By stabilising the polity and taking the development of the state a notch up, the Kwara State Governor, Abdul-Fatah Ahmed is an example of functional continuity in governance, writes Akinbami Faloye

He's unassuming but his strength lies more in his quiet demeanor. A man of few words, the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdul-Fatah Ahmed backs up his words with constructive actions. Calculated and forward-looking, Ahmed's steely and dimensional reasoning complements his ability to step into the shoes of his predecessor and political leader of the state, Bukola Saraki, who is largely seen as the father of modern Kwara, thus placing emphasis on continuity as conceived by Saraki.

Since taking over power some three and a half years ago, Kwara, observers believed has continued to progress at such a pace that beats the comprehension of analysts, especially when placed side-by-side with the meager resources that come to the state, both from within and the federation account.

For an administrator who is not only proud of his ability to affect life though policy but backs such up with evidenced performance, Ahmed never shies away from telling the world how continuity has and is changing the face of Kwara as well as improve the fortunes of her people, especially that a promising foundation had been laid during the days of Saraki, a government in which Ahmed also played a prominent role.

At a recent lecture in Lagos, Ahmed identified as one of the concerns of his government, the need to meaningfully engage the youth as a major part of any system. "This reality is partly responsible for our commitment to youth development which is also driven by our quest to ensure that this largest component of our population is also its most productive," he said.

The governor therefore noted that "within the last three years in Kwara State, we have employed 10,200 youths apart from generating a greater number of opportunities in the informal sector by mobilising the economy through various loans to our people amounting to N640m."

An obvious, but inadequately addressed threat to the nation's democracy, Ahmed thought "is the growing percentage of unemployed youth. Indeed, popular uprising usually thrives on underlying discontent that is distinct from the ostensible trigger as demonstrated by the Arab Spring which started with a street trader's self-immolation in Tunisia."

Linking this to the state of the nation, the governor said while several reasons have been proffered for the current insurgency in the North-east, widespread youth unemployment has no doubt encouraged violent crises in that and other parts of the country.

"Any effort to entrench true democracy must therefore see to the empowerment of our youth through productive engagement and functional education for participatory governance is not for the hungry."

He therefore identified education as crucial to the success of his government, adding that "We have also made our education more functional by prioritising vocational skill acquisition and entrepreneurship training at secondary and tertiary levels."

Ahmed further made a sterling revelation when he said "For me, those who will survive the current economic uncertainty are not those with abundant resources but those who are resourceful and work outside the box. I make bold to assert that Kwara state's continuity programme has benefited the state immensely and instilled greater hope in our democracy.

"We started with the diversification of our economy from a civil service state depending largely on the federation account to a state depending on agriculture and evolving an investment-friendly environment built on industrial harmony, modern infrastructure, a conducive tax regime and a largely crime-free and peaceful environment.

"The benefits include but are not limited to the iconic Shonga Farms, increased inflow of investments, the only Cargo Terminal with a wet station in the zone, a Youth Farm Settlement, an International Aviation College, and the International Vocational Centre, Ajasse Ipo. These have combined to establish our state as the agriculture hub of the sub-region and created an expanding crop of youth entrepreneurs," he said.

Continuing, he noted that "To strengthen representative governance and engender the electorate's confidence in the electoral process, therefore, we must implement genuine and far-reaching electoral reforms that ensure transparent, reliable, and credible elections.

"The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the relevant state electoral commissions must be granted full autonomy that ensures efficiency and isolates the bodies from direct or vicarious pressure by the executive or by any other body or individual.

"When politicians know that they cannot rig or otherwise manipulate elections, they will be less likely to abuse their office or disregard the desires of the electorate for good governance knowing that the people will be waiting for them down the road."

In the final analysis, Ahmed, who is confident that Kwara is in good hands given the type of leadership offered by Saraki, said "Only a credible and transparent electoral process, built on efficient and effective system, can stabilise and sustain our democracy.

"As the nation marches into an election year, in 2015, it is incumbent on every Nigerian to be on the alert about the processes that would guarantee a free and fair election and usher in a leadership that will genuinely transform the lives of our people. In essence, what persons, organisations and alliances do or do not do largely re-enforces held views, values and strategies and determines the direction of any nation's life.

"While I am not advocating violent change, I clamour for a peaceful revolution through the free and assertive expression of popular will by all Nigerians. Long before the Arab spring, Nigerians demonstrated their capacity to stand up for their right and bring about the type of leadership with the capacity to create spaces for their prosperity.

"Indeed, it was the opposition against the military junta that forced the military to resume the truncated return to democratic rule and gave us a government we could call our own, however flawed. Until the people decide to legitimately fight what they do not like, therefore, nothing will happen.

"I, therefore, urge progressive forces to set aside, like we did on June 12, ethnic differences, religious sentiments and personal ambition to build a New Nigeria, where every citizen has the opportunity to be what they want to be, to earn a decent living and where the elderly, disabled and the unemployed are assisted by the state.

"Let us a build a New Nigeria in which governance and prosperity are inclusive. Those who brandish progressive credentials must ensure their conduct does not sully the ethos of the movement which essentially entails purifying and elevating politics and governance.

"Let us come together to build a New Nigeria that will be economically and socially vibrant. Let us be united to build a new Nigeria where preference will be given only to the content of our character and not to parochial considerations.

"Nigeria of my dream is a nation full of opportunities for all; a nation where we see ourselves first as a Nigerian rather than an Hausa, Ibo, Ibibio, Yoruba or Nupe; I dream of a country where individual's ability and capability become more significant than his place of birth; I dream of a nation where our diversity becomes the source of our strength; a nation of hope for a better and more prosperous future; a nation where corruption becomes an aberration rather than the rule," he said.

With Kwara's continuity predicated on trust, competence, goodwill and capacity, it is the belief of many that one of the states that would demystify the excesses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is Kwara, given the fact that the PDP is allegedly torn apart by sheer individual ambitions.