OPINION: Kogites Must Do This For God!

There is a trending recent video of Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello, literally sweating it out at the Bourdillion residence of the national leader of APC, Bola Tinubu, just to pledge his loyalty.



Aides with disconcerting looks were seen in the video applauding his genuflecting libation at the feet of the current “god” of the distressing party.

For a villa golden boy and potential future in-law to President Muhammadu Buhari (hope Bello isn’t shining his eyes on the same damsel in Buhari’s household for whom Governor Abdulazzez Yari of Zamfara reportedly bought a 1.5 million dollars forget-me-not ring), to drag himself to Bourdillion, to ‘dobale’ (figuratively prostrating), shows he isn’t as insensible with his politics of survival as he has been with the management of the state, since fate brought him and his crude politics the way of a people whose progenitors had one of the earliest contacts, with civilization around here.

Within the APC family, Bello knows where the real power currently lies, at least since Tinubu got Buhari to buy his Oshiomhole contraband.

Bello knew how many of the president’s men have bitten the bullet from Tinubu/Oshiomhole smoking-gun over party’s ticket and the youthful governor would not be offending known politics code to play the monkey, to get the monkey through the Bat.

But it is almost certain that the Bello that returned to Lokoja was the prattler, the persona he chose in relating with his conquered people.

Kogi, in the context of political leadership, is a mirth. For a land which headquartered colonialism with its bitter-sweet taste, it is incongruous that the inhabitants would acquiesce to the kind of bland governance that has come to define the Lugard House since the days of the man of nail and hammer.

At this point, it doesn’t matter whether APC fields Yahaya Bello or Yekini Nabena. There comes a time when electioneering politics won’t even serve any means, let alone, an end. That time has come for this historical state with decadent modern-time political history.

Banditry in public service has rendered its 28 years of existence a shame to every calendar year, particularly the last three and a half years of Bello. Because it is a season of politicking in the state, every call to a return to sensible governance will likely be tagged a hatchet job.

But who cares at this point. If the dehumanised civil servants in the state know no boundary in seeking financial help, then the admonition to the people to snatch their collective destiny from the ‘akotileta’ in power, is permitted to come from any part of humanity.

If today’s Lokoja is a mere relic, a wish of the potential it should have fulfilled to this point, and the dwellers are still God’s handiwork despite the abusive relationship with the managers of their resources, then anyone, in any part of the globe, can holler from the roof-top, to call Bello and his men, the names they earnestly deserve.

Proverbs 17:25 says a foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him. Beyond those sipping from Bello’s cup of sorrow, grief and bitterness may not necessarily convey the dejection in the state today. But it would be needless lamenting a diagnosed cancer.
Removing it is the solution. The lamentation that fate imposed its crudest, cruelest and crass kind on the state should be hushed at this point. The November election should be seen as a season of redemption, which would demand, huge sacrifices.

Madiba said the field of freedom is strewn with the blood of the martyrs. But because of its sacredness, God has never allowed those who shed blood, to go free.

Those who shed the blood in South-Africa, lost all for which innocent blood was shed. Months back, blood was shed across Kogi State, just like many others, to deliver APC and Buhari. Those who killed in Kogi, will want to kill again, to firm grip on their supposed empire for four more years, or possibly a lifetime, since politicians compete with God. But God’s Word is infallible, their judgment is certain, except God be merciful unto them, if they changed.

Bello must be rid of Kogi State. The sacrifices would be enormous, because the forbidden fruit of official stealing is involved. Leaders of the three dominant ethnic groupings, including his Ebiraland, which must be very ashamed of the name he is giving it now, politicians across party lines, conscientious traditional rulers and the influential diaspora, must rally the people, to hobble him out of office. Ambitions must be buried in the womb of a better tomorrow. Capable, sellable, charismatic, exposed, Godly fellow must be diligently searched out to march Bello out. It can’t be a send-forth. It must be a send-off.

– Lanre Adewole, a columnist with Tribune.
08116954647 | olanreade@yahoo.com

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