Just Before You Become Governor: An Open Letter To Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Governor-Elect Kogi State – By Williams Charles Oluwatoyin

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I want to use this medium to congratulate you on your victory at the just concluded supplementary elections. It is a well deserved victory. I am particularly thrilled at the fact that a young vibrant blood has come. To whom much is given, much is expected. However, without mincing words and waiting time, I will hit the nail on the head and it would be expedient not to mince words with you, as I am not used to rubbing hands on the head on very serious issues. The tasks ahead are daunting and frightening. Nevertheless, they are surmountable. Needless to say, I am unshaken in my believe that you will perform, taking my confidence from your unassuming abilities and capabilities in the private sector. I believe that you will surmount the prevailing challenges that have riddled the state and brought her to her knees.

But just before you became the chosen one, there were certain events that played out. The chains of events that culminated to ushering you into the exalted shoes of Prince Abubakar Audu are unprecedented, trendsetter and divine. History was made! These events are clearly beyond the comprehension of even mere beings and are subliminal. Unfortunate as they may seem, they led to your coming, correct me if I am wrong, you are the result of a constitutional logjam and impasse, brewed from the laboratory of due process and sittings of pocket lawyers in the cyber space. Thus you are the solution to a global constitutional lacuna, you are also the first of your kind, the first non Igalla to become the Governor Elect, so, the destiny of a great state, lies on the shoulder of a young Governor Elect, do not forget how you got to where you are today. We may not see God in it but I smell his finger prints all over the place. Give God the glory.

Just before you become governor, it will be imperative to placate aggrieved parties. The heated rouse, debacle and brouhaha your nomination sparked off are still deep sited in the hearts of the aggrieved, who felt short changed. The hearts of humans are deep oceans of secrets, no one can know. In Christianity, we tag what just happened to you as “favour” and according to T.D. Jakes, “favour, aint fair”. Favour is getting what you didn’t sweat for.  It’s the prayers we pray day in day out, that God should extend favour to us, it’s undisputable. In dealing with aggrieved parties therefore, let Equity, Fairness and Justice be your yardstick, if you do otherwise, it would be repulsive and repugnant. Did you take a look at the votes accrued from the supplementary elections sir? It decipher that, you are not just going to be Governor over Lokoja or Okene, but over places where you won, Dekina, Ankpa, Bassa, Ibaji and even places you didn’t, at least you got 40-45% votes from there. You got votes from everywhere. You are the Governor Elect of all part of Kogi State.

Unfortunately, I do not have access to you, if I have, the only song you will hear me sing at all time is, Ajaokuta Steel Company. One of our major problems as a nation is short-sightedness. Our old leaders are short sighted and selfish not to have seen oil price fall, why would they? After all they are all criminals, whose eyes do not see beyond the loot they want to pilfer, which is affecting the polity. That is what over dependence on oil has caused us as a nation. If they have had the political will to diversify into steel and revitalize the Ajaokuta steel, we wont be in the mess we are in. Ajaokuta Steel Plant has been tagged as the “Bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization and a wise government would invest in it. It has been left lying fallow. If it was in the core north, it would be functional. Please, take Ajaokuta as you pet child, use all your contacts to make sure, Ajaokuta rise again and that is why is advice to make use of young intelligent people in your administration, not recycled old men, people who we have been hearing their names right from when I entered primary school in the early 80’s. They are done and worn and in the lay mans language, “dem don expire like moto tyre”

Sequel to this sir, Kogi state is blessed with over 29 mineral resources. Its location and proximity to the Federal Capital Territory is an advantage. It is a hub in the north, it has a river port to its credit, it wont be long that the state would experience an influx of potential investors, only if you will open up the economy of the state. The government seemingly can not do it alone, incorporating the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative would boost the internally generated revenue of the state which would in turn transcend to infrastructural development and there would be a clear departure from over dependent on Federal Government allocations.

I beg to speak for Lokoja at this juncture! Lokoja my town, my pride. Lokoja the supposed state capital of Kogi is like a woman, whose husband is a multibillionaire and yet, dresses in carcass, what a shame. Lokoja is a shadow of itself, its unkempt, its stinking, its smelling and its rotting, there are potholes everywhere, you cant go round Lokoja without cursing when you hit potholes, you then go back to take pain killers later on, the street light are not just working and so many others. We are always ashamed of bringing our friends to town, why is this so? A class mate ones wrote, whenever I pass through Lokoja, I close my eyes! My village, Ayere , Ijumu LGA is still looking more presentable to a visitor than Lokoja! I want to believe you are a man with taste and that the problems of Lokoja have a place in your notes and its glory as the state capital would be restored, while not forgetting other underdeveloped part of Kogi state!

Another very serious issue is the welfare of the civil servants. I am bias on this, possibly because my parents were once civil servants, I take exception to their cases very seriously and stringently. It is the issue of their bailout fund. The politics that the fund has generated is highly regrettable. There have been accusations of stalling the process for political gain, while there are counter allegations of not applying atal or meeting the conditions of application. All these? not bearing in mind the people it is meant for? I believe that, you will beam you light on the issue and make your workers smile. Woe unto a governor who disrespects his civil servants by playing with their welfare. They would not forgive, from generation to generation!

I can do this all day but let me take a break here for you to peruse through this piece. Before you become Governor sir, please look into the above salient points. They are have been carefully selected after a thorough research. The mantra through which you came into office is CHANGE, please the change be evident within the shortest possible period of time,  On a finally note, I urge you not be distracted in the face tons of litigations against you, they may and will cause distractions to you but do not be deterred . Hit the ground running. It is not how long one stay in the office that matters, but how well he affect the lives of the people, take each day as they come and see them as bonus to touch the lives of the people. One with God is a majority, Power belongs to God, and Him that brought you there will fight your battles and you shall hold your peace.

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Williams Charles Oluwatoyin

Social Commentator & Critiques
Writes from Lokoja
wlmcharles@yahoo.co.uk