gombe state considering how he pays radical attention in areas of education, water provision, job creation, insecurity and agriculture in the state.
May the other leaders from Northeastern states and beyond take lessons from these notable, commendable and promising governors of Gombe state in working hard towards developing their states in different sectors.
Salim Yakubu Akko,
Gombe, Gombe state
