09/10/2025
Inuwa Yahaya at 64: Portrait of A Teacher, Mentor and Moral Compass
By Ismaila Uba Misilli
Today, October 9, 2025, marks the 64th birthday of His Excellency, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON (Dan Majen) Gombe, Governor of Gombe State and Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum, a visionary leader whose life embodies integrity, purpose and unrelenting devotion to the service of the people.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya is not just a leader by title, but by conviction and example. His life’s philosophy revolves around purpose-driven leadership, anchored on the values of hard work, humility, accountability, and selfless service. He leads with quiet strength and an uncommon sense of duty, turning every challenge into opportunity and every setback into renewed determination.
His 64 years reflect a rare blend of intellect and empathy that has shaped Gombe State into one of Nigeria’s most promising success stories.
His Excellency’s rise to prominence is not one of chance but of character. From his early professional and business career to his stewardship in public service, he has embodied a leadership philosophy grounded in prudence, hard work, and an unshakable belief in fairness and accountability. These qualities have earned him not only the trust of his people but also the admiration of peers across the country.
In the past six years, Governor Inuwa Yahaya has transformed Gombe into a model of strategic governance and sustainable development. Through deliberate planning, bold reforms, and people-centred initiatives, he has repositioned the state as a hub of opportunity and progress. Under his leadership, Gombe now ranks as the best-performing state in the Ease of Doing Business and the most peaceful state in the North-East, achievements that underscore his vision for stability-driven prosperity.
Education, once a challenge, has become one of the greatest success stories of his administration. Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s reforms have rejuvenated the system, expanding access, raising standards, and restoring public confidence.
Today, the pass rate of secondary school students has risen from 28 to 87 percent, while more than 350,000 out-of-school children have been reintegrated into formal education.
The establishment of new model schools with modern infrastructure is another testimony of his belief that the future of Gombe lies in the empowerment of its young minds.
In healthcare, his administration has shown compassion in action. The establishment of GoHealth, a state health insurance scheme, has revolutionized access to affordable healthcare. Every ward in the state now boasts at least two functional and fully equipped primary healthcare centres. Every Senatorial districts boasts state-of-the-art secondary healthcare facilities. Complementary institutions such as GoPharma, GODMA, and the Hospital Management Board have strengthened the system and institutionalized transparency, quality and accountability in health service delivery.
The story of Gombe State’s transformation cannot be told without mentioning Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s industrial vision. The Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, his flagship economic project, symbolizes a new dawn of industrialization, investment, and employment. It reflects a pragmatic vision that sees infrastructure not just as physical assets, but as enablers of economic opportunity and social mobility.
Through his Network 11-100 road initiative, hundreds of kilometres of roads have been constructed across all eleven local government areas, knitting communities closer, expanding trade, and opening rural economies to the world. His agricultural and Agro-Livestock policies have empowered farmers, boosted food production, and enhanced rural livelihoods, while youth and women empowerment programmes continue to uplift lives and promote self-reliance.
Yet, beyond statistics and structures, what truly defines Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s leadership is his humanity. Our pensioners and senior citizens have become proud beneficiaries of his compassionate and humane leadership. Through his commitment, the Governor has restored dignity to life after service by ensuring prompt payment of pensions and clearing outstanding gratuity inherited from previous administrations.
He leads with empathy, listens with sincerity and acts with conviction. His calm demeanour masks a firm resolve; his humility, a reservoir of strength. He is deliberate in thought, precise in decision and unrelenting in his pursuit of what serves the common good.
To those privileged to work closely with him, Governor Inuwa Yahaya is not just a boss, he is a teacher, a mentor, and a moral compass. He pushes those around him to rise above mediocrity, to think beyond self, and to act with purpose. Every assignment under his watch is a lesson in discipline, diligence, and accountability. His mantra, “Ko Gezau”, meaning ” captures his fearless approach to governance and his readiness to take tough decisions for the greater good.
At 64, His Excellency’s life stands as a compelling testament to what leadership can achieve when driven by sincerity of purpose and guided by divine grace. His story continues to inspire hope in a nation yearning for examples of honesty and excellence in public service.
Today, as we celebrate this exceptional leader and mentor, we also celebrate the values he represents: integrity, foresight, compassion and dedication to the collective good. His legacy is not only in roads, schools and hospitals, but in the renewed confidence of a people who believe once again that governance can truly serve their needs.
Your Excellency, as you mark your 64th birthday, we celebrate a life well-lived in the service of humanity. We pray that Almighty Allah will continue to grant you good health, wisdom and strength to carry forward your vision of a prosperous and peaceful Gombe State.
Happy Birthday to a Renaissance Leader, a Reformer and a Mentor Extraordinaire, His Excellency, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON (Dan Majen Gombe/ Dan Amanan Daular Usmaniyya).
Misilli is Director-General
( Press Affairs)
Government House
Gombe
