The twin Nigerian artists, P-Square in a paired lyric with Bracket entitled ‘wetin dey make me kolo’ re-echoed the age-long frustration of human goodness when they sang that ‘for this world, the good dey die; and for the bad, na dem dey survive. Me I don try may I ask God why but I come bi like say I dey waste my time’. This irony is genuine. For John Stuart Mill, ‘the dictum that truth always triumphs over persecution is one of the pleasant falsehoods which men repeat after one another till they pass into commonplace, but which experience refutes. History teems with instances of truth and goodness put down by persecution.’ How many times have you heard people say that what goes around comes around? How many times have we seen nemesis catch up with those who constitute themselves clogs in the wheel of our unity? We know that many of our Boko Haram sponsors have crossed the biblical age of three scores and half but our symbols of unity greeted by untimely deaths.
When news broke out on late Saturday, December 15, 2012, that Nigerian Navy Augusta Helo 07 helicopter had crashed and exploded on the swampy Okoroba in Ogbia L. G. A of Bayelsa killing six people on Board among whom was a clean politician, Gov Patrick Yakowa, many Nigerians went blue. On the military casualty list were finest officers, competent and professional in the force- the pilot, Commander Murtala Mohammed Daba from Kano; Lt. Adeyemi Sowole from Ogun State, attached to the Flying unit of the Navy, Warri; and Warrant Officer Kamal. Others were Gen Andrew Azazi, former National Security Adviser and Dauda Tsoho, Gov. Yakowa’s friend.
Mourning a serving governor in current Nigeria political dispensation is a rare emotion. Save for those who have access to the benefits of his office, a governor’s death would ordinarily call for jubilation in a country where average citizen sees a politician as an enemy who has appropriated public property to himself and cronies. But Gov Yakowa’s death proved otherwise because he represented a symbol of political virtues very dear to many.
Save for Muslims who would not accept to be under the leadership of an infidel, Late Gov. Patrick Yakowa was a fine politician to the core whose rise to the giddiest throne in Kaduna had been described as a hand of God not in Diego Maradona’s sense. In a political twist occasioned by the death of former president Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan on May 20, 2010 nominated Kaduna Namadi Sambo as his vice president paving way for Yakowa to become the first person from Southern Kaduna and first Christian to govern Kaduna State, a development which did not go down well with some Northern leaders. He was sworn in as governor a day after Sambo become vice-president. And in the April 2011 general elections, Yakowa successfully ran for election as Kaduna Governor on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), polling 1,334,319 votes to defeat his closest rival contender in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate, Haruna Sae’ed, who scored 1,133,564 votes.
Yakowa ran an inclusive government with no credo-tribal bias. Contrary to natural sentiment to slam Islam, he set up an 18-man committee to look into problem associated with Hajji in Kaduna State, enhanced welfare package for the pilgrims, and lowered Hajji fee than previous Muslim administrations. He institutionalized Ramadan Feeding Centres for the less privilege in all the local governments where daily breakfasts are provided as long as Ramadan lasts and sponsored Ramadan messages in the media against the belief that a Christian governor would not do so. He would distribute food items to poor Muslims to enable them take part in Eid-el-fitr celebrations.
His vision was to secure, unite and develop Kaduna State. He invested so much on this and started reaping the fruits of his labour. He respected public fund and ensured that 23 local government areas in the state got their federal allocation without deductions. Within two years in office, he had constructed 512 housing units at the new Millennium City Housing Project, 300 units in Zaria and 200 in Kafachan. In addition to building many roads, he constructed the 4th bridge across River Kaduna as a way of reducing traffic. He increased the salaries of civil servants by 30 per cent and flagged off free medical surgery in four hospitals spread across Gambo Sawaba, Zaria, Kaduna and Kafachan.
For a humble, dedicated and lovable governor like Yakowa to die at rung of his political ladder is what many people especially Kaduna Christians have not really come to terms with. There was a man so dedicated to preaching peace and tolerance to the detriment of his own faith. There was a man so ill bent to unify North and South and had even in last public speech at burial before his death advised politicians to live a good live. There was a man whose rise to power gave hope to Kaduna Christians that when God is the enemy, man should never be sure he has won the day.
Yakowa was neither from nor had an in-law in Bayelsa. Burying the dead is one the seven corporal works of mercy according to Christian tradition. This is the belief Yakowa died for. When God stamps, no one erases; not even a last minute offer by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson to the late Governor Yakowa of a ride to Yenegoa and a possible hosting would have saved his life. Yakowa preferred a speech at the burial to a red carpet fanfare. There was a man whose death reaffirmed his belief! The fate of a lovable governor burned to ashes! Too sad!
