When Leadership Forgets Gratitude: What Bokkos can Teach Nigeria About Representation_By Mapis Marawes.

In politics, gratitude is more than courtesy; it is the moral currency that sustains trust between leaders and their people. When a public servant forgets the hands that lifted him, development stalls, and communities lose faith in the promise of representation. The case of Hon. Solomon Maren, former Commissioner and Member of the House of Representatives for Mangu/Bokkos Federal Constituency, has become a talking point in Bokkos for precisely this reason.

Having risen through the ranks of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Maren enjoyed strong political support from both party leaders and constituents. Yet, his record in community development, particularly in Mbar, remains a subject of contention. While he benefited from PDP structures and the goodwill of his people, many now question whether his tenure translated into tangible progress for those who stood by him.

Several key projects initiated during his time in office, such as the Mbar Market, rural electrification from Mbar to Daffo and Yelwa, and the Mbar community hospital, were either left incomplete or fell into neglect. The once-vibrant Government Secondary School (GSS) Mbar also deteriorated during those years, but it has recently undergone a renewal under the current administration.

Observers argue that Hon. Maren’s leadership style became increasingly inward-looking, with limited engagement in grassroots empowerment or inclusive decision-making. Allegations of prioritizing personal and family appointments have further shaped public perception of detachment and self-interest.

In contrast, the current administration under Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang and Bokkos Local Government Chairman, Hon. Amalau Samuel Amalau, has demonstrated a more coordinated approach to development. Over the past two years, the government has:

* Introduced farming mechanization programs at no cost to constituents.

* Expanded Plateau State University, Bokkos, with new courses in Engineering, Medicine, Law, and postgraduate studies.

* Invested approximately ₦2 billion through the Plateau State Water Board to provide access to clean water.

* Enhanced security through projects like the fencing of Government Girls College, Bokkos.

* Accelerated infrastructure with roads linking Sabon Gari Mangu to Marish Kwatas and from Manguna to Hurti, again from Mbar to maiduna Richa worth in billions.

* Improved health and utilities, including borehole projects in Maikatako, Daffo, and Manguna nearing completion.

* The ultra modern building of Government secondary school GSS Mbar, worth over a billion naira, almost in completion.

These developments have reignited optimism among residents who feel that the focus has shifted back to service delivery and community well-being.

Hon. Maren’s story offers important lessons for leaders at all levels. Gratitude is not expressed in words alone but in action; through policies, inclusion, and continuity of effort. A leader’s legacy is not measured by titles or tenure, but by the footprints left in the lives of his people.

The people of Bokkos and Mbar are not asking for miracles. They seek recognition, inclusion, and the steady fulfillment of promises made. As the PDP-led administration under Governor Mutfwang continues to make strides, the contrast between past and present leadership reminds us that true service is not about personal ambition but lifting the community that gave one a voice.