My path with this great man, Alhaji Sani Ogu crossed at a very closed range in 1996. I was very active in community development at a young stage of my life, just doing my own things in a way that my immediate surrounding will wear a new look.
Little did I know that the impact of my Community Development Service initiative was meaningful to the people. To the extent of being invited to a political meeting by those who felt I needed a bigger and better platform to operate. So, I got my first political baptism at an inter party meeting to decide who will represent my ward as a Councilor on a zero party election as it was the case then.
Fast forward to 1996, when the late Gen. Sani Abacha was the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that my journey with this great man of history began.
I will never forget my very first one on one encounter with Sani Ogu popularly called Gbokeke at his residence in Ukwaja. I got to his house on his invitation that fateful day. Prior to the meeting, he had cornered me after one of our congress meetings to give me a pat on the back over my eloquent contributions according to him. So, I got to his house and we sat at the left wing of his compound from the entrance gate where he poured out his mind to me as a father will do to his beloved son over two litres of the popular and highly affordable drink locally brewed from palm tree at the time called “Ugala” by the Igalas. Right there, I made a solemn pledge and very profound commitment to his political course and that which ever office he was going to vie for, I will stand by him through and through.
I am making this open confession for the first time in my life as friends and relations were very surprised at my support and loyalty all through UNCP and APP era.
Gbokeke became UNCP House of Assembly candidate in 1997 and subsequently won the election. It was while we were preparing for the governorship elections, Abacha died. In 1998, we formed All Peoples Party. At this point, Gbokeke was seeing me beyond his political son as he was already involving me in his family matters. He became my political leader and father. At the inauguration of APP at eagle square in 1998, Gbokeke took me along in Egbunu Ojochide’s 504 Peugeot car along side Isah Ameadaji of blessed memory and Alh. Amodu of blessed memory.
Needless to say I was the youngest since all of them in the car were able to father me. I had the rare privilege to be part of the team from Idah Local Government in Kogi State. We left Eagle Square in company of late Prince Abubakar Audu to his residence where again we chose the date and time for the inauguration of Kogi State Chapter of APP. At the meeting in Audu’s house were late, Silas B. Daniyan, Justina Abanida, late Atima and several others.
I can recall vividly, while the rest of us advocated Saturday for the rally, late Atima insisted it should be on a working day at Lokoja stadium so as to attract civil servants to the venue. Prince Audu ruled in his favor. Sani Ogu became our candidate for the chairmanship election of December 8th. He lost the election, but surprisingly a day after the declaration of late Emmanuel Edime of PDP as Chairman elect, he came to my house on a Motorbike and handed Twenty Thousand Naira Only (N20,000.00) cash to me to entertain friends and associates. Before I could recover from the shock, he had left. This is someone who just lost election, spent so much money, yet giving out so much with joy. This is literally the person of Sani Ogu.
Alhaji Sani Ogu was born on 6th of June, 1943. He rose to become Head Department of Agriculture, Idah Local Government Council. He was the chairmanship Candidate of National Republican Convention (NRC) and lost the said election to late Steven Makoji Achema. In 1999, he became Chairman Local Government Service Commission, Kogi State where he reformed the agency which was hitherto not considered juicy to become the most sought after agency by subsequent administrations.
One aspect of Pa Sani Ogu that one of my very good friends loved so much about is his analytical mind. While I was privileged to host him in my house one of those APP days, and as a young man still ‘loyal’ to good things of life, catching fun with my friends on few bottles when one of them insisted he will not take the green bottle of crystal beer I had offered him. As he had his preference on brown bottle. Sani Ogu solved the problem with a simple answer.
He told my friend the issue was “perception” as the contents were the same. My friend will never forget that incident as we were all guilty.
Upon resumption of office as Chairman Local Government Service Commission, he gave massive employment to youths across the state. His goodwill transcends tribe and party. Anyone that came across him had something to take away from him. The hospitality of his acme was indescribable. Ahaji Sani Ogu dispensed so much patronage that he nearly forgot himself. He was one who wanted to get everything done for humanity within his lifetime. He squarely suited Grady Poulard’s description of a man when he posited “A measure of a man is not determined by his show of outward strength, or the volume of his voice, or the thunder of his actions, or of his intellect or academic abilities. It is seen rather in the measure of the love he has for his family and for everyone.
The strength of Sani Ogu’s commitments, genuineness of his friendships, sincerity of his purpose and the quite courage of his convictions has endeared the heart of people towards him. I can say without fear of contradiction that no other politician, I say none have genuine followership from Idah Local Government as Sani Ogu since the demise of Steven Achema.
Alh Sani Ogu is gone. The shoes he left behind might be too big. But two sure things no one can take away from him was his love for humanity and his interpersonal relationship which was a function of his political weight that was not built with money but trust. I challenge his political associates to form a political group to be known as Gbokeke Group with a view to sustaining his political philosophy and legacies. The formation of this group will remedy the problems which will may likely occur with his death ; Leadership vacuum in Idah local government and annihilation of Prince Abubakar Audu’s political family.
– Sylvester Ojogbane
Sylverline Communications, Abuja.
0806 446 8507
