Dipo Olowookere
By Mpaka Numbere
Friday, September 6, 2017, will go down the history books as the people of Plateau State gave their total support to Governor Solomon Lalang in solidarity over the demise of his brother Dr Wummen Tsenba Bako.
The atmosphere in Ajikamai, Shendam Local Government Area, was one that a passer-by may refer to a political rally or a crusade of sort, but only a struggle through the jam-packed venue would reveal the real essence of the assembly.
The previous day had experienced the gathering of sympathizers who thronged the St. Monica Catholic Church in Rantya, Jos for the wake-keep mass in a manner that individuals who got there two hours earlier were searching for space even outside the church premises.
With such overflow, one would assume sympathizers would avoid the long journey to the home town of the governor; however, the reverse was the case as the state capital Jos was shut down on the 6th of September as all roads led to Ajikamai to finally lay the remains of the deceased to rest.
The long list of dignitaries ranging from the presidency, clergy, governors, federal and state parliamentarians, commissioners, academia, judiciary, former governors of the state and neighbouring states etc, was however not the attraction of the day but the crowd of sympathizers who painstakingly travelled the over four hours journey from the state capital to bid final farewell to Dr Wummen Tsenba Bako
Dr Wummen, who is a community developer and a grassroot mobilizer, started his journey in life in 1971 when he was given birth to by the humble family of late Miskoom Tsenba Bako of N’yak-Ajikamai.
He defied all odds to rise to the top of his career having obtained a Doctorate degree in the University of Jos, his working experience however took him through the length and breadth of the country after his national youth service in Anambra State.
He is a fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, a member of the council of Examiners of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), a lecturer with the University of Jos and he also served as a special assistance in the office of the wife of the Cross-River State Governor a position he held between 2012 and 2013.
With such solidarity the good people of Plateau state have demonstrated to the Governor in his time of grief, it is obvious that the love and cooperation the executive governor of Plateau State enjoys from the masses is an unequivocal reverberation of the level of love and trust they have put on him and obviously the continuous growth of the state will be a function of such continuous unity as shown in the time of mourning.
Mpaka Numbere is writing from Ajikamai community in Shendam Local Government Area, Plateau State
