Saturday, January 27, 2024, was Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo’s day; the day he received the baton of leadership from ex-governor Yahaya Bello, to become the fifth executive governor of Kogi State, following a highly contested election. Though his victory is still being contested at the Kogi State Governorship Elections Tribunal, we congratulate him, as he takes the driver’s seat in the Confluence State.
Governor Ododo may be mounting the saddle of leadership in Kogi State, but he is not a stranger to the politics, governance and other challenges of one of the most promising but retarded states in the North Central geo-political zone. The new governor had served as the auditor-general of the 21 local government areas in Kogi State in the eight years of ex-governor Bello, such that he must, by now, be conversant with the socio-economic conditions of all the nooks and crannies of the state. He was an active participant in the implementation of many of the policies and strategies of the immediate past governor. Therefore, he is aware of the successes and failures of such measures and by the privilege of hindsight should know the measures that should be put in place to remedy the unsuccessful policies.
The most visible challenge Ododo is facing, and which he must tackle without delay, is the disunity among the major ethnic communities that make up Kogi State. The last election was the most divisive Kogi State has witnessed in modern times, as the state was sharply divided along regional and even religious lines.
Each senatorial district propounded their distinct agenda, generating tension, violence, destruction, and multiple killings. Due to heightened tension in the state, the Nigerian Army had to deploy troops to Kogi East Senatorial District, especially, to checkmate troublemakers.
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It is unfortunate that the state, made up of ethnic communities that had lived together under the Old Kabba Province of Northern Nigeria, became so polarized on account of the selfish ambitions of a few politicians. In order to move the state forward, the new governor must, as a matter of urgency, reach out to all aggrieved persons and ethnic communities in the state for a genuine reconciliation. Governor Ododo must do away with politics of exclusion. Without unity and peace, there can never be socio-economic development in any state or society. Ododo must demonstrate equity, justice and transparency in the distribution of political positions and allocation of resources for the development of Kogi State.
As governor, though he is just 44 years of age, he must demonstrate large-heartedness, as father of all the people of Kogi State. It is in this spirit that we call on him to review the re-appointment of commissioners, where some local governments produced as many as three, while no commissioner was appointed from six local government areas.
A corollary to the equitable distribution of political positions in the state is the need for the development of Kogi State by engaging the abundant human and natural resources in the state. Kogi is one of the crude oil-producing states in Nigeria. Its abundant coal deposit is being exploited. It has fertile, arable land for agriculture. It is one of the highest cashew growers in Africa. However, it suffers from poverty and high inflation rate. For instance, the National Bureau of Statistics 2022 report about multidimensional poverty in the country says that 2.88 million, more than half of the state’s population live in poverty. And in terms of inflation, as of November 2023, the rate was highest in Nigeria, with 37.1 per cent, with food inflation being the cause. Life Expectancy in the state is put at 45 years.
These and other indices show that a lot needs to be done in the state. It is not news that for almost a decade now, civil servants in the state have not been paid their full salaries – they are being given what is termed ‘percentage payments’ every month. This promotes poverty, instead of enhancing the welfare of the people.
Governor Ododo has a lot of work to do to reverse this ugly trend and earn the confidence of the people. The purpose of governance, at both national and sub-national levels, is to boost the welfare of the people, through physical and social security. We encourage the new governor to return to the drawing board and design his blueprints for the socio-economic development and security of the state. As governor, the buck stops at his desk and he must never forget that. He must take responsibility and make a mark as governor of Kogi State. We wish him well.
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