Although the Nigerian Constitution has evidently not assigned any definite or particular official responsibilities to deputy governors, apart from being in office just to assist or deputise for their principals, their roles are at the discretion of their bosses.
The only pronouncement in respect to deputy governors made by the Nigeria constitution is for the deputy governors to assume automatic leadership of their respective states as executive governors after the demise of their principals.
In such circumstances therefore, it means a deputy governor would perpetually remain subservient to the dictates of his principal, except where the governor deems it fit to assign any portfolio or official assignment to the deputy governor. In the absence of the foregoing, a deputy governor would remain ceremonial as an onlooker on the fence till the end of the tenure.
However, in the case of Prof Sonny Tyoden, the incumbent deputy governor of Plateau State, who at present enjoys a robust working relationship with his boss, Governor Simon Lalong, has found a vocation in building bridges of peace and philanthropy across the 17 local government areas of the state.
Apart from representing Governor Lalong at most public functions, Prof Tyoden has been engaging in fostering ethnic and religious understanding amongst the people of the state.
Perhaps, Tyoden is conscious of the fact that at the inception of their administration they inherited a state that was fractured and dismantled along ethnic and religious lines, arising from more than a decade of communal and centrifugal violence.
By May 29, 2015, at the inception of the Simon Lalong administration, in which the professor is a critical stakeholder and the official second in command, the state was just recovering from a previously devastating civil unrest and the attendant loss of trust and harmony among the inhabitants, as well as the insidious loss of confidence by a large section of the public against the state government.
Perhaps these had combined to influenced Tyoden’s decision to actively take part in the promotion of ethnic and religious harmony through his foundation, a private initiative which he has been nurturing since his days as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos.
It was to his credit that he intermittently convened stakeholders’ meetings of faith-based organisations in his office and in most cases, at his personal residence to discuss the ways and means to achieving religious harmony in the state.
At other times, the deputy governor had severally convened ethnic meetings of the various community leaders from across the state, to also sensitised them on the need for inter-ethnic mutual understanding and as well sought for their advice in the interest of guarding government decisions.
Since the administration is primarily hinged and focused on rescuing the people and the state from the unfortunate rancorous and turbulent past and therefore, the need to embrace and remain open to all shades of interest groups in the state.
Little wonder, the deputy governor has become a rallying point to many ethnic and religious groups, which were inclined to seek one favour or the other, this intervention has in reality, but silently and tremendously, helped in stabilising the relative peace pervading the landscape of the entire state.
What is more? With the full cooperation of Governor Lalong, Prof Tyoden has become a source of succour and inspiration to many individuals, women groups, youth groups, students, people living with disabilities, the vulnerable class and faith-based organisations in the state.
In line with the inclusive policy of the Lalong administration, the financial, moral and material support rendered by the deputy governor is convincingly and equitably disbursed.
This was carried out, irrespective of religious or any primordial sentiment, this has further strengthened the hope and confidence of the people in the present administration in the state, resulting in a more cohesion and mutual harmony amongst the diverse interest groups in the state.
In attesting to the numerous assistance granted to many organisation by the Plateau State deputy governor, the chief Imam of Rikkos Friday Mosque, Ustaz Mohammed Kabir Chidawa has affirmed thus, “Unlike the part where the state establishment was hostile and partial to the Muslim community, especially in Jos North Local Government Area. Now we have a state governor who is not a religious bigot, but a detribalised and accommodating person.
Similarly, his deputy, Prof Tyoden, is a wonderful man, who sees the entire state as a family. He personally paid for the digging and construction of the entire foundation to lintel level of a Muslim Primary and Secondary school at Gangare, Jos .
On the other hand, the General Overseer) of God’s Prophetic Ministry situated at Chollom Street, Apata in Jos North LGA, Mrs Bridget Okoli, also had a glowing testimony of the deputy governor.
“The present administration in the state belongs to all of us. Many Christians clergies have informed me about how the deputy governor has been rendering assistance, morally and financially, to their churches and members across stands denominations.
“My church has also approached him for assistance toward the completion of the children section of the church, which has been under construction for sometimes now, but uncompleted due to lack of fund. We know he will listen to us,” Okoli said.
Similarly, the ward heads of Naraguta Village, Nasarawa Gwom, Jenta-Adamu all in Jos North LGA and the ward head of Anguwan Hausawa in Bokkos LGA, as well as the ward head of Mista-Ali in Bassa LGA, and the ward heads of Sabon Layi and Anguwan Doki of Jos-South LGA have all testified to the fact that Prof Tyoden is the silent peace ambassador of the Lalong administration.
Also, he has remained a cheerful giver to the needy, irrespective of ethnic or religious background.
Be that as it may, available records indicate that Tyoden has so far paid for the WASSCE and NECO examinations fees of about 3,830 candidates, as well as the UTME fees of 3,456 prospective students drawn from the 17 LGAs of Plateau State, among who were the children of the less privileged and orphans.
He has also rendered significant assistance to students with special needs, in terms providing reading aids, such as Braille typewriters and sensor walking sticks to hundreds of blind students and elderly blind persons, as well as extending similar gesture to those incapacitated by hearing impairment.
However, Tyoden’s interventions in terms of peace building strategy and philanthropic activities did not go unnoticed. For example, the Plateau Youth Initiative For Good Governance And Sustainable Democracy (PYIGGSD) has identified and nominated him for its maiden award for excellence.
The deputy governor will be celebrated for his contribution towards sustainable peace and service to humanity on a date to be announced later after due consultation with relevant stakeholders.
To conclude this piece, Prof Tyoden began his career in 1978 in the Plateau State Civil Service. He resigned his appointment to fulfill his ambition of becoming an academic and rose to become Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos before venturing into the murky waters of Nigerian politics.
Mohammed Bilal, the Managing Director of Royal Publicity Publishing Company, contributed this piece from Jos, Plateau State
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