Just as we are on the verge of the unhealed or better still an ill-healed political dark night that befell the state, the recent event leading the lights pre and post inauguration of Yahaya Bello, has serious leadership question begging for answers.
Today in “Our” history, Kogi is a state on a global eye. Audu, a popular Governor in waiting waved away, Faleke is in court to push for a political and human justice as he sees it, Bello has emerge and has a record braking issue on our constitutional lacunae, impeachment issues is on at the state assembly, suspension of members looms, impeachment of a deputy gov who he (Bello) sees as the most qualified person to help the adminstration as he personally lavish encomium on him recently during his (the deputy gov’s) swearing-in, is in sight and Bello has washed his hands off the problems.
This, whether we like it or not is not leadership, leadership is bringing to bear, the unbearable, making impossible and, unthinkable; achievable; Leadership is solving problems that others think would surely lead to crisis, it is taking action(s) timely and rightly.
The above is what I demand from Yahaya Bello. “Kogi is tired”. Tired of being news headlines from the opposite, We have seen it all, it is time to let the sleeping dog (the people) lie.
When the people spoke in a loud voice on 21st November, it was to usher in a government of the people, a gov that would bring the secure and dividends of democracy “again” to the people. Its a common knowledge that for over 13years, the people of the state had to wait to see development again in the state. They wanted a gov they could be proud of, a gov that would restore kogi glory on the table of states, a gov that would touch the lives of the less privilege and clean their tears for the backwardness suffered in the hands of Idris vs Idris.
As a matter of urgency, Gov Yahaya Bello should look at the reasons for the votes which brought him to power. Weather those votes are for him or not is surely not my interest as we have the court to decide. But as it stand every well meaning kogites including Faleke would wish the state very well.
Bello should step in as a leader that he seeks and resolve the problems rather than watching hands off them.
If I were Yahaya Bello, the political hully -bully should not disturb me but to ensure that I make a mark as my reign last.
Take it or leave it, Bello emergence is destiny, historic, heroic and surprising, destiny because the God of zero hour had hitherto arranged it without anyone’s knowledge, historic because it is the first in our country if not Africa or the world at large, heroic because it stands to fulfill the political struggles of the other tribes who clamour to lead the state for a long time now and surprising because the entire kogi and mostly the Igalas are yet to believe that Audu is gone.
In all of these let me state my position clear, I’m very happy for the governor and wish to see my state move forward. My prayer is that kogi could be great again and I have no doubt of his (the gov.) capacity to activate the needed change; but that i have doubt or not, is not what the man or woman in the street is interested. The current reality check has placed the state at the bottom of the log among states and that is heating hard on the average kogites. In the light of the aforesaid, providing basic amenities to our local communities, would be the best rather the ongoing political drama on who hold sway.
Let the people to whom democracy stressed thrice in it definition, take the lead and not politicians and politics.
– Salihu Adam Jiddah,
Founder, Kogi Liberation Movement and Lecturer at The Federal University Kashere, Gombe State.
