Benue 2015: Between technocrats and political jobbers JOSEPH SAATER UNDU A S 2015 general election gathers momentum, aspirants from all walks of life have continued to jostle for elective positions both at the federal and state levels and Benue state is not an exemption in this political-chase game. Over the years, the state has been ruled mostly by retired public servants both at the executive and legislative arms of government whose adherence to bureaucratic principles of governance thwarted the pace of development in the state. As if that is not enough, the accidental and overwhelming dominance of Benue political sphere by political jobbers and neophytes who are neither intelligent nor enterprising have compounded the economic woes of the state. Political ‘jobbers’ are persons who do casual or occasional political works. They are mostly uncultured, unpatriotic and unimaginative accidental leaders who lack creative and technical competence to drive policies that will improve the lot of the masses but are rather engrossed with jobbery. They have myopic knowledge of transformational leadership and poor economic policy to revamp the economic fortunes of the state. They continued to be in helm of affairs because of their political god-fathers who employ all sort of dirty gimmicks to catapult them into positions of authority for personal aggrandizement. Accountability and integrity are not their priority since they throw their conscience into the abyss. Many of them cannot make a living out side politics and as a matter of fact, they do every thing humanly possible to remain relevant in politics. To them, politics is a matter of life and death and they play it with any available machinery including state resources to the detriment of the general populace. These kinds of politicians don’t even know that there is a difference between governance and politicking. All they are after is how to amass wealth in order to satisfy their obsessive greed and ego. They live ostentatious lifestyle often flaunting their ill-gotten wealth openly to the envy of the disadvantaged citizens. Their continued stay in leadership positions is the bane of underdevelopment in the state and until this ugly trend is checked, true democratic dividends will continue to elude the state. Mr. Gbande Thomas Tersoo, a Lecturer with Gboko Collage of Education, Gboko, opined that; until technocrats are given a chance to lead the state, it would continue to remain stagnant in terms of economic and infrastructural development. “It’s about time we look inward and come up with experts of high repute to transform Benue state. I pray that the emergent leadership come 2015 will turn out good for the betterment of Benue people rather than personal aggrandizement as witnessed in the past till date. We have suffered enough. “I wonder why Benue state with huge economic potentials and one of the states with the highest number of technocrats in Nigeria who are doing the country and the international community proud is still stuck in the wave of underdevelopment. “I make bold to say that, only a government by technocrats can translate our economic potentials into reality because of their creative and innovative leadership foresight. Development any where in the world is driven by technocrats and not political jobbers or opportunists.” He argued that, one of the technocrats whom many political bigwigs and enthusiasts are drumming support and strategizing his emergence as the number one citizen of the state come 2015 is Manz Denga, whom he said is a native of Benue state whose thriving banking career reached the top echelon of the banking industry spanning over 22 years across 5 African countries, resulting in almost a plug and play approach in growing business for the four banks he has worked in so far in his career’; with the latest being the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Group Managing Director (GMD/CEO), Heirs Holdings Capital & Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (HHC &TNC) Lagos. He was also the CEO, UBA Group for East African region who spearheaded the task of obtaining licenses for UBA in Cameroun, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. Denga is a very experienced C-level Banking and Finance Industry Executive and an alumnus of the Harvard Business School. Presently, he is the Chairman Management Board of Treasure Capital and Trust Limited (TC&TL) and AfriBusiness ExpertEase Johannesburg, South Africa. He is an international business development expert and a project management guru who is also a very confident team builder and leader. He is a self-driven cross-cultural manager, with a focus on business development and growth, turnaround management, business integration, start ups, and networking the integration of business community and government. The Regional Representative of African Businesses and Trump-Hills Int’l Limited, Mr. Abel Timmy described Denga as an “Icon who has impacted positively on the banking and business world.” According to Tersoo, technocrats of Denga’s caliber flourish better in an environment of entrepreneurship which is what Benue state and of course Nigeria as a whole needs develop it’s economy, stressing that zoning as it is being canvassed by some political jobbers only promote mediocrity in governance which has continued to stifle development in the state. Some analysts insist that it would be counter productive and unintelligent to continue to sacrifice competence and credibility on the altar of ‘zoning’ arrangement just to satisfy some elements who feel marginalized in the political scheme of the state. This, they argue impedes development when incompetent opportunistic politicians assume power on the ladder of zoning system. This should be de-emphasized in order to move the state forward for the collective good of all. Tersoo for instance contended that, “It seems our people are always cajoled to embrace zoning rather than competence, but I would rather advise that, in spite of this zoning campaign going on concerning governorship, experts like Denga should not be suppressed politically just because of zoning factor. “Well, there is still hope as Benue North East senate which according to their so called zoning has been zoned to his constituency. So, we would mobilized enmas and convince Denga to stand for senate if they still insist on zoning governorship to Benue North West senatorial districts,” he said.
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 19:31:53 +0000