By Abdumalik Abbas
Alhaji Yahaha Adoza Bello came into political limelight when he became the Governor of Kogi state under a most unanticipated circumstance following the sudden death of Prince Abubakar Audu who was coasting home to victory as the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2016.
Yahaya Bello’s emergence as replacement for Prince Audu was akin to the invocation of Doctrine of Necessity because some schools of thoughts had posisted that Prince Audu’s running mate Rt Hon James Faleke should ordinarily and automatically assumed the governorship candidatacy . But that was not to be as the fresh mandate was bestowed on the then little known Yahaya Bello.
Youthful and energetic, Bello came into the fold with a lot of zeal, ready to roar like a Lion . It is still debatable whether his energy ended negatively or positively, but what is incontrovertible is that Bello never pretended to be what he is not .
Rightly or wrongly and whichever side of the divide, Bello provided leadership and proceeded to accomplish the task he set for himself for the good of Kogi state.
Unarguably, his exploits in Education sector under his tenure when he established two state universities within four years and subsequently declared free and compulsory education from primary to post primary schools in the state attested to his unwavering commitment.
Sworn in as the 4th civilian governor of the state on January 27, 2016, Bello led the state for eight uninterrupted years which ended on the 27th January, 2024.
He handed over power to his successor Ahmed Usman Ododo who emerged winner of the November 11, 2023 governorship election.
Going back memory lane from the creation of the Confluence State and its leadership under the democratic system including the eight -years of Bello, one thing the people of Kogi State would attest to is the fact that Bello was never a lethargic leader.
He made appreciable impact in various sectors including:
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM;
Right from the beginning of his first term in January 2016, Bello committed himself to the transformation of the State by reforming the machineries of government (Civil Service), its security architecture, and ensuring ethnic cohesion and development at all levels.
To achieve the goals, he assembled eggheads, competent enough to handle the task of transformation .
Though, his first term was almost marred by litany of litigations and the political battles which broke out immediately after he was sworn-in; he remain resolute in implementing his policies and programmes . He meticulously examined the situation and used his administration’s blueprint as a compass to address the pressing needs of the state.
The first problem he encountered in the course of governance was the civil service. It was perceived as rotten, corrupt and unproductive. Using the democratic and legal means to ensure an effective and productive civil service, Bello embarked on a screening exercise that ab initio generated an outcry from ghost workers and employment racketeers who were the target of the exercise.
On the completion of screening in 2018, Bello gave a standing order for the civil servants’ salaries to be paid between the 24 and 27th of every month, an order that was sustained throughout his administration.
The unautocratic nature of Bello in policy execution boosted the morale of the workers and propelled them to be productive and patriotic. Added to that is the fact that even in the face of the crippling national economy, he approved the National Minimum Wage Scale for Kogi civil servants. The gesture which was greeted with commendations from the workforce.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE HEALTH SECTOR
In addition to the Civil Service reform, Bello’s utmost priority was the health sector. Consequently, he built the Reference Hospital, Okene as a medical cathedral to put an end to medical tourism by Nigerians. Other three state-of-the-art medical centres were built in Isanlu, Gegu-Beki and Eganyi in Ajaokuta local government area, while the Idah General Hospital was upgraded to a zonal hospital to cater for the healthcare needs of the people. Today, every community in Kogi State can access basic healthcare service within 2km radius.
A BOOST TO INFRASTRUCTURE/ENVIRONMENT
Access to the healthcare facilities wouldn’t have been possible if the administration had not rehabilitated and constructed most of the roads in the state.
Before 2015, 70% of Kogi roads were death traps. Recent reports of the roads and projects executed by Bello’s administration put paid to criticisms.
The images of infrastructural master- pieces adorned the state right from its capital, to Idah, Gegu-Beki, Anyigba, Ogugu, Okene, Kabba, and other places are cherished by the people. Specifically these multi-billion naira projects that gave the State facelift included but not limited to the Ganaja Junction flyover (which has brought the incessant traffic in the junction to an abrupt end), the 55 km Ejule – Umomi – Ugwolawo – Ajaka – Idah road, the Kabba township roads, Felele-Oworo road, the Okene township roads around Agasa GRA and Okengwe-Makaranta areas of the town, the 56km Ibana-Okpo-Ikeje-Emon- yokwu-Ogugu road, Ankpa township road, 38km Itakpe-Okene road, Agala-Ogane-aji road, Lokoja township roads and others.
In carrying out these projects, Bello was utterly and noticeably prudent. Through financial probity, accountability and transparency, Kogi State has been rated best by the World Bank and other financial and accounting bodies in Nigeria. With effective communication and strong relationships, Kogi under governor Bello collaborated with international organisations in curtailing the menace of life threatening gully erosions in the state. One of such collaborations was with the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP where the State has consistently paid its counterpart funds. This intervention has permanently addressed the erosion menace in Adumu and Ogugu, Olamaboro local government area, Agasa in Okene local government area and Ogane-aji in Dekina local government area respectively.
HE BATTLED INSECURITY
Insecurity in Kogi on the eve of Bello’s administration was intractable. Lives and property were lost through incessant bank robberies, kidnapping, highway robbery, and political thuggery, making the state to be notoriously christened “the kidnap capital of Nigeria.” For instance, in 2011, ISWAP established fortress in Okene, where most of the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were made for terrorism across the country.
Attacks on worship centres were frequent occurrences. Worthy of note was the killing of 16 Deeper Life Church members on August 7, 2012. Military formations in the area were also not left out of the preponderant clandestine attacks that led to the deaths of many citizens. Charity, they say, begins at home. Bello took a bold step; invaded the rocky caves of Okene and sacked ISWAP; the notorious kidnappers were arrested, prosecuted and the proceeds of their nefarious activities were destroyed in broad daylight. The same actions were carried out in Kogi East and West senatorial zones where criminal elements were ransacked and arrested to make Kogi one of the safest states in the country.
It is indisputable that in his eight years’ reign, the immediate past Kogi Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello made appreciable impact on the landscape of the Confluence state. He changed the narrative of Kogi state for good.
Abdulmalik Abbas wrote from, Lokoja,
Kogi state.