From Ben Adaji, Jalingo
It was jubilation galore when Chief David Kente landed at the Danbaba Suntai Airport Jalingo on April 17 to receive the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, award as ” Philanthropist Man of the Year.”
The reception that occasioned his arrival left no one in doubt that Tarabans are desperately yearning for him to steer the affairs of the state, as the placards they displayed glaringly referred to him as their next governor.
The assorted placards with different inscriptions such as “DSK come and rescue Taraba State,” “2027, DSK is our choice” “Tarabans yearn for DSK 2027” and several others, appear to be the resolution of the majority of the people from the Central, Northern and Southern parts of the state who converged on the airport.
Thousands of Taraba indigenes have benefited either directly or indirectly from the generousity of Chief Kente, who recently bagged the NUJ Philanthropist Man of the Year award.
Our correspondent reports that
through the DSK Foundation, Kente has been able to reach out to people in various spheres of life, including health, education, skills acquisition and empowerment, rehabilitation and resettlement, construction of bridges and culvets among several others.
The sheer magnitude of his philanthropic gesture and its outreach have endeared him to the people and as successive governments continue to perform abysmally, calls for him to take over the reigns of power in the state come 2027 are intensifying daily.
Speaking during the Taraba NUJ Press Week to mark the 70th anniversary in Nigeria Chairman of the Union, Comrade Mathew Elud-Jen disclosed that the awardees, who were carefully selected, have distinguished themselves in different facets of life.
“I stand here to tell you that Chief Kente, who bagged the ‘Philanthropist Man of the Year’ Award is an exceptional character whose kind gesture has no boundaries. I wish to declare that we are yet to find his equal in Taraba State.”
The Chairman of the occasion, Ambassador John Musa, eulogised Chief Kente for his generosity and service to humanity. “DSK Taraba is proud of you,” he said.
A cross-section of Tarabans who spoke to our correspondent wished that the chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and business merchant is given the opportunity to pilot the affairs of the state come 2027.
A former Commissioner and APC stalwart, Shuaibu Ataka, said “with the abysmal performance of the present administration in Taraba State, it will be easier for APC to wrestle power in 2027 if the party allows Kente who enjoys the overwhelming support of the people to fly the governorship ticket.
“As you know, the APC has lost consistently in the state because of disagreements among key players over who flies the ticket, but if President Bola Tinubu and the party leadership want to wrestle power in Taraba for the first time, they should try Chief Kente,” he advised.
On March 3, when Kente celebrated his 60th birthday in Wukari, his country home it was indeed an assembly of who is who in the state.
Kente, popularly known as DSK, ( born on March 3, 1965) is a businessman, politician and philanthropist. He is the founder and CEO of DSK Group International Ltd and an NGO, DSK Foundation.
No doubt he is an accomplished businessman and renowned politician, who was celebrated for his integrity, brilliance, expertise, charisma and outstanding commitment to philanthropic gesture and kindness to humanity.
According to an elder statesman, Mr Orya Clement, “he is a rare gem, a detribalised gentleman, always sounding ebullient, happy and a captivating businessman, he is also an APC chieftain that is endowed with exceptional leadership traits and resilient for positive transformation.
“It is indeed a statement of fact that Kente is an unrepentant apostle of revolutionary change in the nation’s political circle,” he said.
As a respected leader, he has made significant impact through his DSK Foundation, which has provided scholarship to hundreds of students, donations to orphanages and supported the less privileged in the society.
His philanthropic work has earned him several awards, including the “Ambassador of Peace and Societal Development” and “Icon of Humanitarian Services” by the Taraba State Students Union, besides the NUJ award among others.
Recently, he was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree by Kwararafa University, Wukari during its second and combined convocation ceremony. It was a momentous occasion that celebrated his achievements and immense contributions to the society.
Kente, who worked with the National Assembly Service Commission before retirement, has businesses spread across the state and beyond where thousands are gainfully employed.
He was the candidate of Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the 2015 Taraba State gubernatorial election where he gave the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Darius Ishaku a run for his money. He, however, lost to Ishaku and later joined the All Progressives Congress in 2016. DSK aspired for the number one seat in Taraba State under APC in 2023 but again lost the ticket to Senator Emmanuel Bwacha in a controversial circumstance that ended in court.
He once served as a member of the North-East Development Commission, NEDC, where he was the chairman, Board of Trustees of its Education Endowment Fund.
As the race for 2027 begins and the APC is working to put its house together, calls for Kente to join the race continue to thicken.
Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari, recently told journalists that the APC is poised to take over Taraba State in 2027.
According to Maigari “the only thing that has stopped the APC from taking over Taraba all this while is internal wranglings. I think most of us have resolved to work together for our common good. As we speak, I am one of the leaders of the party in the state and I have resolved not to contest for anything. Instead, I will ensure that things are done right and everyone is provided with a level playing field so that whoever emerges as the candidate of the party will be generally accepted and the rest of us will team up to give the party victory”.
What may pose a challenge is securing the ticket of the party since he is from Wukari Local Government, same as the incumbent Governor Agbu Kefas.
The people of the Central and Northern zones may not be willing to have another person from the Southern Zone take over the reigns of power with the tendency of running for another eight years. Already, the zone would hold the reigns for 12 years by 2027. Consequently, if Governor Kefas is to run for a second tenure, it will come to 16 consecutive years.
However, if Kente is to take over and run for two tenures, that will come to 20 consecutive years, while the North and Central zones watch.
However, with the level of disenchantment with the present administration, most people will prefer a replacement, someone who has been on ground with the people and knows their problem and the available opportunities.
Kente does not only fit the profile, but has equally warmed his way into the hearts of the people and is considered highly detribalised. As such, the people may look beyond zoning and go for who will actually deliver the dividends of democracy.
