Your Excellency,
Ordinarily, I ought to have forwarded this letter direct to your table at the Lugard House, but I have my reservation. It may not get to you or get to you, by which time some of the issues may have become “burnt-out”.
I, therefore, beg of you to tolerate my impertinence for making it open, and please do not consider it a sign of disrespect or disdain to you and your exalted office. Certainly, this is not my intendment.
Let me remind you that virtually all leaders have been disparaged at one time or the other. It is one of the heavy prices to pay in compensation for the privileges of leadership.
Just imagine how much some of us attacked Captain Idris Wada and others over the 2015 elections on various cables. None of them ever hit back at the critics no matter the degree of provocation. In fact, they acted perfectly normal and even tried to build bridges of friendship instead of bombing the castle. I remember with fond memories, Alh Zakito Umar, who remained graceful to the very end. Comr Salisu Isah Umaru endured the most blistering attacks against his brother in life in Igalamela LGA of Kogi State. He has since reconciled with many of his brother’s vociferous enemies.
Captain Idris Wada was subjected to virulent criticism by many and I confess I was one of his knockers in the dying throes of the cabal, but he wisely kept his own counsel and declined to join issues with anyone. When it dawn on him that the battle was lost and won, he packed his baggage out of Lugard House without as much as a whimper.
I must also mention specifically our royal fathers, who were termed loyal Fathers lately, and their names have always had a running battle with the media and yet they maintained steady media frenzy in their own kingdom and their simplicity just wowed everyone.
I have cited these examples to show that you are not alone in the barrage of criticisms and attacks. You must rise up way above such pedestal. But sadly, some Comrade -Android- Politicians have not been able to allow any comment pass you by, no matter how mundane. We do not expect you to change the state overnight but you can make your impact felt that others would be inspired to emulate. Also, future generation will read about you with pride and respect.
I decided to write this after the spate of vocal terror deployed in the last few days in the state.
In conclusion, I think some need to offer urgent apologies for those unguarded, unbecoming statements and try to be more circumspect in the future.
Understandably, His Excellency, you might be too busy for me to express all my concerns and expectations in just one letter. So, I will end it here until I can write to you again.
May God guide and give you the leadership prowess to ‘demystify governance in Kogi’. Ameen.
– Tijani Alfa
