Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello was born and brought up in Agasa, a suburb in Okene Local Government. He had a stint of both his primary and secondary school in Okene Local Government. He went to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained B.Sc. Accounting and MBA respectively. He is a chartered accountant. He is an embodiment of both public and private sector experiences. He combined so many schorlalistic candour that is equivalent to global leadership trait. A performer par excellence.
Before his tenure, right from when Kogi State was created, we have been saddled with quagmire of poor leadership and ineptitude, these brought about poor state of infrastructural development in the state for over a decade. His coming to throne has brought succour to all the ethnic divide in the state. What a detribalised man! He came to unite the three major ethnic groups in the state and other minority ethnic groups. The Igalas, Ebiras and Okuns that were hitherto at dagger-drawn when it comes to politics are now friends and dispute become a thing of the past.
This was done by the power of Almighty God through the indefatigable Gov. Yahaya Bello. Various machinery were put in place for these to be achieved, too numerous to mention as time will not permit, but of importance and significance are:
1.) Open door and all-inclusive system of his administration.
2.) Infrastructural development across all the three senatorial district– Kogi East, Kogi west and Kogi Central i.e. Construction of road, construction and expansion of water dam, construction of new primary school buildings and renovation of dilapidated and obsolete primary, secondary and tertiary institutions institutions in the state, construction of primary health centres, provision of scholarships to our indigent students across higher institutions in the country and abroad, revamping of Kogi State Transport Services, total restructuring, innovation and beautification of Lokoja to a befitting state capital, massive construction of office buildings in Lokoja i.e. Kogi State Internal Revenue Board edifice, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affair building, Kogi State Transport building etc. Upgrading of traditional rulers across the state and their involvement in the leadership of the state as a critical stakeholders is worthy of mention.
Insecurity across the state became part and parcel of us as the indigenes of the state became hapless as there was nobody to curb the menace. But the advent of Governor Yahaya Bello took the bull by the horns and resolved the issue of insecurity across the state. With this, the indigenes of the state can now go to bed with their two eyes closed. People can now go out to do their normal businesses without any harassment and molestation – “A secure state is a prosperous state as the saying goes”.
His business experiences and successes has been of great asset to the young state. He has used his business acumen to bring foreign investors to the state in the area of agro-allied investments. With this, the state can beat its chest as one of the highest harvesters of rice, cassava and edible food crops in the state. He has equally given soft loans to small and medium scale entrepreneurs in the state.
In Kogi State Civil Service, he eliminated ghost workers which made more money available to the state for development. Meritocracy and even distribution of appointments across the state, which was a mirage before his tenure was thrown into the dustbin and became a history. The future generation will be kind to him in this regard as a man who came to put an end to injustice and inequalities.
The non-payment of salary was a child of inheritance from the past government, glory to God, with the money made available from the Federal Government to the state, non-payment of salary is now a thing of the past as all salary arrears had been paid by the able and capable governor.
With the above stated few of his achievements, within just close to four years of his administration, you would agree with me on the need for Kogites to rally round him for his second tenure, for us to continue to enjoy his developmental stride.
– Jatto Kabiru wrote from Lagos.
