Dariye's Pardon: Can a plateau man ever lead Nigeria? -Arc. Bankart

DARIYE... "Ikon Allah"

(KINDLY DISREGARD IF YOU HAVE AN ACHE FOR LENGTHY READS) 

How the mighty are falling! 

I remember when I was much younger that at the mention of the name "Dariye", some shivers go through the spine for his mighty presence and charisma wherever he went to. Women, Men, Children, The Old, The Young and just everyone. 

He appeared on the Political scene in 1998 under the defunct UNCP at the age of 41 and was a darling to all and sundry, to contest against the likes of Yohanna Dalyop, the late Yusuf Galadima and others who dominated the scenery and later when the party evolved after the demise of the late Gen. Sani Abacha when the ban was lifted on political activities prior to the return of democracy in 1999 into the PDP who had heavyweights like the Late SD Lar, Alex Ekwueme, Alh. Abubakar Rimi, JD Jang etc., After the evolution of the G18, G25 and later G35 that later became the PDP In the front row of affairs.

He was unknown to many but regarded as the brain child of the "Re-engineering" mantra that took the state by storm with prior innovations like the VK Dangin Commission of Enquiry that audited most of the financial activities that preceded the Military regimes before he came. He held reforms in Agriculture, Education, Civil Service, Rural developments, Tourism and Hospitality, Health etc. He made swift impacts as a young man and was applauded by many. 

LATER... 

When the usual "opinion arithmetics" befell his office due to incessant demands from the Elders forum, fellow politicians, the hungry, religious bodies, political unions, cultural development associations, youth wings etc., he became the centre of relief to all those who wanted their different demands to be met and suddenly, Dariye evolved into the "Father of All" on the Plateau. That contest costed him his oath of allegiance and sooner, the pressures diverted his attention from the needs of the State to the personal/group needs of many. Some Elders were enrolled into the State's payroll, frequent medical trips of many, payments of school fees for parents who got access to him for their kids, building and completion of religious centres and the list goes on. 

Chief Dr. Joshua Chibi Dariye, born on July 27, 1957 at Horop, Mushere, in Bokkos LGA. A graduate of Accounting from the Kaduna Polytechnic and member of several professional bodies such as ICAN, A Chartered Accountant, a Fellow of the Association of Business Executives, USA, the Nigerian Institute of Personnel Mngt etc. He holds an MBA from St. Clement's University in Australia and another Master's degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos and an Honorary Doctorate degree in Science from the University of Uyo amongst other personal achievements and traditional recognitions from his community, the State and beyond. 

He started working in 1979 at the Bursary Dept. Of the University of Jos before heading to the Plateau State Health Service Board in 1980, then the PKF chartered accountants In Jos in 1982 and the accounts dept. Of the Daily Times Nig. Ltd. He returned to the PKF Chartered accountants in 1984 And left in 1988 as an Audit Manager to join the Plateau Publishing Company as Chief Accountant and later became the Deputy Chief Inspector in the Internal audit and control unit of Lion Bank plc. He went on to become the Chief Financial Accountant of Benue Cement Company, Gboko,  where he rose to the rank of General Manager, Finance and Administration in 1998 then he resigned to join politics. 

Dariye Spent 7yrs and 1 month as Governor as his administration was truncated twice by a 6 months long State of Emergency and a 5 months long "illegal" impeachment due to several reasons of politics, security, power struggle, political rivalry with the likes of Nasiru Mantu, DT Sango etc. 

We all know how all that ended. 

SOME OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AS GOVERNOR

- Coll. Of Agriculture, Garkawa.
- CASRS, Kurgwi.
- PLASU, Bokkos. 
- moved COE Gindiri to it's permanent site.
- upgraded the schools of health tech in Zawan and Pankshin to College stasuses. 
-He returned some schools to the original missionary owners. 
- Fertilizer blending plant, Bokkos. 
- built three cottage hospitals in Angware, Tunkus and Dengi And upgraded those in Mangu, Kwalla and Bokkos to General Hospitals. He completed the SD Lar amusement park initiated by Col. HI Shuaibu, he built the Govt house Chapel, Dadin Kowa Youth Centre. He created Additional 118 Electoral wards state wide and 29 development areas with new Chiefdoms, Districts and village areas. AMONGST OTHER NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS like the monstrously dilapidated Barkin Ladi - Bokkos road, Panyam - Shendam road amongst a lot more in his time and I believe there were alot more as a Senator, as he headed alot of Committees as Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Member. 

LESSONS... 

Dariye sponsored several individuals through a scholarship scheme for under-graduate, post-graduate and even the most prestigious NIPSS, Kuru. Not to mention the assistance on the completion of religious buildings, purchase of musical instruments, purchase of attires for cultural troupes etc. And hardly were all these groups seen in court yesterday. Success is a magnet indeed. Some of them even were part of those who threw stones at him on the social media. He gathered every kind of people around him and as it is usual with crowd and charity, wrong advice and opinions took the day. Salaries were owed, projects were abandoned, lives were lost and most critically, State affairs took a downward turn to concentrate on political rivalries. 

Look where it got us!

Those he went all out to fend for ahead of the state are those who are here today calling him unprintable names in the process. In no time will I applaud corruption but let us all be aware of those around us especially when we are occupying a public position and the sad reality is how we possess a cruel tendency to fighting each other at every point in time. 

Plateau men were used to bring down the Yakubu Gowons, JD Gomwalks, Col. Pam, Gen. ID Bisalla, Nasiru Mantu, SD Lar etc. And till date, we are still experiencing traces of same. When a Plateau man gets to a very high point of influence, we do all we can to cripple them down to the ground. 

Can we ever get a Plateau man to lead Nigeria someday? 

And to all our politicians, let's do more to be more accountable, prudent, forward and more responsive to the service code and oaths of offices. 

DARIYE has taught us a lesson of a lifetime. All these achievements thrown to the dust in a single day through a decade of trials and tribulations. He made his errors and sadly so, a lot more are still made without a fear of posterity. Let this serve as a deterrent..... 

Truly Yours, 

Fen'tah.

June 13, 2018.