By Usman Abdullahi Koli
Local governments in democratic settings are universally known as the tier closer to the people especially at the grassroot levels. For candidates contesting various positions ranging from councillorship, chairmanship, state and national assembly representatives, governorship as well as president to win elections, they must secure highest votes from local governments. After the creation of Bauchi State in 1976, Ningi was amongst the ‘A’ listed local governments because it had leaders that cared for the welfarism of the people not themselves. In a democracy, passive leaders are easily forgotten but those that carried-out life-touching projects are like writings on stones that never vanishe. Honorable Mahmuda Hassan Tabla is the current Chairman of Ningi local government who deserved national awards because of his philanthropic activities, selfless attribute, impactful works but low publicity made many not aware of them.
Growing up amidst inescapable challenges are what inspire those that found themselves on mantles of leadership to reverse and do everything in their powers to change the narrative by benefiting all and sundary. Honorable Mahmuda believed that the rich and the poor are the same that is why there is no variation in most of his projects. From the time he assumed office in this year, through his skill acquisition programmes thousands of people have broken the shackles of vicious circle of poverty into daily income earners. If other local government Chairmen could imbibe Mahmuda’s style of leadership, rate of criminal activities would reduce, youths would have something relevant doing, both married and single women would no longer be idle at homes and level of meandering in offices seeking for helps would be mitigated.
Early this year, when rumors circulated about kidnappers and criminals trooping to Bauchi from where they were been chased, Honorable Tabla in conjunction with police and local securities swung in to action by beefing check-points, encouraging people to secretly report unwholesome activities or persons in their domains and use community radio in re-orienting them on dangers of harboring criminals, etc. Also, Honorable Mahmuda Tabla intervened and put a stop to flinching deforestation in surrounding forests and those caught were legally punished. Individual and groups of people use their monies by travelling down to Bauchi city, pay for the airtime just to appreciate Tabla and inform the general public in radio on his record-breaking laudable achievements.
People in local areas are majorly known for rearing domestic animals and cultivating crops, Honorable Mahmuda without waiting for grants from State government on several times uses his own money to purchase fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides and sold them out to farmers at subsidize and affordable prices. Uncountable numbers of graduated students that are yet to be employed have ventured into agriculture because of the efforts made by amiable Mahmuda, he made it attractive by giving them land, seeds and other items necessary for farming free of charge. This years’ raining season came with unexpected damages, Tabla’s rigorous efforts led to the renovation of drainages, built new bridges, also he informed the Governor on the collapsed of a bridge that link Bauchi to Kano State and it yielded positive results as commuters are now passingby easily.
Water as wise men say is life, without which nothing could survive, in view of that Honorable Mahmuda has installed boreholes and digged numerous wells in communities that have been suffering from water shortages. He built ponds for headers’ animals to be drinking clean water without intruding into streams and rivers where people fetch for domestic use. For the enduring peace to reign, Tabla has cordial relationship with community and religious leaders, he often seek for their advises and consent before making any decision. In the area of empowerment, recently he distributed items worth more than 6 million naira, ha gave out capital to prospective and well-deserving people to boost their businesses, paid educational scholarships aimed at sponsoring students from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and he dashed out sawing machines along with local spaghetti making device to less privileged women.
Factually, many could attest that getting a true leader at local government level who is doing similar works like those of Honorable Muhmuda Hassan Tabla is like looking for a needle in a darkest room, he superseded his contemporaries in almost all areas. The secret behind his successes are the caliber of people he has, as one Hausa proverb says ‘Ba a mugun Sarki sai mugun bafade’, therefore it is pertinent upon him to continue maintaining such personalities because they are after the developments of Ningi and its good people not interest of their pockets. Despite the fact that what local governments are getting from State governments has reduced, the Ningi council Chairman has came up with other means of generating income which are assisting him to carry out lots of projects and other Chairmen should follow suit. Lastly, Honorable Mahmud Tabla is joyfully married and endowed with blessful children.
Usman Abdullahi Koli,
mernoukoli@gmail.com
