By Dr. Samuel Ojo
At a time when banditry and kidnappings have turned Kogi West into one of Nigeria’s most traumatised regions, the least anyone expected from its political class and traditional rulers was silence—much less celebration.
Yet, in a curious display of detachment from the lived realities of their people, these leaders converged in Kabba to endorse Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for a second term in 2027, issuing a communique that praised infrastructural achievements while communities remain under siege.
The disconnect between the people’s suffering and the leaders’ flattery of power is as alarming as it is disappointing.
A Region Bleeding, Leaders Bargaining
The political elite in Kogi West have perfected a troubling habit:
when the people are in pain, they find comfort in political alignment;
when communities cry out, they craft endorsements;
when insecurity intensifies, they intensify their loyalty to the government.
The summit in Kabba—attended by traditional rulers, politicians and community figures—offered nothing new.
It did not interrogate the failures of security.
It did not demand urgent action from the state.
Instead, it re-enacted the same ritual of praise-singing that has become the defining feature of local politics.
The Communique That Avoided the Truth
If the drafters of the communique were honest, they would have admitted that Kogi West is drowning in fear.
Kidnappers operate with confidence across highways.
Villages are attacked with impunity.
Farmers abandon farmlands despite soaring food insecurity.
Families pay ransoms instead of school fees.
Yet, in the face of these realities, the leaders applauded “developmental strides” and “transformation of the physical landscape.”
If this “transformation” were real, we would not need a brand-new Joint Security Task Force to keep people alive.
You do not set up emergency security units in places where governance is functioning.
You set them up where governance has failed.
Traditional Rulers: Silence Becoming Complicity
Traditional rulers once served as the conscience of their communities—fearless in speaking truth to power, relentless in defending their people.
But many of today’s custodians have traded courage for convenience.
Their allegiance increasingly seems tilted toward the seat of power rather than toward the people who look up to them for protection.
When a monarch prioritises political ceremony over community security, the throne loses its moral weight.
The people are left asking: Who speaks for us?
The 2031 Promise: A Sweetened Distraction
A key highlight of the summit was the declaration that Kogi West “must produce the governor in 2031.”
This promise—repeated for decades—is the bait used to pacify the region’s leadership.
It is the political equivalent of offering an empty calabash and calling it a feast.
No region becomes governor by endorsement.
It becomes governor by strategy, cohesion, negotiation and unwavering demand.
Trading today’s insecurity for tomorrow’s uncertain promises is a dangerous political investment.
The People’s Pain Was Missing in Kabba
The communique celebrated unity, praised the governor, and condemned political “divisiveness.”
But it did not condemn the kidnappers.
It did not condemn insecurity.
It did not condemn the infrastructure decay enabling criminal movement.
Most importantly, it did not condemn the government’s failure to protect the people.
This omission is loud.
And the people are listening.
Leadership Must Rediscover Its Duty
Kogi West needs leaders who are fearless, not fearful; principled, not politically programmed.
A region ravaged by insecurity does not need a communique of praise.
It needs a communique of truth.
It needs leaders who will stand with their people, not leaders who will stand in line for endorsement photographs.
Until the political class and traditional rulers return to the path of integrity, their statements will remain hollow—and their people will remain unprotected.
– Dr. Samuel Ojo is a columnist, he writes from Abuja.
