A welter of scintillating stories had been told about the breaking of Governor Yahaya Bello (CON) from a humane background into national political limelight. All the way, his story has been smooth and yet replete with testimonies of daunting challenges which could have eclipsed his success, had he not learnt to fight his battle, like a determined soldier he wouldn’t have made any headway in life. His school of politics is with a difference, carrying out his activities, as he does with civility and unrivalled panache.
He is quick on his feats, tirelessly improvising, brilliantly manouevering, constantly outflanking, mediatory and reconciliatory disposition as well as constructive outspokenness put him squarely and frontally in the reckoning for the APC national politics, he has the capacity to attend to crucial issues affecting people with the required firm, decisive and constructive approach not fearing whose ox is gored in the process.
Governor Bello is a rare gift to the polity, an intelligent politician, strategist, crowd puller, a trader in ideas and reality, his strength lies in his powers of ideas and commitment to the lofty goals of life. Before joining politics, he was distinctly a brand of some sort. Actually, he was a glittering icon, having broken the jinx that a civil servant is only fit for direction and not action.
His Excellency has borne out the truth in the aphorism that a golden fish has no hiding place. His name stands for so many things – administrator, policy analyst, a great mind with an incredible blend of depth and breath. He is an activist that loves Nigeria enough to engage his failings and his possibilities and committed elite, who does not shy away from rigorous analysis about Nigeria’s political economy. His boundless energies and intellectual expansiveness place him in the same critical space with some great Nigerians.
Bello is a moral, political and economic genius. He is the gifted leader who is able to attract a visionary followership to advance the course of the people. This is his luck as a classic instance of visionary followership, unwavering devotion to a noble cause. There is something magical about his political career, blossom from being a civil servant into a political prodigy of mass mobilization in Nigeria’s politics.
He is an embodiment of all the qualities found in a leader, he has strength of character and possessed a tremendous self-control. His style and person has been defined by his background and upbringing. He has street credibility having grown up in various less than affluent area.
This is the measure of a man who sees ultimate victory in the emancipation of his people and the triumph of good over evil. His life is therefore, most inspiring to the younger generation of Nigerians; instructive to those praying for a brighter future and food-for-thought for all lovers of God.
Wherever and whatever the name Yahaya Bello is mentioned what reality comes to mind are the unparalleled greatness, commitments, success, sheer determination, focus, dedication and hard work.
Close and honest watchers of the political development in Nigeria would readily admit that His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, the incumbent Governor of Kogi State is a leader with a huge difference. He has strong willed, full of energy, youthful, loaded with wisdom, knowledge, good-will of the people and above all God’s divine support on his side.
Governor Bello is someone that is truly fired up by the possibility as well as the enterprise nature of the people of Kogi State to develop the State beyond human imagination within the last seven and half years as the governor of the State. He relates to people as if he had known them all their lives. No matter how lowly their status, they cannot feel ill at ease with him. The man seems permanently engaged in building bridges of understanding across Nigeria, no wonder people welcome him wherever he goes. He is an optimist and a firm believer in the doctrine that all things are possible through God and if you work hard enough at them too.
Whatever anyone may feel towards His Excellency, no one is likely to accuse him of a lack of competence or enthusiasm towards the task of rebuilding Kogi State as well as national development. If anything, his critics are more likely to charge him for being too workaholic and committed to national reconstruction through his good policies. His patriotism and enthusiasm are never in doubt. He is a strong observer with a feeling heart, a man who is genuinely moved by the plights of others, a personality rare to find nowadays.
Great minds achieve great feats and only mediocre hide under excuses for their non-performances when entrusted with public trust. Governor Yahaya Bello has done a lot to improve on the development of Kogi State since assumption into office. Below is a condensed success story of His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello in terms of achievements in the last seven and half years in Kogi State.
SECURITY
• Created, upgraded Kogi State Vigilante Service by recruiting 3000 personnel and supported them with 500 motorcycles
• Established forward Operation Base for the Nigerian Army at Okene.
• Provided over two hundred patrol vehicles with thousands of communication gadgets for all security outfits in the state.
• Demolished houses and hideout places of kidnappers across the state.
• Provided money for logistics to all security outfits
EDUCATION
• Has helped to improve access to school in the state.
• Provided fund to improve the quality of teaching and schooling
• Established a science based university named Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara.
• Increased budgetary allocation to the education sector
• Built and equipped GYB Model Schools across the State.
• Has supported all tertiary institutions in the State with fund to carry out research, buy more equipment, training and retraining of staff, for accreditation of more courses etc.
• Currently he has approved the establishment a State university in Okun land and his administration is working hard to see the take-off of the institution before the end of his tenure in office.
AGRICULTURE
• Provided and distributed over 100 tractors to all the 21 L.G.AS in the state
• Built the Ejiba rice mill in Kogi West.
• Provided tons of fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the state.
• Provided 1,500 land tillers
HEALTH CARE DELIVERY
• Has helped to overhaul basic health infrastructure.
• Encouraged training and retraining of health workers.
• Provided counterpart funds to international agencies.
• Established the sustainable Drug Supply system.
• Installation of medical equipment at 5-selected public hospitals in the state.
• Established the Okene Referral Hospital and upgrading facilities in Gegu, Ajaokuta and Isanlu.
• Constructed and renovated the new wings of the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja.
• Provided a facelift to school of Nursing Obangede.
• Remodeled, upgraded, equipped and employed doctors and other health workers at the Kogi State University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba.
HIS INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT STRIDES
Infrastructural development is an area the administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello has outclassed his critics. Within the last seven and half years in office, he has taken bold steps to develop all spheres of infrastructural needs of the state. The investments in the area of infrastructure have also been deepened to support the growth of the private sectors and create jobs.
• Several roads have been constructed and rehabilitated by the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.
• Ditto of culverts.
• Constructed first ever fly-over at Ganaja junction, Lokoja
• Light- up about 200 communities in Kogi East with electricity
• Built the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service headquarters
• Constructed a civic reception centre named Muhammadu Buhari Centre
• Many township roads have received tremendous facelift.
YOUTH/WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
• Over 25,000 youths have been lifted out of poverty through various empowerment programmes of the state.
• Women have received government attention under the leadership of Governor Yahaya Bello especially in area of appointments and empowerment.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORMS
• Repositioned the civil service for better service delivery.
• Provided retraining of civil servants.
• Successfully carried out staff verification of State and Local government staff, thereby produce a clean and verifiable staff profile in the state.
• Implemented the minimum wage policy of the federal government of Nigeria.
These are just very few of his numerous footmarks in the state in the last seven and half years.
His strong commitment to uplift the well-being of our people is not in doubt and the good people of Kogi State have reciprocated by reinvesting their hope in his leadership, as the last seven and half years as the governor of Kogi State he has brought significant prospects to the state towards actualizing a paradigm shift towards economic growth, infrastructural development and peaceful coexistence of our people.
Kogites are bold to say that they have been enjoying the dividends of democracy since he assumed office on 27th January, 2016 more than ever before. He has demonstrated courage, resilience and dogged determination to steer the ship of the State on the path of sustainable growth and development.
His footprints are visible throughout the State. He has exhibited purposeful leadership, deep passion and commitment to take Kogi State to the next level in line with democratic norms, especially in the area of rural electrification, quality health care, robust educational policies, prudent management of resources and infrastructural development which are commendable.
Really, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has walked the path of honesty, transparency, and people- oriented leadership as enshrined in his New Direction Agenda.
His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello will continue to occupy a special place of honour in the Nigerian pantheon of heroes for his unifying largeness, genuineness of his vision and his great instincts in building bridges across the Nigerian divide. Governor Bello that we know is a gentle giant, quiet, graceful, suave and unflappable gentleman. He is always engrossed in assembling, analyzing and interpreting hard data to promote public policies that will help to quicken socio-economic development of the people. Essentially, all these attributes have been bestowed on him by Almighty Allah to function well.