An Open Letter To The Governor Of Kaduna State: His Excellency, The Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani – “UNDER YOUR WATCH” -By Timothy Dokpesi Adidi

Your Excellency, in the last three (3) years, I have not spent my Christmas holidays in Kaduna State. I usually visit my village in Iviukwe-Agenebode, Edo State, at least to change my environment. In my previous years of spending Christmas and New Year in Kaduna State, it has been almost like a period of mourning for me due to the level of social capital that had degenerated in the past administration as a result of the level of insecurity and other economic policies that stiffened almost the entire economy. During those days, Kaduna State became a town of terror and intimidation. Hence, celebrating Christmas was not fun, and this affected the economy in a manner that must have been a threat to the integral development of the people living in Kaduna State.

I decided to have my yuletide holidays last year, 2025, in Kaduna State. The home of my birth and presently a place I call home, where my children are raised and nurtured in an environment that has brought me thus far in every stage of my formative years. As a young child growing up in Kaduna, I have seen so many undesired memories, and at the same time, I have seen the beautiful memories of love. kindness, celebrations, and the kind of social capital that values relationships amongst Christians and Muslims. I grew up in Kaduna, where connections and networks replete with community life never made us understand if anything like Kaduna North and Kaduna South existed. Those memorable years, we all from different religions celebrated the Yuletide together and also on some occasions breakfast together during Ramadan. We anticipated the Ramadan fast because that was when we had the opportunity to have the evening coco (pap) and cosai (bean cake), commonly used for breakfast with our Muslim families in the neighborhood. Then, we never understood the language known as “religious discrimination”. Christians lived in Kaduna North, just as Muslims would simplistically live in Kaduna South.

Your Excellency, under your watch, Kaduna State has gone back to the glorious days. During my holidays at the Yuletide, 2025, I experienced a glimpse of my childhood of the early 80s as I saw Kaduna town becoming a twenty-four-hour moment of social enterprise and an increase in social activities that made the town a destination for many from different parts of Nigeria. Kaduna became a beehive of different people, and even foreigners were seen from different races during the Yuletide under your watch. The level of fear and intimidation from the law enforcement agent has reduced to the point of allowing free movement of vehicles without having to stop and search.

Under your watch, Your Excellency, the level of criminality has reduced in the Kaduna metropolis. People moved day and night, walking on the streets and driving their vehicles. Even the “Okada men” (known as motorcycle riders who are involved in the business of logistics and transportation) were not sleeping at night but working and earning their daily income. Most shops in Kaduna South are now open for 24hours, a rare situation in the previous administration. Under your watch, I strongly believe the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has had a boost (I will leave this to the expert to confirm). I am very much aware that under your watch, the presence of the Kaduna State Government was feasible at the 2025 Kaduna Unity Christmas Carol, organized by the Kaduna State Government in collaboration with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter. I listened to you and appreciated the fact that you stressed that Kaduna State thrives best when people of all faiths coexist peacefully, reaffirming your administration’s commitment to inclusive governance. This is exactly what democracy delivers. Under your watch, Kaduna state is fast becoming an Open Society, which is also fast translating into respecting individual freedoms and democratic processes as a way to promote gradual, rational reforms in open societies.

Your Excellency, it is these democratic processes you have inculcated in Kaduna State that, under your watch, it is hardly heard that you have detained any opponent or human rights activists for critiquing your government (just in case there are, and I am not aware of); but unnecessary detention is hardly heard of. This is a reflection of your commitment to the rule of law in a democratic and open society. The world is watching you under your own very watch as you do your very best to bring good governance in Kaduna State with the best available resources at your own disposal. I do not doubt in my mind that with the way you are going, you shall add value to your political career in such a way that the world will put you on the global map.

Let me attempt to take you to another level of concern, Your Excellency, as you are making these giant strides in your administration. I believe you can also achieve more before the end of your tenure, most especially in the areas of infrastructural development in Kaduna South. I am very much concerned about the people of Gonin-Gora. The people of Gonin-Gora should be visited infrastructurally, especially in the areas of good roads and solar lights. Your Excellency, you are very much aware that Gonin-Gora is highly dominated by Christians. In fact, Ninety Percent (95%) of people in that area are from other religions, and most likely people from other tribes and tongues, and people and nations. I want to encourage you to visit them and see what can be done to make life easy for them. Give them a sense of hope and belonging, and let them experience the benefits that come with an Open Society.

Your Excellency, it is not enough for Kaduna State to be socially entrepreneurial. I believe that with the 24-hour life jerking back in Kaduna State, it can be translated into a more viable economic sustainability. This will be an opportunity to create more jobs and revive our industries that have gone comatose. I remember those days growing up, we had Seven-Up Bottling Company, Textiles United, Arewa Textiles Limited, United Nigerian Textiles Limited, Worldwide Garment, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, SETRACO, Peugeot, etc Unfortunately, we have lost all these privileges due to bad governance and the inability of your predecessors to manage diversity. I hope that under your watch, you can renegotiate with the investors of the past, who were mostly the Chinese, and if possible, get indigenous or Nigerian investors to revive these industries. These will definitely add value to the Open Society you have created and established for a thriving Kaduna State.

Finally, Your Excellency, let me wish a wonderful New Year and the best of your administration as you take Kaduna State to another level.

I remain your Residential Citizen.

Timothy Dokpesi Adidi
8th January, 2026