The seat of the caliphate practically relocated to Plateau State as Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State convened its strategic annual retreat.
Those that graced the retreat include the Sultan of Sokoto, Sultan Muhamad Saad Abubabakar, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba Gyang, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Simon Bako Lalong.
The manner the dignitaries related with one another while in Jos further indicated that the current administration in the state has restored Plateau to its glory as the home of peace and tourism.
According to Imam Imam, Governor Tambuwal’s mouthpiece, the second annual retreat was for the Sokoto State Executive Council, Permanent Secretaries and Directors-General, with the theme, “Consolidation of Achievements and New Strategies for Efficient Service Delivery in Sokoto State.” The venue was the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).
National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, at the event said he was impressed with the many achievements of the APC government in both Sokoto and Plateau States.
He said: “We inherited a bad economy but steadily we’ve progressed, we have now taken the turn to consolidate the economy.”
While declaring the retreat open, Governor Tambuwal said it was meant to be a midterm assessment of his administration and explained that the first retreat which held in Kaduna gave rise to a declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector which is presently being pursued vigorously.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on his part called on the Sokoto State government to organise a more elaborate retreat to cover the three arms of government and the local governments.
It was remarkable that while the retreat lasted, the refreshing air of peace in Jos blew continually as the participants listened to the various papers presented and on no occasion was there any moment of apprehension as all was calm, quiet and peaceful.
Those who have followed the Lalong administration know this was not just a coincidence, but the result of strategic thinking, agenda setting and the determination to pursue a goal that is beneficial to the state.
From the inception of the current administration in Plateau State, the governor made it clear that he would pursue the path of peace; saying that only a few people gain from crisis, and that he would ensure that peace is attained for the general benefit of the people of the state.
Less than two years into his administration, with what many have seen taking place in Plateau, it would be right to say Governor Lalong has not left any one in doubt that he achieved this feat that had eluded many administrations in the state.
Plateau State, which is known as the home of peace and tourism, has not been able to live up to the name since the early 90s when it was officially labelled.
Rather than provide avenues for tourists, business men, students, investors and other forms of adventurers to pursue their trade, the state began to lose even the few that were attracted to it through commerce, trade or education.
Many, due to the incessant crisis, abandoned homes and business premises, and fled the state as nobody was certain what would happen next.
In the wake of the 2008 to 2010 crisis alone, it is on record that thousands fled Jos while many factories and businesses premises were closed.
Many applied to change schools for their wards that were schooling in Jos and its environs, and the Federal Government sought to relocate many of its agencies that were located in the state as the workers no longer felt safe to continue working in an environment that could not guarantee their safety.
The Federal Court of Appeal, for instance, sought to conduct its business in other states rather than Plateau, while the training institute of the Federal Road Safety Corps was almost relocated to Enugu.
Others like the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Nigeria Film Institute and the National Veterinary Research Institute were not spared from the conspiracy generated by the hostile environment and only managed to retain the headquarters within Plateau just by the grace of God as the then government appeared helpless on how to stem the exodus of men and businesses.
But with the advent of the Simon Lalong-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government, things began to change as the administration wasted no time in putting in place the necessary machinery to restore confidence in the state.
He started by giving all citizens of the state a sense of belonging while pursuing the path to peace and development, and made fairness and justice cardinal principles of his administration.
Soon, the dividing lines in the state began to disappear, and for the first time in a long while people of the state began to see themselves as development partners and sites as business avenues rather than the exclusive enclave of one ethnic group or members of a particular religion.
In no time, the unnecessary pressure mounted on the state began to ease off as people, seeing the sincerity of government, embraced one another to live together in peace and harmony. Doors of opportunities were opened and the air of freedom settled in all parts of the state.
This deliberate effort by the Lalong administration to ensure the development of the state started yielding results as citizens of the state have since put the past behind them and have moved on to paths that will enhance the quality of the trades and professions as well as the people’s standard of living.
Many of the businesses that closed down were reopened, and the Federal Government agencies that were about to be transferred were left alone as Jos once again became the centre of attraction for many.
Many state governments which at the mention of Jos usually found excuse to avoid the place began coming in as indigenes of those states began to troop in to relish the air of camaraderie and, by extension, contribute to the socio-economic development of the state.
