By:
Muwaffiq Fa’izu Saleh
Since the demise of Sen. Ali Wakili (may the Almighty grant him Jannah), many of us picked interest in who will succeed him, probably due to the admiration for the unique style of how he carried out the affairs of his constituency, from the floor of the Senate ( as the then Chairman Senate Committee on Poverty Alleviation and member of various committees) to the numerous constituency and developmental projects to his constituents. There came his replacement in person of Sen. Lawal Yahaya Gumau a.k.a ‘Maliya’.
Many progressives doubted the ability and capability of Sen. Maliya to just sustain the level of performance but not even surpass his predecessor. Therefore all eyes were on him whether he will deliver or not. Lo and behold, came a silent acheiver in him.
I said silent acheiver because of how it is being said. But the achievements of Senator Gumau are too enormous to be silent, for they are everywhere to be seen. From reviving of long-dreaded/abandoned boreholes to renovations/rehabilitations and/or constructions/reconstructions of classrooms and provision of basic reading and writing materials for primary and secondary schools cutting all across his constituency, down to provision and distribution of hospital consumables, beds, ambulances for the health sector of his constituents.
Dividend of Democracy they say is a benefitial results of superficial investments made by the people to bring about a government to power. In Sen. Maliya we have seen quite a lot of them going directly to his people. They can only just be highlighted in various empowerments programs he brought to his constituents. From distribution of sewing machines, motorcycles, grinding machines, car washing machines, utility and SUVs for his political associates to various gifts in cash and in kind.
The importance of these laudable gestures cannot be overemphasised in our today’s society. As I heard him in one or two speeches where he made some promises, most or all that he focuses on are all about projects and developments that will touch the lives of the people directly and he made it clear that it always touches his heart to see people suffering. He seldom talk, but he is a man that works the talk.
Moreso, you probably have heard once or twice or even many times, either a close associate of yours or even your family member either got an award of Scholarship or an employment opportunity from Sen. Maliya. I may not work with figures about these gestures but some never come to limelight until one circumstance or the other let you to them, and I believe some may never do. I can tell you that of all the qualities of the Distinguished Senator, this particular one is the most fascinating to many of us.
Religious institutions are not left out in the pools of the Senator’s good deeds as he extends his hands to them. If you did not hear about him renovating and/or building this and that mosque, you must definitely have heard about giving out one Imam/Sheikh/religious figure a big and luxurious car(s) or bus(es) for smooth religious activities.
For the past couple of months, I cannot remember a week that passed by without seeing or hearing about the Distinguished Senator fulfilling one promise or the other, and building on so many good works that he never even promised. It has now reached the extent that Gumau has a new slogan of “Maliya Mai Sati-sati”. Even few days ago he made some of these stunts that became the talk of the town in a State that whose government gives out ‘Akuya’ as empowerment.
Bauchi may be a state which circumstances brought the PDP to govern, but with the likes of Senator Lawal Yahaya Gumau and quite others in the APC making huge positive impacts on their people, the PDP is already a standing-dead party only waiting to be buried come 2023.
Muwaffiq Fa’izu Saleh
muwaffiq005@gmail.com
31st January, 2022.
