According to an English playwright, poet and actor, William Shakespeare, “some people are born great; some achieve greatness while others have greatness thrust upon them”.
This statement no doubt finds fulfillment in the case of the Speaker Danladi Jatau Angbo.
Born on Thursday, 21st March 1968, precisely Fifty-Six years ago in Angiri Bassa, Kokona LGA of Nasarawa State, Jatau realized the truth in the statement of late Nelson Mandela that education is the most powerful weapon that can be used to change the world.
Consequently, he was inspired and so took his studies with all seriousness considering his life time ambition.
To this effect, the young Danladi Jatau started his early education at Ikka Primary School in Nasarawa Eggon LGA of the State, Federal Government College Ikote Epkene, Akwa Ibom State, College of Education Akwanga and proceeded to University of Calabar, Cross River State for his First Degree and Benue State University, Makurdi for both his Masters Degree and PhD respectively.
Politically, Danladi Jatau Angbo came to limelight in 1997 when he contested and won the seat of Councillorship position for Bassa Electoral Ward of Kokona LG and was re-elected for the same position in 1999 where he became the Speaker of Kokona Local Government Legislative Council.
He also served as Chairman, Agwada Development Area in 2002 and later became Special Assistant to the former Deputy Governor of the State Mr. Labaran Maku between 2003 and 2007 and still served in the same capacity when Maku was the Minister of Information between 2009 and 2011.
Considering his track record as a grassroot politician and Man of the People, Jatau contested for the State House of Assembly seat in 2011 and won with landslide victory and served between 2011 and 2015 in the Fourth Assembly.
Owing to his outstanding leadership qualities, his people re-elected him to the hallowed chamber in the 6th Assembly between 2019 and 2023 and presently the Speaker is serving his third term at the State House of Assembly.
In the words of Chinua Achebe, “the Toad does not run in the day time for nothing”, so also Danladi Jatau, a onetime Minority Leader and the immediate past Deputy Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly has cogent reason for occupying the political space of Kokona West State Constituency for the past three tenures.
Apart from chairing both Ad-hoc and standing committees of the House diligently to include committee on public complaint, security and petition as well as that of education, the Lawmaker made history on Friday 1st December, 2023 when he was elected as Speaker of the 7th Assembly unopposed.
His breakthrough and track records of achievements as well as experiences demonstrated in the last one year in office as the State Number Three Citizen has no doubt, been impactful, rewarding and eventful as peace, unity and stability at the legislative institution has been achieved and sustained aside several developmental innovations.
No wonder, his colleagues, the parliamentarians at the peak of his clocking one year in office unanimously passed a vote of confidence on his leadership qualities.
Interestingly, Speaker Jatau has remained a peace advocate with Nasarawa State project devoid of political, tribal and religious sentiments as he continues to champion the course of unity among members of the State Assembly and ensures synergy with the executive arm for the overall development of the state.
This explains why the Speaker, Nasarawa State Assembly received several awards to that effect ranging from, Nasarawa State Peace Broker, Peace Ambassador and Most Outstanding Speaker in Nasarawa State among others.
Happily, aside promoting Peace, unity, stability among members and enhanced synergy with the Executive, he has ensured rigorous oversight functions, made laws and passed resolutions that are making positive impacts on the lives of the people of the State.
Speaker Jatau has also set the ball rolling by paying dues to his constituency as just within one year at the helm of affairs as the State Number One Lawmaker, his activities speak volumes of his representation at the State Assembly.
Obviously, the Nasarawa State Number one Lawmaker transformed his constituency as he drilled over thirty boreholes across the electoral wards in the Constituency, carried out constructions and renovations of different schools and provides employment opportunities for many within the timeframe of his assumption into office.
This was aside his interventions in the area of electricity supply where he installed and repaired many transformers in his constituency to boost power supply in addition to donation of several vehicles and motorcycles to groups and individuals including security personnel to enhance their activities.
And to address the hardship occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal, he has intervened severally among his constituents and kokona LG in general by providing food items, cash and other essential materials to his people.
Danladi Jatau who holds the traditional title of Garkuwan Eggon World Wide, Magayaki Agwada and Ubangarin Kokona, no doubt is breaking the barriers.
Absolutely, his purposeful leadership in the State House of Assembly that has translated into peace and development in the State is the reason both parliamentarians and citizens of Nasarawa State are not only happy, but celebrate him whenever his name is mentioned.
Above all, the Speaker of the 7th Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Danladi Jatau is indeed an all inclusive Speaker which is why he is been popularly refers to as “DAFA DUKA” by people in Hausa, meaning he carries everybody along.
Written by Jibrin Gwamna, Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly.