Beyond his interventions in the road sector which demystified the protracted era of “I-dont-care-attitude” to the embarrassing abysmal decay in the sector sequel to his fanatical passion for the delivery of GOOD ROADS -good by quality and good by quantity- both intra and inter city, including federal roads, all laced with commensurably high quality bridges, which were the hall mark that heralded the consolidation of his administration, beyond also the revolution he brought front and centre in agricultural sector: a knowledge driven infrastructure supported revolution that substantially redefined agricultural practice in the state, (hitherto occasioned by multiplier effect of sustained harvest of inefficiency), beyond his new thinking approach that was evidently fixing the rot in the health sector; free medicament to mothers and children of 0-5 years, health infrastructure overhaul, halting of medical tourism through the Adamawa German Diagnosis Centre ( the vision of which died with the coup d’état of his government), beyond equally the unsurpassed intervention he actualized in the education sector making Adamawa the overall best ever in the Universal Basic Education project implementation ( deliveries of physical infrastructures, instructional materials and school uniforms, sustaining of teachers emoluments as sacred rights and as first line charge), what could have been the most outstanding defining epitaph of the Murtala Nyako government was his well conceived, well thought out and well showcased electricity development master plan that was forcefully thwarted.
He felt the waste called Kiri Dam could be transformed to serve a more productive venture. He opted for hydroelectricity project. He rolled out the plans, the American authorities understood the vision and the sincerity of it. They came handy with support. They sponsored the feasibility study. The potentiality therein became more glaring. Money could have been issue, but he thought ahead. Built Operate Transfer (BOT) was adopted as wisest and most realistic option. Bidders were invited for bidding by the Gongola Energy Development Company, a special vehicle incorporated to pursue the project. Bidders came from Nigeria, Iran and the Us. A German firm came after closure of bids submissions. They came with an escort from the presidency, a son of the state, to arm twist the process in their favour. The project was simply realistic, attractive, competitive and therefore profitable. It could have worked. An American investment firm won the bidding. All that was left was to handover Kiri Dam and await the deliveries. Handover date was scheduled. All that mattered were invited. The American Ambassador insisted to be personally present for the handover. He couldn’t make it, his deputy came instead. We all assembled at the dam site to be part of history.
That history was thwarted. A simple via the phone directive from GEJ’s presidency. That the Admiral should suspend it. It remained suspended till date. It was a project he committed his whole in to, his time, energy and versatile intellect.
Adamawa bigwigs with strong presidency connection felt he shouldn’t shine. He still shines @75. Happy BD an Admiral, Patriot, Gentleman.