By joshua Kogi Earnestly Asks for Faleke: An Open Letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Your Excellency,
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,
President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mr. President,
With utmost respect and patriotic conviction, we, the good people of Kogi State, write to you with a unified voice—a voice that echoes from the banks of the Niger to the hills of Okunland, from the plains of Igala land to the valleys of Ebira land. This is a heartfelt cry born out of years of political stagnation, maladministration, and missed opportunities. Our collective desire is simple and sincere: Kogi State earnestly asks for Hon. James Abiodun Faleke.
Your Excellency, history bears witness that you once envisioned a greater Kogi State—one driven by purpose, innovation, and development. That vision found expression when you recommended Hon. James Abiodun Faleke as the running mate to our late political icon, Prince Abubakar Audu, of blessed memory.
That moment in history rekindled hope. It awakened in us the belief that Kogi was about to experience the transformative “Tinubu Touch” that has turned Lagos into the model of modern governance in Nigeria. Indeed, the duo of Audu and Faleke galvanized the state in an unprecedented manner. The campaign was issue-based, inspiring, and forward-looking. It was a clear break from the politics of bitterness and mediocrity. When the results started trickling in, the victory was uncontestable; the entire Kogi State rejoiced.
But, as the revered playwright Ola Rotimi said in gods are not to blame, our joy had “a slender body ” Death struck, and with it came the cruel twist of fate that denied us that long-awaited dawn. In the confusion that followed, manipulative forces within our political fold hijacked the people’s mandate and handed it to one who neither labored for it nor believed in the vision that produced it.
That usurpation has since proven costly. He came as a rod of iron welded against our innocence. Our people suffered untold hardship; voices of reason were silenced, livelihoods were destroyed, and Kogi’s developmental trajectory was derailed. The usurper openly declared his ambition to rule our state for 35 years—and sadly, that dream is already halfway achieved.
Today, as we write, the same hands that mis-ruled us for eight years still pull the strings of power from the shadows. The remnants of that administration continue to occupy our collective destiny, leaving Kogi politically stranded and morally wounded.
Mr. President, we know you understand what is best for Kogi State. You saw in Faleke the competence, discipline, and loyalty required to rescue Kogi and align it with your Renewed Hope agenda. That wisdom remains unquestionable.
Your Excellency, the people of Kogi have not forgotten the vision you planted. We have not lost faith in your sense of justice and capacity to right historical wrongs. We therefore plead, from the depths of our hearts, that you use your good office to prevail on Hon. James Abiodun Faleke to once again turn his attention homeward—to come and complete the divine assignment he began with the late Prince Abubakar Audu.
The people are ready. The ground is fertile. The yearning for purposeful leadership has reached a crescendo. What we ask, Your Excellency, is that you grant us this singular favour—to let your trusted disciple, a tested administrator and loyal party man, come and rebuild Kogi State in the image of your vision for a prosperous Nigeria.
Mr. President, in your characteristic heart of gold, we plead that you make our long-standing dream come true.
Kogi is calling, and we know you can hear us.
With deepest respect and unwavering loyalty,
We remain,
Your Excellency’s faithful admirers and citizens of Kogi State.
E-signed
Stanley Ajileye