Former Kogi State House of Assembly aspirant, Hon. Joshua Yakubu, has described Dr. Hassan Abdulrahman Ocholi, the North Central representative on the Board of Trustees of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), as a phenomenal leader whose grassroots acceptance is matched by his growing national profile.
Yakubu made the remarks on the sidelines of a homecoming reception organised in honour of Dr. Ocholi at Oganenigwu in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Dr. Ocholi as a member of the TETFund Board of Trustees representing the North Central geopolitical zone in July 2026.
The homecoming, which attracted people from across Lokoja, Anyigba, Dekina and other communities within Oganenigwu Ward, was marked by a large turnout of residents, friends, associates and supporters who gathered to welcome Ocholi following his appointment to the TETFund Board.
Yakubu, who hails from Abocho, said the reception demonstrated the depth of goodwill Dr. Ocholi enjoys among the people, describing him as one of the few Kogites who have been able to maintain strong grassroots connections while also attaining national relevance.
According to him, the large turnout and enthusiasm displayed by the people during the homecoming reflected their affection for Ocholi and appreciation of his contributions to the community over the years.
“Dr. Ocholi is a man of the people with a golden heart. For many years, he has demonstrated through his actions that he genuinely has his people at heart. The massive gathering and the joy expressed by the people during his homecoming were a clear reflection of that relationship and the goodwill he has built over the years,” Yakubu said.
He said Ocholi’s philanthropic interventions and continued engagement with his people had helped to deepen his connection with the grassroots, adding that his appointment to the TETFund Board had further brought national attention to the community and Kogi State.
Yakubu also described the appointment as significant because it places a Kogite from Dekina in a strategic national institution responsible for supporting the development of tertiary education across Nigeria.
Yakubu said Ocholi’s emergence should also encourage young Nigerians who aspire to occupy positions of national responsibility, describing him as one of the young leaders whose leadership capacity and professional experience deserve attention.
“He is one of the Nigerian youths that should be looked out for. His emergence at this level speaks to his leadership capacity, experience and ability to operate beyond the immediate environment. His appointment to the TETFund Board is particularly significant because it places him in a national institution with an important role in the development of tertiary education,” he said.
The former House of Assembly aspirant further commended President Tinubu for what he described as his confidence in the capacity of younger Nigerians to serve in strategic positions.
Yakubu said the presence of young Nigerians in important positions within the administration represented a development worth noting, particularly in relation to the participation of a younger generation in national decision-making.
He also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the appointment of Ocholi, saying it had brought recognition to Kogi State and, particularly, Dekina Local Government Area.
Yakubu said the homecoming was therefore more than a social gathering, noting that it provided an opportunity for the people to celebrate one of their own and acknowledge his transition from grassroots service and community engagement to a national assignment.
He pledged to mobilise his political network and support base across the state in support of President Tinubu, citing the appointment of Ocholi and other sons and daughters of Kogi State as one of the developments he believes has strengthened the relationship between the Presidency and the people of Kogi State.
Dr Ocholi’s appointment has also attracted commendations from educational institutions in Kogi State and beyond, including the Federal University Lokoja, which recently hosted him and expressed confidence in his ability to contribute to the development of tertiary education in the North Central zone.
Yakubu is a grassroots politician from Abocho Etiaja in Dekina Local Government Area and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
