GOVERNOR. ADOZA YAHAYA BELLO 100 DAYS IN OFFICE: X-RAYING A GOVERNOR AND HIS TEAM PLAYERS

WRITTEN BY BALOGUN OMEIZA DAVID.

How time flies. Just like yesterday, the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja, the State capital in Kogi State was filled to the brim. Faces of men, women, boys, girls, the handicapped and the aged were seen as they all trooped out in large numbers to usher in a government that was bent on charting "A NEW DIRECTION" for the state. Different bodies were present and also groups to witness this epoch making inauguration. To the glory of God Almighty the inauguration has metamorphosed into a hundred days in office for His Excellency, Alh. Adoza Yahaya Bello (AYB) and I deem it fit to congratulate this man of rare qualities and also to dissect the achievements of some of those he has saddled with responsibilities in his kitchen cabinet.

Without mincing words, it is known to all and sundry that His Excellency met Kogi State swimming in the murky waters of backwardness and under development. The administration of Capt. Idris Ichalla Wada from whom our present amiable governor took the baton of leadership from lost has been adjudged as one who lost focus throughout his administration thus making Kogi State wear the garment of shame and reproach.

AYB is one man who knows his onions and he has also taken the giant stride of grooming and recruiting the services of men and women to help him in catapulting Kogi State to greater heights. One major achievement of this present administration is the governor's doggedness at locking horns with the many awkward human elements who out of sheer wickedness flooded Kogi State with ghost workers and institutions just to make ill gotten wealth. For this singular act of concern to prudently manage the meagre income of Kogi State am happy and at home with the way the governor is going about the screening exercise to flood out these bad eggs causing the state much embarrassment. That the bailout fund is also on the verge of landing into the coffers of the state is one more plus to our sitting governor. He has shown clearly to his many doubters that he knows how to navigate the waters until he gets to bank of success which is the expectation of every Kogite both day and night.

Now, let us look at some of the good hands AYB as governor has used to achieve so many positives for Kogi State within 100 days in office.

Hon. Edward David Onoja is one man many people do not understand how good a creature he is. He is the Chief of Staff to his Excellency. His relationship with the governor is one that can be termed as a special siamese twins relationship of which Dr. Ben Carson's medical professionalism is not needed for any operation that will lead to separation. He is brilliant and intelligent. His facial appearance is always welcoming. He has got a smile for everyone and that alone is a plus for this administration. As the Chief of Staff to the governor, Hon. Onoja is humble and humane. This attribute of his made him to join Project Kogi First in one of her many sanitation exercise carried out to give Lokoja the state capital a new look as the last administration left the state capital in a mountainous  dirty state. He loves the company of the youths because he is one with a youthful mind. His office is always wide open for everyone with one or two ideas to help advance the course of this government. He is not hostile. His hospitality touches the heavens and he has become a force to reckon with in this administration. His closeness to the governor made him to represent his excellency at the election tribunal in Abuja on many occasions. His eloquence is something not to be shelved. Despite his tight schedules he has got time out of no time to contribute to issues of governance on the social media as the voice of the governor. Therefore am happy to say that the Chief of Staff has really performed excellently in this first 100 days in office of the present administration.

Hon. Petra Akinti Onyegbule is the Special Adviser on New Media to the governor. Her carriage is a special thing to talk about. She is blunt with the truth. Her appearance and contribution on the social media has carved her as one feminine specie that knows what it takes to do a job assigned her. She has a vast knowledge of every issue ranging from politics, economy, entertaimnent, religion and sports and one wonders whether Hon. Petra Akinti Onyegbule sleeps at all. Any government that will succeed in this present age must be at home with the new media as many people now garner information from such a platform. Hon. Petra Akinti Onyegbule is the perfect definition of a round peg in a round hole.  Her zeal and zest for her job is no doubt part of what made her to make the team that went in search of business partners in China for the state. Hon. Petra Akinti Onyegbule has received the positive nod of commendation from a person like me in this 100 days of this administration.

Engr. Abubakar Ohere is one man I have deemed it fit to celebrate also. He is the Special Adviser to the governor on Chieftaincy Affairs. The traditional council in Kogi State has not been too healthy for quite some times now and it is one institution that any government that will succeed can not for any reason handle with levity. His Excellency out of his wealth of experience handed the Chieftaincy Affairs to Hon. Abubakar Ohere and he has been able to convey a conference that was well attended for all the traditional title holders in the state capital, Lokoja a feat that the state under the past administrations has not been able to achieve for many years. The truth is that when the traditional institutions are properly put in order, the friction that existed creating rust among them will be oiled and the traditional rulers as father's will then have one voice to make the governor do that which will enhance good governance in all of their communities. Engr. Abubakar Ohere has also been able to travel to many traditional council areas in the state to find out some of the problems they are faced with and putting such problems on the table of the governor for possible solutions to them. This is a good position given to a good man who knows how to find lasting solutions to nagging problems to the traditional council in the state. The meaning of "Ohere" in Ebira means making something light. This man has been able to live up to the meaning of his name. He has to a larger extent portray to us that every "heavy" matter of traditional leadership can be made "light." Thumbs up at 100 days in office.

Engr. Sadiq the Special Adviser on Works is a workaholic whose energy is given to him by God and by dutch courage or any other energy enhancing substance. With the little resources at his disposal he has been able to give the state capital a facelift. The roads in the state capital have started surrendering to development and the many potholes have given way to an express way with motorists and cyclists having the chance to now express themselves by moving smoothly on well tarred roads. This is not to mean that the job on the roads has been completed. No, it has not but it is drawing nearer completion. Engr. Sadiq will leave office on a daily basis to visit the workers at the site and even stay with them rendering helping hands where possible. What more do we want from a man who works so hard for the state like Boxer in the novel "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. May God bless you in this 100 days in office and help you to realise that you have not even started anything good in the many positive things your people are expecting from you.

Hon. Arome Adoja is indeed an achiever. As the Special Adviser to the governor on Youths and Sports he has been able to award scholarships to over one hundred and fifty students from the limited resources assigned to him. He believes so much in educating the minds of the youths. Furthermore, just within one hundred days in office we heard he has won some trophies on his tables from Kogi State sports contingents. Am waiting for him to elevate Kogi United Football team to play in the Nigeria Premier League and also to make Kogi State's name ring a bell in other sporting activities round the globe before I eulogise him more. I felicitate with you on your 100 days in office. May the heavens help you to do more. Amen.

When AYB (the governor) came up with the idea of having the position for the Specal Adviser on Multinational Donors, some people who could hardly see beyond their nose gruntled like pigs fighting over dried cassava. AYB projected into the present and future and he knew that office is needed for Kogi State to move forward. We have natural resources and tourist attraction sites that the state can eke out much money from before looking at the allocation from the federal government so, he wanted foreign investors to be made to believe that Kogi State is a land flowing with milk and honey that they can make money from. Hon. Adoga Ibrahim was appointed as the Special Adviser on Multinational Donors. He has been able to travel to China within this 100 days in office with some other persons to broker business with foreign investors from one of the Asian Tiger countries. This is a plus. We are waiting however for the dividends before we shout uhuru for this administration based on what your position stands for. May God bless you and open the doors of blessings to the state through you whenever you visit any country for help.

Am glad to announce to you that we have a Henry Townsend among AYB's Special Adviser's and he is the last but not the least I will be writing about. Evang. (Hon.) Kingsley Fanwo is indeed a Henry Townsend. Henry Townsend was that missionary that came to Nigeria, Egba in Ogun State to be precise and added journalism to his missionary work. He came about the first newspaper in Nigeria with the name, "Iwe Irohin fun awon Egba." Kingsley Fanwo is an evangelist and also a journalist. He was the correspondent for the Vanguard newspaper in Lokoja before he was appointed by the governor as the Chief Press Secretary to the governor. He is a man who has a good command of the white man's language. Tall, dark and lanky he speaks English even far better than some English men. He has been able to represent this administration in media houses like the Africa Independent Television (AIT) and his utterances were wow when I listened to him live. I have also been able tonread some of his writings and with him I can conclude that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword. Well done Fanwo. May Jesus uphold to do the best for His name, your family and your state at ALL times. Amen.

And to others whose names I have not mentioned I say well done and congratulations for seeing 100 days in office with the governor. To whom much is given they say much is also required. You must have done some wonderful things in your closet but maybe my nose for news did not smell those things you did for the betterment of this administration. Am always on the go to find who is doing what and I promise to write anytime I stumbled into any wonderful thing you have wrought to help AYB in his administration. Once again I congratulate all of you with great joy in my heart.

Back to his excellency, I rejoice with you heartily and I pray on a daily basis for God to wrap you up in His protective arms. The idiom that says, "I have seen 99 and am not afraid of 100" revolves around you as a person. You have faced many hurdles and permit me to tell you frankly that many of those hurdles are still ahead waiting to crush you but God in heaven will not allow that. Amen. It is an abomination for you to forget how God, the Master of the universe brought you to this earthly exalted position of a governor. Know it that whatever we do here on earth as mortal men echoes in eternity and that is what our Maker will judge us with. I beg of you to please pay Kogi State workers their salaries as soon as you have chased away these ghosts taking our money to spend in the grave or thick forests. Many of the civil servants are yawning as you mark your 100 days in office and I know you do not subscribe to such. Please save your people from hunger like the biblical Joseph and God will elevate you more than you ever dream of. Thanks. I want to beg of you to put your house in order and do not allow the devil have his way of bringing you down. Love all. Listen to words of advise and pick those that will broaden your knowledge horizon. Do away with sycophants and false tale bearers. Forgive those who might sinned against you. This is the time for you to wear the divine garment of forgiveness and try to carry everybody along in the state.  Never for any reason wage war with anybody for God has been your shield right from day one. Fear this God in every ticking second of your life for without Him you are nothing. Make jobs available as soon as possible so that a jobless person like me will have hope of having a take home pay every month alongside many wonderful Kogi State youths that are also in the labour market. May God bless you real good. Amen.

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