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Kogi State governor’s modest progress is restoring hope among the people of the mineral-rich state, writes Bolaji Adebiyi.
Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi State, could very well be the proverbial stone that the builder rejected, which has become the cornerstone. Raised to power amidst violence in a highly divisive election, few believed he had a real chance of success. His situation was worsened by his predecessor and sponsor, Yahaya Bello, the self-styled White Lion, who ruled the confluence state with an iron fist for eight years.
The struggle for power in the mineral-rich state had always been a three-way contest among the Igala of Kogi East, the Ebira in Kogi Central, and the Yoruba on the fringes of Kogi West, with the first group using its larger population to dominate the other two. This changed in 2016 when providence brought Bello, an Ebira, into office after the death of Abubakar Audu, an Igala and former state governor, who died hours before the outcome of the governorship election was announced.
Those who expected Bello, whose coconut the benevolent gods help to crack, to be humble soon realised they were mistaken, as his reign was characterised by violence and notable underperformance. Known for insensitivity towards workers’ welfare, with salary arrears piling up for months, infrastructural development was deemed subpar by many public affairs analysts, who believed the former governor prioritised his own interests over those of the people.
That was the profile of the man who fathered Ododo, giving wind to the sails of cynics who believed that nothing good could come from him, especially considering the political circumstances surrounding the emergence of the new governor. Being an Ebira, the rotation policy advocates contended that Bello went too far in replacing himself with his kinsman, Ododo. The fear was, therefore, rife that, given the White Lion’s high-handed reputation, he might exert undue influence on his favoured successor, who might not have the strength to resist him.
More than a year later, the baby-faced governor seems to be moving away from the years of the locust with his prudent approach to governance, which delicately balances the residual influence and interests of his predecessor and the need to deliver democracy dividends to the people.
With a cabinet heavily populated by Bello’s protégés, it must have required divine wisdom to navigate Kogi’s complicated political terrain, which several years of bad governance had left deeply divided along ethnic lines.
Whatever it is, Ododo appears to have found a way to advance Kogi, starting, rightly, from the essential need to boost the local economy by ensuring workers are paid on time. This might seem insignificant or trivial to some, but for the state’s workers who have endured more than 20 years of delayed or unpaid salaries, it is a notable achievement. Workers, particularly in local governments, now confidently look forward to receiving their pay on the 25th of the month, while the 15th had been set aside for payment during festive occasions, like Christmas, with some bonus!
This was followed by a grassroots regeneration policy involving the appointment of 717 special assistants to coordinate his government’s efforts at the ward level across the 21 local government areas of the state. These Ward Special Assistants (WSAs) have played a key role in monitoring and implementing community-based projects delivered by the Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency.
To date, the agency has completed over 170 micro-projects, directly benefiting more than 200,000 people. Additionally, over 18,000 individuals have gained from community-based initiatives, including clinic renovations, new science laboratories, boreholes, and improved water supply systems. For a people who had endured many years of jackboot governance, this new approach is a refreshing departure that is bound to enhance the multiplier effects of regular salary payments in a civil-service-driven state.
Yet, it is Ododo’s focus on agriculture and infrastructure development that promises to reduce the state’s endemic poverty and increase opportunities for inclusive growth across the three senatorial districts in a deliberate effort to unify the state.
State officials emphasise his goal to make agriculture attractive and profitable by shifting from subsistence to mechanised farming and improving access to inputs and finance. His wide-ranging programme thus includes increasing access to tractors, land, and inputs. As a result, farm sites have been identified in 76 communities across the 21 local governments of the state, with over 100 tractors already mobilised. Accordingly, 7,000 hectares have been allocated for the first phase of the project, which includes the launch of the Wet Season Agricultural Intervention Programme.
Farmers are receiving free seeds and chemicals to support this initiative. Three crops—cassava, maize, and rice—are featured in the experimental effort. Officials state that the state government will purchase the produce, allocate 60% of the earnings to the farmers, and retain the remaining 40% as an incentive for farmers. To date, over 10,000 farmers have reportedly benefited from this initiative.
Ododo’s efforts in infrastructure development are more evident. If anyone was in doubt, the inauguration of several projects by Vice President Kashim Shettima during the celebration of his first year in office should have cleared it up. On display were the 9km Zone 8-Zango Daji-Kaduna Junction Road, the 5.5km Zone 8-Crusher Road, and a state-of-the-art 350-bed hostel for Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) in Osara. Other notable projects inaugurated include a demonstration farm, two new faculties at CUSTECH, and several primary healthcare centres across the state.
Beyond the main roads, internal roads in key communities across the state are reported to be at various stages of completion. These include roads in Egbe (Yagba West); Aiyetoro-Gbedde (Ijumu); Mopa (Mopamuro); Felele-Agbaja (Lokoja LGA); Oguma (Bassa LGA); Idah (Idah LGA); Abejukolo (Omala LGA); and Anyigba (Dekina LGA). Notably, this initial list of communities set to benefit from a gradual community rebuild programme excludes any community in Ododo’s homestead in Kogi Central, dispelling the concern that he might favour his ethnic group.
The youth population is said to be pleased with his programmes that have involved them. A key highlight is the N316 million bursaries, from which 8,700 students have benefited. Additionally, hundreds of them are reported to be beneficiaries of empowerment projects, including vocational training.
Perhaps Ododo’s most significant milestone is the relative peace and increased security now characterising the confluence state. Under his predecessor’s iron grip, Kogi was infamous for perceived state violence, with political opponents often hunted down. The new sheriff seems to have recognised the importance of peace for the state’s economic progress. Without peace and security, the vital investment needed for growth would remain out of reach.
Overall, Ododo appears to be on the right path. If he maintains his inclusive development policy, there is no doubt that Kogi State will benefit, and he will be recognised among the greats of the mineral-rich state.
Adebiyi, a fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, writes from Abuja.
