OPINION: Hon Dr Joseph Haruna Kigbu, Doktan Talakawa: A Development Driven Icon of Posterity – By Frank Ombugadu
Sometime ago, I wrote as an individual and jointly with my mentor, Matthew Kuju about the silent revolution of the one and only Doktan Talakawa universally. He probably would have thought, some philanthropy development drives sponsored and executed solely by him, would simply go unnoticed, but a golden fish 🐠🐟 cannot hide. It seems to me like whatever he lays his hands on, vibrates some kind of aura of healing, satisfaction and hope follow.

Just last week, while going to Lafia, I saw him wearing a cowboy 🤠 Don Williams, Kenny Rogers and Karl Dean Country music cap directing work personally at the gate of his ASIBITIN TALAKAWA in Azuba. If not for public transport, I would have surprised him at the site.

Just recently, pictures went viral all over social media platforms regarding another development addition to his alma mater in Barkin Abdullahi B.A.D. in Lafia Local Government. Of course I wasn’t surprised because I know him to some level of closeness. This piece isn’t one of praise singing, but an expression of gratitude to one man whose world is the humanity environment. It is also a call for all of us to do that which we can at the levels in which we are. Doktan Talakwa, on behalf of ALL that have benefitted one way or another from you, please do accept our deep and very refined gratitude. I write this to congratulate you loaded with encomiums for your wonderful and large heart which has continued to beat my imagination. I salute your courage, dexterity and determination with a bow.

After all the struggles, hues and cries, you were at the Federal House of Representatives at the National Assembly of the Republic of Nigeria. Glory be to God.

Dear sir, people like us look up to God through you and your colleagues in the development driven world; for more and progress; for healing and succor; for expansion and more work.

In settling down for your legislative business when you were at the National Assembly, you never forgot to be reminded that the process of Law-making was more sophisticated and thought provoking than ever. You know more than I do that underlying the principle of equality of men is the primary aim of law. This noble principle is the foundation of justice and fair play which is why you stood boldly, firmly and fearlessly to sponsor the countless bills you presented in addition to the robust, intelligent and very convincing contributions you rolled out during plenary. You always had in mind that without justice and fair play, society will be threatened by the problems of insecurity, crime, chaos and under development, owing to which fact most democracies in the world have tended to accord greater honour to legislators. In view of this background, permit me to address you as Your Excellency, I am more than happy that you have what it takes for further business of liberating more people from the firm grip of poverty, disease, despair, hopelessness including superstition.
You understood that as powerful as power is itself, you will never be corrupted by it and this is shown in your simplicity, humility and audacity to mingle even with the lowest in the society.
An unknown commentator once said, that the “Legislature can turn a woman into a man and a man into a woman.”
It is also for this same significance that Leslie Stevens once wrote when he was amplifying the power of the legislature. “If parliament says all blue eyed babies be murdered, the preservation of blue eyed babies will be illegal.”
It takes a moment to hug a child, but a life time is too short for the child to forget. I, therefore, beg you to use your growing strength, resources and people of goodwill and power in your hands to “die empty” as Myles Munroe would always say; that is to exhaustively utilize every dot of God’s investment in you.

Given your political struggles and navigation, sacrifices and pain, sleeplessness and tension including all the things unknown to me that have kept you on the track, service is the watch word, just keep serving God Almighty and humanity. This is because service is the rent we pay for living. It is prudent to acknowledge all your past efforts as a spring board for greater service for the sake of posterity. In my privileged capacity as a friend, brother and fan, I wish to implore you to lay a lot of emphases on the things that will make even your detractors to bow in defeat and let your actions make the people call you to return to service and on to greater responsibilities in the future. Such things are, but not restricted to education, employment, the environment, health care delivery, electricity, agriculture and rural road network. Establishing industries such as fruit juice production and other avenues of job creation will put you right in the heart of the people. If for example, you establish a mango 🥭 juice production factory which you may call ONE ALIVE, to avert the very unquantifiable losses in wastage of mango every year.

You have been struggling, smiling, achieving and expanding the frontiers of both primary and secondary health care delivery including tertiary outlook, with determination for a long time and many things have been sacrificed, therefore let the successes of the heavy labour of the past be the reason for another success story. I’d be a very happy and privileged person to document these successes to future generations and people that may not have the privilege to meet you in person.
Please let me end this essay with the words of Professor Olisa Chukwuka (SAN), OFR of blessed memory. He recommended that;
“Which ever way you get into any place, be it geographical location, public office whether rightly or wrongly. Endeavour to leave it better than you met it”
Thank you for the privileged friendship and brotherhood. May God be with you to help, protect and guide you through all your endeavours through Jesus Christ Our Lord and Saviour.
Sincerely from Your brother.

I am Frank Ombugadu just being modest in adding value to the reservoir and storehouse of knowledge.
Pictures compiled by Faith Awa Maji