Renowned geologist, philanthropist, and farmer, Mohammed Maikaya, has called on Nigerian politicians to embrace accountability, insisting that leadership must be measured by the value added to society.
Speaking during a meeting in Abuja, Maikaya said his philosophy of leadership is rooted in service, not titles. “You don’t need a title to lead. What matters is the impact you make, the value you add, and the lives you touch,” he declared.
Maikaya, who has practiced geology for nearly three decades and founded the Maikaya Development Foundation, has become a household name in Nasarawa for his strides in education, healthcare, and agriculture. His farm, one of the most structured in the state, integrates fish farming, poultry, livestock, feed production, and organic fertilizer, employing scores of youths and training them free of charge.
His foundation has awarded thousands of scholarships, equipped science laboratories, and supported students with disabilities. In 2026 alone, 730 indigent students benefitted from his scholarship scheme. “If I have had enough of what I can eat, I do not think it’s right to watch the next person hungry,” he said, underscoring his people-driven approach.
Politically, Maikaya is a founding member of the APC in Nasarawa State. He contested the party’s governorship primaries in 2019 but stepped aside due to zoning arrangements. With 2027 approaching, stakeholders are mounting pressure on him to run again, this time with zoning favoring Nasarawa West, his home zone.
He praised Governor Abdullahi Sule’s proactive leadership, describing his tenure as unprecedented in infrastructure, security, and economic growth. “We must encourage him, support him, to get more out of him. He is on his last lap, but it looks like he’s just beginning,” Maikaya said, adding that continuity is vital for Nasarawa’s progress.
On electoral reforms, Maikaya defended the government’s decision to allow manual backup for electronic transmission of results, describing it as foresight. He dismissed fears of manipulation, saying: “This election will be conducted by Nigerians. Technology can fail, but this government has said, if something happens, we have a backup. That is foresight.”
As 2027 draws closer, Maikaya’s message is clear: politicians must give account of their stewardship, and leadership must be judged by tangible results. His own record, from fish ponds to scholarships, is fast becoming the metaphor for the kind of governance he envisions: structured, sustainable, and people-driven.
By David Odama, Abuja
