Jibrin Muhammad and his phenomenal grassroots appeal in Gombe

BY JUSTICE EZE

Jibrin Muhammad Barde has become a household name in Gombe State. This is not because he shares money on the streets or because he has commenced campaigning ahead the 2023 elections, but because he has chosen to take sides with the people.

This former managing director and chief executive officer of SunTrust Bank is an advocate and believer in good governance. His upbringing and what he has achieved by dint of hard work stand him out and his name and personality have made it a movement in the state.

A grassroots movement that has evolved from his identity has translated into a political campaign where Gombe people spontaneously organize themselves, drumming support for his candidacy.

Grassroots movements rely on collective action and utilize an array of strategies. Such movements share a focus on increasing popular participation on political issues, culture, some of which have become sustainable platforms for the issues they promote.

M.J. Barde, as he is often called, feels the pains of the people. He identifies with their health and educational challenges. He takes delight in grooming the young ones and caring for the aged and vulnerable. He dreams of something sustainable, a long-term plan and blueprint that would restore the pride and dignity of Gombe State as against the shame and under-development she is experiencing under this administration.

Despite not having held any political positions or appointments in the past, MJ devotes his hard-earned money and resources to assisting people without making noise about it. Barde is a voice that cannot be silenced. Whenever he notices an anomaly in the state, he calls the attention of the government to it. But sadly, instead of listening and taking necessary actions, paid e-rats go after him for speaking truth to power. That has however not discouraged him from exposing the rot in the state.

He is a fearless and courageous man, a truly family man who would ensure sustainable rapid development for the state. Barde is prepared to govern the state if he is given the opportunity, but he is not desperate as some may think. He believes that power comes from God Almighty. He is a fulfilled technocrat who is still advancing his pursuit of knowledge with academic programmes abroad. That is self-development.

In an objective appraisal of one of his strategies, this writer has come to the conclusion that real, substantive change for the better generally emanates from the grassroots, and not from the top. While this writer fundamentally believes this to be true, he has also observed a tendency in some leaders, including many in Gombe State, to become insulated by surrounding themselves with people who tell them what they want to hear as opposed to what they need to hear.

Whether it’s in business, politics or any other field, the result of losing touch with the man (or woman) on the streets usually lead to blind spots in the decision-making process, with leaders often caught off guard by the consequences of, as well as the reactions to, the decisions they make. The ripple effect may be hard for us to fully comprehend when we find ourselves in echo chambers, but it’s ultimately there just the same.

However, staying engaged at the grassroots and keeping your finger on the pulse of the shifting environment around you in a leadership position isn’t impossible. That’s what MJ Barde would do. It might not be easy at times, but the results of truly connecting at the grassroots level in whatever leadership role you’ve been called to can, and should, exceed your expectations.

In order to truly engage at the grassroots level, he has remained connected to, and has a presence among the people in the state. Presence doesn’t mean a carefully orchestrated public event with the press invited. Rather, it means interacting with the people where they’re comfortable.

Barde is a good listener. He listens carefully to what people have to say, and is not dismissive. He feels a matter that may seem unimportant to him is important to them if they’re taking the time to bring it to his attention.

Sometimes people just want their voices heard and want to know that someone is listening to them.

The performance of the state actors now has made Barde an easy choice for the people. They would judge by the number of projects that have been executed and also be concerned with how much was expended.

Lest this writer forgets, this same administrator once said that any government that is focusing on roads and contracting it is looking for an avenue to steal.

They would be keen at finding out the contractors who executed the projects and their true identities.

Questions would be asked about how many schools have been built and the infrastructure available for a conducive learning environment. Questions would be asked about how much goes into the health system, Gombe clinics, hospitals and other health institutions, if they are actually facilities for healing or where one can easily contract more diseases.

They would easily remember how and the steps taken by the administration to protect them against the spread of COVID-19 and the endless communal crisis that erupted in the Billiri chieftaincy tussle.

As all of these unfold, the winners would eventually be Gombe people who would decide ultimately what they want in due time.

Eze is a journalist based in Abuja.