Just like on 1st October 1960 that Nigeria gained independence and became a sovereign nation, so was Kogi State birthed on 27th August, 1991 under the then regime of General Ibrahim Babangida with the aim of expanding the geographical, political, socio-economic and cultural growth of the nation. This was done in order to segment the development of every part of the nation and being improved upon by a leader.
This means every State by originality is created to among other reasons bring the people closer to the Federal government, safeguard the lives and properties of the citizens, provide public services and infrastructures of different kinds, provide economic security, redistribute income and resources to citizens and provide economic assistance like loans and mortgage services to citizens.
When a child is born, it is expected to grow as growth is what proves its existence after being nurtured for a while. So also is a State under a democratic government when nurtured through allocations, Bail Out Funds, Paris Fund and several other grants.
Considering the belief that development is an increment in people’s standard of living and with the present status quo of Kogi State, can we really say that the aimed growth at which the State was birthed in 1991 has been 60% achieved after witnessing 29 years under six different political tenures?
Comparing the economic status and the living standard of the people of Kogi State with Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs which draws patterns from physiological needs (food, clothing, shelter), safety needs, social needs (love and belonging), self esteem to self-actualization needs, can we really boast that the people of Kogi State has overcome the physiological needs (food, clothing and shelter) when Grade 11 Civil Servants in a democratic society cannot conveniently fend for themselves?
Relating truthful answers to the questions above, show that Kogi State for the past 29 years has only experienced progression in age but regression in socio-economic and political development. This means, development in a State is not based on political manifestoes, flagging off of several unfinished projects but based on the daily improvement of the well-being of the citizens and the betterment of the quality of the citizens’ standard of living.
The above position is in conformity with a scholar’s idea when he sees development as a process which enables people to realize their potentials, build self-confidence and lead lives of dignity and fulfillment; a process aimed at freeing people from evils of want (poverty), ignorance, social injustice and economic exploitation. This therefore means that a State is said to be 60% developed when the people can conveniently satisfy their basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing.
In terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Kogi State is at a deficit, with high rate of unemployment, little or no proper empowerment for citizens, no company to recruit the unemployed, coupled with herdsmen several attacks on farmers which has led to a decline in farm produce and has facilitated hunger which has further given birth to insecurity, prostitutions, kidnapping and several other unhealthy societal vices. Obviously, these unhealthy vices has not only affected the living standard of the citizens but has also resulted to a retrogression in the socio-economic and political affairs of the State.
Adopting the tenet of Cause and Effect Theory of Development which posits that “where a cause is accompanied by suitable conditions, an effect inevitably develops; given the same conditions, the same effect is always generated by the same cause.” It becomes crystal clear that in a State where political differences, religious affiliations, tribalism and nepotism is being practiced, no matter the economic and political efforts of the people in that state, retrogression is inevitable.
Nevertheless, as a State that’s still on the nation’s map, we must congratulate ourselves but must be ready for a genuine change of growth: a wise man once said “you cannot be doing or repeating the same thing and be expecting different results.”
Kogi State over the years has been repeating the same political and economic strategies, even down to appointment of people into political offices and contraction of societal projects; which has brought nothing but retrogression.
If the state must experience progressive development, then there is a need to change from the overused strategies and adopt some other developmental and managerial strategies like POSDCORB, SWOT, SOAR, PEST, VRIO, OGSM, MBO, MBWA, DILO and several other strategies in our everyday socio-economic and political activities.
Ideally, borrowing from one of the Holy books that many accepted and considered as a Light for Direction, one of the pages has it that “Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.” Kogi State as an entity is a man whose honour of several mineral resources has been relegated to the background and forgotten due to unwise greedy behaviours and selfish interests that are detrimental to the growth of the State.
Truth be told, Kogi State is blessed with several life changing mineral resources which includes but not limited to gold, iron ore, crude oil, coal, but unfortunately none of these mineral resources has been judiciously tapped for effective usage; as the leaders have been blindfolded by political, tribal and religious differences.
Research has shown that those mineral resources encompass a wide variety of materials from metallic minerals like iron ore to non-metallic minerals like coal. If taken advantage of, the exploration and exploitation of these minerals will increase tremendously the revenue generation capacity of the State, Nigeria and Africa at large; and aside the considerable multiplier effects, it will serve as a major foreign exchange earners and a source of raw material to local and international industries.
Furthermore, as we celebrate the birth of the Confluence State, we must be reminded that our economy as a State is on a downward race, therefore, we must take cognizance of the strength of the State which lies in the financial health of our human resources and pay workers’ salaries at a reasonable percentage as at when due; provide financial assistance like loan to farmers and traders of all kinds; create platforms for undiscriminating and effective empowerment for youths, encourage our students through scholarships, academic palliatives and incentives inform of bursary.
In addition, communication is said to be the thread that binds people of like minds together and fosters development; and it has also been observed that wherever this communication is lacking, a society cannot feasibly exist.
Base on this, it becomes wise that the participatory communication pattern of both the rule and the ruled should be strengthen and valued among all odds. This will not only foster peace and unity between the parties involved but will also boost the believability of the citizens towards the government’s agenda.
On the same vein, the administration of His Excellency Governor Yahaya Bello must at this time prove its competence of governance by effectively adopting and bringing to bear the purported blueprint of quality education, health infrastructure, state of the art security coverage, roads, rural water schemes, farm and agriculture communes, heavy investments in solid minerals, artisanal mining collectives, repositioning of Kogi State as a preferred tourist destination and the likes that he overtly professed during his inaugural speech in January 27th, 2016.
Conclusively, an African proverb teaches that “if you want to walk fast, walk alone but if you want to walk far, walk with others.” As rational beings, we must be mindful of our vision as an entity; therefore we must jettison the malady of political, religious and tribal differences and always be united and patriotic by doing the needful when the need arises.
– Ozovehe Moses writes from Okene, Kogi State.
