By Matthew James Avabee ( Mr Spreading)
It’s the wake of 2021 among the many things happening, the polity is heating up to the realization of a fast approaching 2023.
Unlike other years, people are now more realistic than optimistic in terms of choosing their leaders.
Nigerians are beginning to rely more on good track records and achievements as against mere promises, declarations or assumptions.
Owing to recent happenings, the youths of Nigeria are obviously waking up to expectations and I dare to say, they are ready to fill the big shoes of future governance.
Leaders come and go, but the one’s who dare to leave indelible footprints in the sands of time, deserve to be celebrated and elevated to better opportunities.
One of such leaders is Governor Yahaya Bello, the present Governor of Kogi State, the youngest Governor in the country with a forward-ever approach and a straightforward mindset of challenging the status quo of things for the best positive results.
Governor Yahaya Bello is a foresighted revolutionarian who has frantically succeeded in redefining Kogi State’s political space for the best.
In less than five years, he has effortfully repositioned the youthful and feminine relevance in the states’ politics.
He practically elevated Youths from only being used as thugs during elections to being frontrunners in Kogi politics.
Now the youths have a say as they now dominate the State’s political space as either elected officers or government appointees.
This achievement can worthily be attributed to the futuristic approach of Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration in governing the State in unison with his Siamese Twin Chief Edward David Onoja, the Deputy Governor of Kogi State. Governor Yahaya Bello is arguably the most gender friendly Governor in the country, Kogi State now boasts of an amazing 45% female inclusiveness in governance.
Women are now given equal opportunity to contest for elections against the general notion that Women only belong to the kitchen and the other room.
Women in Kogi State governance include The Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service, Managing Director and CEO of Kogi Enterprise Development Agency, Executive Chairman of Kogi Mineral Resources Development Agency, various Commissioners, Senior Special Advisers, Vice Chairmen of the twenty-one Local Government Areas and the list goes on. Lest I forget, he also boasts of a female ADC
Something very worrisome about Kogi State government before Governor Yahaya Bello was the heavy division along ethnic and religious lines and the marginalization of other ethnic groups in the state to the sole advantage of the ruling ethnic group.
His panacean approach to this menace can greatly be seen in his even distribution of infrastructural development, government appointments and other state government activities across the three Senatorial districts and ethnic groups.
Worthy of note is the Government’s dedication to the religious growth of the state hence funding the renovation of major churches and mosques across the state without segregation.
The monumental commissioning of a chapel in the State government house for the first time since its creation making Kogi State one of the few States in Nigeria that can boast of a place of worship for the prominent religions within the Government house, just like the Presidential Villa.
Simply put, Governor Yahaya Bello is a Unifier of the first order with love, respect and teams capacity building irrespective of tribe religion and political affiliations, something gravely absent in our present political leaders which is gradually tensioning the unity of our great country.
Governor Yahaya Bello’s security consciousness is second to none, this he demonstrated in his initially almost impossible mission to liberate the state from the shackles of crime infestation. His determination and dedication to secure his people made him triumph.
Now Kogi State is one of the most secure States in the country because of his zero tolerance for crime and criminals.
He has time-in-time-out encouraged and supported security agencies in the State in numerous ways to enable them carry out their duties efficiently and effectively.
Being Youthful and vibrant, his contributions and dedication to the educational sector of the State is virtually unquantifiable.
As it stands, Students of Kogi State University (KSU) Now Prince Abubakar Audu University are having their normal academic sessions uninterrupted by the Mind-boggling activities of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and their notoriety for strikes and disturbance of the academic activities in Universities in their grip.
And recently, while other states were battling with shutting down their states because of an acclaimed second wave of the spread of COVID-19, Governor Yahaya Bello clearly stated he won’t trade the academics and future of his citizens for a scare that can actually be contained, hence the State owned Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba (PAAU) and other state owned Educational facilities opened to students and pupils on the 18th January, 2021.
Governor Yahaya is a financial guru and has been able to raise Kogi out of the dust and heavy indebtedness, hence Kogi State is now ranked among the least indebted States.
This feat wasn’t accomplished overnight, he strongly fought the heavy corruption in Kogi State Civil Service and ended the dominance of diaspora workers, workers with false documents, falsification of details just to mention a few and brought about an industrial revolution with the establishment of factories to utilize the vast resources of the state and create employment opportunities for the teeming populace of the state and environs.
Haven taken time to highlight Governor Yahaya Bello’s giant strides, it is clear to see he has the attributes of the Leader we all need to change the status quo of things in the country, he has all it takes, he is youthful in mind and body he has been tested and trusted and being from the North-Central Geopolitical region of the country, a part which has been grossly marginalized as it regards the Nations leadership, I believe it is time to consider one of the greatest Sons of this region for the top job.
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