Dr. Edward Onoja: An Effective Team Player and Team Leader Poised to Take Kogi to Greater Heights »

A great leader is one who has the ability to listen, motivate, and lead his team to overcome challenges.

It is why a ship captain who is part of navigating his vessel to its destination is respected more than the one who bellows instructions from a comfortable distance.

Great leaders can achieve balance—a balance between interacting and guiding a team while still maintaining authority.
They do this by motivating and setting examples. They show their team what can be accomplished when everyone works together.

A good team leader encourages and supports others. They show their dependability by being trustworthy.

This sums up the persona of Dr Edward Onoja, the current Deputy Governor of Kogi state, a perfect example of a team player who has worked to build teamwork for synergy, better quality, and improved efficiency. He encourages a sense of unity within the team, which in turn keeps the workplace motivated.

As DG, Alh Yahaya Bello Campaign Council in 2015/16 and then in 2019, he showed a qualitative team playing spirit that united a few, more or less seen as Political weaklings against Political giants and played his role well as a superb team player. The victory of AYB becoming GYB was so astonishing that the whole nation continues to discuss it till date. Not surprising, on inauguration day and while Gov Yahaya Bello was on the pondium, he emphatically, and without mincing words stated that “My core team especially the progressive Youths of Kogi state led by my right hand man Edward Onoja, their doggedness and forthrightness brought to me in a personal way…….”. In another occasion, Gov Yahaya Bello stated unequivocally, the Loyalty and team play attribute of Dr CEDO when he said and I quote “Ever since I came on board, my brother Edward David Onoja, His Excellency the Deputy Governor, has been a pillar, a support to myself before and as we are in office today…..”
this is testament to the role played by Dr Edward Onoja as the midfielder of the new direction team where he strategised, motivated and coordinated activities to make sure the team came out victorious.

As Chief of Staff, we saw the synergy within all appointees and the pace at which every one was moving and bringing results from their various ministry, department and community to complement the effort of the governor. With the state team, he raised an army of small ward governors who contributed immensely to the development of their community.

As Deputy Governor, he is adjudged the most relevant, dedicated, popular deputy governor in Nigeria as he is always up and doing Representing his boss at high class profile events and strategic meetings to the advantage of the government he serves. While his boss Gov Yahaya Bello was on National assignment and pursuit, the state never missed his absence as the pragmatic Dr Onoja was always on ground to ensure a smooth sail at all times. He remains the most accessible Deputy Governor whose lines were open to all, day and night and not only attending to every Kogite but motivating lots more to succeed in their various endeavors.

His kitchen cabinet is made of young people of great minds from the three Senatorial districts whom he has mentored to become great leaders.

He has always attributed his quality team playing character to his boss and team leader, Gov Yahaya Bello who gave the ladder for all team members to participate fully and motivate them to accomplish great results in their given space of assignment. No wonder each and everyone one of them has recorded tremendous achievements in their capacity and here we are today canvassing for one of them who has imbibed all he has learnt and built upon to become the successor of Gov Yahaya Bello. Chief Edward David Onoja is qualified, prepared and ready to take Kogi State to greater heights than ever and when this happens, it will be yet another Yahaya Bello success story.