The man prince Abubakar Audu has unequivocally set a pace which shall never be equalled till end of time. While to some-he is an extraordinary man, to others-he is an all encompassing man. However, one thing remain certain and that is the fact that he, the late prince lived and died as a fulfilled man because his life and death symbolises his greatest quest-dignity and honour. It buttresses to say that he was described a pompous man throughout his life and he received a heroic burial at his death.
Not ever meeting Audu would have been my greatest political regret save for a dual tet-a-tet with him at Ray field in Jos, plateau state Nigeria as well as a courtesy call visit to him at his Ogbonisha country home in Ofu local government area of Kogi state. Whereas, he is generally believed to be a proud man, only a witness of the dual occasions can testify to the lengthy extent of how free, humble and listening late prince Abubakar Audu could be to any well organised body/person or union he would have ever reckoned with.
Meeting late prince Abubakar Audu was one of the most adventurous moments of my life as the anxiety of what he has been generally presumed to be threw me off balance no matter how much I try to compose. But, to the glory of God and the natural phenomenon which has made heart feelings a mystery to sight and a blind vision to the untold; even in jittery as to whether or not I will be humiliated the first time I would ever meet the Ogbonicha prince, he was on his part so impressed by the suavity of my words that he asked-“where are you from?” On responding in affirmation of Kogi(Igala extract); hr said-“let me hear you speak Igala” and only then I knew how loving his heart was to Kogi and the Igala race.
At this point, late Audu never minded he was hosting a delegation that has no connection with Kogi state and took some few minutes in discussing and lamenting his plight about Kogi with me in the native Igala language. During this time, I realised how desperate he was at becoming the governor of Kogi state as well as seeing a great Kogi state rules with egalitarianism and equal opportunity irrespective of affiliations. But, even with this good dream, Late Audu’s greatest problem was his conviction that only him will and can make this a reality. To this effect, I differed in view and opinion with him till death did us path.
Alas, at the heels of him been declared the winner of the Kogi 2015 governorship election, the will of God sufficed and one year on; although we won’t give up, it seem only him(Late Prince Audu) would have made Kogi truly great. Whereas late Audu was very emphatic on not retrenching civil servants, improving citizens welfare and declaring a state of emergency in developing Kogi state during the campaigns that aided APC the victory before he didn’t live to rule, “Governor Yahaya Bello is running Kogi State in the inverse of all Audu’s campaign promises” as he among other things commenced his tenure with a still unconcluded staff verification that has caused retrenchment and early departure of many Kogi civil servants, demolition of roundabouts as well as deliberate destabilizing the state civil services via a yet to be justified suspension of permanent secretaries without recourse.
So, even with the conditional hope that has laid the state a siege based on the realization that four year is not forever, I advise governor Yahaya Bello and all those within the structure of Kogi state government to make it a topmost priority and matter of serious importance a retrace of the steps so far. Then, a non compromise able accord should be urgently made with serious actions aimed at uniting with the late Audu’s true political family. I believe and it is a fact that it is only through doing this that the self acclaimed new direction government will begin to move in positive progression that will have positive impact on Kogites and the development of Kogi state.
No doubt the world is changing and people are following along with the trends, news move very fast and public opinions are the majority of online trends. Kogi online trends doesn’t suggest any good image for the present government and that is not good a reward for Audu’s hard earned victory. By and large, in no distant time Kogites will have to choose a leader again and only then will adjustment be late. A stitch in time they say saves nine. May God rest the soul of prince Abubakar Audu in his blessed memory and may He(God) continue to provide and give the family and friends he left behind the fortitude to bear his irreplaceable loss.
Adieu Prince;
Aloha Abubakar;
Sayonara Audu Adoja!
– Comrade A M Nasir writes From Minna, Niger State.
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