In recent times, Zamfara, the northwestern state of Nigeria that produced the famous army General, Aliyu Gusau, among other bigwigs, is only associated with things that are unpalatable. A state, which, ordinarily, should be remembered for agriculture and rich mineral resources, became synonymous with such vices as banditry, kidnapping and insurgency owing to the mismanagement of security before now. In fact, anybody going to the state is seen as not only going to a dangerous terrain but also attempting to commit suicide.
It was with these in mind that I travelled to Zamfara State about three weeks ago on an official duty, an action which some of my friends saw as crazy, coming at this time. Indeed, I must admit that when the invitation to travel to Gusau came, the first reaction was to turn it down. However, the tonic of journalism, which is anchored on adventure, courage and desire to get the news first, got the better of me. I could not, therefore, help than to accept. Luckily, my wife was out of the country. It was possible, therefore, not to contend with any objection.
The invitation to Zamfara was to join a select group of senior media professionals for a media chat with the state governor, Dauda Lawal, his very first since assuming office two years ago. It was not the first time I went to the state. I had been there on two previous occasions in 2020. The first time to Zamfara was as scary then as it is today. We had secured a meeting appointment with the then governor, Bello Mattawalle in Gusau. The Editor, Daily Sun, Iheanacho Nwosu, and I took a flight from Lagos to Abuja, from where we travelled to Kaduna on the train. From Kaduna, we travelled in a taxi by road to Gusau and back the same means and route. I remember telling one of my bosses that the editor and I went to Zamfara, and he expressed shock. He had chuckled and said: “MD, even a man in search of a wife couldn’t have gone there.”
My second trip to Zamfara was most scary. I was in Abuja with my three editors – Iheanacho Nwosu (editor, Daily), Chidi Nnadi (then editor, Sunday) and Femi Babafemi (then Editor, Saturday) – when we received a confirmation of a meeting appointment we were pursuing with the then governor. We had to quickly arrange a flight to Sokoto, from where we travelled to Gusau, with the arrangement that the state government would make available security men to escort us from Sokoto to Gusau and back.
The next day, when we were billed to travel to Gusau, we waited for long for the security personnel arranged by the Zamfara State government to arrive. When it seemed that the security detachment was not going to come, we decided to set out on our own to Gusau. Our concern at that time was not the risk of travelling on the road alone. We were more concerned with the risk of spending the night in Gusau. The plan was, therefore, for us to get to Gusau on time, do our meeting and return to Sokoto the same day.
When we set out for Gusau from Sokoto, I discovered that my editors were ill at ease. However, as soldiers who would obey their commander, nobody raised an objection or openly expressed fears. However, I could sense the fear and the apprehension by their countenances. As we travelled, I made sure that we never discussed anything relating to security or insecurity. I raised discussions that would occupy our minds, as distraction from the fear of insecurity.
Confidence was restored in us when we got a call from the leader of the security detachment from Gusau that they were on their way to Sokoto to escort us. Since we were already on our way, we told them to continue coming and that we would meet on the way. Our vehicle and the security detachment met eventually mid-way in the journey and the security personnel turned to escort us to Gusau. The journey was without any incident and we arrived Gusau in good time.
Our expectation to meet with the then governor as soon as we arrived, do our business and set out to return to Sokoto could not materialize. We eventually met with the governor in the evening, at which time it was unthinkable to venture back to Sokoto. We had to spend the night in Gusau. I must say that throughout that night none of us slept or we slept with one of our eyes open. We were in mortal fear, knowing that we were actually staying overnight in a state that people saw as insecurity personified. It was like being in the lion’s den, all of a sudden.
In the morning, we left for Sokoto, escorted by the security detachment arranged by the state government. I could not forget what the then governor said to me after our departure and I communicated to thank him for receiving us. He replied my chat be saying: “Thank you for having the courage to come to Zamfara.”
That statement struck me. Thank you for having the courage to come? Yes, it can only take courage to travel to a place where people dread or try to avoid. It was the same courage that inspired me to travel to Zamfara this third time. Four of us – Dr. Reuben Abati, his wife; Jumoke, of TVC and I – had taken a flight from Lagos to Zaria en route Gusau. On arriving Zaria, the team from Abuja – Azu Isiekwene (Editor-in-Chief, Leadership), Ahmed Shekarau (Daily Trust MD) and Gbenga Areluba (Director of News, AIT) – which travelled by road, was already on ground.
Our journey from Zaria to Gusau, under security escort, was with great anxiety. There were two fears actually. First, the driver of the bus ferrying us was so confident of himself that he sustained a horrifying speed that left all of us on the edge. At one time, we thought the bus was going to have a head-on collision with an oncoming vehicle. Second, we were to pass through the dreaded Funtua and Tsafe axis, notorious for the operations of bandits.
Our relief came when we arrived Gusau, led by security detachment that was professional. The security personnel communicated via walkie-talkie with all the vehicles on the convoy, telling them what was ahead and when to slow down. This time in Gusau, I was not afraid of passing the night. I felt at home, seeing a calm city bubbling with life, with much improvement from what I saw the previous times.
Our journey back to our various destinations was also with so much fears. Having successfully conducted the media chat with the governor, we departed the next day. We were given the option of travelling to Sokoto by road and then take flights to Abuja and Lagos. When we calculated the time from Gusau to Sokoto, on one hand, and that from Gusau to Abuja, on another hand, we consulted and agreed that it was better for us to travel to Abuja by road instead of Sokoto. Under heavy security, we journeyed, passing through Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states to arrive Abuja. We returned in one piece, having seen and conquered as it were. It was a case of “see Zamfara and not die!”
I must say that the Zamfara I saw this last time was different from what it was about four years ago. Governor Dauda Lawal has been making strides in transforming the state since taking office on May 29, 2023. Despite inheriting a state with significant challenges like banditry, poverty and institutional decay, he has implemented several initiatives aimed at improving the lives of Zamfara residents.
Coming with a six-point Smarts Agenda, which focuses on security, agriculture, education, healthcare, economy, and empowerment, Governor Lawal came to office with the aim of changing the narratives. Gusau is wearing a new look, having its first traffic light, with roads being reconstructed. One of Governor Lawal’s signature projects is the Gusau International Airport, which is expected to be completed this year. With one of the longest runways in the country, the airport, when operational, is expected to boast the economy of the Zamfara, with the government laying emphasis on the exploitation of mineral resources and industrialisation.
Two years in office, Governor Lawal has won the hearts of Zamfara indigenes. The turn out of Zamfara residents, lining the streets, wherever Lawal appears is an indication of a leader truly loved and cherished by the people. The fact that he won the governorship election when the opposition and political conspiracy were strong shows that the people had confidence in him. Running on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at a time when all the political juggernauts in the state were in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lawal walked a tight rope. However, connecting with the people, with what he had done as a private citizen in the area of philanthropy, coupled with his personality as a retired banker who served without blemish, he ran a campaign which endeared him to the people. And he triumphed.
Young, suave and urbane, this budding governor is a shining example of a leader the people can trust. With a style that demystifies public office, he is a remarkable leader, who won election with the ordinary people as his political structure.
