Late Danbaba and the month of June.

Newspointer June 27, 2024

Written by Emmanuel Bello

There is something uniquely strange or special about the month of June in the epic biospic of late Governor Danbaba Suntai. It’s the month of his birth and eventual death. He was born on the 30th and passed on the 28th day of the month, respectively.

This year marks the 7th anniversary of his glorious home calling. Pastor Agyo Abraham, who was his pastor at Government House, Jalingo, has relentlessly sustained the tradition of doing a 3 day prayers for the late number one citizen. The event stirs up emotions but also brings to the fore the amazing life Danbaba led, the administration he captained, and the qualitative leadership he did his best to provide.

Seven years later, the memories of the enigma of a man remain fresh. Millions of Nigerians recall the story of his life that reads like a best seller. No one has forgotten his taciturnity or his self effacing nature. He detested praise singing and rejected thuggery of any kind. He actually legislated against them. No one has forgotten his love for the masses, his care, and his passion for development.

Those close to him recollect his political struggles and the dramas that launched him unto the state and national stage. His transparency, loyalty to friends, and sometimes fiery dispositions are all stuffs of legend.

Who, amongst us his aides, can easily forget the encounters at the EXCO chambers, the vehemence of his anger at what is not right, and the rare light-hearted moments when he joked? We all still talk about these moments when we meet. His leadership style was simple: just doing the right things silently. He was somewhat ascetic but had a love for sports and flying. He was calm but could be boisterous when annoyed. He smiled easily but could maintain a scowl throughout the hours. He was a serious person who believed in finding deep-seated solutions to problems.

At a personal level, the Danbaba mystique has remained with me. I was captivated by his forthrightness and a sense of what is profound. Even now, I can still hear some of the things he said to me in the course of working with him.

Everyone remembers an aspect of late Governor Danbaba, but the state recalled the opening up of roads, the airport, and his serious work to give the state a university. We all remember his battles with criminals and his hard work to rid the state of criminality. Things are tougher now, but way back, the challenges were equally daunting. Danbaba confronted them honestly and adroitly.

We continue to miss you, the gallant captain who has remained an inspiration to this day.

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