–The political icon who changed the course of history in Kog State, and Nigeria in general.
I want to make it clear that my admiration for the immediate past Executive Governor of Kogi State,Alhaji Yahaya Bello is not borne out of ethnicity or any other primordial sentiment.
Those who know me very well knows that I’m not the type that hero worship or go about praise singing anybody because of any pecuniary gain.
I’m a progressive and trained journalist who is fully aware that journalism is for the general interest of humanity and noble engagement of the society for the good of mankind.
I know that there is no money in journalism because it is a thankless job for the good of the society first.
Let me make it abundantly clear that I love Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello with a passion for so many reasons.
First, he is the only political leader in Kogi state since the creation of the state that came to power with the hands of providence all over his body.
True,it was God who wanted to use him to change the sorry course of leadership in the state that was wallowing in ethnic politics that has become the defining feature of the state for over two decades
The Igala people who were given political power by the people of Kogi Central on a platter of gold became very drunk with political power and starting misbehaving and lording it on everybody with reckless abandone.
All these while God was watching and planning how to teach them a lesson they will never forget.
Then the preparation for the 2015 gubernatorial election began in full swing.
Every dick and Harry with deep pockets bought intention forms to throw their hats in the ring.
A young man called Alhaji Yahaya Bello who is focused and passionately determined also bought form to contest in the primary election of the APC..
He took everything in his stride and invested heavily into the campaign period.
Because of his relative young age, only few people took him serious.
He was mocked by the late Prince Abubaka Audu as a corper aspirant.
But God was watching everything from His throne.
The primary election came and the youngest among the crowd,Alhaji Yahaya Bello came 3, while the old horse, prince Abubaka took first position.
But God was still watching patiently.
The election began in earnest.
At this time Alhaji Yahaya Bello took everything in his stride believing that he did not disappoint himself.
He returned to his house after casting his vote.
The unexpected happened.
Prince Audu who was obviously coasting home to election victory, suddenly died in the course of the election .
The whole state stood still.
And everybody was thrown into all sorts of permutations.
What next?
The whole country became active in their legal interpretation.
Everybody became legal luminaries .
The Audu political group said it was the deputy governor candidate to late Audu,Chief Abiodun Faleke who should inherit his boss electoral victory.
Then the legal fireworks began.
Yahaya Bello hired the best lawyers in the country and the case went on the way to the Supreme court which delivered judgment in his favor.
The was how he became the youngest governor in the history of the country.
Then the day came for his inauguration proper.
The whole confluence stadium was filled to capacity as people in thousands turned out to witness history in Kogi State.
All Ebira people from all over the world converged at the stadium to be part of history.
Some bad belly people stayed away from his inauguration ceremony to lick their wounds.
Then, the questions began.
What will the new governor do with his victory.?
It is noteworthy that for the first time in the history of the state,Alhaji Bello, announced the appointment of Chief Edward Onoklja,an Igala man as his Chief of Staff.
Everybody was surprised.
Yes.It became very clear that GYB wanted to do things differently.
He is a bridge builder and not an ethnic jingoist.
Through out his first and second tenure in office he was doing everything possible to unite the state and develop the state with iconic legacy projects.
He succeeded and became the father of modern Kogi state.
He had to his credits over 5000 verifiable legacy projects evenly spread across the 3 senatorial districts.
He made sure he secured the state throughout his 8 years tenure in office.
He left behind a worthy successor in the person of Governor Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman who started on the mantra of consolidation and continuity.
The good people of the state now understand that no section of the state is more important than the other..
The Ebiras,the Okuns and the Igalas and all other ethnic groups have been taught by the white lion himself to respect one and other and never take another for granted again as we match forward in the service of our dear state.
If you asked me if he has political enemies and other haters, yes he has in smaller unit. But they are just wasting their time.
Viewed against these backgrounds,this is why I love the young man with a passion.
God used him successfully to changed the course of history in Kogi state.
He left the state better than he met it in 2016.
Indeed,he is the architect of modern kogi state.
If he has any shortcomings it is only because he is human.
Only God is infallible.
– Otori Ozigi, a veteran journalist, writes from Okene, Kogi state.
08073295000-SMS only
