There is a popular saying that says that leaders are born but not made. Since His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo assumed office as the 5th Executive Governor of Kogi State, he has continued to exert his footprint in thematic areas that affect and are affecting the lives and livelihood of Kogites in infrastructure, human capital development, health, security, and agriculture.
In my series of columns, I will be taking a dive into education; his strides and achievements in ensuring that no child in Kogi State is denied basic, qualitative, and affordable education. Let us take a historical overview of Kogi’s educational journey since her creation in 1991.
Kogi State’s educational journey has not been an easy ride. The first Executive Governor of the state, Late Prince Abubakar Audu, made some landmark efforts in education: he steered the establishment of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, College of Education Ankpa, and in his coming back in 1999, he established the Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU) in Anyigba, alongside upgrading existing schools inherited from communities and missionaries.
During his tenure in 1999, having established PAAU, the vision was to bring about an academic citadel of learning that would be a cornerstone in research, manpower development, and help to provide quality manpower in the fields of sciences, law, and medicine. However, in 2009/2010, this dream was cut short when the Nigerian University Commission disapproved programmes in medicine, law, and other disciplines. This dream of PAAU became a nightmare as some graduates had to seek transfer to other institutions or at worst stop schooling.
Following the demise of Prince Abubakar Audu at the verge of victory in the 2015 Kogi State gubernatorial elections, the party opted that a businessman and a philanthropist, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, should succeed him, and a supplementary election was conducted in December 2015. Alhaji Yahaya Bello won the elections with a landslide and was sworn in as the 4th Executive Governor of Kogi State on 27th January 2016.
Governor Yahaya Bello began life-impacting projects and policies in education that saw renovation of existing schools, employment of qualified and competent teachers with emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. The other major highlights were the establishment of Confluence University of Science and Technology in Osara (CUSTECH) and Kogi State University, Kabba. By this singular act, all senatorial districts had their own university. Alhaji Yahaya Bello made tremendous strides in infrastructure upgrade in the following institutions: College of Education in Ankpa, Mopa-Muro, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, College of Nursing, Obangede, and PAAU. These institutions, which pundits called advanced secondary schools, were transformed into standard and world-class institutions of learning. The tenure of Yahaya Adoza Bello saw tremendous achievements in those tertiary institutions; all forms of strikes and issues of accreditation came to a halt.
Alhaji Yahaya Bello handpicked a man that would succeed him not only as a successor but a persona with the vision of consolidation and commitment to ensure that the Kogi State Economic Development Plan from 2024–2056 is implemented to the latter with emphasis on science and technology, infrastructure, economy, agriculture, security, and human capital development. The work points are clear: he has to complete all ongoing projects and sustain policies to ensure that in those tertiary institutions, all physical and functional projects needed for course accreditation and sustainability are done. Today, the work is yielding fruit because major infrastructure projects in all these institutions are completed, and new courses are accredited. For example, CUSTECH offers medicine, medical laboratory sciences, engineering, and law in just a short time. All accreditation bodies like Nigeria Law School, NUC, NYSC, NMA, PCN, etc., have all approved those programmes, and graduates will be able to further their careers, such as being enlisted for the NYSC scheme, Law School, licensed as professional engineers (COREN), and so on.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is also not leaving any stone unturned, holding meetings with the Nigerian Union of Teachers. The union presented 10 demands to him. He has attended to 9 of the demands, which include promotion issues, cash backing for promotion, improvement of school environment, pension and gratuity, amongst others. The other was recruitment of teachers. The NUT chairman, in an interview with NTA Lokoja, while sending his profound appreciation to the Governor for meeting these age-long demands, confirmed that in a few months, plans are in place for recruitment of teachers in both primary and secondary schools.
Another highlight of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo was sustaining the policy of leaving no child behind. In Kogi State, education is a right, not a privilege. He is poised to ensure free and qualitative education for all Kogites. He has continued to ensure that all children in Kogi State enjoy free education at primary to secondary school level. The icing on the cake was the implementation of the new minimum wage for teachers and all Kogi workers and suspension of the tax component. He extended these feats with the payment of both WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and BECE for exit classes. As of today, Kogi is the leading state in the provision of these life-changing succor for her citizens.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s life-changing programmes are impactful. Kogi State is investing over 27 percent in education, far above UNESCO threshold. Kogi has little or no out-of-school children and a higher literacy level. The dream of former Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello in putting Kogi State at the front burner of national development is being consolidated by Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
No nation can develop without education. The efforts, policies, and programmes in education, especially in STEM education, are putting Kogi State as an edifice of provision of quality manpower that will provide the country a pool of qualified professionals that will man existing and emerging industries in Kogi State and Nigeria like the industrial parks/free trade zone initiatives in Ajaokuta, AKK Gas Power Plant, CNG gas stations, ASCO, all situated in the industrial heart in Ajaokuta, Dangote Industries, and many more.
Kogi is not only rich in solid minerals but also blessed with brilliant potentials of deep scientific professionals. Investing in these potentials is poised to, in no distant future, provide these emerging industries with the pool of qualified manpower needed in driving the vision of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo also approved automatic employment for pioneer graduates in CUSTECH, Osara. There is no doubt that his intervention in education is second to none and impactful. I can only say that he deserves another term to crystallize all these potentials and prospects to prosperity.
– Abdullahi Suleiman
abdullahiramat423@gmail.com
