Gov Dauda Lawal @ 61: A Functionalist In Power

By Sulaiman Bala Idris

If you asked me whether he is the same Dauda Lawal I knew five years ago, I would definitely answer with a NO.

On his 55th birthday in 2020, I wrote a tribute titled, “the dauda lawal I know” in which I described him as a symbolic interactionist: a retired banker seeking a quiet, private life. What the Hausa would describe as “ba hayaniya”

As fate would have it, in 2021, despite all the character assassinations and many campaigns of calumny against him, he responded to a very difficult distress plea from his people in Zamfara State: ‘Help us, Dauda’.

The Dauda Lawal of 2018 to 2023 can be viewed as someone who sees society from a micro perspective, who understands how people create and shape social reality, informed by his previous role as a banker who had reached the zenith of his profession.

Since May 29th 2023, I have seen the evolution of an entirely different Dauda Lawal, who, if not for his educational background at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, I would have assumed had learnt from the founding fathers of Sociology, such as Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, as well as contemporary structural functionalist scholars.

Over the three years we have been in government, during Dauda’s tenure as Governor of Zamfara State, I have witnessed him govern not in a rush, but with precision and a clear focus on results. It is, indeed, the mighty sociological theory of Functionalism at play.

I have witnessed a deep sense of commitment in a governor who appears to understand Auguste Comte very well, prioritising the idea that society is an integrated organic whole, where institutions such as security, education, healthcare, and the economy are deeply interconnected and mutually dependent in keeping the social system functioning smoothly, much like organs in a living body.

You can argue, but I have seen a governor who appears to have mastered Comte’s Positive Philosophy. He governs Zamfara by applying empirical observation and evidence to understand social realities, rules, and collective behaviour, moving away from mere speculation. He did so and succeeded. Under his leadership, the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) rose from ₦90 million to over ₦5 billion monthly.

One day, I must invade Governor Dauda’s library to satisfy my curiosity and confirm whether he owns Émile Durkheim’s The Rules of Sociological Method and George Ritzer’s Sociological Theory.

I spent many years studying Talcott Parsons, and I see in Dauda’s leadership a refined application of Structural Functionalism, in which the AGIL scheme has been strategically applied to the governance of Zamfara State.

According to Parsons, every society must fulfil four basic functional imperatives to survive and maintain stability: Adaptation, Goal Attainment, Integration, and Latency (AGIL).

For Dauda Lawal, Adaptation began with his efforts to reach out to international development partners who had withdrawn from Zamfara due to concerns over transparency and accountability. Among these was the World Bank. By rebuilding trust and restoring confidence, his administration succeeded in bringing development partners back to the state and securing resources for critical projects.

For him, Goal Attainment means setting clear public goals from the very beginning and determining how those goals can be achieved across ministries, departments, and agencies.

For effective Integration, he maintains internal cohesion and coordinates ministries and agencies in ways that help manage conflicts and sustain cooperation across the government.

With a deep understanding of Parsons’ concept of Latency, Dauda Lawal’s administration, grounded in a rescue mission, preserves, transmits, and renews the core values and beliefs that underpin its purpose: rescuing and rebuilding Zamfara.

I wish I could write more, but in the years to come, In sha Allah, every 2nd of September, I will return to the areas I may have missed in previous years, as I continue to celebrate a man whom I no longer see merely as a boss, but as a father.

Happy 61st birthday to Governor Dauda Lawal, whose leadership has transformed the trajectory of Zamfara State and helped alter the negative narrative surrounding the state.

Sulaiman Bala

Spokesperson to the Zamfara State Governor