For obvious reasons, Governor Yahaya Belloof Kogi state is becoming more popular in the current political dispensation due to his purposeful leadership. Political analysts opine that building skyscrapers is not the only the determinant of a functional government. A good and responsible government must provide means of livelihood and connecting to the citizenry by way of creating and giving a sense of belonging to the governed. In the last few years of his leadership, the ‘White Lion’ (Yahaya Bello) does not only connect to his people or give them a sense of belonging and inclusion in governance but he has also ensured that the decrepit infrastructure in the state is rehabilitated for the benefit of the citizenry.
Beyond providing dividends of democracy, one virtue that the ardent critics of Yahaya Bello cannot also ignore is his ability to combine emotional intelligence with education, which obviously, many political leaders in recent times are lacking. Political observers have also said his ability to always stand firm on issues regarding the masses is another quality that stands the governor out as a credible leader that Nigerians need to steer the affairs of the country as the nation is heading towards another round of elections in 2023.
It’s indeed a rare quality and attribute of a leader to be 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 are perturbing and nerve-racking 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; kidnappings, ethno-religious crisis, banditry, corruption, youths’ idleness, decayed infrastructures among others all caused by bad governance – and statistically the number of lives lost on our bad roads is higher than conspicuously uplifted number of deaths by the Covid-19. Sadly, the frenzy courtesy given to Covid-19 by most of the governors and the volume of money said to have been guzzled is quite frightening and a misuse of priority. It’s a pity that most of the governors who have locked down their states preventing the vulnerable 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 owner until when the stores were vandalized by the ‘#EndSARS’ campaigners. This is ridiculous and let me say, well-done the GYB for your braveness! In fact, apart from protests by patients at some designated isolation centers across the country and the manner in which some governors and big men mingle together in absolute violation of the Covid-19 protocols they’ve ironically imposed in their respective states has justified Yahaya Bello’s standpoint by rejecting the coronavirus-politics in Kogi state which could have severely affected the innocent and vulnerable citizens. Also, on his recent statements over the prevalent insecurity in the country, section 14 of the Nigeria’s Constitution has clearly stated 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 was built by the past leaders in the state to either rub some egos or perpetuate selfish agenda to the detriment of the larger segment of the state and that has for long becomes a cog in the wheel of the development in Kogi until the messier, GYB took over to change things for the better. Today, the state is witnessing some peaceful atmosphere under the GYB while the walls of tribalism, ethno-religious differences have been successfully collapsed by the young but mighty Governor. It’s interesting to note that, no section of the state feeling marginalized and even the gender impartiality has been entrenched in the structure of the government – the Chief of Staff to the government, the Head of Service, and even the ADC to GYB are all women of repute. So, when GYB is talking to his contemporaries on security, he’s talking with experience. Kogi state is relatively peaceful. While, talking about youths’ inclusiveness in government, there’s no any state of the federation where the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ template is at optimum utilisation 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 that’s why things are now working for the first time in history of the confluence state. Indeed in all the annals of history, there wasn’t an epoch where the state had it so good, actively working 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 do Kogi’s youths want? No wonder, he overwhelmed his troops of adversaries to get re-elected for the second time for sustainability and continuity of his signature projects in the state.
Let me therefore in an absolute agreement with the saying that says; one good turn deserves another, to follow suit and join the thousands voices across the Country who are calling for GYB to throw his golden hat in the ring of the battle of the 2023 Presidential election because he has all it takes to liberate the country from its multifarious woebegone. In the world today, young men and women are making history on the position of power; from Paris, Finland, Ukraine, Salvador, Andora, Costa Rica, to France and hosts of others and what will make Nigeria working is to have young man in as president and the time is now, the person is GYB. Enough of the recycling syndrome where old men repeatedly bounce back in the equation of power in Nigeria while the youths are watching. Rufaida writes from Kaduna
