By Segun Adewale in Gombe
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has described the state’s 30th anniversary as a historic milestone for celebrating the sacrifices of its founding fathers, appreciating the contributions of successive administrations and charting a sustainable path for future generations.
The Governor stated this on Wednesday, 28 October, 2026, while delivering his address at the International Conference and Symposium to mark Gombe State’s 30th anniversary, held at the International Conference Centre, Gombe.
The event, themed “Reflecting on Our History, Consolidating Progress, and Charting the Future,” brought together prominent personalities, former leaders, visiting governors, traditional rulers, scholars, development partners and other distinguished guests.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya paid glowing tribute to the founding fathers whose sustained struggle culminated in the creation of Gombe State on October 1, 1996, by the late General Sani Abacha.
He acknowledged the contributions of successive administrations, including those of the pioneer Military Administrator, Group Captain Joseph I. Orji, Late Col. Mohammed Inuwa Bawa, the late Alhaji Abubakar Habu Hashidu, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje and Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo.
The Governor emphasised that Gombe State’s transformation over the past three decades was the product of collective sacrifice, visionary leadership and sustained commitment to development.
“Leadership in a young state like ours is a relay, not a sprint. Each generation receives the baton from those who came before it, carries it as far as circumstances and resources permit, and passes it on with the expectation that those who follow will advance the journey,” he stated.
Reflecting on his administration’s contributions since 2019, Governor Inuwa Yahaya highlighted landmark achievements in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, industrialisation, energy and public service reforms, guided by the state’s 10-Year Development Agenda, DEVAGOM.
He disclosed that his administration had constructed or renovated over 2,000 classrooms across more than 400 schools, brought 350,000 out-of-school children into the education system, and established integrated Almajiri and Tsangaya schools across the eleven Local Government Areas.
In healthcare, he pointed out the construction and renovation of 228 Primary Healthcare Centres across the state’s 114 wards, the establishment of the Federal Medical Centre in Kumo and the expansion of the GoHealth scheme, which now covers over 400,000 beneficiaries.
The Governor also cited the construction and rehabilitation of over 1,000 kilometres of roads, the development of the 1,000-hectare Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, the ongoing Renewed Hope Agro-Industrial Hub and investments in electricity, water supply and housing as major milestones in the state’s transformation.
On workers’ welfare, he disclosed that the administration had paid over N44 billion in gratuities, implemented the N70,000 minimum wage and created thirteen Local Council Development Areas to strengthen grassroots administration.
Speaking on the commemorative publication unveiled at the event, the Governor described the book as an important historical document intended to preserve the collective memory of the state, honour the contributions of successive generations and provide valuable reference material for researchers, policymakers and future leaders.
The Governor expressed optimism that the next thirty years would usher in greater prosperity, stronger institutions and expanded opportunities for the people, urging all stakeholders to sustain the unity and collective determination that inspired the creation of the state.
Looking ahead to the 2027 democratic transition, Governor Inuwa Yahaya urged political leaders and citizens to prioritise peace, unity and continuity of development above individual or partisan interests, declaring that, “The future of Gombe State must always be greater than the ambitions of any individual or political party.”
In his remarks, the first Military Administrator of Gombe State, Group Captain Joseph Orji (Rtd), expressed delight at the remarkable transformation of the state since its creation thirty years ago.
He praised the rapid pace of infrastructural and socioeconomic development recorded in Gombe, particularly under Governor Inuwa Yahaya, whose leadership he commended for advancing the vision of the state’s founding fathers and positioning Gombe on a path of sustainable progress, scoring the Governor ‘Excellent’ on leadership.
Speaking on behalf of visiting Deputy Governors of Bauchi, Plateau and Yobe who represented their respective Governors at the occasion, the Deputy Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana, conveyed goodwill and congratulations to the government and people of Gombe State on the milestone anniversary.
The celebration also received an international goodwill message from the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Hajiya Amina J. Mohammed, who joined the anniversary through a recorded video message played at the event, celebrating Gombe’s thirty years of statehood.
The anniversary symposium also featured keynote presentations by three distinguished speakers, including Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Prof. Rufa’i Ahmed Alkali and Prof. James Saliba, who examined the state’s historical evolution, governance experiences, developmental achievements and future prospects, offering perspectives on consolidating the gains of the past thirty years.
Earlier in his welcome, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, emphasized that Gombe state since its creation, has been blessed with leaders who contributed to its development, particularly acknowledging the transformational leadership of Governor Inuwa Yahaya whom he nonted has outperformed his predecessors in terms of developmental projects.
The major highlight of the celebration was the unveiling of a commemorative book titled “Gombe State: Thirty Years of Promise and Progress, 1996-2026,” documenting the state’s journey from its creation to its present developmental strides.
The commemorative book was reviewed by Prof. Sani Abba Aliyu of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
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