By joshua 
THE POLITICS OF KOGI WEST AND THE TRAGEDY OF MORBID LOYALTY
By Musa Bakare
In the quest for political relevance, overcoming internal divisions is paramount. For the people of Kogi West Senatorial District, the challenge has never been the shortage of capable political leaders; rather, it lies in the absence of a unified direction.
Kogi West’s political tragedy does not stem from just the exclusion by others but from arriving at the political table fragmented, weak, and unprepared. We often find ourselves speaking as individuals dominated by a morbid spirit of “me” rather than harmonizing to present a united front of “us.” Too frequently, we concede our political autonomy to politicians outside the district.
How can such a vibrant and resource-filled, politically conscious people like that of Kogi West continue to allow their electoral candidates be determined by persons outside the district, sycophancy.
Spanning across the Kabba-Bunu, Ijumu, Yagba, Mopa-Amuro, Lokoja, and Kogi Local Government Areas, Kogi West is arguably one of the most intellectually active and politically aware areas in Kogi State and Nigeria at large. Despite our immense social capital, we have failed to leverage our collective strength for political relevance.
Instead of unity serving as our weapon, we continuously suffer from fragmentation. Our political landscape is characterized by personal ambitions, morbid loyalties, local rivalries, and a superficial pursuit of appointments, contracts, and short-term gains. The question often muttered is, What’s in it for me as opposed to What’s in it for Kogi West.
At the heart of this tragedy is the perpetuation of sycophancy and a morbid loyalty. This toxic allegiance binds individual progress but undermines communal advancement, leading individuals to submit blind loyalty to external interests, political godfathers, or self-serving alliances at the expense of the collective dignity of Kogi West’s people.
Each political cycle, we witness the same disheartening patterns. Ambition runs rampant, overshadowing collaboration. Capable leaders emerge only to be swiftly undermined by intra-district rivalries, internal sabotage, envy-driven factions, and the manipulative strategies of external forces who capitalize on our divisions.
While we profess the rhetoric of equity, we often act according to scripts of division. We cry out against marginalization yet engage in self-sabotage. The result is predictable, we find ourselves as mere spectators in our political narrative, sought merely for votes but rarely courted for power.
In the realm of modern politics, power is not a gift; it must be organized and fought for. This process demands trust, sacrifice, discipline, and consensus.
Since the 1990s, Kogi West has produced numerous statesmen, technocrats, administrators, and influential figures. However, when the moment for collective negotiation arises, our unity falters.
While Kogi East and Central manage to successfully negotiate from positions of strength, Kogi West remains weakened by overlapping loyalties, ego-driven factions, and external devisive influences preying on our fragmentation. Our marginalization is not a result of external oppression; it is a construct of our internal discord.
A call for political unity is not an appeal to stifle ambition; it is an invitation to harmonize our ambitions. Ambitions unanchored by alignment are merely noise; when anchored in shared purpose, they become strategy.
Political collaboration is not a weakness; it is a demonstration of wisdom, a collective pursuit of a common agenda that elevates all, irrespective of who stands in the spotlight.
To transition politically from “me” to “us” in Kogi West, we need new perspectives; leadership that listens, elders who mentor without internal or external manipulation, youths who engage without animosity, and a shared commitment to the dignity of all within a broader Kogi State framework.
As the 2028 gubernatorial election approaches, the pivotal struggle for Kogi West lies in internal unity. If we can transcend the adversarial “me-versus-us” mentality and reject the culture of morbid loyalty, political doors will open before us that no one can shut.
Conversely, if personal ambitions continue to overshadow our collective vision, our narrative will remain stagnant, rich in talent yet weak in political clout and bargaining power.
True leadership emerges when personal pride yields to communal progress. The day Kogi West embraces this truth, our story will evolve from tragedy to triumph.
Musa Asiru Bakare
Political Analyst,writes from Lokoja, Kogi State
November 13, 2025