CONTINUATION OF AN ENDURING LEGACY

BEING SPEECH DELIVERED BY RT. HON. ZAKAWANU GARUBA AT THE CONSTITUENCY BRIEFING WHICH TOOK PLACE ON AUGUST 23, 2008 IN AUCHI.

Today’s event marks a watershed in my life; it is special and unique and it will remain evergreen in my memory.  The reason is not far-fetched; exactly this time 43 years ago, I was born into the Aneru family of the ancient Kingdom of Auchi, a community which serves a dual role as the religious and political capital of the Afemais and which has also produced notable and great men.

To clock 43 is a milestone.  To do so in good health and sound mind is an extra milestone.  Not many people are so fortunate.  I’m eternally grateful to the Almighty Allah who has covered me with His protective shield.

As a way of identifying myself with the people and to show my profound gratitude to Allah, I chose to celebrate my birthday in your midst today, among my teeming supporters, many of whom toiled night and day for my success in life; in fact, it is our collective success that is being celebrated today. The decision to render an account of my stewardship as your chief servant, which in the political parlance, you prefer to call Constituency Briefing is both deliberate and symbolic. 

You, as my people, features mostly in all of my decisions and actions and that is why I chose to mark my birthday in your midst to enable me to give an account of my stewardship as your messenger and chief servant.

All my life, I have always identified with you all.  It did not start with my political foray.  As many of you will testify, I am a giver and shall forever remain so.  My identification with the grass root and the masses is total and irrevocable. Philanthropy, that is, the art of giving to the less privileged is in my blood and I promise to press forward until all traces of poverty and ignorance are erased in our society.

Some people erroneously insinuate that my philanthropic gesture of today was because I am now a Speaker of the House. This is most untrue.  What is true, however, is that it became more intensified and a matter of public knowledge.  Throughout my first four (4) years, I made it a policy to brief my constituents so as to update them as well as hand out scholarship awards to our deserving final year students in various tertiary institutions across the country.

In addition, there were other laudable, life changing and impactful programmes I initiated.  Everything I did was inspired by my deep feelings for our people, it was not borne out of political sentiments as some detractors would claim neither was it done to score cheap political points.  The jobs I facilitated, the scholarships I gave out; the bursaries I awarded; the micro credit schemes I gave to our women and widows and several other projects such as roads, rural electrification, and so on. All of these were simply motivated by my desire to give back to the people who made me whatever that I am today.  Indeed, there’s joy in giving back and for me, whenever I see the beneficiaries doing well, I feel a sense of joy. To the detractors, I want to tell them that what I have done so far is not a flash in the pan but a continuation of an enduring legacies initiated several years ago, hence the title of this speech; Continuation of a Enduring Legacy of Service.

You would recall my contract with you began on June 5, 2003 when you mandate me to represent you as member of the House of Assembly for Constituency 1.  I hope I did not disappoint.  I tried to serve you with my best efforts. Along the line I may have made mistakes but such mistakes were products of my eagerness.  Since then, I have matured and improved, while on the job, I did not lose contact with you, knowing that sovereign power belongs to the people.  Out of respect and regard for the people, I fought hard to be relevant in the House as well as using my contacts to attract several government projects, including those I initiated and executed out of my private concerns and funding. In the House, I debated robustly, contributed to motions articulately and initiated bills which were later passed into law.  I was a true representative, my voice resonated, my views were respected and my contributions were also unquantifiable.  Let me say, with all sense of modesty, that I made all of you proud in the House; where I also served as Chairman of Committee on Judiciary, Human rights and Legal Mothers that was adjudged as the most active by the former Speaker.

Rural electrification remains my core interest on the basis that life revolves around it and as catalyst for economic development. Several villages have benefited:  two villages in Jagbe and Anwain serves as testimony.  They now enjoy a new lease of life.  I equally facilitated supply of transformers to boost power supply in Auchi, notably Iyekhei, Akpekpe and other communities.  Roads were not left out.  Iyofa had an I km road delivered to it to facilitate evacuation of food produce and boost economic activities. Youth employment, as earlier mentioned, was not left out.  Jobless and qualified constituents got jobs, widows got micro credits, the hopeless received seeds of faith and hope; indigent students got bursary lifelines and so continued the string of achievements.

When I was doing all these, I did not bargain for anything except to earn the love of my people.  To my surprise, it was some of you who encouraged me to do a second term.  Then I was hesitant because it had never happened in our political history.  But I was told not to tremble but to listen to the voice of the people which, as they often say, is the voice of God.  Today, I am grateful I did though I was reluctant at the onset.  That I have scored a feat as the first lawmaker in our political history to secure a second term and, overwhelmingly too, is to your credit.  Thank you all for that history; it belongs to all of us.
My second term began in earnest and served as the tonic for me to excel.  Graciously, my colleagues found me worthy to be made Speaker.  This is another feat on its own.  Notwithstanding, I remain closer to my people and more focused.  I will not shy away from my responsibilities.  Instead, I hope to use my position and contacts or close liaison with the Executive arm of Government to soar higher than the Eagle. Already, the goodies have started to roll in, for instance, I was instrumental to the reconstruction of Polytechnic - Otaru - Prison road while another two are in the pipeline scheduled for reconstruction.  My other scorecards are as follows:

• Securement of 5000 acres of land to Auchi community which was initially acquired by the State.
• Rehabilitation of Auchi General Hospital.
• Employment for over 100 constituent members.
• Energizing the Auchi electrification project.

Other expectations:

• Construction of Idegun-Auchi road as well as Jagbe.
• Securement of approval for extension of pipe borne water to Iyekhei community.

Also, within my one year in office, I got Executive approval and co-operation to undertake comprehensive facelift and renovation of the House of Assembly Complex and Legislative quarters.  Likewise, the House has passed a total of 15 people friendly bills, some of which will impact positively on our people and other definitive steps.
I thank God that my tenure as Speaker has been adjudged as the best and most impactful in the entire South-South zone.

As regard today’s ceremony, a total of 94 persons and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers are to benefit from our programmes which are designed to change lives.
Among items for distribution are as follows:
*           Dryers                                                 -                       7
*           Sewing Machines                             -                       7
*           Motorcycles                                       -                       7
*           Bicycles                                              -                       7
*           Pumping Machines                           -                       7
*           Petrol Grinding Machines                -                       7
*           Clippers                                             -                       7
*           Machetes                                           -                       40
*           Bus to be donated to NURTW, Auchi Branch.

My simple admonition to the beneficiaries is that they should make judicious use of these items to improve their lots and generate further empowerment of their families and the society.  Such gestures cannot go round at the same time, but I trust that our recipients will not destroy the trust that we repose in them as that will decide whether others will benefit or not.  It is my desire to empower as many people as possible, Allah willing, in addition to my scholarship scheme.
Finally, I want to register my gratitude to our royal monarch, Otaru of Auchi, to the students, artisans, women, youths, driver unions; to my elders, brothers, sisters, mothers and every one of you who has made all of this possible.  Without you, the history we have made wouldn’t have been possible.  To what else can I owe my meteoric rise in politics and other endeavours except to the solid and unconditional love and support of you, my people? 

Thank you and Allah bless.

Long live constituency 1, Long Live Afemai, Long live Edo North, Long Live Edo State