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Bauchi Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed with 110 years old Village Head of Beli, Muhammadu Inuwa, right
By Akanji Alowolodo, Bauchi
Bauchi state Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir has stated that he can only continue the good works he has started in the state if he is re-elected as Governor of the state for a second term of another four years.
The Governor stated this when he paid homage to the District Head of Disina community in Shira local government area of Bauchi state to receive his fatherly advise and blessings in continuation of his re-election flag-off campaign in the state.
He said that he was in the palace of the district head to seek his fatherly blessings on all the PDP candidates, starting from the Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate, himself as the governorship candidate, senatorial and other candidates contesting on the platform of the party.
According to him, “It is reasonable for us to continue the good works we have began in the state, but that cannot happen if you don’t support all the candidates contesting on the platform of the party.This place is one of the palace that I will reconstruct if I am re-elected in office”
Bala Mohammed added that, “We assuring you that if you support us in the forthcoming general elections, we do more than what we have done earlier by ensuring that we consolidate on the gains of democracy by executing more projects like roads, infrastructures and other laudable programmes that will uplift the living standards of the people.”
In his response, the District Head of Disina community, Abdullahi Mustapha thanked the governor for reposing confidence on traditional leaders in his quest to be re-elected, adding that he along with other traditional leaders in his domain will support the governor along with other candidates contesting on the platform of the party.
He appealed to the governor to executive more road projects in the community to ease their transportation problems even as he commended him over other road projects he has executed in the local government.
The Governor had earlier visited Beli village in the hinterlands of Shira LGA where he paid homage to the oldest monarch in the state, 110-year old Village Head, Muhammad Inuwa, pledging to construct the 120-kilometer road from Kilbore-Beli-Zigau-Bukul.
The project is to be constructed by Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) to ease the difficulties facing the communities in the area particularly during the wet season when the area becomes inaccessible.
Bala Mohammed was at the village with his campaign team in continuation of his village to village statewide electioneering campaigns saying that he was there to pay his respect and seek for his prayers and blessings.
The Governor said that: “I am here to seek your blessings and prayers as I campaign for a second term in office. God Almighty who kept you alive for these 110 years, is not in vain and I have benefitted from this blessing because I have come and saw you healthy.”
The Governor added that, “We are also here to tell you that I was with your children in Abuja when I was Minister, but now God has given me the leadership of this state as governor. “
He further that: “I have known this road for many years now and I want to assure you and all the people that are here, that by the grace of God, we will construct this road by the time I am reelected for a second term. I will construct this road by the grace of God. I can see that this road has become so bad and I know you are really suffering.”
The Governor expressed confidence that by the time the road was constructed, the wealth of the area will be boosted while life will be more meaningful for the communities.
While responding, the 110 years old Village Head, thanked the Governor for the visit even as he urged him to fulfill the promise of constructing the road so as to ease the hardship they have been facing.
The supercentenarian who requested for a hospital to be constructed in the area added that the 60,000 people in the village lack access to basic healthcare as they have to travel for many kilometers to be treated when they are sick.
According to him, “I am very pleased to receive you this very day because despite your busy schedules, you decided to visit this ancient town. We beg you that you please construct this road for us because it will ease the hardship we face in this town. Please, help us construct it as you have promised.”
He stressed that, “In this village alone, we have over 60,000 people here but we don’t have any medical center, there is no hospital where our people can always go to and get help when they are sick. We have to travel long kilometers to access medical care.”
“We have made several requests but they always end up being thrown in the dustbin. They will promise us and promise us, but they will never fulfill it. So, we are begging you that since God has brought you here, help us as much as God has helped you and provide these for us,” he stated.
Along the villages traversed by the campaign team, the villagers were only asking the Governor for the construction of the road which they said had been neglected for more than 50 years when it was last graded.
Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Beli was born in 1913, now 110 years old now. He worked under Emir Albdulkadir of Katagum for 12 years, 35 years with late Emir Umaru Faruq, 37 years with Late Emir Muh. Kabir Umar and 6 years with the present Emir, Baba Umar Faruq making a total of 90 years period of reign to date.
He was Educated in Islamic Studies and Elementary Education while his Working Experience includes Appointment as Village Head of Beli by the then Emir of Katagum, late Mallam Abdulkadir in the year 1933.
He was Appointed as District Head of Beli in December, 2012 during the administration of former Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda but however at the inception of the reign of immediate past Governor, M. A. Abubakar in 2015, he reverted the appointment to the Village Head status to date. He has therefore reign in a total of 90 years to date.
