By Yabagi Mohammed.
Engr Abubakar Muhammed Bashir has been a household name in Kogi politics since his appointment by the immediate past administration of Governor Yahaya Bello into his administration. Before then, he bestrode the political landscape of Lokoja/Kotonkarfe politics with his brilliance and generous gesture which caught many attention and sold his personality to all stakeholders – traditional, professional, women, youth and the political class in general. In fact, he was and still is a rallying point to a very large extent.
Bashir Gegu’s humility is balanced with his doggedness and pragmatism in many things he makes up his mind to do. It is no longer a secret that he is a man that can be determined and strongly driven by whatever he puts his minds to. Remember how he became an emergency vigilante member and led other members of vigilante in Kotonkarfe Local Government at a time he wanted to take the fight to the kidnappers in the bushes of the area, earning him the title of Ondakireku? That is how brave the man has been.
Having earned government trust, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo so believes in him that he is giving the necessary support to the commissioner to thrive in his operation. Little wonder the ministry of solid minerals continues to be one of the cornerstones of Kogi’s commitment to ensuring the resources of Kogi State work for its citizens. The duo have become a catalyst sired from the Yahaya Bello political family for the good of the entire Kogi people.
Engr Bashir Gegu’s bravery has become legendary to the admiration of the majority.
Beyond such show of strength, he has also shown that he is not only physically strong but that he is intellectually mobile with the suave way he has led the State Ministry Solid Minerals and Natural Resources as the pioneer commissioner.
Being first, he had no documentation by a predecessor to guide his operation. He started from the scratch and with many of the eye – catching economic positives being recorded in the state through the ministry, one can see that the man knows his onions as an Engineer of repute from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
When, on Friday 11th April, 2025, the Governor of the State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo commissioned mining equipment and revealed that the state had acquired 15 mining licenses, some persons did not appreciate enough the quantum leap the state had made with that milestone alone. This is huge gain capable of turning the fortunes of Kogi around for the better.
The Governor had hit the nail on the head when he said acquisition of the licenses will officially launch Kogi into the league of states taking advantage of solid minerals development and marked the beginning of a new phase in the state’s economic transformation. That is to say that the government will see value addition beyond what was obtainable in the past to attract investors that would sink their money into the state and ensure that Kogi, which is one of the richest states in Nigeria in terms of natural resources deposits, become a big player in the country.
The Governor had revealed that Kogi State is blessed with vast mineral deposits, including gold, lithium, limestone, coal among over 30 other solid minerals in commercial quantities which remain largely untapped.
Ododo had said unveiling was a strategic move to harness the state’s natural resources to reduce reliance on federal allocations, as the licenses will allow Kogi to begin large-scale exploration and mining, ensuring sustainable economic growth. He further emphasized that the state is committed to creating job opportunities and improving the livelihoods of its people through mining, noting that the equipment will facilitate the efficient extraction of resources.
The people of the state understand that Kogi has one of the finest limestone and the resource has attracted investments and that it hosts one of the largest cement factories in Africa. Coal is also a resource that is being explored in high quantity for the use of many industries within and outside the state. Lithium, on the other hand is an element valuable for the production of glass, aluminum products, and batteries. At 20 mg lithium per kg of Earth’s crust, lithium is the 31st most abundant element, serving as one of the largest contributors to the economies of many African countries such as Zimbabwe, Namibia, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mali and Ethiopia.
Governor Ododo had reaffirmed that Kogi State is poised to become a key player in Nigeria’s mining industry, adding its committed to tapping into the full potential of the natural resources God has blessed it with. He also noted that his state has chosen to shape its own future through the mining initiative to boost internally generated revenue rather than relying on federal allocations. “We are ready to harness the full potential of our natural resources. Kogi will no longer wait for federal allocations but will take its future into its own hands through this mining initiative,” he added.
In his remarks during the unveiling, the Commissioner for Solid Mineral and Natural Resources, Engr. Bashiru Gegu, shared the state’s vision for the mining sector, describing it as a key revenue-generating sector. He outlined the need for robust policies, equipment, and mining licenses to effectively tap into the solid minerals development sector.
“Being a major player in the mining sector requires equipment, laws, and policies. We are prepared to meet these requirements,” he stated.
One major advantage of having a Bashir Gegu by your side is his unavowed loyalty to any cause he believes in. He has shown it in the past and continues to demonstrate his preparedness to take the heat for his principal. He is doing the same in this administration. He has committed to attracting development to the state through robust policies that are geared towards taking advantage of the ministry he supervises for the benefit every Kogite.
Indeed, Engr Bashir Gegu is a blessing to the government and the people of Kogi State in general.
– Yabagi Mohammed
The Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly
