A New Breed Of Governors & The Lost Power Of Advocacy

On Monday, December 8th, 2020, Executive Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, made the headlines across various media in the country, and for all the wrong reasons. The governor had come into series of vituperations from Nigerians who berated him for making what was considered as an unnecessary and implausible comment.

As observed by Eko Hot Blog, traditional and social media spaces erupted in the wake of the governor’s comment about the President’s efforts at security, in spite of recent tragedies which would suggest the exact opposite; of course, it did not also help that the governor, like most partisans, decided to play the comparison card.

It is no longer news that less than a fortnight ago operatives of the insurgent group, Boko Haram, raided Zabarmari, a community in Borno state, slaughtering rice farmers numbering within the neighbourhood of 43 even though the terrorists’ record of how many farmers were slain differs from this.

As constitutionally provided for, the President and the Governor represent Chief Security Officers in their own rights, which makes them culpable for any gaps in that regard. Suffice it to say it was a very ill-timed for the governor to shower unctuous praises on his principal when the corpses of productive members of society wantonly slaughtered still lay cold.

Of course, it didn’t exactly take a genius to figure out the governor’s motivations for doing so. As aptly captured by former Kaduna state lawmaker, Shehu Sani, the governor finds himself in an inconveniently difficult position of having to balance between telling the bitter truth about his people and avoiding the bitterness of the powers over his crown.

This disposition, however, clashes tragically at variance with that expected of a duly elected governor, which for us as Nigerians, triggers memories of when an old breed of governors could muster the gall to challenge the powers that be in the interest of the people.

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In the early 2000s, during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, former Governors, Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom), James Ibori (Dellta), Depriye Alamiesiyah (Bayelsa), Donald Duke (Cross River) and Peter Odili (Rivers), had taken enough lopsidedness in revenue allocation and resource control in their stride, and moved to challenge the Olusegun Obasanjo administration for the long agitated 13% onshore/offshore derivation fund.

The governors were arguing the huge injustice done to the region with regard to revenue allocation despite serving as the nation’s wealth basin. It was a legitimate cause.

Obasanjo’s government, however, would not give in without a fight, and the case was argued all the way to the Supreme Court, who would rule in favour of the region. This marked the beginning of ‘a slice of justice’ which has greatly benefited a region which has suffered greatly as a result of oil exploration within its shores.

While the likes of Victor Attah and Peter Odili may not go down in history as the greatest governors off all time. History will always remember these heroes who dared to say ‘boo to a goose’. They had provided just the right kind of advocacy needed to occasion real change.

Today, there appears to be a new breed of governors who have tragically lost tune with the fundamental elements of governance. A new breed of governors who have enthroned partisan politics ahead of the greater good. It may be relevant to add at this point that Obasanjo and all the South South governors who challenged him belonged to the same political party, but were still able to slug out political differences on the high plane of decency and respect.

As the stark reality of insecurity continues to enmesh the Nigerian people, closing in for the kill, it would very much inspire confidence in the process of governance for polar figures like Governor Zulum to face the gruff reality squarely and devise means to tackle it; in lieu of throwing hugs and kisses to his principal whose role in Nigeria’s insecurity challenges leaves more questions than answers at this time.