Periscoping Nigeria From Kogi State: Why Gov Yahaya Bello Should Be Entrusted with Nigeria Presidency »

By all standard and complexity, Kogi State is a prototype of Nigeria. It is shaped along tribes yearnings for recognition. With a bleak future, because the polity had no regard for youths. Kogi State was on the brink.

Like Nigeria today, the problems were evident and obvious as enumerated amongst others;
i. Insecurity
ii. Religious Intolerance
iii. Ethnic jingoism
iv. Economic woes
v. Total neglect of Youths and Women in decision making process

How Governor Yahaya Bello addressed all the myriads of challenges with finesse within a short period on assumption of office can only be described from the prism of courage, boldness and wherewithal to face any challenge heads on; exactly what Nigeria is yearning for.

Let’s take a ride.

Having identified the highly polarized society culminating in mutual distrust, tribal, religious and class delineation amongst the people, Governor Yahaya Bello deployed an all-inclusive government by evenly spreading appointments and projects in a manner that depicts merit, equity and fairness, amongst all constituencies. A departure from the age long practice of skewed representation.

If Gov. Yahaya Bello is entrusted with the leadership of Nigeria, the dexterity displayed in handling ethnic diversity in Kogi State would come handy in bridging ethno-diversity, a problem that has remained bane to our national unity and progress.

Secondly, research has shown, before Gov Yahaya Bello assume office in 2016, Kogi State was the Kidnappers headquarter with over 250 kidnap cases in 2015 alone. Less than 6 months into his first tenure, the number dropped by 90%. Not only did Gov. Bello invests heavily on security, he went after known criminals.

In 2018, in addition to his Award of Excellence in Security, Kogi was rated 2nd most peaceful State in the Federation after Osun State and the most peaceful in Northern Nigeria by the National Peace Index (NPI). Similarly, in 2018 Kogi State was rated the State with the second lowest crime statistics after Kebbi State by The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Kogi of yesterday that was a hotbed of armed robbery, communal clashes, home invasion, political thuggery and other violent crimes is now a reference point for peace.

With these monumental achievements in area of addressing insecurity, if Governor Bello is entrusted with the president of Nigeria, the insecurity that is currently taking centre stage will be reduced to the barest minimum.

Thirdly, Youth and women inclusiveness.
For a broken society to heal quick and get back to productive track there most be thorough Investment in Youth and women.
One of the key demands of EndSARs protest across Nigeria was the need to genuinely involve Youths in determining their future and by extension the future of the country. In Kogi State, not only did he involve Youths, he ensured that over 80% of appointments goes to Youths who are today effectively involved in critical decision making in all sectors of the state. In Kogi State today, 21 Local Government Coordinators of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) have been appointed Local Government Secretaries or Supervisory councillors. In the light of the above, if Gov Bello is entrusted with the president of this Country Nigeria, the agitation for the Youths to lead this country by 2023 must have been addressed

Similarly, Gov Yahaya Bello has over the years remained an unrepentant advocate for female inclusion in governing affairs of the nation. GYB has stood firmly in support and has broken age long traditions by appointing or supporting the emergence of females as:

Secretary to the State Government
Aide De Camp
Head of Civil Service
Minister (FCT)
21 Vice Chairpersons in all the 21 LGAs
64 Ward Counsellors
21 Council Leaders in all the 21 legislative Arms of the 21 LGAs
Heads of Commissions, Boards and Agencies

Governor Bello is the first and only Governor to have implemented the 35% Affirmative Action for women in governance. This will be care if Gov. Bello is entrusted with the president of our great country Nigeria.

Fourthly, Breaking the religion and tribal hegemony
Before his assumption of office, since 1999, there have been an agitation from the christians to the previous governments to have a place of worship in Government House like the Muslim. Their request was granted by Yahaya Bello as he built a Government House Chapel in 2019 and despite the percentage difference of Muslims and Christians, his Deputy and 50% of his appointees are christians. Both Muslims and Christians coexist peacefully and enjoy the highest level of mutual relationships.

For these dispositions, there have been no record of religion crisis in the State for the past 6yrs and still counting. This is what Nigeria needs, a personality that will be perceived as a unifier by his antecedents.

Revamping the State Economic

The internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has grown exponentially from about N350milion monthly to over N1bilion mainly by elimination of waste and corruption. Infact, the state IGR has grown geometrically from N9 bl in 2016 to N11 billion.

In 2019, The World Bank Group declared Kogi the performer in World Bank project portfolio in the Country.
In 2019,The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics rated Kogi one out of the only 9 States which reduced unemployment.

“It is easy to stand in crowd but it takes courage to stand alone”

Forcasting the effect of the Covid19 pandemic on our fragile economy. Gov Bello courageously stood against shutting down of the country to what he tagged “glorified Malaria” (COVID19), choosing not to tow the path of politics like other states.
He painstakingly considered the state of the economy of his State and Nigeria by advising the the application of tradition and science in handling COVID19 to avoid total lockdown because of its economy and other implications.
His quick understanding of the politics of COVID19 help to understand the measures in COVID19 containment as a state with no case and least effected by COVID19 Syndromes.
One of the tests of good leadership is ability to foresee a problem and it’s aftermath before it becomes an emergency ” – Harvest Firestone

In Kogi State there is a perfect definition of Nigeria and in Yahaya Bello there is a well deserved Nigerian President. What Nigeria need is a strong willed and courageous leader to put us on the path to emerge and compete with the likes of China, India and other great countries enjoying economic stability.

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