Letter to Buhari, Lawandi and Muda Lawan

I read a newspaper report on Monday that the federal government has approved the establishment of six colleges of education in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Interestingly, the one for the Northeast has been granted to Bauchi state. That’s a wonderful news but the agitation will not be over if necessary regards is not given to the area of the state which has all that it takes to house the institution and has no similar establishment in it.
First, Bauchi state has several federal and state tertiary institutions which are situated in various parts of the state. Starting from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) which has its main and first campus situated in Bauchi Local Government in Bauchi South Senatorial District (BS) and its permanent site currently situated in Ganjuwa Local Government of Bauchi Central Senatorial District (BC). Another institution is College of Education Azare which is situated in Azare in Bauchi North Senatorial District (BN). The Main Campus of Bauchi State University is situated in Itas-Gadau Local Government in BN which is a stone throw from Azare in BN. Misau Local Government of BC sites the state’s school for legal studies and is in addition housing the faculty of law of the Bauchi State University. I won’t forget the fact that the Bauchi State School of Nursing and Midwifery is in Ningi Local Government in BC. Recently, the Nigerian Airforce University has been established in Tafawa Balewa Local Government of BS. Thanks to CAS Siddique and Yakubu Dogara, if I may guess! Yesterday, a friend of mine was telling me about  a graduation he attended in the training School of DSS in Bauchi Local Government of BS. Lest I forget, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital is also situated in Bauchi, hence, Bauchi LG has taken that one joined!
Now, here is a trumpet which has been under-blown:


Toro Local Government has been acclaimed to be one of the largest local government in Nigeria in terms of Landmass with arable land for crops and pastoral farmings and a huge human population of about half a Million as at 2006 census.
It is a very peaceful local government that has never in recent history recorded any civil unrest despite having a very mixed society with people of different tribes and faith. Toro has Hausa, Fulani, Ribina, Jarawa, Kanuri and other tribes of Nigeria who have been living in peace and harmony for decades if not centuries.
May I also add at this juncture that Toro has some of the most talented Bauchians who have served Nigeria in various capacities in all sectors of the Nigerian economy and is now one of the local governments with Bauchians who are determined to study despite all callenges and neglect.


Toro shares bother with Jos in the North central, Kaduna around Saminaka axis and by little stretch, with Kano, around Doguwa Local Government which makes it readily accessible to Nigerians of other geopolitical zones. It’s the main gateway to the Northeast of the country which has not a single federal government institution, whether educational or otherwise, beyond one or two police stations despite its huge landmass and population.
Politically, Toro has been a local government with the highest votes for APC and Buhari in all the elections of 2015 and 2019. In fact, Toro has been faithful to Buhari since 2003 with our sweat if not blood. Politics is about give and take; A rob my back and I rob yours! Dear President Buhari, one good turn deserves another sir. Hence, not siting the said FCOE in Toro will be a great injustice and a no good way of paying our people Sir.
It pains me whenever I visit home and see my intelligent secondary school classmates admiring me and regretting the fact that their parents couldn’t afford to send them to institutions far away from the local government because they help their parents with farming which is the main business of our people. It will be a great loss if the federal government neglects our farming population at this time when the country is yearning for food sufficiency.
In summary, Toro is peaceful and hospitable for every Nigerian to live and study; Toro has landmass; Toro has people who are zealous to be educated and to equally support educational pursuit; and Toro is a loyal voter of President Buhari.
I have seen an old invitation letter to attend the public hearing for the consideration of a Bill for an Act to establish the “Federal College of Education Dass, 2018”. I just made mentioned of Air force University in Tafawa Balewa and the many institutions in Bauchi local government above, which are both a stone throw from Dass Local Government! May God have mercy on late Senator Ali Wakili, but why on earth should there be such concentration in one place? Or is Toro which has a close proximity with many regions of Nigeria not a better place than Dass with all due respect to Dass people? I forgot to mention that the National Open University is in Tafawa Balewa LG of BS in addition.


Fortunately, the Senator representing Bauchi South is Senator Lawal Yahaya Gumau, a Toro Local Government son; and we are also represented by young Honourable, Umar Muda Lawan in the House of Representatives. I therefore wish to call on both of you sirs, to please ensure that the establishment of the new FCOE is done in nowhere in Bauchi state, but Toro Local Government!
I chose to call distinguished with “Lawandi”, a name he’s locally called, to reiterate this as a home calling and a cry from a brother speaking the mind of our people. I tried to remind Hon. the legacies left by his father which has brought him a lot of goodwill by addressing him directly with “Muda Lawal”.
However, regardless of the title I chose, this is a clarion call to all sons and daughters of Toro LG far and near; and all people of goodwill in the National Assembly and Presidency to come to our aid. It’s a serious struggle, a do or live affair; and borrowing the words of His former Excellency, it’s a “paigt to pinish!”.

Hussaini, a legal practitioner based in Abuja, writes via [email protected]om

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