By Obande Anthony Ossli, Lafia

It has become customary for government all over the world to commemorate "Land Marks" and "Milestones" like hundred days in office, "One Year Anniversary" and so on. Such occasions are moments when governments appraise their programmes, achievements and constraints, as well as make projections for the future.

It is in realization of the objection that I decided to write this article for our teeming populace to read and see the journey so far under His Excellency, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, OON (Garkuwan Doma), the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State within one year, popularly called "One year Anniversary".

I will submit what I know as the general achievements of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, OON (Garkuwan Doma) for the period of one year.

Kindly permit me to use a considerable space in your weekly newspaper "The Nigerian Newsday" to comment on the achievements of His Excellency, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, OON (Garkuwan Doma) of Nasarawa State within one year of his administration.

We are aware that Nasarawa State was created barely twelve (12) years ago, to be precise on the 1st October, 1996, and has been administered by two military administrators, ranging from late Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim (may his soul rest in perfect peace with the Lord) and Lt. Col. B.M. Mande and two democratically elected Governors in the persons of Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu and presently Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma.

One wonders, why the child of twelve (12) years is still crawling and not walking after passing through some good intakes. For each leader, there are methods of approach to people’s yearnings, especially when such a leader knows that his administration is people oriented.

Indeed, it is one thing to elect a leader, it is equally another for such a leader to deliver democratic dividends to his people. The future definitely will tell since governance is question of time.

On 1st September, 1942, a child was born to the family of a prestigious title holder-"Okuba Abari, in Doma of Nasarawa State. The Youngman, like any other child at that period did not find it easy to go to school until after ten (10) years of age, because farming to them had no option.

On graduation from school, the young Aliyu Akwe Doma worked in various areas of human endeavour and rose to the position of Permanent Secretary and Deputy Governor to our ‘popular father’, Chief S.D Lar in the then Plateau State as from July-December, 1983. Indeed, a pointman of the movement for the creation of Nasarawa State, Aliyu pursued the realization with every zeal and I was then the Chief Whip of the Youth Wing of the movement.

Give to John what belongs to him and a good leader what he deserve. It is a difficult task to write a brief on Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, OON (Garkuwan Doma) even in a short, but crisp language. It becomes a more difficult task since you need a thousand pages to write on a man of knowledge and faith, and a man of great accomplishment on state affairs, and a man with unquestionable recognition in national circles. But the rule is that I must write briefly, so I beg to proceed.

The Chief Steward of the State, Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, OON (Garkuwan Doma), came into governance as a man of wisdom with articulated plans of action, well loaded with experience, matured in decision making and full of zeal to move Nasarawa State of his dream to greater heights.

As a political scientist, I do believe that democracy promises no miracles, we must therefore not expect miracles. The task of transforming Nasarawa State into a modern State remains our collective challenge.

Permit me, my dear readers to recall on the achievements of His Excellency, Aliyu Akwe Doma as the Chief Steward of Nasarawa State within the months (12 months) popular known as 1st Year Anniversary. His track records of achievements reveal as follow.