2023 and the GYB’s tidal wave


In recent times, Kogi, the Confluence so, has been on the front burner for two obvious reasons – the outright rejection of the Covid-19 conspiracy plus the politics of Governor Yahaya Bello (GYB) and his latest statement on the prevailing security challenges bedeviling the nation. He advised that governors should not run to Abuja for solutions but they should rather remain in their respective states to tackle and stem the tide of the insecurity horror in the sideboards.
It’s indeed rare a attribute for a leader to stand firm and decisive in protecting the interest of his people and keeping to what he believes not minding whose ox is gored. In spite of the glaring panic in the world over the Covid-19 pandemic, the conspiracy and politics brought into play by some of the governors is more perturbing and nerve-racking than the pandemic itself.

The barefaced reality is that, even before the abrupt advent of the Covid-19, Nigerian citizens have been dealing with different monsters. These include kidnappings, ethno-religious crisis, banditry, corruption, youths restiveness, decrepit infrastructure, among others, all caused by bad governance. And statistically the number of lives lost on our bad roads is higher than conspicuously exaggerated number of deaths caused by the Covid-19.


Sadly, a lot of frenzy is accorded to Covid-19 by most of the governors. This is in addition to the humongous amount of money said to have been guzzled which is quite frightening and misplacement of priority. It’s regrettable that most of the governors, who had locked down their states, thus preventing the vulnerable and poor persons living hand to mouth from going out to earn their living, couldn’t have empathy to share the Covid-19 stimulus packages provided by the federal government to the rightful owners until when the warehouses were vandalized by the #EndSARS campaigners. This is ridiculous and, let me say, well-done the GYB for your bravery!
In fact, protests by patients at some designated isolation centers across the country and the manner in which some governors and elite mingle together in absolute violation of the Covid-19 protocols they’ve ironically imposed in their respective states, have justified Governor Yahaya Bello’s standpoint of rejecting the corona-politics in Kogi state, which would have adversely affected the innocent and vulnerable citizens.


Also, on his recent statements over the prevalent insecurity in the country, section 14 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, clearly stipulates that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. And before the coming of GYB in Kogi state, it has been a hotbed of all sorts of criminalities and ethno-tribal line created by the past leaders of the state to either massage some egos or perpetuate selfish agenda to the detriment of the larger populace of the state. This undesirable situation has for long been a cog in the wheel of progress and development of  Kogi state until the messier, GYB, took over to change things for the better.


Today, Kogi state is witnessing a peaceful atmosphere under the GYB administration while the walls of tribalism, ethno-religious differences have been successfully dismantled by the young but ebullient governor. 
It’s instructive to note that, no section of the state is feeling marginalised anymore; even the concept of gender equality has been entrenched in the structure of government – the chief of staff to the governor, the head of service, and the ADC to GYB are all women of repute. So, when GYB is talking to his contemporaries on security, he is doing so from a first hand experience – Kogi state is relatively peaceful.
Talking about youth inclusiveness in governance, there’s no state of the federation where the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ template is at optimum utilization than the present Kogi state. From the governor, his deputy, chief of staff down to the members of the state executive council, everyone is young, agile, and productive. This is why things are now working for the first time in the history of the confluence state. Indeed, in the annals of its history, there has not  been any epoch where Kogi state has had it so good than now. 


In fact, GYB, the trailblazer, is always leading and illuminating the path for others to follow. In Kogi state today, all the secretaries of the local government councils are members of the Nigerian Youth Council (NYC) in the state. What more does Kogi’s youths want? No wonder, the governor overwhelmed his band of adversaries to get re-elected for the second term for sustainability and continuity of his signature projects in the state.

Let me, therefore, in an absolute agreement with the saying that “one good turn deserves another” to follow suit and join the millions of voices across the country to calling on GYB to throw his golden hat into the ring for the battle of the 2023 presidential election. This is because he has all it takes to liberate the country from its multifarious challenges.


In the world today, young men and women are making history in the position of power – from France, Finland, Ukraine, Salvador, Andora, to Costa Rica, and a host of others. What will get Nigeria work again is to have a young and vibrant please; the time is now, the person is GYB. Enough of the recycling syndrome where the old ones repeatedly bounce back in the equation of power in Nigeria while the youths watch helplessly.
Nwankwo, a public affairs analyst, writes from Owerri, Imo state.

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