By joshua 
Protocols
You don’t lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case. —Ken Kesey.
Governance is simply, the action or manner of governing a state, organization, etc. It is the act or process of governing or overseeing the control and direction of something (Nation/State) and Leadership is the art of leading and motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.
Leadership is about providing guidance and direction. An organization’s or Government’s future success is strongly dependent on solid governance and leadership principles.
The basic thrust of this presentation is not to outline our peculiar challenges of Governance and leadership; I believe that we are quite familiar with the subject. The sole objective of this presentation is to state that Kogi State at 31 is strongly thriving on a solid redefined governance and leadership.
Kogi, created in 1991 from parts of Kwara and Benue, is the most centrally located state in Nigeria and shares boundaries with nine states, To the North, it shares boundaries with Plateau, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory. Benue and Anambra States to the East and to the West, it is bordered by Ondo, Kwara, Edo and Enugu states. Today, we are 31, waxing strong and many are enjoying the dividend of good and redefined Governance and leadership in the state.
The emergence of His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Bello, who was sworn in as the forth (4th) Executive Governor of Kogi State on the 27th January 2016 at the age of 40 brought succor to the state to the extent that Nigerians within and beyond started the calling on him to join the presidential race at 47, thankfully he answered and ran for party primaries.
When he answered and came out for primaries, he locked his young horns with the old horns of established political gladiators. He didn’t have to do it for himself, He was already made. But He had to do it for the Kogi youth, the Nigerian youth; He had to do it for the brilliant child of a shoe maker on the streets who wouldn’t have ever seen the corridors of power; He had to do it for the people who were afraid travelling in Nigeria for fear of being kidnapped; He had to do it for the poor and vulnerable who had no health insurance; He had to do it for that young mind who would gain admission into the state institutions of learning and not know when they would complete their academic programmes. He had to do it to unlock the rigid system and make bold results like he was already doing in Kogi. If I begin to reel out the achievements under 8 years, we may go home late, but I will try to summarize it.
Note, Before 2016, Kogi was the kidnap capital of Nigeria. Farmers couldn’t go to their farms. Commuters were kidnapped, some maimed. It was a gory situation, but GYB stepped in and the story changed.
He set up “Operation Total Freedom”, brought state-of-the-art security gadgets, launched the Kogi State Vigilante Service and empowered the security agencies to combat crime.
Today, the Governor Yahaya Bello’s redefined Governance and leadership in providing adequate security in the state by enhancing the quality of the lives of the citizens of Kogi State through his unrelenting fight against insecurity. His efforts against insecurity has brought the crime rate in the state to its barest minimum, making Kogi State a safe haven for settlers, investors and a connecting bridge between the north and southern regions of our great nation, Nigeria.
As a microcosm of a larger Nigeria, Kogi was Balkanized along ethnic lines. Ethnic distrust was drastically prevalent and the political class set ethnic groups against one another while they loot the common patrimony. But today, Kogi has moved from that. GYB walked the talk and practically demonstrated uncommon practicality of unity. His projects, appointments, policies have all helped to unite our dear state.
On Healthcare, numerous structures have been set up and still being set up, we have the Reference Hospital in Okene, Modern General Hospital Project in Gegu Beki, Modern General Hospital Project in Eganyi, Modern General Hospital Project in Isanlu, Reconstruction and Renovation of Specialist Hospital Lokoja etc.
On the economy, the administration of Alh. Yahaya Bello focused more on agriculture as the strategic bailout from the recession we have found ourselves. Apart from the distribution of farm implements and agrochemicals, the second largest Rice Mill in Northern Nigeria was established by our administration. The Mill has taken thousands off the streets and also boosted the economy.
Oil is no more an economic power-base. The oil fortunes are dwindling. The Western World knows that if we can produce our iron and steel, Nigeria will become a global force. In Kogi, we have enough Iron Ore deposit, the quality of which is only comparable to what we have in the Ruhr Valley of Germany.
Today, we have made history. Our Secretary to the State Government is a woman, our Head of Service is a woman, and we have Women as Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and heads of agencies and Parastatals.
We have women as Vice Chairmen of all our Local Government Councils. We have women as heads of all of LG Legislative Councils. We also have 84 female Councillors across the State. This is unprecedented. We have made the youths of the state and the nation, leaders of today and tomorrow.
Here is a List of some notable Infrastructural achievements which Governor Yahaya Bello:
1. Establishment of Kogi Reveue House Lokoja.
2. Construction of Kogi Rice Mill Factory, situated in Ejigba town, Yagba East LGA.
3. Mohammed Buhari Event Centre Lokoja.
4. Ganaja Junction Flyover Lokoja.
5. Prince Abubakar Audu University Teaching Hospital.
6. Reconstruction and Renovation of Specialist Hospital Lokoja.
7. Establishment of Confluence University of Science & Technology Osara.
8. Kogi State Reference Hospital Okene
9. Modern General Hospital Project in Gegu Beki.
10. Modern General Hospital Project in Eganyi.
11. Modern General Hospital Project in Isanlu.
12. Kabba Township roads.
13. Idah township roads.
14. Anyiglba Township Roads.
15. Ankpa Township Roads.
16. Okpo – Olamaboro Roads.
17. Okene Township Roads.
18. Ihima – Adavi Eba Okengwe Roads.
19. Eika – Kuroko Inioziomi Roads.
20. Inorere – Osisi – Paku Roads.
21. Enyinare – Ahache – Roads.
22. Okene Eba – Ahogede Roads.
23. Construction work to control the overflowing of River Niger and River Benue in case of flooding in Lokoja.
24. Nigeria Bar Association Secretariat building in Lokoja.
25. SDG building Lokoja.
26. Township street light in Lokoja.
27. House of Assembly complex Remodeling and Renovation.
28. Operation light up Kogi Eastern senatorial district.
29. Bishop Court – Kasuwa road Lokoja.
30. GYB model Science Secondary School project at Ogaminana in Adavi LGA.
31. GYB model Science Secondary School at Isanlu in Yagba West LGA.
32. Renovation of construction of about 3 edifices structures at School of midwifery Obangede.
33. Rehabilitation and construction of 50 space hostel space at Govt Girls Secondary School Obangede in Okehi LGA.
34. Construction of lectures theatres at College of Education and Technical Kabba.
35. Establishment of Military forward base at Achoze in Okene LGA.
36. Nutrition house at the ministry of Health Lokoja.
37. Reconstruction and remodeling of Ohinoyi palace in Okene.
38. Building of govt house chapel and govoernment house jumaat mosque in Lokoja.
39. Rehabilitation and reconstruction of General Hospital in Okene.
40. Construction of Ozuwaya road in Okene.
41. Construction of Ogori-Mangogo township road.
42. Electrification of Banda – Magajiya village along Abuja Lokoja expressway to the national grid.
43. Reconstruction of renovation projects at State College of Education Ankpa.
44. Go to Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja most of the projects there are under his name.
45. Expansion/Reticulation of Okene Waterworks Project.
46. Federal University University Adankolo road to Dunamis junction.
47. NTA roundabout – GTB junction road.
48. Old township road Lokoja.
49. GYB model Science Secondary school project in Lokoja.
50. Construction of road from Total junction via Zenith Bank to Govt house in Okene – Ohinoyi palace.
We have won awards on security. We have won awards on unity. We have won awards on healthcare delivery. We have won awards on gender and demographic sensitivity. This house must and will not fall!
As a state with numerous resources, and with progressive and purposeful leadership, We are consistently doing more and putting measures in places to meet the needs of the people.
Finally, I am Thankful for the commendable cooperation of the great people of Kogi State – home and abroad – irrespective of tribe, religion and or political affiliation, because with it, this Government has achieved a lot for the state and the Nation at large.
God bless you all !
God bless the organizers!!
God bless Kogi State!!!
God Bless Nigeria.!!!!
Thank you.