AbdulFatah AbdulRahman
Yikpata -- the famous decrepit NYSC camp in Kwara state have been 'O to ge- ed'. The state of decrepit ness has been touched by the wind of change; refurbished and transformed into a befitting camp for Nigerian emerging leaders observing mandatory one-year service in the State of Harmony. Eureka! Prospective corp members shall no longer get hypertensive but feel and radiate joy and nothing but optimism about coming to our state. This is in fundamentality of a working and responsive government. No clear-- sighted administrator takes the image of his state with levity; there is hardly any youth-centric scheme in Nigeria that portrays a state to Nigerian youth better than NYSC program.
We can all just imagine what impression the old state of that camp gave to Nigerian youth corps members-- who were prospective leaders, captains of industries, big businessmen, investors and so on--the past few years. A moment with some of them curried earful of lamentations and stories of anguish. Who wouldn't anyways? Especially when one find it difficult differentiating between one's condition of living as a graduate on a three- week camping to a hardened criminal condemned to the most dreaded imprisonment. Or how best can we explain a facility with dilapidated structure, jaded beds, problematic water supply, unusable toilets amongst other inadequacies that made it eminently an eyesore. Obviously, there was a need for a miracle to come. That day was 20th June, 2019.
Governor AbdulRahman's Midas touch bears imperially on NYSC camp, Yikpata today. Few weeks after he visited, he provided the camp 400mattresses, 200 double-bunk beds, long benches and other camping basics to make living conducive for the corp members. However, that gesture was scratching the surface but not treating the wound. And as a thoroughbred problem solver, AbdulRahman knew and took further steps to refurbish the dilapidated structure there, including the problematic water and toilets. Yikpata today is by no small measure prospective corp members' delight in Nigeria. This was what a governor would have done if Kwara had had one in the past 8years. No able and capable governor would take delight in seeing Nigerian youth-- who are prospective leaders, businessmen, captains of industries, policy makers-- go home with such a haunting experience and sordid image of his state. Little wonder we were where we were.
Equally another pleasant news hit the airwaves yesterday: the Kwara Governor bought 27 operational vehicles for the civil service. Now I would have said that was impossible if I hadn't seen the pictures myself. The Kwara I knew struggled to pay salaries not to talk of overseeing workers' welfarism. This singular exploit has highlighted the mystery surrounding the state stagnancy in the past. Wilful, visionary and compassionate leaders were lacking. The earlier payment of running cost to the MDAs has already proven the new government as one with purpose to rejig and reposition state civil service on the path of efficiency and competency, but every passing steps and action further reassure Kwarans of that purpose.
The provision of 27 vehicles comprised 15 Toyota Hillux vans; five Coaster Buses; five Hiace Buses; and two Hilux pick-up with Fire equipment to the State Fire Service. The state football club, Kwara United FC got a luxury bus too. This is by every means a commendable dedication to welfarism of the civil service expected to pilot a new Kwara. This further affirmed the impression that Governor AbdulRazaq's wealth of experience afforded him insight into the importance of building viable institutions as pathway to building a flourishing state. Bravo!
In another dint of success, the nation had a cause to sing praises of Kwara and the accomplisher, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, was the man in Abuja again. Apparently, there is no stopping of accolades for Kwara's AbdulRazaq for the historic nomination of nine women in his cabinet. The Kwara State Government won the ‘Government Agency Supporting Women and their Families’ category of the prestigious award at the 4th VOW Conference held at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre Abuja. This is in addition to several laurels and recognitions from the international community.
How one now look forward to the mentioning of Kwara's name in glowing review in national and international spaces is one fantastic feeling outsider may not understand. A time was when our leaders were renowned crook, successful asset defaulter, certificate forger, and constituency project diverters. Indeed, there is no better time to be a Kwaran. To now come from a state whose governor is defined by humility, discipline, hard work and compassion imbues one with reinvigorated sense of pride and dignity.
Bless the day Allah gave Kwara AbdulRazak; the past 6months have been boulevard of success.
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