It’s my pleasure and honour to write this letter to you. I write as a concerned Benue state indigene from Katsina-Ala local government area. Let me use this opportunity to formally congratulate you on your resounding victory at the polls in the just-concluded gubernatorial election. I wish you the best and success as you take up the responsibilities and challenges of your new office.
Undoubtedly, your intelligence, exposure, capacity, and authenticity commands huge admirers. Benue people love you squarely. You are our governor.
Sir, I must confess that we are in unusual and disturbing times. We still believe that we will experience good leadership under your watch hence you understands power.
In the past, the attitudes of most of the political leaders in Benue state had promoted majority of Benue citizens to define power as the capacity to do evil, tell lies, engage in pursuit of corrupt enrichment, and enjoy on behalf of the people. A lot had happened.
Benue became Somalia – a land of anarchy and warlords. “Agberos were used to perpetuate evil. Insecurity had occupied a front seat in the state as if there was no government. Insecurity was tackled with written and spoken statements for many years. Teachers were not paid so that our younger one’s won’t have access to formal education, so that we won’t have a future.
The government looked the other way when pensioners were not paid. They lamented hardship and cried. The pensioners were reminded that the responsibility of the government is not payment of salaries, pension, or gratuity only, as though other gigantic projects were executed by the government.
Workers in the state had looked back at the days of military dictatorship with nostalgia.
The youth were dreaming of good careers and good jobs that would take care of their homes and good cars. They dreamed of good sleep in the arms of their beautiful and handsome spouses. Their dreams never came true. Sustainable development was put on pause. Our political lions allowed goats to eat palm fronds on our heads. They allowed cockroaches to grow teeth. Sustained bad happened, and little good was on the horizon. Benue people switched off expectations.
Today, you are our governor. We believe in you. We have successfully switched on expectations. We believe that old things have passed away. We believe that with you, we will know peace and development by the grace of God.
Your Excellency sir, the insecurity situation in our state is still high majorly from Sankera, Kwande, and Guma local government areas. Economic activities are deserted, communities are deserted. Life is cheap. We are not at war. However, our people are living in the IDP camps. Too bad!.
Young people are marginalised politically. They are facing numerous challenges. However, they are not fully given the opportunity to occupy leadership positions. They are always seen by the older politicians as stupid goats that are attempting to bark and bite whenever they seek political leadership. They are not heard hence they are not given the opportunity to speak directly with the government.
The rural dwellers are living because they are alive. They are denied the basic amenities. Our local governments doesn’t have the capacity to take care of them.
The unemployment rate is very high. The few Job opportunities are for children of the rich and the political class. The educated youths in the state are either unemployed or under employed. Vocational and technical education is not fully embraced. Payment of workers is always a challenge to our government.
I hereby, humbly propose the following to you sir.
1 You should strengthen the security architecture of our dear state. Our state security challenges must be isolated from political partisanship or sentiments. All sets of people in the state must be carried along if there must be peace and development.
2 Your government should bridge the representation gap between youth and the older politicians. Benue State is for all of us. It’s inhuman to deny youth leadership.
3 The autonomy of local governments must be observed by your government if we must successfully attain greatness as a people. The rural dwellers are very important. The government exists because of the people.
- Your government should encourage entrepreneurship programs from secondary to tertiary institutions. Youth will be job creators rather than job seekers.
5 prioritise infrastructure development.
6 payment of workers’ salaries must be considered a top priority.
May God who is capable of doing everything assist you to lead us well.
Comrade Abume Nice,
Abuja
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