The people of Kogi State, Nigerian North Central region will
in a few months from now decide through their Permanent Voter Cards of who
occupies Luggard House and pilot the affairs of the state in the next four
years.
in a few months from now decide through their Permanent Voter Cards of who
occupies Luggard House and pilot the affairs of the state in the next four
years.
This attention-grabbing contest is seen by avid pundits as a decider
as it will decide between sound governance that is people centered and a governance
that only promotes the whims and caprices of political parties; it will also
decide between laughter and languish as well as between destiny and destitute.
However, some experts also believed that, this could be a striking moment to
deciding the destiny of the twenty-four years old state whose people are always
crying for infrastructural and economical development.
as it will decide between sound governance that is people centered and a governance
that only promotes the whims and caprices of political parties; it will also
decide between laughter and languish as well as between destiny and destitute.
However, some experts also believed that, this could be a striking moment to
deciding the destiny of the twenty-four years old state whose people are always
crying for infrastructural and economical development.
With numerous political Veterans and Neophytes in the state,
gunning for the golden seat in the Luggard House and several agitations being
advanced either to retaining power in the Eastern Senatorial District of the
state or to shifting power to either Kogi Central or Kogi West; the contest, as
indicated by available political barometers, could best be viewed as an ‘Ideological
Warfare’.
gunning for the golden seat in the Luggard House and several agitations being
advanced either to retaining power in the Eastern Senatorial District of the
state or to shifting power to either Kogi Central or Kogi West; the contest, as
indicated by available political barometers, could best be viewed as an ‘Ideological
Warfare’.
Popularly known as the
Confluence State, Kogi state has been ruled by three democratically elected
governors (two others plus the incumbent governor) and was created on August 27TH,
1991 with its capital located at the ancient City, Lokoja. With the total area
of 29.833 squared Kilo Meter and 70 per squared kilo meter as its density;
available data show that, the population of the people of the state according
to 1991 Population Census was 2,099,046 while the present estimated population
according to the 2006 Population Census is 3,595,796. Interestingly, however, in
view of the geography of the state, Kogi state is the only state in Nigeria which
shares a boundary with ten different states in the country as it is bordered by
Federal Capital Territory to the north, Nassarawa State to the north east, Benue
State to the east and Enugu State to the south among others.
Confluence State, Kogi state has been ruled by three democratically elected
governors (two others plus the incumbent governor) and was created on August 27TH,
1991 with its capital located at the ancient City, Lokoja. With the total area
of 29.833 squared Kilo Meter and 70 per squared kilo meter as its density;
available data show that, the population of the people of the state according
to 1991 Population Census was 2,099,046 while the present estimated population
according to the 2006 Population Census is 3,595,796. Interestingly, however, in
view of the geography of the state, Kogi state is the only state in Nigeria which
shares a boundary with ten different states in the country as it is bordered by
Federal Capital Territory to the north, Nassarawa State to the north east, Benue
State to the east and Enugu State to the south among others.
Though, the time table for this election was still awaited at
the point of writing this article but surreptitious politicking and furtive
indoor campaigns have taken the centre stage. However, it is believed that, the peaceful
conduct of this governorship election as well as the general acceptability of
its outcome will be predicated by the manner in which political gladiators
allow internal democracy within the various political parties during their
various primary elections as many eyes were already on the various tickets
across the political parties.
the point of writing this article but surreptitious politicking and furtive
indoor campaigns have taken the centre stage. However, it is believed that, the peaceful
conduct of this governorship election as well as the general acceptability of
its outcome will be predicated by the manner in which political gladiators
allow internal democracy within the various political parties during their
various primary elections as many eyes were already on the various tickets
across the political parties.
Though, the state has recorded a miniature success from the
time of its creation but it suffice to aver that, between the aborted Third
Republic in 1993 and the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999 till date, the
state has cried for effective and efficient leadership especially for a leader
that will turn the various 29 different mineral deposits within her soil into a
prosperity platform through sound industrialized policy for the benefit of the
people of the state.
time of its creation but it suffice to aver that, between the aborted Third
Republic in 1993 and the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999 till date, the
state has cried for effective and efficient leadership especially for a leader
that will turn the various 29 different mineral deposits within her soil into a
prosperity platform through sound industrialized policy for the benefit of the
people of the state.
With copious number of people jostling for tickets and the
approval to run on the platform of their political parties, those aspirants
need to be informed of the herculean tasks ahead of them as governorship race
should not only be seen as an avenue for one to merely introduce himself to the
political domain but should rather be seen as a call to leadership. Leadership
by extension should be seen as a call to service. However, it is not a service
of one’s personal bank accounts and immediate family rather it is a service
which involves serving the entire people of the state through optimal usage of
their collective patrimony.
approval to run on the platform of their political parties, those aspirants
need to be informed of the herculean tasks ahead of them as governorship race
should not only be seen as an avenue for one to merely introduce himself to the
political domain but should rather be seen as a call to leadership. Leadership
by extension should be seen as a call to service. However, it is not a service
of one’s personal bank accounts and immediate family rather it is a service
which involves serving the entire people of the state through optimal usage of
their collective patrimony.
The ongoing agitations either to retaining power in the east
or shifting power to other senatorial zones should be checked for the health of
our burgeoning and budding democracy as such agitation breeds untold bitterness
in our political drive. While I totally adhere to the egalitarian nature of the
state, it is also justifiable to note that, such agitation, whichever divides
it may come, can only be seen as a political approach for regional advantage
which may be far from being the solution to the current leadership quagmire
facing the state. The challenge facing the state is not localized as there is
no region within the state that does not have its own problem. To this end,
Kogites should join hands together to pray unto God for a leader after His own
heart with a spotless integrity and dexterous strength to pilot the affairs of
the state regardless of where he comes from.
or shifting power to other senatorial zones should be checked for the health of
our burgeoning and budding democracy as such agitation breeds untold bitterness
in our political drive. While I totally adhere to the egalitarian nature of the
state, it is also justifiable to note that, such agitation, whichever divides
it may come, can only be seen as a political approach for regional advantage
which may be far from being the solution to the current leadership quagmire
facing the state. The challenge facing the state is not localized as there is
no region within the state that does not have its own problem. To this end,
Kogites should join hands together to pray unto God for a leader after His own
heart with a spotless integrity and dexterous strength to pilot the affairs of
the state regardless of where he comes from.
Electoral awareness has astronomically grown in Nigeria in
whose politics, Kogi politics is a subset. This further buttresses the fact
that, politics of endorsement regardless of the personality profiles of the
people that endorse the aspirants may not be a potent indicator to either show
their victory at the primary elections or their victory at the polls. The March 28 presidential election in Nigeria
should have schooled our people’s minds that electoral victory is a product of
people acceptance of the persona of the candidate involved in the election and
not when such a candidate is endorsed by the cabals. President Buhari was never
endorsed by any Emir, Oba, or Onu, rather only innocent and ordinary Nigerian
citizens endorsed him but he defeated his focal rival by a wide margin. This
may also be replicated in the state in the next governorship polls.
whose politics, Kogi politics is a subset. This further buttresses the fact
that, politics of endorsement regardless of the personality profiles of the
people that endorse the aspirants may not be a potent indicator to either show
their victory at the primary elections or their victory at the polls. The March 28 presidential election in Nigeria
should have schooled our people’s minds that electoral victory is a product of
people acceptance of the persona of the candidate involved in the election and
not when such a candidate is endorsed by the cabals. President Buhari was never
endorsed by any Emir, Oba, or Onu, rather only innocent and ordinary Nigerian
citizens endorsed him but he defeated his focal rival by a wide margin. This
may also be replicated in the state in the next governorship polls.
I have tried as much as I could to avoid naming calling and
referring some of my points to some administrations in the state. However, in
the early 2000s, the state was on a good course. Kogi state was on a move. It
was obvious to all and sundry that Kogi state was heading to a destination of
prosperity. We were known in Nigeria. Government programmes did not end in
computers but to a large extend were discernibly felt. There was apparent hope for the health of the
state economy, then. But, suddenly, such hope dissipated as a vapour. Oh! Economical evapo-transpiration took place
and landed us in the web of poverty. The contents of our viable hope leaked out
through loopholes procreated by influential cabals. Thurggery set in and it was empowered into
becoming an emerging industry. The state’s owned University then was rated as the
best state university in the country and was among the first best 40
universities in Nigeria. Aside having internal leadership mêlée, industrial
skirmish cum perceptible underdevelopment, Kogi State University is today
ranked 96th among the first 100 universities in the country, having
occupied the second to the last position for a protracted period. What engineered such economical deceleration
could be traced to palpable lacuna in leadership.
referring some of my points to some administrations in the state. However, in
the early 2000s, the state was on a good course. Kogi state was on a move. It
was obvious to all and sundry that Kogi state was heading to a destination of
prosperity. We were known in Nigeria. Government programmes did not end in
computers but to a large extend were discernibly felt. There was apparent hope for the health of the
state economy, then. But, suddenly, such hope dissipated as a vapour. Oh! Economical evapo-transpiration took place
and landed us in the web of poverty. The contents of our viable hope leaked out
through loopholes procreated by influential cabals. Thurggery set in and it was empowered into
becoming an emerging industry. The state’s owned University then was rated as the
best state university in the country and was among the first best 40
universities in Nigeria. Aside having internal leadership mêlée, industrial
skirmish cum perceptible underdevelopment, Kogi State University is today
ranked 96th among the first 100 universities in the country, having
occupied the second to the last position for a protracted period. What engineered such economical deceleration
could be traced to palpable lacuna in leadership.
For almost 24 years of its existence, it seems there is no
blue print of what happens to the state in the next 30 to 40 years. There is no
generational plan for the future prosperity of the state. It seems there is no state’s master plan
drawn by the founding fathers of the state. Like a military barrack, Kogi state
has been in a situation of administration comes, administration goes but
Luggard House remains. With due respect
to all our governors (both present and past), what we have had in the state so
far, is political parties’ master plan. We have overtime been ruled by political
parties’ ambitions and with the politics of bitterness in the land, whoever
comes in, jettison the project of the other administration thereby taking us back
to square one. A trip to Lagos state will teach us a good lesson on expedience
of having a state’s master plan that is not designed by a particular political
party but by the people of the state regardless of their political inclinations.
Whatever is going on in Lagos today was foreseen by their founding fathers several
years ago and contained in the master plan for the development of the state.
Their governors are just acting the scripts written by their fathers in
compliance with the political party that gave them the mandate to rule. But in
our own case, all we have had was annual budget for each fiscal year which will
either go into debt settlement, settling contractors and payment of salaries not
to talk of maintaining government functionaries. Until we see far into the
future, we may not be able to drive home our desires. It’s high time the state
assembles her fine brains to brainstorming on how to have a sound economical
and developmental master plan for the state which will run the state in years
to come.
blue print of what happens to the state in the next 30 to 40 years. There is no
generational plan for the future prosperity of the state. It seems there is no state’s master plan
drawn by the founding fathers of the state. Like a military barrack, Kogi state
has been in a situation of administration comes, administration goes but
Luggard House remains. With due respect
to all our governors (both present and past), what we have had in the state so
far, is political parties’ master plan. We have overtime been ruled by political
parties’ ambitions and with the politics of bitterness in the land, whoever
comes in, jettison the project of the other administration thereby taking us back
to square one. A trip to Lagos state will teach us a good lesson on expedience
of having a state’s master plan that is not designed by a particular political
party but by the people of the state regardless of their political inclinations.
Whatever is going on in Lagos today was foreseen by their founding fathers several
years ago and contained in the master plan for the development of the state.
Their governors are just acting the scripts written by their fathers in
compliance with the political party that gave them the mandate to rule. But in
our own case, all we have had was annual budget for each fiscal year which will
either go into debt settlement, settling contractors and payment of salaries not
to talk of maintaining government functionaries. Until we see far into the
future, we may not be able to drive home our desires. It’s high time the state
assembles her fine brains to brainstorming on how to have a sound economical
and developmental master plan for the state which will run the state in years
to come.
Having seen leadership as the bane behind the marsh with
which the state is presently faced, it is good to sound to those who are
aspiring for the number one seat in the state to have a second thought whether
or not they have the wherewithal to occupy the seat. It is not good enough to
print posters and ventilate one’s political ambitions. More also, If the head
of the present administration feels he has performed enough to contest for
second time, let him exercise his franchise within the confine of his volition
and allow the electorate to decide his fate at the polls but if it is the other
way round, there is nothing wrong with him to relinquish the chance for an
individual that will perform better than him which will also earn him a golden
page in the state’s history book. The beauty of effective leadership lies in
service delivery and not on the duration of the person in power. The incumbent
governor should not be dragged into the race by mere sycophants who like the
proverbial Lazarus depend on eating crumbs that fell from the governor’s table.
which the state is presently faced, it is good to sound to those who are
aspiring for the number one seat in the state to have a second thought whether
or not they have the wherewithal to occupy the seat. It is not good enough to
print posters and ventilate one’s political ambitions. More also, If the head
of the present administration feels he has performed enough to contest for
second time, let him exercise his franchise within the confine of his volition
and allow the electorate to decide his fate at the polls but if it is the other
way round, there is nothing wrong with him to relinquish the chance for an
individual that will perform better than him which will also earn him a golden
page in the state’s history book. The beauty of effective leadership lies in
service delivery and not on the duration of the person in power. The incumbent
governor should not be dragged into the race by mere sycophants who like the
proverbial Lazarus depend on eating crumbs that fell from the governor’s table.
With unemployment on every street of the state and our
graduates being pushed out of the state in search of white kola jobs, the need
to have an actionable governor with workable ideas should not be smashed on the
alter of regional agitation, religious chauvinism and egocentric tendency. Between
Prince Abubakar Audu, James Ocholi, Jibrin Isah Echocho, Muhammed Ali, Captain
Idris Wada, Alhaji Suleman Baba Ali, Yahaya Bello and Prince Sanni Halilu
Shuaibu among other aspirants, what Kogites are after, is a governor that will serve
them with love and through whose hands the state will fare well.
graduates being pushed out of the state in search of white kola jobs, the need
to have an actionable governor with workable ideas should not be smashed on the
alter of regional agitation, religious chauvinism and egocentric tendency. Between
Prince Abubakar Audu, James Ocholi, Jibrin Isah Echocho, Muhammed Ali, Captain
Idris Wada, Alhaji Suleman Baba Ali, Yahaya Bello and Prince Sanni Halilu
Shuaibu among other aspirants, what Kogites are after, is a governor that will serve
them with love and through whose hands the state will fare well.
Observations about the political activities in Nigeria as
part of the build up to this year’s general elections divulge the heightened
nature of the political temperature in the country as thuggery, political
rivalry and killing of people took the centre stage, a strange political
culture that was in total deviation from the country’s electoral norms which
should be characterized with peace and tranquility. This governorship poll in
our state should not be seen as a do or die affairs. We should bear in mind
that, in any contest, there will always emerge a winner and a vanquished. Political
parties and their flag bearers should not set the state ablaze through their
violence induced politicking. Hired
Journalists and Feature Writers within and outside the state should see their
writing gifting and journalistic platforms as avenues to promoting peace and
unity as well as setting administrative agenda for whoever wins the elections
and not to intensifying the already inflammable political fume in the state.
Those in the Pen Profession will to a large extend decide the direction of the
political activities, before, during and after this governorship election
depending on the motive behind their contents and the language of their
contents. Therefore, total adherence to the canon of journalism will help in
giving direction to what the society should be fed in this Guber contest.
part of the build up to this year’s general elections divulge the heightened
nature of the political temperature in the country as thuggery, political
rivalry and killing of people took the centre stage, a strange political
culture that was in total deviation from the country’s electoral norms which
should be characterized with peace and tranquility. This governorship poll in
our state should not be seen as a do or die affairs. We should bear in mind
that, in any contest, there will always emerge a winner and a vanquished. Political
parties and their flag bearers should not set the state ablaze through their
violence induced politicking. Hired
Journalists and Feature Writers within and outside the state should see their
writing gifting and journalistic platforms as avenues to promoting peace and
unity as well as setting administrative agenda for whoever wins the elections
and not to intensifying the already inflammable political fume in the state.
Those in the Pen Profession will to a large extend decide the direction of the
political activities, before, during and after this governorship election
depending on the motive behind their contents and the language of their
contents. Therefore, total adherence to the canon of journalism will help in
giving direction to what the society should be fed in this Guber contest.
With the power of incumbent becoming a tacit and a voiceless
factor in Nigerian politics, it is good to sound that, the ruling party in the
state should not see this governorship election as a mean to retaining power by
all means even though it has ruled the state for 12 years. Using state’s owned
institutions against political opponents could best be seen as primordial
politics. This may reduce the party’s popularity and discourage those who may
believe in the party’s ideology especially that such move did not work for the
immediate past President who used NTA against his opponent. In the same light,
the opposition party who controls power at the centre should not also attempt
to using federal mighty against other parties as such electoral formula could
not deliver the desired result in Osun state during the last governorship
election in Osun state. The electoral Umpire should maintain neutrality with
impeccable mediation without favoring any political party. The processes should
be transparent enough to convince the people that their votes truly count. It
should be noted that, any election that is void of electoral malpractice will
also be void of violence at the completion of the electoral processes.
Electoral violence is a grandchild of glaring electoral transgression. Peaceful conduct of election is the one
conducted within the gamut of electoral acts, as amended.
factor in Nigerian politics, it is good to sound that, the ruling party in the
state should not see this governorship election as a mean to retaining power by
all means even though it has ruled the state for 12 years. Using state’s owned
institutions against political opponents could best be seen as primordial
politics. This may reduce the party’s popularity and discourage those who may
believe in the party’s ideology especially that such move did not work for the
immediate past President who used NTA against his opponent. In the same light,
the opposition party who controls power at the centre should not also attempt
to using federal mighty against other parties as such electoral formula could
not deliver the desired result in Osun state during the last governorship
election in Osun state. The electoral Umpire should maintain neutrality with
impeccable mediation without favoring any political party. The processes should
be transparent enough to convince the people that their votes truly count. It
should be noted that, any election that is void of electoral malpractice will
also be void of violence at the completion of the electoral processes.
Electoral violence is a grandchild of glaring electoral transgression. Peaceful conduct of election is the one
conducted within the gamut of electoral acts, as amended.
This is the time for all Kogites to decide who leads us. The
time to affirm that the key to the Luggard House lies in the hands of the
people is now. Kogi will certainly decide and it is my hope that we will decide
well.
time to affirm that the key to the Luggard House lies in the hands of the
people is now. Kogi will certainly decide and it is my hope that we will decide
well.
God bless Kogi state.
God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
OYIGU ONUCHEOJO ELIJAH, an Author and Creative Writer; he hails
from Ibobo-Abocho, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. He lives and
writes from Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital. He
is reachable on 08182929446.
from Ibobo-Abocho, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. He lives and
writes from Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital. He
is reachable on 08182929446.
