In politics, the charge of betrayal is one of the most powerful accusations a leader or ally can face. It carries the weight of moral judgment, suggesting broken trust, dishonor, and political treachery. Across the world, political history is littered with accusations of betrayal—from Shakespeare’s Caesar lamenting “Et tu, Brute?” to the modern political rivalries that fracture nations. Nigeria is no exception.
In recent years, one such narrative has emerged in Kogi State, where His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, CON, the immediate past Governor, has been accused of betraying his former confidant, Chief Edward David Onoja, once his Chief of Staff and later his Deputy Governor. But a closer analysis tells a very different story: it was Onoja who betrayed Bello, his people, and ultimately himself.
This episode offers a profound lesson—not just for Kogi or Nigeria, but for political systems across Africa and beyond.
Trust, Power, and the Weight of Responsibility
No leader in Kogi’s history empowered an ally the way Yahaya Bello empowered Edward Onoja. He elevated him from the shadows of political obscurity into the corridors of power, first as Chief of Staff and then as Deputy Governor.
This meteoric rise was not anchored on a proven track record of governance or intellectual depth. It was built on personal trust and friendship. Bello believed in Onoja. He offered him unprecedented access, visibility, and influence. For any politician, this was a golden platform—an opportunity to serve, to inspire, and to uplift.
But trust, when abused, can become a weapon against both the benefactor and the community. And that is where Onoja faltered.
When Ambition Overshadows Loyalty
Instead of leveraging his privileged position for the collective good of Kogi East and the wider Igala kingdom,Kogi and Nigeria’s eighth largest ethnic nationality—Onoja narrowed governance to a selfish agenda. He notoriously positioned himself as the gatekeeper to the Governor, insisting that access from his district must pass exclusively through him.
Such conduct was more than political arrogance; it was an insult to his people. Leadership is meant to amplify collective voices, not silence them in favor of personal ambition. In choosing self-promotion over statesmanship, Onoja betrayed not only Yahaya Bello, but also the Igala kingdom he was expected to represent with honor.
The Universal Lesson of Political Treachery
The case of Simon Achuba, the former Deputy Governor displaced amid political crisis, further revealed Onoja’s opportunism. He maneuvered himself into Achuba’s office, but the elevation became his undoing. The lack of integrity that defined his rise soon defined his fall.
This trajectory echoes a universal lesson: character is destiny. In democracies and autocracies alike, history is unforgiving to leaders who manipulate their way to power without anchoring themselves in integrity. From Africa to Europe to the Americas, betrayals rooted in selfishness almost always end in political self-destruction.
The Irony of Accusations
For Onoja to accuse Yahaya Bello of betrayal is therefore a study in irony. Bello gave him everything—trust, power, and influence. If Bello was guilty of anything, it was in overestimating Onoja’s loyalty and capacity.
Ultimately, power belongs to God, and history shows time and again that selfish ambition is no substitute for character and integrity. In Nigeria’s case, this truth was laid bare in Kogi.
Beyond Kogi: A Continental Reflection
The Bello–Onoja saga is not just a Nigerian story; it is an African one, and indeed a global one. Across the continent, many young democracies wrestle with the same dilemmas—how leaders handle loyalty, how allies handle power, and how betrayal reshapes political landscapes.
The lesson is clear: when leaders empower allies, those allies carry not only personal privilege but also collective responsibility. To misuse that privilege is to betray both leader and people. And in the long arc of history, it is rarely the benefactor who is remembered as the betrayer, but the opportunist whose ambition consumed him.
Conclusion
The accusation that Yahaya Bello betrayed Edward Onoja collapses under scrutiny. Bello empowered; Onoja betrayed. Bello trusted; Onoja schemed. Bello opened doors; Onoja closed them.
History will not absolve Onoja, because betrayal was his, not Bello’s. And for Nigeria—and Africa—the lesson remains urgent: leadership without loyalty, and power without integrity, will always end in disgrace.
– Comrade Mohammed Ali, PhD, is an economist, public affairs analyst and commentator on governance and leadership in Africa.
