It was erstwhile president of the United States of America, Barak Obama, who opined that “If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists – to protect them and to promote their common welfare – all else is lost”. The leadership style of Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, exemplifies the above statement since he assumed the reins of power in Kebbi state on May 29, 2023. Governor Idris has made his government about the welfare of the people. This, he has demonstrated via several people-centric initiatives that have received commendations from within and outside the state.
The governor’s welfare initiatives spread across several areas including food security, education, healthcare, better working conditions and allowances for workers, among several others. Although, the governor has been on this journey of welfarism since he took office, he has taken it a notch higher from the onset of this month of Ramadan with several programmes targeted at the indigent as well as workers; all in a bid to enable them fast through the holy month with dignity, while focusing on the goal of reaping the abundant rewards packed in Ramadan.
The first of the Ramadan welfare initiatives was the distribution of assorted grains to serve as Ramadan palliatives to the people. The governor declared that the gesture was in furtherance of the compassionate policy of his administration as a caring government. The statement by his spokesperson quoted the governor as saying the grains is “a public declaration of my commitment to help those in need and provide relief to those affected by the present socio-economic problems. It is a way of showing solidarity and support to the people and for them to have access to resources to survive; a symbolic gesture of communality and being each other’s brother’s keeper.” This is what leadership is all about.
Following hot on the heels of palliative distribution was the payment of leave grants to civil servants in both the services of the state and local governments. The leave grant, which amounts to 10% of the workers’ annual earnings, was a gesture aimed at financially empowering the workers with more income to help them observe the Ramadan fast with equanimity and financial cover. The governor extended this kind gesture to workers with the reduction in work hours. This was to reduce the physical strain that fasting in this dry season was sure to impose on workers. Accordingly, workers in the state’s employ will now work from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Monday to Thursday while work was to terminate at noon on Fridays throughout the duration of Ramadan.
Still on Ramadan, Governor Idris has opened at least three feeding centres where the less privileged or other people like travellers can break their Ramadan fasting in each of the 21 local government areas of the state, beginning from the first day of the Ramadan. This brings to 69, the total number of feeding centres to be opened across the state just to feed anyone who turns up in the location to break their fasting. This is a gesture that, although simple on the surface, is very integral to the survival of many who could have broken their fast with little or nothing to eat.
Still in the spirit of Ramadan, Governor Idris has approved and released funds for the complete renovation of the Abas Jega Jumaat Mosque at Rafin Atiku, Birnin Kebbi, including internal furnishing and installation of security lights. the Abas Jega Jumaat Mosque at Rafin Atiku is a societal staple that has shaped the faith of the people of the state for a very long time. The approval for renovation is therefore a recognition of the important role the mosque has played in the propagation of Islam and religious upbringing of children as well as the constant reminders through the usually no-hold-bars sermons to political leaders by imams of the mosque.
Governor Nasir’s leadership approach appears to have made him a model to other governors, especially in the North, many of whom are borrowing a leaf from him to rollout several welfare packages for the people this Ramadan. All over Arewa, Ramadan has created a new vogue of leadership that one can hope will transcend the holy month. The one thing that is certain, though, is that Governor Idris has shown that he didn’t kickstart his welfarist leadership all those months ago only to stop in Ramadan.
As, indeed, Governor Dr. Nasir Idris is already looking beyond providing palliatives, to preparing a platform for many to learn how to fend for themselves. The governor believes in the maxim that it is better to teach people how to fish than to always feed them fish and this is why he has concluded plans to construct nine skill acquisition centres across the state. Of the nine, four standard skills acquisition centres would be constructed across the four emirates of the state while the other five mini centres would be constructed at the zonal offices of the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development.
In the same vein, the governor has approved N967.6bn for payment of registration fees to 20,908 indigent students studying across 36 tertiary institutions in Nigeria. This is massive and can only come from a Governor Idris’ whose vision and mission of transforming higher education is not merely a paper entry. This is further evidence that the governor is determined to keep his pact with the youths by ensuring they an integral part of his leadership.
Governor Idris is changing the narrative in Kebbi state one impact at a time. His multi-pronged focus on several critical areas of governance is exemplary and the people of Kebbi are witnessing a leadership renaissance anchored on empathy, knowledge and responsible stewardship that could reverberate long into the future.
Mustapha writes from Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state
