Again, the dice is cast! Anarchy was let loose and Kogi state is in disarray. The man at the helm of affairs may achieve his aim soon, this time, in ways never thought possible by even our traducers.
Over times, I am yet to forgive myself that Emperor Yahaya Bello is still in the saddle. How was he able to achieve that? We told the people that he (Yahaya Bello) is out of fashion and, he is not in any way near necessary in our socioeconomic rejuvenative struggles. Our messages were echoed in the nooks and crannies of the state. But save for some harebrained elements, we would have towed the Emperor out.
After all, he was never voted, he simply enjoyed a dead man’s mandate. Even in his second coronation, he and his kinsmen were not sure. Thanks to God also for e-desciples of wealth in the polity who would never see anything sanely except self-aggrandizement. They bidded highly and sold Kogites out.
Today, Kogi is at the beck and call of one man whose messianic grip is gradually suffocating everyone. Oh my dear Kogites, you have suffered too long in the hands of your oppressors.
The globally rampaging Coronavirus had aggravated my fears the more. I have for long been apprehended with the possible safety of my people (Kogites) knowing fully well that the man branded and sold to us is so bereft of ideas. He is sluggish in matters of national importance and may at worst snub the people should the virus hits Kogi state.
Anyway, I was carried away by wishful thinking initially when he insisted Kogi is Covid-19 free. Of course, the veracity of the virus’ activities on human is so heinous that one is tempted to make restitution with his maker. So when he said there was no Covid-19 in the state amidst pressures, I yielded.
However, the emerging speculations about the virus in Kogi state questions the validity of the state government’s claims. So far, more than four dead cases of Covid-19 have been relatively attributed to the state. In fact, the first dead victim recorded in Nigeria was a Kogite, late Dr. Suleman Achimugu, a former Managing Director of pipeline and product marketing company died of Covid-19 (other ailment inclusive) on the 22 of March 2020 during self isolation.
We also had a medical professional, Dr. Aliyu Yakubu of Kogi central extraction who died of the virus in Daura, Katsina state making second in the list of Nigeria’s death cases. But whereas the media held that Dr Aliyu traveled to Lagos from Katsina (his home of residence), and he visited his ancestral home while en-route Katsina, Kogi state government claimed he was not in anywhere near the state as at the time of the incident.
Meanwhile, my independent source revealed that Aliyu was actually in Kogi state, then to Lagos where he en-route Katsina by air. He was later hospitalized in an air force hospital in Daura where he died two hours later.
Now, in cross-examining this, you would understand that unlike the media’s claim, Kogi state government never intimate whether or not Dr. Aliyu visited Lagos alone. Rather, it posited that he visited Kogi in February (two months before the incident), and returned to Katsina from Lagos by air (as at the time of the incident) just to counter media claim. Having said this, it’s pertinent to look at it that my findings thus invalidates the state government’s claim having been able to establish that Dr. Aliyu Yakubu actually spent few days in Okene before he departed to Lagos.
Now, the sacred question is, why is the state government hell bent on declaring the state free of Covid-19 despite innumerable evidences? Could emperor and Co be gambling with peoples’ lives? Of course, that won’t be too much for a governor who only believes in pitching tents with anything from Aso Rock and his party.
For those who cares, the governor has validated an existentiality of Covid-19 as well as its extant effects by his 90 percent/10 percent analysis. And to be candid, his 90% impression of a politicized Covid-19 in Nigeria has my credit. Just as the 10% which beareth witness that Coronavirus is real possessed my description of his latest attitudes on the virus as lackadaisical if not unfounded.
Oh yes! Yahaya Bello is treating Covid-19 to a banquet, and just like Kano state, it may end up feasting on everyone soon- God forbid. But how did I know?
The recent outburst against a renowned legal practitioner, Barrister Realwan Okpanachi who humanly posted on his Facebook page to hint the public on his Covid-19 status has left my heart chilling, it had further exposed an exponential hypocrisies on the side of the state government; the sanctity of patriotism we’ve advocated for had been thrown to the dogs.
The Lawyer was hale as at the time he visited Kogi state for his father in-law’s burial. But few days after his departure, he took ill, tested and was diagnosed of Covid-19. And instead of keeping the sad news to himself considering the stigma involved, he undermined the risks and made that historic pronouncement. Barrister sir, my prayers are with you and your entire family, please get well soon.
However, instead of the state government swinging into action by ensuring the necessary precaution is passed, it thronged the lawyer to undue lampoon citing illogical hypothesis to drive home its point. It accused Barrister Realwan of infesting Kogites with the virus and trespassing government’s interstate travel ban order they very well know they are guilty as charged.
The hooligans of aides were also everywhere contradicting a statement already verified from the governor that Covid-19 is real. In the end, and as Nigerians would say, before Kogi state government could say ‘Jack Robinson’, Realwan was vindicated by the sudden demise of the state chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana who was confirmed killed by Covid-19 at the Gwagwalada (FCT) isolation center.
Yet, the governor is undaunted. In fact, he has long posited that Ajana died a natural death and not Covid-19. What a pity!
Fellow Kogites, please, let us reason together. Do you still find sanity in Yahaya Bello’s action? NCDC had for long declared Kogi don’t test properly, and since the advent of the latest results, it had confirmed 3 more Covid-19 cases in the state. Realwan also confirmed he inherited the virus from Kogi state. Besides, there have been influx of people from Kano, Abuja and Lagos- the epicenter of the the disease despite interstate travel ban. Yet, the governor is reluctant in conceding to the fact and putting necessary measures.
What baffled me mostly was the shooting at the federal medical center in Lokoja- the state capital. Different versions of the story have emerged, some of which I found trashed. While some deduced that experts at FMC instructed a pregnant woman to under-go Covid-19 test before been admitted for delivery, saharareporters.com intimates the shooting disrupted a Covid-19 meetings that was meant to address a press conference to persuade federal government on the need for testing centres in the state.
As usual, a press release by the deputy governor (Edward Onoja) was in consonance with the former which is why I state without equivocation that, arrest should have been made in the last few hours except government is shying away from the reality. As a matter of fact, destroying and carting away with hospital’s administrative equipment was totally out of point if the government was sincere even though, I’m yet to reconcile the extents to which such normal instruction of medical experts could provoke a pregnant woman into inviting her family hoodlums to unleash mayhem in the hospital. I swear something is wrong somewhere.
Meanwhile, this is unlike a governor who is known for supporting anything federal. Governor Yahaya Bello had contributed immensely to Buhari’s divisive agenda, it’s a known fact. And I make bold to say his latest attitude towards Covid-19 is questionable if not irrelevant. But then, the lives of Kogites are more precious, and governor Yahaya Bello should wait no further in putting up necessary measures to check-mate the ongoing rumors of Covid-19 in Kogi state. Any other thing amount to hidden nefarious agenda to loot lives.
Politics can wait, the people are more important. Let’s not be weary of Kano incidents.
God bless you.
– John Paul.
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