Educator Gives Entire Paycheck to Kano State Governor, Reports Tonnie Iredia

In many developing societies, the gap between the government and the people is widening due to inadequate infrastructural facilities, making it challenging to bridge the divide.

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Despite the emergence of theorists advocating for strategic communication in public enlightenment, citizens remain unconvinced, as they fail to see tangible improvements in their living standards, with the government often explaining efforts rather than showcasing results.

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A significant problem lies in the fact that office-holders seem unable to gauge the feelings of the people, prioritizing their preferences, as evident in the case of a leader who attracted a Federal Teaching Hospital to his village, only to discover that the people's primary need was water, not a hospital.

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The village spokespersons bluntly told the leader that if they had water, they would not be sick and would not need a hospital, highlighting the importance of people-oriented development in democracy.

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Identifying what people appreciate most amongst government projects is not overly complex, as seen in the case of Kano State governor Kabir Abba Yusuf, who recently received several awards from about 40 individuals and groups in appreciation of his efforts to develop the state.

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While many analysts may view these awards as fake, organized by the governor's appointees and supporters to elevate him above his opponents, one award, in particular, stood out for its simplicity and powerful meaning, coming from a primary school teacher, Abubakar Musa, who donated N30,000 from his meager salary to the governor.

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Musa's donation was a personal token of appreciation for the governor's efforts in improving the education sector, which moved the governor to tears and gratitude, describing the act as humbling and motivating.

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The state executive council gave a standing ovation in honor of the teacher's show of support, with Musa's gesture likely to be remembered as a unique display of patriotism, giving Governor Yusuf and his administration credible publicity.

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This development was not surprising, given that in August 2025, the column had declared Abba Yusuf the best pension-paying governor in Nigeria, a title that suggested an award should be specific and not debatable.

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During his election campaign, Yusuf had promised to address the issue of pension and gratuity arrears, tackling the subject vigorously by releasing billions of naira in 4 tranches to gradually pay off the debts, and recently announced that he had cleared N32billion out of the N48billion he inherited.

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This progress suggests that there are Nigerians monitoring political promises and commending those who make efforts to keep them, representing an awareness that the welfare and security of the people should be the basic mandate of government.

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Unfortunately, many leaders prioritize elite democracy, pursuing class interests over the welfare of the people, as seen in the difference between the scarcity of petrol and aviation fuel, with leaders quickly resolving the latter to calm the nerves of operators.

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The same disparity is observed in governors' focus on building new government houses and residential quarters for commissioners, influenced by the need to upgrade the elite's taste, while low-cost houses for the poor receive little attention.

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Development projects are often politicized, with benefits like fertilizer distribution being diverted to political associates and friends, derogating from the policy's value, and leaders are often isolated from society, hearing only what their loyalists tell them.

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Even when criticisms are raised, leaders may not hear them, and when they do, it is often dismissed as the work of disgruntled elements, but citizens publicly applaud leaders who embark on proactive policies, like Governor Yusuf, who now knows what policies people admire.

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In Edo state, Governor Monday Okpebholo is aware that projects like the 'fly-over' in Benin City are popular and likely to be applauded, highlighting that people-oriented projects are easily appreciated by the masses, while those benefiting only the elite are deprecated.

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Every governor is advised to discontinue exploitative projects, such as paying pension and gratuity to political appointees, and instead emulate Governor Yusuf, who prioritizes clearing arrears for citizens who have served for 35 years.

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In 2023, at the beginning of the current administration, 21 states reportedly owed retirees N790billion in inherited pensions and gratuities, with little progress made since then, and leaders expect the masses to applaud them, despite this.

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In 2007, the first set of political leaders who came into government in 1999 enacted laws for the payment of lavish pensions to themselves, including houses, cars, and allowances, which has been copied by many states, making it challenging for the country to be egalitarian.

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Such policies, including newspaper allowances for lawmakers that exceed a federal Director's salary, must be scrapped to avoid riots and insecurity, and Nigeria must find a way to make all citizens feel appreciated, as they all need one another.