Bafarawa Donates N1bn To Sokoto, Says ‘I Want To Give Back To The People’

The former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, has donated the princely sum of one billion naira to the people of Sokoto State, a gesture he de­scribed as “giving back”. At an event on Tuesday in Sokoto organised by Attahiru Ba­farawa Foundation, Bafarawa said the donation was in appreciation of the trust and confidence the people of Sokoto State had for him by voting him into office to serve as their governor for eight years. According to the former gov­ernor, while he recognises the fact that he delivered dividends of democracy to the people while in office, he has continued to en­tertain some mixed feelings.

The overriding feeling, some 17 years after leaving office, he said, is that he needs to do more for the people. Bafarawa said that no other time can be more auspicious to give back to the people than now that hunger and hardship are rav­aging the land. Aspects of Bafarawa’s speech at the event reads: “A little over 25 years ago, an overwhelming majority of the voting population of Sokoto State gave me their mandate to serve them as their first executive governor after the locust years of military incursion into politics.



Four years after, they renewed the mandate by electing me into office for a second term. I did not and do not take this show of love by the people for granted. I appreciate very immensely the historic opportunity they gave me to serve them as governor for eight years.

“In the years that I served as governor, I did my utmost best to ensure that dividends of democra­cy were delivered to the people. My government recorded infrastruc­tural landmarks, particularly in the area of road construction. I ensured that the resources of the state were prudently managed.

It was against this background that I left a whopping N13 billion in the coffers of Sokoto State gov­ernment by the time I left office in 2007. “However, I must confess that I entertain some mixed feelings each time I look back to my years as governor. While acknowledging the people’s love and solidarity, I feel that I can do more in the area of giving back to the people.

As the executive governor of Soko­to State, I was entrusted with the resources of the people. Given the enormous powers of an executive governor, the temptation to trans­gress is always there. It is therefore possible that one may have taken one action or the other that did not serve the best interest of the general public.

In other words, one could, through acts of omis­sion or commission, misappro­priate funds that could have gone into productive and rewarding ventures. Thoughts of scenarios such as this could be troubling. They prick the conscience.

This situation, in my opinion, calls for restitution. I feel the urge to re­connect in some other ways with the people for a lost opportunity. I consider this necessary in order for one to make peace not only with the people but also with the Almighty.

“This latent sense of missed opportunity is what drives my giving back philosophy. Regardless of whatever effort that I may have made to improve the lot of the peo­ple while in office, the fact remains that I, just like any other human being, have my drawbacks. I may therefore not have lived up to ev­eryone’s expectation.

Consequent­ly, I seek the face of the people afresh in this regard. Personally, I ask for forgiveness, as I have al­ways done, in whatever area I fell short of the people’s expectations. “While I do not wish to dwell on the past, what is constant in my re­lationship with the people of Soko­to State is my undying concern for their wellbeing.

For some 17 years after leaving office, I am delighted to say that my compact with the people has remained intact. At 70 years of age, I feel a greater pull towards the people. My desire now is to ensure that I fill whatever gaps that I may have created, con­sciously or unconsciously, in my relationship with the people while I was in office.

Some may call this atonement, but I prefer to see it as an act of reciprocity. I want to give back to the people the goodwill and love they showed to me. “At no time can this giving back philosophy of mine be more auspicious and compelling than now that the people are passing through hard times occasioned by the harsh economic climate in the country.

It is against this background that I have decided to make available the sum of N1 billion for the welfare and wellbe­ing of the people of Sokoto State. The management of this fund has been entrusted to a committee that I personally set up. The committee is headed by Alhaji Lawal Maidoki (Sadaukin Sokoto) who is known throughout the country for his acumen, experience and honesty in dealing with issues of similar nature, especially distribution of zakka and waqafi.

Alhaji Maido­ki will be assisted in this assign­ment by equally trusted members drawn from different strata of society. “As I noted earlier, I am mak­ing this modest contribution to the people of Sokoto State as a way of filling the gaps I left while in of­fice. I will continue to pray to the Almighty to seek his forgiveness in whatever way I may have gone astray.

May the Almighty help, guide and direct us in this noble task of giving back to the people.”.