Born in the calm, serene and agrarian town of Doma in Nasarawa State on September 1, 1942. Aliyu Akwe Doma grew like any other child. Gathering and jumping on sand, laughing innocently and even crying profusely when the need arises. He was like any other child.

At the age of 9 years (1951), on one beautiful morning, little Aliyu was on his way to start his junior primary school at Doma. On that eventful day, little did he and his parents know that he was on his way to prepare himself to serve humanity and affect the lives of many people positively. Little also did people in Doma knew that this small boy was going to be a leader, let alone be a governor, who would lead the people of Nasarawa State to the path of progress and prosperity.

Aliyu passed through the process of growth and home training like any other boy in Doma, which was and still an agrarian town. Aliyu as any other boy of his time, combined schooling with farming activities, but the difference between Aliyu and other boys was that, while the other boys of his time could not meet up with both farming and schooling, he persisted and moved on. While some of his age mates gave up schooling due to one problem or the other, he summoned courage and kept moving, as if he knew he was born to salvage his society and be a blessing to the generation yet unborn.

At the age of 22 years (1964), now a grown up young man had passed through his primary, secondary and even Teacher’s College, Gome, and secured admission to the prestigious University of Ibadan. He was at the University of Ibadan up to June 1966 when he proudly bagged his professional Diploma in Educational Drama.

Aliyu Akwe Doma came to the main stream of public service when he became Tourism/Cultural Affairs Officer of the then Northern Nigerian Government at the age of 24 years in 1966. He grew through the ranks in civil service until he became senior Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education in the then Plateau State government, at the age of 40 years (1982). At the age of 41 (May 3 1983 to be precise) he retired from civil service.

In between his years in the civil service, Aliyu Akwe Doma was instrumental to some milestone achievements, not only for the benefit of his people (the then Plateau state), but the country at large. For example, Aliyu Akwe Doma initiated the upgrading and promotion of Argungu Fishing Festival to international standard at the age of 26 years in 1967. In 1971, at the age of 29, he helped to establish the Jos campus of the University of Ibadan which subsequently became the University of Jos. No wonder, when Aliyu Akwe Doma was 60 years in 2002, the authorities of the University of Jos conferred on him, a Founding Father Award, for his role in founding the university. He also laid the foundation for Cultural Renaissance in northern Nigeria.

At the international level, at the age of 24, Aliyu Akwe Doma represented Nigeria at the First World Festival of Negro Arts, in Darkar, Senegal. He organised and led Nigerian Delegation to Exp ‘70’ in Montreal, Canada, in 1970. He organised and led Nigerian delegation to All African Festival of Arts and culture in Algeria in 1976 at the of age 32. Aliyu Akwe Doma was Artistic Director for World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture during the popular African Festival for Arts and Culture, tagged "FESTAC" 77 in Nigeria, in 1977.

Life, they say starts at 40. Aliyu Akwe Doma, after retiring from active civil service, joined politics and became deputy governor in the old Plateau State at the age of 41 in 1983. Even though the tenure was short (Oct –Dec 1983), that gave him a first hand experience of politics and the running of a state government.

Before the creation of Nasarawa State in 1996, Aliyu Akwe Doma was a member and coordinating director, movement for the creation of Nasarawa State.

The struggle for the creation of Nasarawa State which dates back a long time in the past.

At the heat of the struggle for the creation of Nasarawa state with "araba a bamu namu" (meaning share and give us our own) as the popular slogan in the mouth of lower Plateau people that time, which was championed by Aliyu Akwe Doma and the like of Ari Gwaska, Shehu Othman, Abdullahi Adamu (the pioneer governor), Yakubu Sabo, late Senator Haruna Abubakar and the host of others. At that time little did Aliyu Akwe Doma knew that he was struggling for a state he would one day become its governor at its crucial stage of development.

In 2007, at the age of 65, as destined by God, Aliyu Akwe Doma was elected and sworn in as the second elected governor of Nasarawa State. This, many consider to be the zenith and most crucial stage of his life on earth, an opportunity to translate the vision he had for the state, that of taking the state to higher state of development into reality.

Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, Garkuwan Doma, a seasoned administrator, a technocrat and a shrewd politician, on assuming office, fully aware of the promises he made to his people during campaigns and the high expectations of his people, took his time before unfolding his goals for the state. Because he started cautiously, some cynics called his government a slow one.

However, behind the scene Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma was busy studying critically, the myriad of problems the state was facing and identifying the means to effectively tackle them.

He also knew that Nasarawa State is multi-ethnic in nature, with close to 20 different ethnic groups which needed to be treated fairly and given equal opportunity to participate in the governance of the state, hence the need for caution, wide consultation and proper planning.

In fact, sources had it that, during the first few months of the administration which were used for planning, the governor was able to save a billion naira which ordinarily could have been "wasted."

After this, came the now famous 13-point agenda, a policy goal that encapsulates his vision for a better Nasarawa State. Listen to what he said during his inauguration: "our target is a better Nasarawa State for all, and in order to achieve this, we keep our focus sharp on development, our minds active on good ideas and our hands busy with work. Together we can achieve and together we can make Nasarawa great… I assure you that we will spare no resources in our determination to achieve this goal."

Knowing that opportunity comes but once, and time waits for no one, and also considering that this is the time he had waited for, to make long-lasting positive impact and put smiles on the faces of the people of Nasarawa state. Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma started by tackling security matters by liaising with the administration of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other neighboring states to check crime. This is to ensure that the environment is safe and secure for meaningful work and development.

Considering that Nasarawa is an agrarian state, he launched this year’s farming season with 630,000 bags of assorted fertilizer which is equivalent to 31,500 metric tones. This figure is 400% higher compared to the previous year. The governor went further to subsidize the price of fertilizer making it available to farmers at the cost of N1,800 per bag instead of about N4000 being charged by traders, so that peasant farmers can afford it. He also made available 80 tractors for use by farmers in the state. Another 50 tractors have also been ordered. The state government under his leadership has also commenced the construction of yam and sweet potatoes conditioning centre in Keffi. He has also launched mass vaccination campaign against livestock and poultry diseases.

In an effort to deliver the people of Nasarawa State from the chronic problem of accessible roads, and to ensure fast development in both the rural and urban areas, the government under Aliyu Akwe Doma, has embarked on the upgrading and construction of roads in the state. The governor has so far awarded contract for the construction of over 352 km roads across the state.

With the understanding that water is synonymous with life, the administration of governor Doma has awarded contract for six water projects to the tune of N2 billion in Lafia, Doma, Keana, Akwanga, Nasarawa and Nasarawa Eggon.

Health, they say is wealth. In an attempt to ensure that the people of the state live healthy lives, the Aliyu Akwe Doma administration has radically turned around the health sector in the state by providing the needed facilities and modern equipment in general hospitals and renovated 58 village clinics, provide them a borehole each in the 13 local government areas and 16 development areas of the state and equipped them with facilities to improve the health condition of the people of Nasarawa state.

Bearing in mind also that the world’s economy is now knowledge driven, the governor is giving education topmost priority. This he is doing by taking over the payment of JSCE/SSCE examination fees for indigent students of the state on exchange programme, ensuring that courses offered in the state’s tertiary institutions are fully accredited. To prove its seriousness, the government has so far spend over 28 million naira to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) as counterpart fund, started the construction of classrooms and the supply of educational materials and providing the necessary infrastructure in both the primary and secondary schools. The governor also facilitated the opening of the National Open University, Lafia campus, in Lafia the state capital. He has increased the amount paid to students as scholarship by 15%.

It therefore did not come as a surprise that in June this year, Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma was presented with the best performing governor award for the year 2007/2008. The award was given to the governor by the African Independent Television (AIT) in conjunction with Project for Excellence (PE) in recognition of his service to the people of Nasarawa State, especially in the areas of water, electricity supply and road constructions in the state. Also on July 25, 2008, the governor was given an international award by the United Nations Organisation in recognition of his "Directional Leadership and Good Governance" in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

It is a truism that one’s worth is not measured by how long a persons spends on earth, but the kind of impact one has on others. In this regard one can say boldly that Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma has lived a fulfilled life by affecting positively the lives of his people during these 65 years on earth. Let us therefore roll out the drums and celebrate in a big way as he clocks 66 years today. We pray God to give him long life, good health, wisdom and strength to continue to serve humanity in the years ahead.