Celebrating Governor Dauda Lawal at 61: A New Era in Zamfara

If you asked me whether Dauda Lawal is the same person I knew five years ago, I would say a big NO.

On his 55th birthday in 2020, I wrote a piece called ‘The Dauda Lawal I Know.’ I described him as a retired banker who wanted a quiet life. In Hausa, we say ‘ba hayaniya’ meaning no noise.

In 2021, despite all the attacks and negative stories about him, Dauda answered a call for help from his people in Zamfara State. They said, ‘Help us, Dauda.’

The Dauda Lawal from 2018 to 2023 has changed. He sees society from a close perspective. He understands how people create their own realities. This comes from his past as a banker who excelled in his field.

Since May 29, 2023, I have seen a different Dauda Lawal. If he didn’t go to Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, I would think he learned from the great sociologists like Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim.

Over these three years in government, and during his time as Governor of Zamfara State, I have watched him govern carefully. He aims for real results. This shows the theory of Functionalism in action.

I see a governor who understands Comte’s ideas. He knows that society is like a living body. Institutions like security, education, and health must work together to keep everything running smoothly.

You can argue about it, but I see a governor who applies Comte’s ‘Positive Philosophy.’ He leads Zamfara by using science and observation to understand social rules and behaviors. He has boosted the state’s IGR from 90 million naira to over 5 billion naira every month.

One day, I want to check Governor Dauda’s library. I am curious if he has Emile Durkheim’s ‘Rules of Sociological Method’ and George Ritzer’s ‘Sociological Theory.’

I studied Talcott Parsons for many years, and I see his ideas in Dauda’s leadership. It reflects a careful approach to running Zamfara State.

According to Parsons, every society must meet four basic needs to survive: adaptation, goal attainment, integration, and latency.

For Dauda Lawal, adaptation started when he reached out to foreign donors. They had stayed away from Zamfara due to lack of transparency. He brought back the World Bank to fund projects in the state.

Goal attainment means setting clear public goals from the start and deciding how to achieve them across various ministries.

For integration, he keeps the ministries and agencies working together to manage conflicts.

With a good understanding of Parsons’ Latency, Dauda Lawal’s leadership focuses on preserving and renewing the core values that guide the government’s mission: rebuilding Zamfara.

I wish I could say more, but in the future (In sha Allah), every September 2nd, I will highlight what I missed in the past years to celebrate a man I now see as a father, not just a boss.

Happy 61st birthday to Governor Dauda Lawal. His leadership has changed Zamfara's story for the better.