An Open Letter To His Excellency, The Executive Governor Of Gombe State, Alh Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, By Benjamin Dangoma

11th August, 2021

Your Excellency sir, I will first of all congratulate you on your achievements in the discharge of your campaign promises. According to your recent speech when you received the Mai Kaltungo and his entourage, you mentioned unequivocally that your administration has fulfilled about 80% of your campaign promises. You also assured them that you are doing everything possible to fulfill the remaining 20% in no distant time. If true, then that is commendable especially in the face of the current economic challenges in the country. We are glad that you are continuing on the legacies laid by your predecessors in the area of infrastructural development. There is still room for improvement though.

Sir, you will recall that I have written a good number of open letters to you advising and addressing issues of public concerns. These kinds of writing have become the pattern through which I contribute to policy making. It is noteworthy that this did not start recently or with this administration. My first published open letter was to Alh. Mohammad Danjuma Goje back in 2005. Subsequently, a good number were written to Alh. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and to this administration. It is therefore unthinkable to opine that my numerous letters are only intended to ridicule this administration. My desire for good governance, fairness and Justice is the driving force.

Permit me to briefly mention some of the letters I wrote to you for reference purposes:

It started with the issue of Justice Beatrice, who was denied the position of Chief Judge of Gombe State because of her Tribe and Gender, some commentators believe it also had to do with her religion. You did not like the idea of calling your attention to this particular issue, as expressed through both the Attorney General of Gombe State and Justice Muazu Abdulkadir Pindiga (details reserved).

I also wrote to you about Gombe State Joint project agency, which we correctly perceived as a move to thwart the efforts of the Buhari administration to grant autonomy to the Local governments, this was also rejected vehemently, to the extent that we were refused the chance to express ourselves during the public hearing of the bill passage.

Then on the issue of your executive order 4, which saw the declaration of rural areas as urban areas by mere pronouncement. The order also took away the customary rights of land ownership and the authority away from the Local government authorities to the State government, in other words to yourself. As a people we perceived some ulterior motives and expressed ourselves through such open letters.

Lastly and most recently was the issue of Mai Tangle stool. Many concerned groups and individuals including myself called your attention to the dangers of interfering with traditional matters, lawyers also pointed out the lacunae in the Gombe State chieftaincy law (the reference material), but you ignored all the wise counsels. You watched as lives were lost and properties destroyed at the comfort of your Abuja house. This has made a lot of us view your intentions for the Tangale people with doubts. All we are asking for is fairness and Justice. Remember, Nothing lasts forever.

In conclusion, I want to say without mincing words that the reason why myself and other well-meaning people of Tangale origin are been harassed and humiliated is only to coarse us in to silence. I have been intimidated, offered bribe times without number just because I speak against injustice, and that I will continue to do until the voiceless gain their voices, the less privileged are regarded and the improperly so called “minority” are given a stake in the affairs of government. Truth never hides, sooner or later it will surface. Even now, the handwriting is all over the wall that the Mai Tangle issue is being used to settle political score.

May God Almighty keep you healthy and grant you long life to witness His divine intervention.

Long Live Tangle Nation!

Long live Gombe State!

Comrade Benjamin T. Dangoma