•Mrs. Dogari Photo: Sun News Publishing

Woman of the Sun Index

Karim Lamido local Government area of Taraba State is one of the most remote and oldest in the history of North East. The area was created since 1976 during the defunct Gongola State but up to now there are no good access roads, drinking water and a standard medical centre.

Mrs. Maryati Dogari is the newly elected chairperson of Karim Lamido Local Government Council. She spoke with Daily Sun on the plight of her people and the task ahead of her.

How the journey started
I was a career civil servant before I decided to join politics and as a married woman, you can agree with me that the journey was not easy but I thank God for all his favour in my life, I don’t know, it may be because of my concern towards the plight of my people that made them to call on me to contest for the public office, that one is best known to them and God. I started with the House Assembly election in 2003 with all confidence to be the winner because I have the support of my people but God has his own plan for me in future. My supporters appealed that I should step down for my sister, which I did.

Later I was given an appointment to serve as a commissioner under the former Governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly T. Nyame, yet it seems my people were not satisfied because they said they needed my services at the grassroots level. This made me to contest for post of the local government chairperson and I won.

My area is neglected
As you can see my local government happens to be one of the oldest since the then Gongola State, but my people are suffering especially in the area of good roads.

This is the only local government and maybe Kurmi local government among the sixteen (16) in the state that have no access road. Someone coming to the local government headquarters from Jalingo, the state capital, has to spend a whole day before arriving Karim in the rainy season and it is not up to 60 kilometers because the area is surrounded by a river.

I will challenge my fellow men
Listen to me very well, I am not boasting, but I will let you know that I happen to be the first duly elected woman as a local chairperson in the history of Karim Lamido and Taraba State, therefore I promise to perform to the expectation if possible beyond what my fellow men did while in office in order to challenge them that what man can do, a woman can also do better.

People are saying how can a woman lead them, I heard all this during my campaign. Yes, I am a woman but let them be patient and see what a woman can do. Do you know that women are more sympathetic men because we are mothers? My party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has confidence in me, likewise the majority people of my local government, therefore I will not let them down.