Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has said he often feels the burden of leadership whenever he reflects on the oath of office he swore.
He shared this during the swearing-in of Gumel Local Government’s new chairman, following the death of the former chairman, Hon. Lawan Ya’u, who passed on after a brief illness.
The deputy chairman was formally sworn in on Thursday, the 24th of July, 2025, to take over leadership of the council.
At the ceremony, Namadi addressed the gathering: “I want to use this moment to call on myself, the new chairman, and all of us gathered here to reflect on this reality: the late chairman never expected that he would not complete his tenure. This can happen to anyone of us, at any time, without notice.”
He urged public office holders to remain conscious of the inevitability of death and the judgment that follows, stressing the need to discharge duties with sincerity and faith.
“Therefore, in whatever we do, we must always remember that there will be a day of reckoning, and there will be death. Those of us entrusted with responsibilities must discharge those responsibilities with the fear of Allah,” he said.
Namadi revealed that he keeps a copy of his oath on his desk as a daily reminder of his commitment to the people of Jigawa.
“If you go to my office today, you’ll find that same oath placed on my desk. I have kept it there intentionally. Every time I look at it, I remind myself of the bond between me and the people of Jigawa State.
“I advise you to place a copy of that oath in your office. When you arrive in the morning, read it before you sit down at your table. It’s very, very important.”
He warned against allowing self-interest to interfere with public responsibilities.
“We all have taken an oath that we would not allow our personal interest to influence your official conduct. That is critical, because personal interest is the killer. In most cases, we are driven by personal interest, and we forget that the oath we took is before Allah. We are deceiving no one but ourselves.
“Do not allow your personal interests to affect your official duties. Every decision you make as chairman is a serious responsibility.”
READ ALSO: Jigawa Deadly Road Accident Claims 9 Lives
He urged the new chairman to lead with fairness, humility, and cooperation.
“Almighty Allah will hold us accountable. We have pledged not to let our personal desires influence our official responsibilities.
“Let your guiding principle be the fear of Allah. If you have that, you will succeed. I advise you to be fair and just. Be a uniting factor. Do not work as a lone ranger. That is the beginning of failure.
“If someone is given a responsibility in the local government, respect that and carry them along.
So, while I congratulate you, I also pity you just as I pity myself because I understand the weight of this responsibility. I think about the day when we will stand before Allah and account for what we have done in this position. That day will surely come.”
Responding, the newly sworn-in chairman, Muhammad Gako, pledged to serve the people of Gumel to the best of his ability.
He called on residents and stakeholders to support his leadership in advancing the council’s development.