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In October last year, I had cause to do a highlight on the eve of the third national conference of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors. The effort was still within the search for change agents, to identify transformative individuals ready to give all to bring positive changes to our development trajectory, which hasn’t been quite pleasant so far.
One must confess that when one heard about this organization, thoughts naturally ran randomly in different dimensions. There is the question still agitating minds of some citizens: “If one has served in a particular political season or dispensation, is there anything he or she can offer?”
Others believe it should be a case of participation and fall out, many insist that whatever ideas one has ought to be put on display while he or she held offices. The name, Deputy Governors Forum, observed additional motivation to find out a few more things about how our democracy works, especially if our deputy governors are mere “spare tyres” as many, including scholars, have tried to make out.
Finally on this score would the place of hindsight and second or third opportunities to serve one’s community in different capabilities. Unfortunately, many Nigerians have come to believe that public office isn’t about value and competence. That it is more about “stomach infrastructure” and for that reason there’s the “turn by turn” philosophy. Though it is unwritten, but surprisingly it is gaining a nationwide acceptance that once you get “chance, finish and grab as much as you can and leave, never to look back.” If you look back you attract scorn and negative backlash. The trend isn’t showing any sign it would fizzle out anytime soon. Rather, the pervading hunger is making it gain stronger traction.
It is under this atmosphere that the Forum was birthed in 2022. The members who are very distinguished Nigerians with various capabilities are not just into the efforts, they are giving the body the seriousness such a body should deserve. By way of practical reactions, they are producing valid answers to the questions mentioned earlier in this discourse.
Action, as sages have said, is far superior to words. Many of them say their contributions in the subnational governments were they played a role cannot be quantified. They may not have been very visible but some of their inputs made a difference. They insist it was not all frosty relationships with the governors they worked under; many had very warm, rewarding experiences with clear opportunities to make very strategic inputs to policy making and implementation and this was in spite of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, former Kano State governor and onetime national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), also a former deputy governor described as “difficulties of being a deputy governor.”
This writer had the rare privilege to be physically present at the 2024 national conference of the forum and what one saw assuaged the heart, including going home with the feeling that there’s hope that pretty soon this country would rise to be counted among the best in the world. In that conference, the who is who from all parts gathered very happily under a creative atmosphere, very suitable for an intellectual feast. Tribe and tongue differed but it was amazing to see all aware that in diversity lies immense strength. Different persons got assignments according to known antecedents. No discrimination, and no sidelining, it was about inclusion and national peace, growth and development, especially as shown by the topics discussed.
Some say our challenge isn’t about absence of solutions. They are correct to the extent that knowledge and wisdom are dynamic. Even when societies hit the right button, there will always be need to keep discovering and reengineering. There is no end life and development. It is about continuous mutation, each achievement provokes new needs. This is the truth about human existence. Our level of development requires continuous thinking, brainstorming and tinkering.
The other equally very important point, which the forum is pushing strongly is the place of hindsight and the experience that goes with it in national development. Dislocations, especially hunger and deprivation, have caused many of us to want to do away with cherished principles that give birth to true nation-state and ensures it remains stable. Mentors exist so that things can be fast-tracked. Even in common driving experience on the roads, a driver conversant with a road is more likely to move faster than a first time driver on the same road. True? Mentors make it possible for the successor generation not to bump into old potholes. Experience built on integrity is invaluable.
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Often we see the young ones very hasty to take over. Truth is that while public service is an all comers responsibility, democratic right if we like, some rights would require tutorship and maturity to make the most of them. Public service, especially at the commanding heights is one of such.
Those who care to do a research should spare time to do a research on “New America and New America party” in America and see how a national government formed by the party first took that country to ruins before the people rose to chase them out of government before the bigger collosal damage was done. Wisdom isn’t in age. A 70 or 85 year-old citizen can still harbour fire of revolution or transformation whichever suits your fancy. The Deputy Governors Forum is pushing this case admirably and it gladdens the hearts of all those, who wish this to develop and become the pride of the entire black race.
The body has committed itself to produce a book detailing the experiences of each of them not to blame but to strengthen efforts to deepen democratic system in the country.This is laudable and needs support. It is expected as the production of the book would be part of the matters to be resolved finally, when the Former Deputy Governors Forum holds the fourth national conference from October 26-29, 2025 in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.
Two years ago they began advocacy to have states replicate a State Economic Council as is the case at the federal level so that very thorny state matters can receive non-partisan attention and especially for programme continuity purposes. They have sent a proposal to the National Assembly to enact legislation in this direction. No one is certain what has come out of that particular effort. They have also made very critical inputs to policy making of the President Bola Tinubu administration and many of them have been taken up. This should be heartwarming.
Their sessions are akin to a national parliament sitting. In the 2024 edition , Ganduje who was the special guest first tickled participants when he started with the observation that to be a “Deputy Governor is the most difficult task to do on earth, you are always misunderstood, you remain target of sycophants who run to the governor with different stories every day.” He advocated for constitutionally guaranteed roles. A big issue I can hear someone out there echo.
So many experts gave out attractive, well-reasoned positions but we begin to close with the short address given by former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Atta. The address precisely hit at the heart of the matter: “I have read your book and the mention of good governance. What do you consider as governance? Have we been practicing good governance in Nigeria? How has the Forum intervened if you found out we have not been practicing good governance?
“As a critical platform of quality members of human and material resources your forum is expected to contribute to nation building through advocacy for good policy initiatives that will promote culture of accountability as well as consciousness of Nigeria’s core values. Again I would ask what are these core national values. For us to become a nation we must identify those core values and pursue them with them vigorously.
“In the 2022 outing, the forum identified introduction of command structure as a challenge. The Nigerian federalism was installed in 1954, the defilement by the military was carried into the 1999 Constitution, thereby destroying federalism on which the country was built. In my humble and honest opinion, it has remained the biggest drawback to good governance, accountability and productive development.
Chris Akomas, chairman of the forum says 2025 edition would be a far better outing and holds out goodies for the country and her people. We can only but pray. Our country needs the right push.
