By Folarin Chukwuma Abu
Letter to my Governor
By Folarin Samson
Sir, I write as a Nigerian citizen living in your state. I had to communicate with you this way to beat the sickening protocol that may not allow me to personally deliver the letter to you. The deluge of visitors on courtesy visits, congratulatory calls, and other perfunctory visits may also tax my patience. It is understandable everyone wants to be in your good book or at least register their names with you for future favour.
As you mark your first month in office, I wish to whisper some important thoughts into your ears. They probably will reflect the thinking of electorates like me who defied the heat of the scorching sun to vote for you. I know you can be pretty busy. But I shall be grateful if you could read through my little letter, it’s my small contribution to the success of your administration.
Sir, I need not remind you that this is a momentous epoch for you in history. After four years, biographers and historians will gather to comb the archive and search through the dog-eared pages of newspapers for your contribution to the society. Some of them will write with utmost objectivity while few others will write with prejudicial minds. But one thing will stand out in their documentations- what you were noted for! You can take a brief pause to ruminate over what your predecessors are noted for. Here is your chance- what legacy will you be foot-printing on the sand of time? You are already making statements with your actions, inactions and reactions. The months ahead will demystify you more and your competence for the office will be measured.
I believe by now you’ll have come to grips with the burden and challenges of office. I guess it may not be as easy as you thought during the electioneering period when you had to slug it out with your rivals at the campaigns and rallies. You understandably deployed hyperbole and euphemisms to tell us you hold the ace. Many of us were enraptured in your eloquence and captivated by your masterly and grammatical diagnosis of our state crisis. We knew you would deliver to our doors the dividends of democracy. That was why we voted you into office. And we still believe in you.
Hope you have not forgotten the promises you made to us? I understand there would be clash of interests-the people’s interest and the godfathers or sorry, mentor’s interest. I want you to remember that we the people constitute the ultimate power and our interest must come first. I will be dumbly idealistic to say you should rubbish those who contributed monetarily, spiritually, morally to your success at the polls. They deserve some respect; it is the reality of the Nigerian society where an unknown and unpopular but competent candidate can only have a chance when he treads on the coat tail of well established juggernauts. However, I want to strongly aver that the people must be supreme in your agenda. Remember you derive your legitimacy to rule from us. And that’s why I will implore you to listen to the people. Explore all the available media of measuring public opinion. Don’t be too busy not to have time to read newspapers, watch TV and listen to radio programmes. Don’t fall to the lull of cable TV. Use local media to feel the pulse of the common people and prepare pertinent policies not estranged from the realities of the society.
I want to say something about those you beat at the polls, I mean the opposition. You will recall that during the campaign you had some verbal exchange and arguments on the state of the people. You disagreed on a number of issues and gave divergent approaches to revolutionizing our economy. I was awestruck at the way you marshaled your argument at those gubernatorial debates. Your opponents also spoke well. There were certain valid points in some of the issues they raised though couched with the meanest of intentions. However Sir, I want to appeal to you not to dispose the baby with the dirty birth water. Borrow from the substance of their ideologies and dispose the chaff in the waste bin of dead ideas.
However, your first major step is the appointment of those to work with you. Your team members determine largely the extent you will go. If you gather mediocre and party members in your cabinet, then you’re doomed from the start. You need to be very discreet in your choice so you don’t bring liabilities into your government. Periodically review their performance and relieve those who are incompetent misfits.
A note of warning sir: beware of adulation. It is at this time some folks will come claiming spurious paternal and maternal genealogical connections. ‘I am the brother of the father of your mother’s sister’ Even the Englishman has got no appellation for such head-splitting correlation. They will join another band called the lackeys and sycophants. They will sing your praise and rub your ego. My advice? Avoid them like plague before they destroy you. Please give them jobs if there are any or they could constitute a nuisance to you. They are only fascinated by the allure of the office; you don’t worth anything to them. See what happens when you leave the glass house.
And please remember us the youth. We have got energy and zeal. Fix us up where we can profitably engage our exuberant propensities to the progress of our state. Instead of watching us become social dregs thereby creating more heartaches for your administration, empower us for entrepreneurship exploits.
Sir, I need not tell you that Mr. President is too far for us to identify with. You are the closest to us. The Chairmen and councilors are most times invisible personalities whom we don’t even get to see until when it’s election time. I want to suggest you study Part two of Chapter Six of the 1999 constitution so you can know your bounds within our legal framework. Study it like a school boy preparing for an exam and align our pressing needs to it. We are not impressed by grammar or swagger after election. We need action. We want enough food. We need facilitated transportation. We need good shelter and affordable housing programme. Mr. Governor, if you could discharge your duties well posterity will not forget you. If otherwise, we’ll not forgive you.
And stay away from controversies. I have discovered that many governors who left the state house in shame did so because of the issues they got caught up in which took the wind out of their sail. They could not concentrate on state matters any longer as they had to reply to every abuse and allegation. They lost touch with the people in the process and became unpopular and unfit for future leadership. It will be sad if you allowed the detractors who simply want to gain cheap popularity and recognition from having their chance. Don’t tilt at windmills, focus on the job we have given you and execute it with assiduity and rapidity.
I understand that there are many intricacies and hush-hush power plays that are shielded from the uninitiated people like me. Secret intra-party arrangement and top-secret deals that have resulted in depressing moments for you when you ponder on their high costs. Despite your gleaming facade, deep down you groan. In such moments when you wished you never undertook this onerous journey because of its heavy demands on your conscience and character, think about God who brought you into the office and act with conscience and character. Remember that a good name is rather to be chosen than great wealth.
Sir, I have a very important advice to add- be discreet in your relationship with the press. They can be a veritable tool for development as the fourth estate of the realm and they can be devastating as the fourth estate of the wreck.
As I close, I want to say you put a stop to the reveling and fulsome courtesy visits. Time is of the essence. After four years minus a month, if you have not changed the status of this state, we will not be laughing. We the people are waiting; we are watching. This is your time to make impact in the history of this state. Conduct your affairs with utmost sincerity and loyalty to the course of the people who trusted you to the point of entrusting their destiny into your care. Even if they forgive you for blowing off your chances, they won’t forget easily. Remember in every decision you make that the position does not last forever. You will soon be out to be on same level with us again. I hope I will be able to greet you… hold you…..hug you….
Folarin just graduated from Mass Communication Dept, University of Lagos
He is an awaiting corps member.
childofdkingdom@yahoo.com
08030572852, 08082679821
