Yahaya Bello And Edward Onoja; The Uncommon Bond- Part 2 »

By Matthew James Avabee ( Mr Spreading)

Dr CEDO is foresighted, resourceful, energetic, passionate and loyal to his Boss to the core, he’s invariably humble and purpose driven with the Love of Kogites and by implication, Nigeria at heart., he has over the years, gone ahead to build a huge network of friends, allies and contemporaries in politics and business across the three senatorial district of the state and the country at large.

These networks cuts across all shades, tribes and religions.

It is relatively very difficult to find a political figure at his age and time as unwholesomely encompassing as he is.

In the history of Kogi State and to a reasonable extent Nigeria at large, The GYB/CEDO administration has been about the most accessible State government in no small way.

Words on the streets and all over presents the Duo as evidently Street Credible as they interact with their own at every means possible especially on Social Media.

Dr CEDO is said to belong to quite a number WhatsApp groups of Kogi origin where he actively interacts with his people at all levels.

This could be the reason why they are well informed on the happenings and needs of the people all and around.

Dr CEDO has also had his fair share of negative publicity targeted at his personality or wellbeing.

Notably among them is in April, 2018, when he was falsely reported to have been involved in a ghastly motor accident with his family.

This spread like wildfire on various media outlets and left people close to him wondering how far detractors would go to dent his image.

Chief Dr Edward David Onoja is highly religious and spiritually inclined and belongs to the Priestly, Kingly and Holy Order of the Melchizedek Brotherhood whose highest believe is Love and upholds the Word as the their weapon and their defense is – Jesus.

The Order is a group of Universal Intelligences, under the Directives of The Divine Creator, Who administer the “Gifts of Shekinah,” (the gifts of God which sanctify the molecular form of the inner universe by the Holy Spirit), affecting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual states of existence.

Their doctrine simply exemplifies living life in all its aspects, of happiness and sadness, trials and tribulations, disease and good health, with no judgments and no criticisms.

Members uphold Truth, Integrity and Unconditional Love for humanity, the planet Earth and the Universe as the supporting foundations from which they believe the structure and development of lives here on Earth is built.

While still in the banking sector, Dr CEDO put his managerial and entrepreneurial skills to work by setting up a Barber’s shop which he grew over the years from just one outlet to quite a number of outlets.

This establishment also employed and groomed quite a number of youths from then till now.

He has in more ways than usual encouraged youths to embrace entrepreneurship as an alternative to the non-existing collar jobs and by implication create jobs for the upcoming younger ones.

Dr CEDO has achieved a lot within his professional and political career and is always ready to lend a helping hand where ever necessary.

Countless testimonies of goodwill attributed to his large heart abounds within and outside the state.

In July 2020, Dr CEDO went ahead to reward the academicProwess of an Okun/Kogi born First Class graduate of the Igbinedion University, Okada.

He helped offset his accrued fees which hindered him from being awarded his certificate since graduating in 2018.

Mr Babatunde Samuel Aina was also awarded a scholarship up to Masters Level.

Dr CEDO facilitated the increase of the monetary value of the scholarship awards to first class graduates of Kogi East extraction from #70,000 to a whooping #500,000.

He insists this is a way to build a better Kogi State as this will help encourage others to strive towards higher grounds.

This increased grant has benefitted Tens of first class graduates of Igala extraction.

In February, 2021, the GYB/CEDO EBIGO foundation rolled out arrangements to train and set up about thirty Kogi Youths from the three senatorial districts with N1m start up grant.

By the following month, a whooping sum of 10 million naira was disbursed to the first set of recipients.

Earlier this year, he announced his intentions to reward diligent and hardworking Kogites contributing to the progress of the state in one way or the other with car gifts by April, 2021. A promise he kept in record time. Since the inception of their administration, over two hundred car gifts have been given out by the GYB CEDO team to well deserving citizens of the State to help encourage hard work and dedication and the progress of the State.

Chief Dr Edward Onoja, Through GYB/CEDO Ebigo Foundation has commissioned Several Potable water for communities in Ogugu District in Olamaboro Local Government Area and other Parts of Kogi East over the years.

On religious infrastructure intervention, the Deputy Governor also galvanized the strength of his network to see to the completion of the Okpo Central Mosque in Olamaboro Local Government Area. The United Evangelical Church Odo Eto also recieved the same gesture and Donate Pastoral house to UEC in ogugu just last year.

At Anyigba, Dr CEDO galvanized friends, associates, political colleagues, legislators and well meaning Kogites, in addition, His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello who contributed immensely to the rebuilding, remodeling and expansion of the 1000 capacity Igala Unity House, with topping of 11 Room Guests Lodge.

In the same mien, the Ogugu Town Hall building foundation has been laid.

He has also completed all necessary plans to drive the support and funding for the construction of two ultra modern Guest Houses for the Attah of Igala, HRM, Dr. Idakwo Michael Ameh Oboni II, at Ankpa and Anyigba respectively.

The aged and vulnerable are not left out, within the time of their Administration, five Houses have been built for senior citizens who had no roofs over their heads.

These he has done with the support of his boss for his people comfortably in Kogi East.

His stories of kind gestures and kindheartedness are almost endless and hasn’t gone unnoticed as this has earned him numerous awards and recognition.

In March, 2017, Dr CEDO was awarded the Best Male Political Office Holder by the Nigerian Christian Youths Political Platform (NICHYPP).

By October, 2017, he was honoured by the University of Jos Alumni Association (UJAA) in the category of Worthy Ambassador an award he received alongside other notable personalities like the then Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, Professor Angela Freeman Miri , the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Senators, Governors, , Deputy Governors etc

The National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOYO) in Kogi East conferred an award of excellence on Dr CEDO and his Boss, Governor Yahaya Bello in April, 2019 for their humanitarian Services.

In September, 2019, the Igala Cultural and Development Association (ICDA), a social-cultural group conferred a Merit Award of Commander of Igala Kingdom (CIK) on him as a result of his meritorious service to humanity and Igalaland and Kogi State as a whole.

In October, 2019, he was coronated Olimene Atah Igala, by the then Attah of Igalaland, HRM Michael Ameh Oboni as a recognition of his selfless service to humanity that should be emulated by politicians who desire to be loved, respected and remembered by their people.

In December, 2019, he was awarded “Kogi Hero” at the prestigious Kogi Social Media Award, the award was in recognition of his immense contributions and his proper usage of the media sphere to impact positively on the lives of Kogi citizens.

In February, 2021, he was honored with Award for Doctor of International Affairs (DIA) an award which accorded him the title “Doctor”.

The Kogi State Governor, Governor Yahaya Bello was also conferred with an award of Distinguished Administrative Diplomat (DAD).
The Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Prince Mathew Kolawole was also a recipient of the honorary degree amongst other recipients.

The awards/honours were conferred at the One Decade Convocation, Awards and Honours Conference of the African Theological Education Network, Nigeria, affiliated to the Vision International University, U.S.A and Bircham Int’l University, Spain.

In March, 2021 at the National Merit Awards at the Merit house at the 2021 People’s Security Monitor Annual Conference and Recognition Awards which was a cross-section of A-list crème-de-la-creme of the society and a collection of high profile public servants, Dr CEDO bagged the Most Outstanding and Loyal Deputy Governor of the a year for Good Governance award while Governor Yahaya Bello was awarded the Best Governor of the Year.

Chief Dr Edward David Onoja is a creative thinker and a great lover of constructive politics with a passion for children and traveling which has accorded him the privilege of traveling in and out of five continents of the world.
He is an unrepentant lover of reading.

His library is a rich blend of motivational, leadership, inspirational and spiritual books which happens to be one of his most treasured assets.

He has timelessly made efforts to encourage reading habits in everyone around him by gifting them books which he intends to add value to them.

His love for education is definitely unalloyed as he disclosed he had enrolled for a master’s degree at the Federal University, Lokoja.

He also disclosed this via his social media handles, that he had already started classes as at March, 2020.

He stressed his decision to go back to school was informed by the world’s need for “experts to keep up with the multifaceted conflicts”.
He is enrolled for a Masters Degree in Conflict and Peace Studies (MCPS), for the 2020 set and expressed hopes to bag a doctor of philosophy (PhD) by 2023.

Dr CEDO is a great believer in the possibility of a New Nigeria unified beyond sentiments and flowing with milk and honey and has expressed this realization of this dream as a brain child of the Youths resolve to take the helm of affairs and build the Nigeria of our dreams.

He is a key promoter of The Governor Yahaya Bello Presidential drive
He is the convener of the CEDO 4 GYB2PYB, a campaign structure which comprises of purpose political youngsters across the country with the grand foresight of making 2023 a year of youthful political revelations and a successful presidential outing for Governor Yahaya Bello.