Before its creation in 1991, our founding fathers had hopes and visions. But am afraid what we see today is the reverse. The confluence state it is called. So unique in nature. Just as Nigeria, the state has three major ethnic groups as its citizens. With cooperation, we can actually ‘climb the mountain’. We are enriched and endowed with abundant of resources. Name it; clay, iron ore, gemstone, limestone and so on. But the question is how well has all these been utilized?
Over the years, we have had successful administration with little to show for it. Kogi is one dependent state that without ‘ the ‘national cake’ from Abuja, our economy will be in shambles. No wonder my governor didn’t support the call for restructuring. We have had leaders without missions and visions, so myopic and shortsighted. They failed to see the future. No plan to harness our enormous God gifted resources to secure the lives of generation yet unborn. For God sake, why do we have the multi billion dollars steel and iron ore situated in Ajaokuta? Mr President sir, please come to our aid.
Being among the poorest states in Nigeria, we are so soaked in underdevelopment with little attention given to infrastructure and education. It is of no doubt that infrastructure as a basic essential services aids development. Kogi economy can be boosted and accelerated with the presence of infrastructure. It is however, disheartening that instead of development, we see Kogi infrastructure deteriorate each day. It is of interest to know that about 90% of rural areas including major cities of the state are in perpetual darkness, with roads unmotorable and begging for maintainance.
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Coming to the educational sector, although, thank God strike is no more a normal routine in the state University. But how well is the structure? Being ranked 42 by the NUC, is it encouraging? Many kigites seek admissions in other universities because they see ours as an ‘extended secondary school’. To come to the lower part, majority of both primary and secondary School buildings are in the state of dilapidation, with the teachers not well equiped.
Obviously, this is not the Kogi our dream. To borrow the words of Alhaji Maitama Sule, Kogi needs “leaders and not rulers”. Leaders are servants as opposed to rulers who are dictators. They never have the interest of the people at heart. Always with the sit- tight syndrome attitude, never willing to leave office even when they have become rejected. They use youths as thugs to cause political hullabaloo and upturn the choice of the masses. Leaders are merciful. They lead with the fear of God, justice, equity and fairness. A leader is one who’s subject’s problem gives sleepless night. A leader will never see payment of worker’s salaries as an achievement, but rather as a necessity. May Kogi never experience the screening of workers that will take up to a year before they are being paid again.
Kogi needs leaders and not looters. Leaders go after honour. While looters go after money. They possess that kleptomanian fingers, always ready to suck the economy dry. I dream to see Kogi be a self sustaining state. No woman should die during child birth. No child should die due to lack of access to medical care. I wish to have a Kogi that provides jobs for the youths. Attending private schools should be an option and not a necessity.
To achieve this, we need collective hands. Arise o Kogi youths! Make yourselves relevance. Avoid being used as agents for political violence. Vote leadership and not tribalism. Say no to ethnism. Together we can make Kogi great. God bless our dear state.
