by Amb. Ahmed Bolori
His Excellency, Gov. Yahaya Bello is born this day 46 years ago. Within this period, he has had everything that there was to take, as a civil servant, businessman and politician. Endowed with an unrelenting determination, Gov. Yahya would always like to say, he is, however, just starting. That is true. Gov. Yahaya is a man of conviction, and since the dramatic circumstances which led to his ascension to the number one office in Kogi, he has no fears about what the future holds. Like all of us, he dreams, but, he, in addition, works so hard for his dreams.
There are so many things to write about the Governor, but what needs to be repeatedly spoken about for its relevance especially for the greater good of the Nigerian project is his inclusive statecraft. In Nigeria, a republic of 200 million people, over 250 ethnic groups and 450 tribes, governments both at the centre and in our federating states have a huge amount of responsibility to manage our diversity and demographic realities effectively.
While Kogi, a confluence state, linked to ten of the country’s 36 states, ordinarily by virtue of its geographical and demographic circumstances ought to have no reason to be one, it used to be one of the states sharply divided along various hardline differences. In this direction, it had even reached its crescendo. Even though its beauty was in its heterogeneity, Kogi, thanks not to politics, was almost at war with its sons and daughters. No matter your competence or merit, when you from a particular group, you are marked as unfit for certain roles.
But then, at its climax, Gov. Yahaya ‘happened’. Now, gone are the days. Gov. Yahaya, immediately understood the invisible divine handwriting in the circumstances that saw him into the Kogi State Government House. It was to return the state to the way God had designed it. Diversity is always a strength, but only when managed well. Where not, it becomes a curse. There won’t be stability. Trust will flee. There won’t be peace. Where peace is gone, prosperity is gone too. There won’t be food to eat or water to drink. Everyone will become a law unto himself. Women will be raped. Public utilities will be vandalized and robbed. Where there is no law, investors shun. Even sons and daughters flee, they become internally displaced persons. Those in Abuja and Lagos, will suffer stereotypes.
Besides this, Nigeria’s demographics too is another big concern. Almost 46% of the country’s 210million population, constituting about 98million, are women. Those between the ages of 15 – 24 and 25 – 54, constitute 19.8 % and 30 % of the country’s population, respectively, jointly representing almost 100m. Interestingly, those between 55 and above, who currently run the affairs of the country, are just 14.6 million, roughly 7.3 % of the population. The scary thing is that, the largest age category in the country is between 0 and 14, representing 42.45 % of the population. This means, the economy needs the more vibrant group, those between 15 and 54, to work hard and look after them, as well as the aging group from 55 upward. Interestingly, Nigeria is one of the countries with the brightest demographics, but only if we take advantage of what it offers. If we don’t, it will result in poverty, illiteracy and ultimately unrest.
Gov. Yahaya knew all these. He knew that a state that represents the point of meeting, rather than of division, of the various parts of the country, has greater responsibility to uphold the unity of the nation, manage her diversity and mobilise the populace to harness the several resources abound for the good of all. It must not, in any case, be her antithesis. He knew that a country with this demographic concerns, too, have to be managed clinically.
Knowing all that was not enough, he offered himself to the work. Today, there is hardly a state that is as truly inclusive as Kogi. It represents the country’s diversity, but also every other demographic constituency. Women, who are competent, have been called up to positions hitherto never assigned to them. The secretary to state government, the head of service and the governor’s aide-de-camp, among several others, are all women. Their being women is important, but their respective appointments come on the heels of their unquestionable merit. And as a government, this is not spoken about; for doing so, amounts to a form of discrimination, something entirely abhorred here. They are competent, they are qualified and that is that.
In the same way, qualified and competent youths are drawn up to work for the general good of the state. When the governor said he is the ambassador of the youth, many took the meaning off its context. For His Excellency Gov. Yahaya, it is a question of, if you are a youth, how competent are you in what you do; and if you are not, how then can you be improved. Those he finds competent, he gives them the platform to prove their mettle, work for their people and become successful. Those who are not, they are given the help to improve. Being a youth requires no effort, it is a biological reality of our existence, as such it only counts in a given context. As an accomplished accountant, civil servant and businessman, even before joining politics, his own trajectory has already defined what being a competent youth means. In Kogi therefore, the parameters may be, to a large extent, youth-friendly, but entirely merit driven. The chief of staff, for instance, is an intellectual powerhouse, at just 36 or so. So are the rest of the members of the cabinet. This said, it goes without saying that in offices and roles where experience, age and other traits are needed, those who have the advantage of age and experience, are put in. The point to make basically therefore is that, nobody is discriminated or favored on account of his or her age.
Again, people with disabilities, who are competent and qualified for government offices, are called up to work. Interestingly, the governor is not fond of talking about it. He would say, ‘once one is qualified, we give him or her the way to work for the state.’ What Gov. Yahaya did is simple: he removed every obstacle that would have otherwise stopped one from getting into positions of responsibility and closed in on only merit.
The results of these are evident. Kogi is now peaceful, stable and forward-looking. Everyone feels attached and forms part of governance and decision making. Loyalties are invested in the state, rather than individual groups. Where there is peace, stability and collective sense of commitment to a common cause, there will be continued progress and prosperity. That is why Gov. Yahaya at 46 is a big celebration for Kogi and Nigeria.
Mr. Bolori is the special adviser to H. E. Governor Yahaya Bello on public relations.