Sowore, Gombe Government and The Rest of Nigeria -By Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim

It is deeply disappointing and saddening the way our governments continue to fail us at all levels: from Edo to Plateau, Borno to Sokoto, and everywhere in between.

However, it was never surprising for me, an investigative journalist based in Gombe, or for any other Gombe resident, to read what was trending on Omoyele Sowore’s wall. It’s something we all have common knowledge of; it happens daily either to you or to your close ones.

Most of the issues Mr. Sowore raised are issues I have personally come to terms with. In fact, some journalists from within and outside Gombe State have corroborated this with me. Beyond the media circle, the issues have become so rampant that people routinely take to X (formerly known as Twitter) and the Zuckerberg blue app, Facebook, to share their grievances.

It is highly unfortunate to live in a time when people are suffering under the glare of the government, but nothing is done to salvage their situation. Instead, salt is, in some cases, added to their already painful wound. How does one survive?

From my experience as an investigative journalist, I have toured numerous communities, districts, and Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Gombe State, and the sad reality is how people are living as if they don’t have a government at all.

Recently, I authored a story asking: what is special about Gombe special education school? Despite being a school for People Living With Disabilities (PLWD), the school is far from being disability-friendly. Pupils trek to fetch water outside the school community without a guide, exposing them to security threats. They also study in a dilapidated and neglected environment. Unfortunately, this school is located within the Gombe metropolis, just a few kilometers away from Gombe State University. Its proximity to the city does not offer it a chance to shine and flourish as it should.

Another important example is how the climate crisis is pushing the rate of out-of-school children, a problem exacerbated by the government’s failure to build climate-resilient infrastructure. Worse still, the state operates without an Education Sector Plan. The people of Shongo Sarki Yaki Village and environs in Kwami LGA don’t only suffer from the education crisis but also drink dirty and contaminated water.

These instances paint a grim reality: despite the positive media narratives surrounding the government, far more needs to be done to salvage the situation before it is too late. Government is always about people. Whenever that core mission is ignored, then it is a clear failure.

These kinds of crises have become common across various Nigerian states. This is a national embarrassment, and something needs to be done to put a halt to it, or else the consequences will await the next generation.

What Sowore raised is almost perfect, except for the name of the governor he mistakenly captured. Everyone in the state knows how government establishments, particularly healthcare centers, are yearning for more workers due to the retirement and death of staffers, but the government has refused to recruit new staff.

The issue of the motorcycle ban has further made things worse, crippling the economy without any tangible outcome for over 100 days now. When it comes to healthcare, people are sobbing; it is beyond crying. The matter on the ground is nothing to write home about. From insufficient staff to a lack of facilities, people have no option but to seek healthcare in private clinics. Those who cannot afford it, leave everything in the hands of the Almighty Allah.

If Sowore, all the way from Lagos, can come out and criticize this government and surprisingly receive the massive support of the people, it definitely shows that something is wrong, even beyond what I have captured.

It is now left for the government to act now or face the consequences later.

Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim is a multiple award-winning investigative journalist and a 2025 Adejumobi Adegbite Fellow at the Foundation for Investigative Journalism and Social Justice, Lagos. He can be reached via awwalbinibrahim@gmail.com.