By Odaudu Joel Minister.
A lot of people have attempted to deceive and confuse the good people of the Eastern Senatorial District of Kogi state with shallow and spineless narratives dripping with mischievous ethnic colorations, with the chief objective of depicting the detribalised and fair Governor of Kogi State; His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, as a nepotistic leader who is marginalising the eastern part of the state in terms of socioeconomic development. But their propaganda stands a candle’s chance in a tornado against the Governor’s evident neutrality and commitment to the even socioeconomic development of all three senatorial districts of the state.
His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello hails from the Central Senatorial District of Kogi State and has spent a year and few months in office; how does he compare with past governors of eastern extraction – some of who spent more than one tenure?
Let us undertake a brief historical excursion in order to x-ray how this ‘alien’ compares to the ‘sons of the soil’ in terms of infrastructural development of Kogi East.
Pay close attention to the following facts and figures:
1. Brig. Gen. Danladi Mohammed Zakari (1991 – 1992)
Brigadier General Danladi Mohammed Zakari (Rtd) is from Onicha Igo. He is the first Military Administrator of Kogi State, Nigeria after it was created in August 1991 from parts of Benue and Kwara states. He held office from August 1991 until January 1992 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, handing over to the elected governor Abubakar Audu at the start of the Nigerian Third Republic.
The new Kogi state inherited a share of both assets and liabilities of Benue and Kwara states. Zakari had to quickly establish the administrative structure from scratch, creating ministries of Justice, Works, Health, Agriculture, Education and Finance; and agencies such as the Local Government Service Commission, the Judiciary and the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board. He also set up a committee chaired by the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland to create a blueprint for economic development of the state. Little was done to realize this plan by his successors.
On 16 December, 1991, he established the Kogi Agricultural Development Project, a continuation of programs from Benue and Kwara states. The program was to provide assistance to farmers in the form of input subsidies and infrastructure development.
2. Prince Abubakar Audu (January, 1992 – 1993; 1999 – 2003).
Prince Audu hails from Ogbonicha in Ofu Local Government Area.
• He built the Obajana cement factory which he later handed over to Dangote.
• He constructed the road linking Ajaokuta to Lokoja
• The Kogi State Confluence Radio Station.
• He provided hundreds of transformers that was shared among the 21 LGAs of the state.
• He built the State Confluence Beach Hotel.
• He constructed the Lokoja township road as well as those of “Most” of the LGAs.
• He Built the Kogi State University.
• He renovated some of the water boards in some of the LGAs and built some for other LGAs.
• He built thousands of housing units for the State workers.
• He facilitated the mounting of several police post across the state to beef up security.
• He built the Kogi state Diagnostic Hospital.
• He renovated all the state General Hospitals across the 21 LGAs.
• He created the additional LGAs that were later scrapped.
• He built high standard State Secretariat for the workers.
• He built the State Government House in Lokoja.
• He Renovated and constructed some Governor’s Lodges across the state.
• He constructed the State Motor Park and donated buses to all LGAs, individuals and groups in the bid to empower them.
• He employed thousands of youths into the state Government, First Bank etc.
• He constructed the road linking Alloma to Ogbonicha his hometown.
• Opened up the road that links Ochadamu to Umomi as well as the one that links Ochadamu to Ejule.
2. Alhaji Ibrahim Idris Ibro (2003 – 2012).
Former Governor Ibrahim Idris hails from Isheke in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State. He was in power for 8 years, with an extended 1 year due to political exigency. Wholesomely, he was in power for 9 years. His infrastructural appendage to the state on roads constructed in 9 years includes:
• Ankpa to Omala (which the current government reawarded its rehabilitation);
• Ogbabede road in Dekina LG;
• Idah — Okpachala — Ajegwu road
• Laid alsphalt on Idah road from Ogidibeje junction to Umomi in Ofu Local Government Area
• Ologba — Iyale — Abejukolo road
• Abejukolo to Isheke road
• Dualized Idah township road
• Odenyi to Oguma in Bassa LG
• Road from Idah to Onyedega, Ibaji Local Government headquarters.
All these are what Ibro achieved in 9 years as far as road construction in Igalaland is concerned.
3. Captain Idris Wada (2012 – 2016)
Former Governor Idris Wada hails from Odu Ogboyaga in Dekina Local Government Area. He failed dismally in the area of infrastructural development. He constructed no road in Dekina LG where he hails from, according to available research. However, he constructed the road from Ojoku junction to Okaba. That is Wada’s singular achievement in that regard in 4 years. The former Governor couldn’t even construct the road Ajagwumu to Odu Ogboyaga his home town.
It is pertinent to remind us that Brigadier General Zakari (Rtd), Prince Abubakar Audu, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and Captain Wada all hail from Kogi East.
4. Alhaji Yahaya Bello (Kogi Central)
In Kogi East, the home of all Governors who have ruled the state before he came into power, Governor Bello has flagged off the following roads construction project with the builders mobilised to site:
• Ibana — Ogugu — Ette road is about 32 kilometer in Olamaboro, Kogi East LG.
• Ankpa — Abejukolo road, links 2 LGAs and is about 70km in length.
• Ibaji – Idah road, via Onyedega, links 2 LGAs (Idah and Ibaji) and is 50km in length.
• Shintaku — Gboloko — Dekina road connecting Anyigba links 2 Local Governments (Bassa and Dekina) and is 50km
• Remobilization of Contractors back to site on:
1. Ankpa Township Road
2. Umomi — Ajaka — Idah Road
These roads are all to be completed within 36 months duration.
The socioeconomic impact of these roads in Kogi East is unquantifiable and cannot be over-emphasized. For example, the Ibaji- Onyedega road links the ancient prime stool of the Igala Kingdom (Kogi East), where the Attah of Igala, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni II resides to Ibaji Local Government Area. The riverine people of Ibaji with this access road would be able to link up smoothly with other parts of the state and transport their agricultural products such as yams, rice, fishes, etc, to various markets in the state, something which has been a monumental challenge for the riverine people for ages.
Other waterway ancillary projects are also in the pipeline for the people of Ibaji to boast their fishing output in the Niger River.
Can you imagine the impact this will have on the food security and economy of Eastern Kogi and the entire state at large?
It is important to note that the hometown of former Governor, Ibrahim Idris, has also been lighted up by the current administration of Governor Yahaya Bello through the following:
· Provision of 33 KV power line from Otukpo, Enugu roundabout transmission station stepping down to Ankpa, enroute Ofugo to Abejukolo in Omala LGA, the home town of the former Governor.
Through this exposition, we can see the demonstration of the visionary strength of the Governor within 1 year, 3 months (15 months) in office; we can clearly see that he is not a nepotistic leader and has no intention to marginalise the east.
It is clear in the fact that he has completed and started more infrastructural projects in the east than the ‘sons of the soil’ ever did in past. Kogi east can only expect more inclusive development.
What the indigenes Kogi East can do for the state is to carefully notice the changes happening in their environment and compare them with what was obtainable before now; to understand the consequences of their support for the current government.
Inclusive leadership is the bane of even development. We are having challenges dealing with repositioning Kogi State, but with the support of the East and other parts of the state, Kogi Shall be north in Rising.
PS:
Let us note that the New Direction Administration of Governor Yahaya Bello is working assiduously to develop the whole state and indeed numerous infrastructural projects have either been completed or are ongoing across the three senatorial districts; they were not outlined in this article as the objective of this exposition is to highlight the performance of Governor Yahaya Bello in Kogi East, as compared to previous Governors from that area.
It’s pertinent to state that as these infrastructural projects are going on, the state government is working hard to offset the salary backlog in the state as well. Governor Bello is committed to workers welfare as the reinvigoration of the civil service is top on his agenda.
Governor Bello has on several occasions reiterated his determination to judiciously use state resources to develop the state while ensuring that all genuine workers get their legitimate due.
Kogi is Rising!
Odaudu Joel Minister is the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Yahaya Bello on New Media.
