Prior to 2016 before before Pharm. Jamiu Abdulkareem Asuku was appointed as Chief Protocol to His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, he played some fair political strategies not known to many in the country’s circle of power.
Many questioned his audacity to approach then, Fair plus, using such strategies.
It will interest you to know that Pharm. Asuku created his own campaign organization around the aspiration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, and funded the campaign from his own pocket. All these he did while with Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, as the Head of Pharmacy Department. But he never knew some key elements were watching him closely, and perhaps wondering how he was doing it.
Well, he gained the full attention of the aspirant, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to the brim. No decisions could be made without Asuku being seated at the round table. He became an unusual catalyst taking part in the process and also being a part of the process. He gradually became a threat to those playing politics the old way by collecting from the aspirant in full for themselves, and the campaign process.
The hatred and envy for Asuku skyrocketed when he was later appointed as the Chief of Staff to the Governor in 2019. These Political Elites and Kingmakers could have acted low if only Asuku had not gone ahead to display an unexpected level of capacities and professionalism for the game of politics.
I am certain they began to wonder, “Is he not supposed to be a Pharmacist?”
These sets of Elites agreeably in the age bracket of ‘I know when Fela released his first album’ got really upset when the Chief of Staff started fishing out young capable hands across the state to take up the mantle of leadership. These were positions previously occupied by the old folks and not has we have it today. These age bracket became threatened by Asuku’s actions and performances.
Appointing younger people between the ages of 25 and 32 is not the only offence committed by Asuku. He also went ahead to wear an advocacy garment, aiming at sensitizing and energizing the youths to get actively involved in governance. He still did not stopped there.
Asuku opened up his door to whosoever is ready for the task: not minding their background, religion, political status, connections, and lineage. He became an unusual phenomenal and a pain to the Elites. They knew allowing Asuku to continue recruiting, empowering, and encouraging youths would bring an end to their reign and political supremacy. Hence, they needed to do something about it before he gets even more powerful.
We are all witnesses to how Asuku was accused of scheming to be Governor in 2024, reason he has been committed to youth empowerment initiatives. He has been accused on several occasions to be the reason for money scarcity in the state, just because those eating the monies before now could no longer access such funds. We are aware of countless petitions written against his person. And Social media attacks by paid keypad warriors to tarnish his personality and reduced him to a mere joke. We are aware of these things.
As expected, despite these attacks on the youngest Chief of Staff in the history of Nigeria, Asuku remained undistracted and even more committed to achieving his goals and objectives for Kogi State, the youths, and his followers.
These Political Elites and Kingmakers would not stop at their aim to stop any aspiration coming from Asuku in the nearest future. For this reason, I am urging that we as youths should be ready to protect a General in the struggle to youth emancipation in the country. Let us be constantly be reminded of the task ahead, that these Elites and Kingmakers are not ready to take a humble bow.
While using this medium to appreciate the effort of Pharm. Jamiu Abdulkareem Asuku for his active role in youth integration, I am also admonishing him to remain undistracted.
God bless Kogi State.
#It’sYouthOclock
Kelvin Oluseyi Eleta.