Please! Mai-Mala Buni, leave that Abuja

Sir: I would like to draw the attention of Governor of Yobe State, Mai-Mala Buni, to the recent sad development that occurred at Gashua Central Cemetery in Bade Local Council of Yobe State. The incident happened on Sunday, May 10, 2021 following an upsurge of uncontrollable flooding that submerged Gashua cemetery after the heavy downpour in the town.

Sadly enough, no fewer than 650 graves have collapsed while buried corpses have been exposed as well. The flood also washed away peoples’ buildings leaving them stranded and homeless, with no food to eat as the flood had washed everything away.

This experience has been our lot in the area during the rainy season. We are experiencing a devastating flooding menace that needs state and federal governments’ intervention as well as input from the private sector or non-governmental organisation, because it is a capital-intensive project.

However, many preventive measures were provided by some developed countries that have experienced flooding negative impact. But they ensured the measures for averting its future effects and have overcome which even if the season clock, they would not witness so much of its hostile problem.

As such, the governor has to join hands with the senator representing Yobe North and seek Federal Government intervention to avoid further occurrences. As said earlier, the project is a capital intensive one. Islamically, exposed graves are causing a shortage of rainfall. For this, the dwellers of that community can also contribute by visiting the cemetery twice per week to examine the proper condition of the graves.

The governor has boasted often that whether he is in Abuja or somewhere else, he is on top of happenings in the state, or that he will manage things properly. This is a wrong notion and ill-advised. It is high time he looks above his shoulders in discharging his primary responsibilities.

Being the governor of a state is a herculean, well-recognised task in democracy. As leader, he has to observe, restructure and look after the welfare of the people in efforts to maintain a linear movement of the state. The governor and his cabinet must work tirelessly to deliver the needful to be free from critics and disown public tension. But here in Yobe State, the story is completely different.

It is a shame that people address the governor as ‘‘Abuja Governor,’’ and perhaps not for mocking or smearing of a political career but to draw attention over the needs of his people and the pending works that requires the governor’s attention. People who have direct bearing with the governor’s office have a different view about the recent roads and motor parks project launched in some parts of the state, hence their comments are not really complimentary. The infrastructure level is not enough for the entire state. People need the governor’s presence in the state as its number one citizen.
Mallam Musbahu Magayaki wrote from Sabon Fegi, Azare, Bauchi State.