Lessons From Onoja's Road To The Top »

It is Ramadan season. A period of reflections and foresight into what the days ahead will bring. As much as people want to succeed and take bold steps to realise their desires. Beyond reading success stories, do they learn from it?

When you wake up in the morning and look into the mirror, what do you see? Do you see anyone successful in life without stories of near ending fortunes and bleak circumstances that give dream chasers the run for their monies? Do you know of anyone great with no humble beginnings?

The road to success is full of potholes, brick walls and daggers. To be a man in elementary knowledge is believed to a product of deep resilience and commitment to every idea of the virtues that shape personalities. To situate it better, “Person Wey no work, é no go chop,” meaning whoever does not work will not get to put food on his table,” is a relatively common phrase in Nigerian Pidgin, it re-emphasises why embracing hard work, humility, perseverance and doggedness is key to attaining the zenith of one’s dreams.

The current Deputy Governor of Kogi State, through thick and thin is a product of what real struggle is all about. It didn‘t happen by accident, he followed through the roughy ridges of life. Figuratively, Edward Onoja’s feet had been severed by the thorns of life, his body burnt by the ray of the sun and almost drowned by the flood of life.

Regardless, he pushed on to be where he is. Whatever and whoever he is today, is to the toils of yesterday. He struggled through the bumpy fields of life to be where he is today. Or what else can you say of a man, who paid his way as a barber to foot some of his bills in school, borrowed the suit he wore to his first job interview, squatted with a friend to have a shelter over his head? The more reason why people need to study those who are great and find out the lessons inherent in how they made it.

As a student, Edward David Onoja alongside his colleagues masterminded the creation of the Natural Science Students Association (NASSA), University of Jos Chapter, while he studied Geology and Mining at the ivory tower. During the act, Onoja broke a jinx in the University of Jos which has persisted from the beginning of student unionism in the institution, when he alongside others installed the first Student Union (SUG) President from the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

Interestingly, he did not contest himself, but finding a suitable candidate he believed in, coincidentally a fellow Igala man, he presented him to the student community, then leveraged his own resources, personality and popularity to campaign for him. His candidate defeated all comers to emerge the SUG President of UNIJOS that year. The record is impeccable across student union elections in Nigeria.

The Life of Edward Onoja is inspired by a providential enigma that, to untrained eyes, may appear strange and occasionally mysterious. According to the cynical prism, he is a beneficiary of occult powers; otherwise, why should every aspect of his life be described in telepathic order? Everything he said and every event he predicted came true exactly as he had predicted. He had the ability to perceive events, read minds, and understand them. We witnessed it when he encouraged his twin brother and buddy Yahaya Bello to venture into the unstable political environment of Kogi State.

Onoja was appointed Chief Strategist and Head of Campaigns for the Yahaya Bello Campaign Organization. He led a group of hitherto unidentified but equally motivated young people to canvass every corner of Kogi State for his candidate. Yahaya Bello became the fourth executive governor of Kogi State after the All Progressives Congress (APC) beat an incumbent governor from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In the weeks leading up to the election, Onoja served as Yahaya Bello’s chief of staff before elevating to the office of deputy governor.

How did a young student barber get the chance to sit with kings and possibly become the number two citizen of his home state? With years of experience in the financial industry, Onoja values human relationships that has facilitated a seeming number of opportunities, for not just him, but his followers.

Before being elected as the Deputy Governor in the 16 November 2019 general elections, Onoja was appointed the Director-General, APC Campaigns for the 2019 General Elections in Kogi State. He discharged that assignment with unprecedented results. The APC won 25 out of the 25 state constituency Assembly seats in Kogi State. The party also won seven out of the nine federal constituency seats in the state and two out of the three senate seats. Based on the recent ruling of the elections tribunals nullifying the only Senate seat lost by the APC, APC made a clean sweep of all three Senatorial seats in Kogi State. And went on to deliver an impeccable unbroken 25/25 State House of Assembly.

Understanding the kind of background he had as of childhood, no one would have given Edward a chance. Due to his God-given talents,parental upbringing Edward was a shining light all through his Primary, college and university days. What is representative here is courage, dexterity and keeping it strong.

If he had not put in his best in school, would he not have got laurel or medals. Onoja redefines personality talks with due diligence and readiness to be with his people always.

If Nigerian politicians can capture a little bit of what he has been able to achieve in his territory financial wise, then, I will agree that CEDO is fit for bigger responsibilities, and possibly to be on the driver’s seat of Kogi state.