26/08/2026
CHARACTER AS VALUABLE ASSET: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ZULUM’s VERDICT ON KAURAN GWANDU.
By Ibrahim A Jombali
Politics is something that sometimes comes with applause. Leaders praise one another with such frequency that compliments often dissolve into background noise. Yet every so often, an endorsement arrives with enough credibility to command attention. When that happens, the subject is no longer the praise itself, but the qualities being recognised by the praiser.
The above analogy is what makes Governor Babagana Zulum’s assessment of Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris—popularly known as Kauran Gwandu—worth serious consideration and examination.
Nigerians from all parts, and irrespective of political , tribal, or religious affiliation, know and agree that Zulum is not a man whose public reputation rests on rhetoric. His political brand was forged in one of Africa’s most difficult theatres of governance, where insecurity, reconstruction, and development compete daily for attention. When such a governor describes another leader as generous, upright, dependable, committed to his word, and possessed the tenacity to transform his state, it is more than ceremonial politeness. It is a judgement about leadership rooted in honesty and fairness.
We all agree that leadership remains Nigeria’s most debated commodity. Character is perhaps the most valuable currency of all.
Contemporary politics in Nigeria has become increasingly obsessed with projects. Governments measure themselves in kilometres of roads, numbers of classrooms, bridges commissioned, and budgets announced. These things matter. They are visible, quantifiable, and politically marketable.
But the deeper question is always this: What kind of person sits behind the projects?
It is an indisputable reality that roads can be built by governments with integrity and by governments without it. Budgets can be passed by competent administrations and, of course, by incompetent ones. Public relations can manufacture the appearance of performance.
Character, however, is harder to counterfeit. It is difficult to be procured. It can not be forcefully pretended. It is a natural attribute, and that is exactly what makes it rare and therefore expensive.
It reveals itself in consistency. It appears in how promises are treated. It manifests in whether power changes a leader or merely amplifies who he already was. It presents a leader in his original form. No acting, no pretence, no assumption.
This is where Nasir Idris presents an intriguing case. This is what presents Kauran Fwandu as a special case study in leadership founded on the strength of character.
Unlike many politicians who arrive in government after years of elite political manoeuvring, Idris emerged from the organised labour and education stationed in the grassroots. . Before he occupied Government House, he spent decades negotiating on behalf of workers, engaging communities, and navigating the often unforgiving terrain of public advocacy. He did so without fear or favour, but with focus, tact, and a deep sense of responsibility that defied submission to threat, intimidation, or coercion.
Such backgrounds do not automatically produce effective governors. But they do shape instincts, provide experience, and polished reasoning.
A labour leader understands that words create expectations. He learns quickly that promises become liabilities if they are not honoured. Every agreement reached is eventually measured against implementation. In that world, credibility is not a luxury; it is survival, and Nasir has it in huge supply.
Perhaps this explains why the recurring theme surrounding Kauran Gwandu's administration is not merely what he promises but his determination to be seen fulfilling those promises.
That distinction matters. It counts. It inspires a great deal.
Citizens do not experience governance through manifestoes. They experience it through functioning schools, accessible healthcare, secure communities, productive farms, and roads that reduce the cost of living. They judge governments not by campaign speeches but by everyday encounters with public services.
The real test of leadership is, therefore, not intention but conversion: can political promises be transformed into practical outcomes?
Supporters of the Kebbi governor argue that this conversion is precisely what defines his administration. Critics may disagree on the pace or scale of progress—as they are entitled to in a democracy—but even critics would concede that leadership is ultimately judged by delivery rather than declarations. Nasir Idris is surely delivering !
The most revealing part of Zulum's testimony is encapsulated in his emphasis on integrity.
In much of the developing world, governance deficits are not primarily caused by a lack of ideas. Development plans exist in abundance. Vision documents gather dust in government archives. Masterplans are drafted with impressive regularity. The challenge is putting all of them into concrete reality.
The deficit is often one of trust.
Investors seek predictability. Citizens seek honesty. Institutions seek consistency. All three depend fundamentally on integrity. Governor Idris is a manifestation of the three attributes as can be seen in his leadership.
An administration perceived as straightforward enjoys a strategic advantage. Decisions become easier to explain. Policies become easier to defend. Public confidence becomes easier to maintain.
That does not mean such governments escape controversy. No serious administration ever does. It simply means that people can better understand where their leaders stand and what they represent.
For emerging democracies, clarity is not a trivial virtue. It is a developmental asset.
Yet character alone does not transform societies.
Good intentions have buried many governments. Noble ambitions have collapsed under the weight of economic realities, bureaucratic inertia, and political resistance.
This is why Zulum's emphasis on tenacity may be even more important than his praise of integrity.
Development is rarely a sprint. It is a prolonged confrontation with obstacles. In this case, only leaders with courage, tenacity of purpose, solid focus, and iron will excel in their leadership. Zulum counted Kauran Gwandu among this category of leaders, and he did not mince words.
The world is challenged by economic factors. Consequently, projects stall. Revenues fluctuate. Expectations rise faster than resources. Opposition intensifies. Crises emerge unexpectedly. In spite of these unpleasant situations, Nasir Idris has kept hope alive executing projects that have direct and positive bearing on the people and driving the state to the arena of progress and development.
The books of history capture the times of leaders who leave enduring legacies and have shown that they are often not the most charismatic but the most persistent. They possess the capacity to continue pushing long after the excitement of electoral victory has faded. Kauran Gwandu has continued to push, and the state is moving forward positively.
For the Kebbi state governor, there is one strong belief: Tenacity is the bridge between vision and achievement, and to impact positively, leaders must be tenaciously and intentionally attached to their vision.
It is therefore reasonable that Zulum's observation goes beyond personal admiration. It identifies what he believes to be the essential ingredient required for Kebbi's long-term advancement: a governor willing to sustain the difficult work of transformation.
As Nigeria gradually moves towards another electoral cycle, the debate in Kebbi will inevitably shift from governance to continuity. Supporters are already arguing that ongoing programmes deserve time to mature. Opponents may insist that performance should face rigorous scrutiny.
Governor Idris has no problem with both positions as they are legitimate. What matters is meeting the aspirations of the electorates to the extent that those against him will be too weak to fight or promote or sell their malicious propaganda to the people. Of course,
democracy demands competition of ideas and accountability of power.
Yet Zulum's intervention introduces another criterion into the conversation—one often overlooked in modern politics.
Character.
Not personality. Not popularity but strength of character. This clear distinction is important. It is correct to say that personality wins, but it is equally correct that character sustains governments and wins the goodwill of the people.
I believe that personality attracts crowds, but again, it is truism that character, good character builds institutions. Although personality dominates headlines, it may only be for a short period because only character survives history.
The broader proposition behind the Kauran Gwandu project is, therefore, not simply that Nasir Idris is building roads, investing in agriculture, or expanding social programmes. It is that he is attempting to translate personal values into public administration for the overall benefit of society.
Since the advent of the Kauran Gwandu administration, generosity has become social intervention and integrity, and that very rare commodity in politics has become accountable governance as straightforwardness, transparency and promise keeping have become measurable deliveries.
Straightforwardness becomes transparency. The consequence of these is that tenacity is now an instrument of development.
Whether history ultimately validates that proposition remains a question for the people of Kebbi. Democracy reserves reserve the final verdict for citizens, not commentators.
Still, Zulum's testimony offers a useful lens through which one can easily view the governor's journey.
Nasir Idris' leadership suggests that the most important infrastructure in governance may not be entirely physical at all. It may also be moral.
Naturally and inevitably, roads eventually deteriorate. Buildings age. Budgets expire, but character endures.
When leadership is anchored in character, strengthened by resilience, and measured by delivery, development ceases to be a campaign slogan. It becomes a realistic proposition.
That, perhaps, is the deeper meaning behind Zulum's verdict on Kauran Gwandu—and why it resonates far beyond the boundaries of Kebbi State. There are good leaders in Nigeria, but like Prof. Zullum has confirmed, only a few governors are like Nasir Idris, the hard-working and relentless Governor of Kebbi State.
Ibrahim Abubakar Jombali
Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment and Orientation to the Governor of Kebbi State
