Kogi: Between Bello, Dino and Faleke

I am compelled to break my very long silence on political issues in Kogi State. My self-imposed “sidon-look ” is not for want of what to say or write about, as we are all aware that, ours is a state where exceptions are rules and political players are often knitted in romance with aberrations. Let me quickly add here that, my silence is totally detached from fear of harassment and pocket of arrest we have witnessed in recent times, since our state has become an emerging police state where the fangs of security operatives are directed at alternative reasonings.

I must add here that what you never wrote, sometimes hunts more than what you have written.

In my close to 25 years in media practice, I have had more harassment for stories I didn’t do, than the ones I did.

In 1995, Abacha’s men stormed our office at TheNews magazine, they whisked me away alongside two of my colleagues, Monday Emoni our Photo Editor, and one Mr Busu who was our library officer. We were accused of complicity in the 1995 phantom coup. The problem started when  TheNews published the defence statement of Col Fadile at the military tribunal. I knew nothing about the story,  yet,  I was the first to be arrested. We were released at Shangisha,  the then headquarters of the State Security Services (SSS)  at about 1.00am the following day. We were released on what they chose to call personal recognitions, and we were asked to report daily, but we fled and went into hiding. Kunle Ajibade was the unlucky one when they revisited our office a week later, he was picked, tried by military tribunal alongside former president, Olusegun Obasanjo. Ajibade did not write the story either,  Dapo Olorunyomi did, but Ajibade was slammed with life imprisonment for a story he did not write . It could have been me. We have tested harassment at a level higher than here. I have several other examples, but that is not the purpose of this writing. I only want it to sink that,  I am not in anyway afraid of intimidation by Governor Bello’s men.

Honestly, everything is wrong with this state called Kogi.

But before I go into my quarrel with Governor Bello’s Style of running this state,  l wish to openly dissociate myself from the self-serving press conference organized in Abuja by some Kogi elements, led by Senator Dino Melaye.  It is unfortunate that the real motive of the travesty is unknown to even some of the participants. Have they forgotten so soon,  that the arrow-head of the conference was the same person that dragged our state into this murky waters of shame? Was he not the one who worked against his own people to throw away their chance to be governor?  Did he not tell us that it was God that voted for Yahaya Bello? If they have forgotten,  I have embraced the obligation to bring things to their remembrance.

We know, this self-styled Machiavelli senators  who is replotting his graph for coming senatorial election, forgetting that he has burnt both the bridge and the ladder that saw him through to where he is now.  We are too informed to be deceived again. Unfortunately,  the umbrella of “CHANGE” that sheltered most people to undeserved victory during the last election will definitely be to narrow for the next.

I also want to sound to the hearing of Hon Faleke, who was robbed of victory at all fronts,  not to sleep with his eyes closed.  Those who are trying to embrace  him now, have their ulterior motives.  Your fork and knife must be extra long if you wish to sit at dinning with them.  You must ask those who were close to your Late Principal,  Prince Audu Abubakar, how he was deceived to single-handedly hand tickets over to the Machiavelli who, after winning his election,  back stabbed Audu. He did not even attend any of  Audu /Faleke rally. He worked probably for opposition, just to be sure  an Okun man (FALEKE)  does not come ahead of him politically. We know their works.

Now,  on Governor BELLO and his crude and already confused screening exercise, I am already seeing the exercise as a conundrum, and Governor Bello must be told to stop the on-going carnage in the name of staff verification or is it ghost hunting?  numberless genuine Kogi civil servants have met their untimely death,  thousands dropped out of school because both parents were not paid for over twelve months.  I know of a woman who teaches in one our secondary school, her husband is a pensioner,  both had not received a dime since Governor Bello was sworn in 13 months ago. The old man of over 70 have resulted in using  his Benz 2000 for commercial service between Okene and Kabba because he was unwilling to beg like many others.  He drives it personally on that road that is full of risk.

Governor Bello can not pretend to be unaware of a male civil servant, who stole a small bag of Semovita at Lokoja central market because his wife and  children had not eaten for days. Even the State government’s newspaper, The Graphic, confirmed the story .

It is of no use for one to roll out the chronicles of the martyrs of the unending screening exercise. The latest was a woman who was kidnapped and murdered in the course of her pursuit of the screening requirements between Kabba and Obajana.

Today, it is obvious that the state government is confused on this acclaimed exercise to the extent of the inconsistencies emanating form it’s report.

How do we explain some of these flimsy excuses cited against those disqualified?  For instance,  some people were not cleared by the committee, because their secret files were not seen.  If one may ask,  when did it become the responsibility of a civil servant to keep his or her own file?  Especially, the one tagged “secret”? Why should a civil servant be penalized for an unexecuted promotion?  Why should a 40 years old who just put 15 years into service, be advised to retire?  Ironically also,  some people who received their emoluments up-to-date, we’re surprisingly uncleared  in the January report. How do we explain this state of confusion, after an exercise that lasted for twelve months? Incompetency?

There is no hiding the fact that screening the Kogi work force is a step in good direction,  but I personally doubt the sincerity of government on the exercise

If at all, the government is sincere,  then we must put a question to the competency of those saddled with the responsibility.

I have counselled the State government at the beginning of the exercise, on what to do. We don’t need more than three months for the exercise. We do not have any business inviting workers to the state capital,  an action that have killed some and maimed many.  All that is needed is for every worker to submit a comprehensive ‘curriculum vitae’ based on a specified template,  reflecting: name,  date of birth,  institutions attended with dates,  qualifications obtained from each institution,  Date of first employment,  ministry,  grade levels with date,  bank details including BVN.

With these information,  the screening committee, working with various institutions of learning and the various banks, should be able to detect, those with fake results by compiling the educational details and forward them to the respective institutions for verification and confirmation.

The committee should be able to work with financial institutions,  using the BVN, to determine the number of account/accounts each person has and the number of salaries that goes into any of the bank accounts. Statement of accounts volunteered by the bank can be used also to trace the ghosts in the workforce since it will be practically unreasonable  for a primary school teacher to be listed in Ogori or Magongo but all his or her salary are withdrawn via ATM in Lagos,  all through the month.

Beyond  this the institutions attended can also confirm the age of each worker.

I am not sure this on-going exercises will hit success.  If I am right,  it will be most unfortunate. Anyway,  I am praying along.