The corporeal and ethereal nature of the world today makes it a necessity for the use of social media as a place of opinion gathering just as is done in meetings in town hall or palaces real life.
On social media, information is freely given at less pay on data. Therefore, one must commend Mark Zuckerberg and others for making our voices to be heard unrestricted.
Social media have broken the erstwhile secrecy in politics. So, pull your chair, relax and read on as written by Aruwa Atokolo.
First and foremost, I want to ask a question! What is wrong with Dekina Local Government?
Unarguably, Dekina Local Government is the largest in land mass and human population in Kogi State. This should be an unrivaled advantage. From the inception of the fourth republic in 1999, many chairmen have emerged at different stages, all for the administration of the council for the benefit of its dwellers and visitors alike.
From 1999, I remember Lawyer Agono, Adejo Akowe, Benjamin Ikani Okolo (BIO), Muhammed Alih/his deputy from Achigili and now Kabiru Idris.
Now, how have/has the roles played/playing by these men of valor impacted on the local government? I leave that for the people to judge.
My focus here in this write-up is on the issues of sentiments and name calling that is common among our people, all for political gain or PHD (pull him down). Our honourables who had opportunity at different stages tried their best for the local government. But the people they had lead, what culture do they imbibe in projecting the image of the local government?
I don’t know much about Lawyer Agono, except when he narrowly escaped assassination in his official residence, then. Bros Adejo Akowe tried his best, he empowered a lots of youths and carried out some projects I cannot list here. Hon. Benjamin Ikani Okolo did a lots that makes one marveled then as our chairman. He cut the attention of many, both home and abroad. Was he doing magic? No! He was using the money available to physically transform Dekina, though, the money was meager. There should be a book, called – Who is BIO, so that upcoming politicians could read and know him well, his strategies and successes.
Conversely, some opinion about him is not palatable! but one must weigh issues raised on somebody before concluding.
I read on facebook sometimes ago from a friend who is a real life friend of BIO, name Ocheja Christian how BIO was not picking his calls from friends. He was mainly complaining about BIO not picking his calls any more haven ascended on the political ladder that was the real message I pick from his post then. I’m not going to judge our honourable here concern picking friends calls or not as I believe there is a different between when you are in the farm gathering things your families need and when you are in beer-pallor talking and enjoying with friends. I urge him to find ways of settling with close friends whom he knows at difference circumstance.
But, between selflessness and selfishness, Hon. BIO is a dogged fighter for the people. It’s apparent how his political dream and aspiration have manifested over the years. He had a clean bill that is why he is moving from stage to stages.
The second issue I read and noticed about him was the power installation efforts he was/is making. I criticized him on that at the time out of ignorance. Kogi State power distribution is under Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC). The AEDC have no capacity to purchase and install power equipments for the people, reasons why most of us call for the abolition of the sales of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to powerful individuals disguised as companies, by the federal government. It is the efforts of person like BIO that is making us get transformers, cables and other power equipments that would bring power to our houses, but the AEDC still have the monopoly of not bringing the light or charge us high if they eventually on the light. Now, whose fault? Certainly, not BIO. Hon. Sir, bring up this issue in the house to compel AEDC to do the right thing as you are doing to cap well your efforts. So, let be weighing the selfless and selfish! There are other service desires from your good office, do them, it will only elevate you, sir.
It is my view that whenever we are discussing the progress of Dekina/Bassa as the case maybe, we ought to do it selflessly. Just as I am doing here, now. Anything done selflessly has its gain in multiple folds.
Still on what is wrong with Dekina Local Government? I noticed over the years the loathsome nature of our political class whose bay of contempt give one awe as it always lead us into political wilderness. Is it not time we come together selflessly and use the power we have to make Kogi great? We should not be quarreling over everything which at the end make us loss collectively. This is why most people go solo to represent us all, Just like the proverbial tortoise? To gain selfishly!
Inceptionally, I began by asking question. There are many more questions to be ask and they need answers. How is Dekina doing under the Change Government, code named “New Direction”? Forget any boasting by anybody that is not from Dekina local government. Dekina decide Kogi governorship election. That is the fact that is visible to the blind. But the concepts the change government is using is good, no doubt but it is anti people. During Easter that just pass-by, one of the local political gladiators cautioned the educated youths living at home and away to ensure we bring up an educated and selfless individual to be our flag bearer. He /she should be person of credibility and heart of gold to come and liberate us. Another elder cautioned our consideration of the person to be devoid of which village, town or local government he/she comes from or what religion he/she practice, that those are not necessary as it could cause division. These advices of caution by our elders are for the entire Kogi State.
Politics is all about who come forward and ready to lead devoid of inordinate ambition but purely base on selfless services. This is where BIO has been doing greatly, to my observation. We are all stakeholders. Don’t seat idle or on the fence and expect the right thing to be done, all the time. Election time is your chance to either lead from the front or give support selflessly to who has the capacity.
In the course of this writing, selflessness is use to measure capacity, and those that have been opportune to have been entrusted with public money stand out. Though, I know some couple of private persons from Kogi who are selfless and have helped many people in that capacity but they have not come forward to lead us politically.
In this regards, I look around Kogi State, in particular, Dekina Local government, using performance index, BIO stand out. Just as I said earlier, it is only call picking from friends that is his shortcoming as read from OC. You might be asking, who is BIO? Benjamin Ikani Okolo is currently member of House of Representatives, representing the good people of Dekina/Bass Federal Constituency. He was the former Chairman of Dekina Local Government that constructed lots of infrastructure in the local government. He electrified Biraidu District in his capacity as chairman and other things he did too numerous to mention. He is the political iroko of Dekina and the entire Kogi East, alongside his men/women of political enclave. In his team of political gladiators, they are selfless and capacity full to liberate Kogi State and put it on the podium of committee of progressive States in Nigeria devoid of hardship.
This write-up cannot end without the mention of the issue of one of the dogged fighter from Dekina family, in the person of Austin Usman Okai. Austin was fighting for the right of workers in Kogi State; he was the mouth piece of pensioners. To me, he was not professional in his presentation as far as media activities are concerned. Dele Giwa suffer military onslaught because he was holding secrete information, is Okai holding secrete information of Kogi “New Direction” administration? Are we in military era just as it was during Dele Giwa? Oh! Come on! Your Excellency, this guy doesn’t deserve arrest. As a Nigerian, governor Bello and his team are not alien to what president Obasanjo faced during his time as president of Nigeria. He was the joke point of most comedians; he was not sphere by the musicians too. Even president Jonathan, name them! Nothing Okai have done or said that is new. The people that were victims like Okai is experiencing now got that from the government of non-political actor, but Bello is a political actor! A good and change agent politician should be humorous, absorbant and ready to take shit in order to lead his diverse people to promise land. A government that dislikes criticism of any magnitude is tyrannical! It would be good to have a rethink fast to safe the “new Direction” from further embarrassment. The Nigerian Police roles in all these? Conspiracy of silence from both government and the police is a source of concerns for everybody. We all know what the law says. Austin is not a criminal. Even criminals are not suppose to be treated so. We are seeing and recording everything being melted to this guy.
– Aruwa Atokolo
