By Deborah Hassan
356Daily – Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has warned that failure to address the plight of the underprivileged across the country is a recipe for disaster.
Dogara gave the warning when the Tikau Emirate Council in Yobe State presented him with a letter conferring the title of Jarman Tikau on him, on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, in Abuja.
He cited examples of resistance in developed democracies, saying: “For us in the Northeast, when I was Speaker, we in the Northeast, we realised that we were seriously in danger and whether we like or not all governments will have to adjust.
“We have seen the rise of far rights in Europe and even in established traditional democracies and that is a message for all of us that a system where people who excelled in accumulating capital, that is money, are exalted while those born on the fringes are left to be exploited will no longer work. That means that we have to do more for people who are less privileged.
“When you have a system that promotes the exploitation of the poor, while only an insignificant portion of the population who are rich and swim in the ocean of prosperity while the poor and vulnerable are left to drown in the ocean of poverty is just a recipe for disaster.”
He vowed to continue to work for the service of all Nigerians, especially the underprivileged in the society, because the greatest of all are those who offer themselves to serve humanity.
The Ex-Speaker said: “The essence of life is not life itself, it is not how long you live, it’s not longevity but in the donation, how well you live. As a matter of fact, if you judge from the lives of those who did well, most of them didn’t even live long.
“I believe as a people of faith, what we do to others far above what we do for ourselves and our families will be the basis for how we will be rewarded.
“So the truth is that you are never rewarded for what you saved, what you keep, you are only remembered for what you give away. When you die, nobody talks about the beautiful mansions you have built or beautiful cars or the beautiful watches or how beautiful what you have in your wardrobe is, it is the people you touched who will feel obligated to keep remembering about your services to them.
“So, going forward, whether we like it or not, as it is said in the scriptures, the greatest of us all will be those who offer themselves for service. This is call to service and I know my calling as a politician was to serve and I will dedicate myself, having been recognised by Tikau Emirate to render whatever service it is that the Emirate Council and his royal highness, within the confines of law and within the confines of our faith, to offer not just for the people of Tikau Emirate, not just for the people of the Northeast, but for the people of Nigeria and the less privileged across the world.
“This, as they say, is appreciation for service already rendered and as it said, if you appreciate , you are already applying for more. This appreciation, I do not feel it is to me, but to God for giving me the wisdom to engage in the kind of service that has been recognised and I believe that by this appreciation to God, more of my types will be born, nurtured and promoted into leadership so that they can deliver as we have delivered.”
Earlier in his address, Barr. Mohammed Bawa, the Dan Masanin Tikau, who led the Emirate Council’s delegation, said the emirate found the former Speaker worthy of the title.
He noted that the establishment of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), which had provided succour for the people of the North East, was Dogara’s brainchild.
Bawa said that as the Speaker of the 8th National Assembly, he stepped down from his exalted office to move a motion for the rehabilitation, recovery and Resettlement of the North East Region.
He added that Dogara’s appointment as Jarman Tikau was unanimous at the Emirate Council, when it was proposed in July, 2020.
Also, the Galadima of the Tikau emirate council, Alhaji Mohammed Sarki, said with the conferment of Jarman Tikau on Dogara, he had become one of the commanders of the emirate.