By Ndanusa Abubakar
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had a media chat with the three state-owned media organisations both in the print and broadcast arms. The chat was aired and published last week to the listening and reading public. There are many takeaways from the media chat.
One, the media chat gave the lie to gratuitous narratives that seek to put the governor in the robe of a know-nothing. On the contrary, Governor AbdulRazaq’s presentation shows he is very articulate, brilliant and has a full grasp of developmental issues affecting Kwara and the world at large. The fly-by-night PDP social media vuvuzelas were taken aback for the second time. The first time being the meeting of the governor with APC media personalities aired across radio stations. Twice at least is not happenstance!
This Governor AbdulRazaq is not the type given to noise making. He is always in touch with the people, speaking to them, especially about what he has done so far, how he has transformed the situation he inherited in 2019, and a kind of future he desires for Kwara. That he’s not a showman or a drama queen is what makes the PDP elements have such disingenuous thought in their narrow minds.
I have lost count of how many times the governor had met with several groups, entertaining their thoughts and feelings about the government, while he also reacts, expressing himself articulately. How many town hall meetings have held, even before the recent ones? Town hall meetings on budgeting, among others.
The media chat also revealed the consistency of the Governor. He is clear about what he wants for Kwara and has never at any point in time broken the chain of consistency. He talks about the innovation hub, visual arts centre, garment factory, armed with same facts and information he consistently reels out. Again, the media chat tells us about a composed Governor AbdulRazaq. When the question of why some people who started the Otoge struggle together with him were leaving him was raised, the Governor answered in a very matured manner. For some people, that could have been an avenue to insult, throw jibes, brag and rubbish the personalities involved. But the governor answered simply that many people had different understanding of and expectations from Otoge.
The most poignant symbolism of the media chat is the trust and belief Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has always had in state-owned media organisations. No Governor has shown such dedicated belief. The Governor prefers and ranks the state-owned media organisations above any other. It was not until his time that state-owned media organisations started getting patronage from all corners, including the MDAs. This is because the Governor is leading by example. We have had the case where somebody who prides himself as a leader wanted to have a very special radio appearance but gave preference to a private radio station and our own Radio Kwara had to hook up.
The previous administration left the state-owned media organisations (The Herald, Radio Kwara, Kwara TV) in shambles. Their workers were owed several months of salaries. Radio Kwara had stopped broadcasting. The studio of Kwara TV was in a bad shape. The Herald publishes today, resumes next week. Those narratives have changed. The Governor upon assumption of office paid all the backlogs inherited. He has not owed the workers a single month salary. All their studios have been transformed with rehabilitation works and procurement of relevant working equipment. Both Radio Kwara and Kwara TV now run a 24 hour service. The Herald publishes regularly. That’s what the Governor has changed so far, only in the media organisations. The NBC license renewal fees the shameless people of the past refused to pay, this Governor has paid. He is not giving to noise making but his impacts are readily available. Symbolic!
Ndanusa writes from Shonga, Edu Local Government
