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In the month of August 2017, I read an information dispatch from the Chief Press Secretary to the Kogi State Governor, Petra Akinti Onyegbule. It was a reminder of Federal Government Agricultural Empowerment opening.
She had frustratingly hinted that 24 hours to the closure of the Agric-scholarship, NO Kogite had applied. The information was however in the public domain. In reaction, a particular comment popped up on the post, it reads, “I dont want to have anything to do with your Yahaya Bello and his Government”, the commenter wrote.
This case above could be laid as a foundation for the current scholarship razzmatazz which is bearing fruits of discord according to the narratives being pushed by the fifth columnists. They keep playing kalo-kalo with your head.
I think for political reasons, people “major”, minor issues with emotions just to create scandals for fuelling hate.
From January 27th, 2016; we are yet to witness a time in Kogi State with such social harmony in relation to religion and ethnicity in the state. The only diverging point is “interests” which is a tool politicians use to cause pandemonium. Kogi has been peaceful. Ethnic strife has been bottom rocking just like insecurity. The same way Governor Yahaya Bello calmed Kogi central which has the record of 51% of crimes in the state, ditto the open rivalry between the main ethnic groups in the state.
The Kogi we knew before Yahaya Bello was a Kogi that one needed to belong to a particular religion to gain clearance into the “political family”. Religion was a huge currency.
The Kogi before Bello that we knew was a Kogi where there was open-unshamed-division between the main ethnic groups, Igalas, Ebiras and Yoruba Okuns. It was rife that the acrimony was deeply seated on the prejudice that tribalism was the sponsoring agent of political successes. Many people believed tribal affiliation was used to monopolise power.
In 2016, something happened.
Governor Yahaya Bello broke the last cause of disunity by a divine injunction. He broke the garment of tribal-monopoly of power.
By executive responsibility, he broke the first problem when he made deeply penetrative appointments which reflected the “Kogi Character”. No ethnic group can cry openly of been left out of the political family in the state. The same symbol has been represented in the new army being erected through a formidable political structure in the state.
Can I also state that “God fatherism” which was a go-to for political consultations before running for any elective office has been shred into nothingness? If these are lies, I expect a rebuttal for this article.
When the issue of scholarships came up with the attendant narrative that the Governor is tribalistic, I suspected a hen-fart. Politicians and their arm- chair critics without innovation only tries to soil the reputation of others so they can lift theirs. It is the hallmark of people without vision. People without peculiarity of their own dreams.
Let us have a conscience towards reality. What really happened?
The Former Commissioner for Youths and Sports, now Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Gabriel El-Roi Adoji, wrote:
” We need to verify facts and figures before we go on social media with our findings. The GYB scholarship foundation was coordinated under the ministry of Youth and sports under my supervision as commissioner before I was redeployed to culture and tourism. The Scholarship scheme started about two years ago. The 1st senatorial district to benefit is the East at which time over 300 hundred students were admitted into the prestigious Kinsey College of Education. Pls note that over 2,000 forms were released to the Eastern senatorial district but only 300 forms were submitted/collected as the rest of the potential beneficiaries either didn’t submit their forms or filled them wrongly. The second tranch of beneficiaries were about 250 and as we speak they are in NCE 2 to finish early next year. The reason for the large number of the Igbiras in this current Schorladhip scheme is one, its the turn of the Central to benefit and if I may add most of the over 2,000 forms that was given out over 1, 300 were filled and submitted hence the large numbers of beneficiaries from the Central”.
Facts:
1. The Scholarship was initiated by the former Comissioner for Youths and Sports, Hon. Gabriel El-Roi Adoji, now Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, someone from Kogi East.
2. The Entry for registration was done “online”. This registration was an independent submission by interested students who “qualified and enrolled” for the scheme, with targetted penetration.
Can a scholarship which was based on independent enrolment and principle of rotation be forced on anyone? Can interests to apply for also be distributed amongst the ethnic groups?
Without sounding politically correct, they’ve been some form of apathy towards embracing of empowerment schemes which this government brings up by a particular section of the state. They are some people on the foreground who dissuade the youths from embracing many government openings. They fail to understand that the Government is not owned by Yahaya Bello but The People of Kogi State.
The mass illiteracy in the Nigerian populace has been used by politicians to divide social interests so they can benefit from the chaos they cause through electoral votes. As we speak, someone is hammering on ethnic sentiments to sway emotions just to cause disaffection for the Governor and fuel inter-ethnic rivalry amongst the ethnic families in the state.
Ask yourselves these questions:
1. If Yahaya Bello is a tribalist, why didn’t he populate his ethnic group in all the appointive positions in the state?
2. If Yahaya Bello is an ethnic bigot, why did he for security reasons declare a state of emergency only in the senatorial district he came from amidst wild condemnations from his people?
3. If Yahaya Bello is a bigot, why do we have an almost equal representation across board reflecting appropriations of political mileages according to Local Government areas?
4. If Governor Yahaya Bello is an ethnic bigot, why didn’t the Kogi Central where he comes from which has only 5 local government areas in the state control all the government ministries in the state?
5. If Governor Yahaya Bello is an ethnic bigot, why is his closest political ally, Edward Onoja, who also doubles as his Chief of Staff, his best friend, from Kogi East?
In conclusion, the social ignominy we allow politicians erect today may become a giant monster we may not be able to control tomorrow. Elections are on our hands, we need to be wiser than before.
Finally, in the contrition of our hearts, do we all think that the Governor couldn’t have arranged a scholarship for only people from Kogi central? What would be the total funding that cannot even by back-yarded in arrangements?
As your conscience tickles, let your eyes also open. The same people discouraging you from embracing career opportunities and empowerment plans today are those who hate and wickedness have a permanent residence in their hearts. In the end, have you not been deceived? If you don’t register, nobody would bring it to your door step.
Regardless of what you think of me, I am Kogi Rebel, into the future with courage I will keep rebelling against mediocrity.
– Promise Emmanuel (Kogi Rebel)
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