Governor Ododo’s victory and the tasks ahead in Kogi

“One of the contentious issues Ododo inherited as the Kogi State Governor was the percentile payment of salaries…But the narrative has changed.
“Salaries are not only being paid as when due but percentile payment has been permanently confined to the dustbin of history.”
– Alhaji Jimoh Otori (APC stalwart, Kogi State)

Leadership, viewed objectively from the holistic perspectives right from the foundational family level, through educational, religious, social, economic and of course, to the political spectrum encompasses what yours truly coins as the unfailing qualities of vision, and the 5-C principles of character, competence, commitment, candour and compassion. The others include the 3-H ingredients of honesty of purpose, hard work and humility.

In addition, experts on leadership at the Arden University, United Kingdom (UK) have also highlighted the imperative of decisiveness, which is the ability for leaders to make wise decisions while under pressure. Of significance also are the factors of empowerment of the less privileged members of the led society, as well as possessing clear, communication skills.

While it might be impossible to find all these facilitating factors in one individual, those who inherited some of these qualities, or were well brought up to imbibe and practise them are often referred to as the game-changers. And that precisely brings to the public sphere the person and persona of the affable, self-effacing, yet resourceful and humble Ahmed Usman Ododo, the current Executive Governor of the Confluence State, Kogi.

With the recent confirmation of Ododo for that exalted political pedestal by Justice Sadiq Abubakar Umar while delivering the lead judgment in the suit brought before it by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate during the 2023 governorship election in Kogi State, Murtala Ajaka, which was dismissed, Ododo has the onerous statutory duty to pilot the affairs of the state in the right direction. One sweet victory brings a set of new challenges.

Unfortunately, one of those was the jeering and booing of Ajaka, right there at the Supreme Court; a condemnable assault that had the police taking care by whisking him away to safety. Obviously, the hoodlums so involved crossed the red line and must therefore, be brought to speedy justice, as the governor has called for. We cannot afford any further inter-ethnic disharmony at this volatile, tension-soaked period that Nigerians are going through a lot of politically-influenced, yet, preventable socio-economic crises.

Indeed, it has become compelling for Ododo to douse all forms of tension, all because not a few of the long-suffering Kogites, as they are fondly called, certainly desire and in fact, deserve a breath of fresh air. For long, the civil servants and their many dependants have had to battle the excruciating issue of poverty brought about by the so-called percentile payment of salaries. Added to this is the critical challenge of joblessness, worsened by the long- winding delay of the much-needed productive activities at both the Itakpe Iron Mining Company as well as the Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mills. But an honest assessment of Ododo’s performance so far beams a ray of hope in the long, dark tunnel of maladministration. The morning, as the wise ones say, shows the day.

According to Otori, one of his avid supporters whose thoughts are aptly reflected in the introductory quote, the governor, well aware that Kogi State is diverse in composition has embarked on an inclusive governance paradigm, devoid of ethnic and religious discrimination. With that strong leadership foundation, it would not be any Herculean task to build the house of democracy on it, embracing all the ethnic groups, with regards to the issues of appointments and development narrative.

For instance, well aware that the guarantee of security of lives and property is one of the primary functions of government, as enshrined in Section 14 Sub-section (2) ( b ) of the 1999 constitution, as amended Ododo has launched the quick response mechanism to drastically reduce insecurity in the state. He saw to the distribution of 105 operational vehicles and 42 motorcycles to members of the vigilante service. And in July this year he commissioned the office of the quick response while prioritising proactive measures in the sensitive security information gathering with Hi-Tech equipment. His government’s synergy with the police so far is highly commendable because security Is necessary to bolster all forms of development

Also equipped with the requisite knowledge that one of the factors globally recognised for the measurement of the success of any administration is food security, Ododo has held the bull by the horns. For instance, in the fertile field of agriculture the Ododo-led administration has acquired several hectares of land for increased implementation of modern agricultural practices, across the value chain. Also, 150 tractors have been recovered, with others repaired and all distributed across the 21 local government councils. With time, food security would be guaranteed. That is leadership vision for you.

And well aware that such a value chain cannot be sustained under a landscape riddled by decrepit roads, contracts have been awarded for the massive infrastructural development, with new set of roads spread across the three Senatorial Districts. With that fully in place, job creation comes next. That explains the government’s focus on wooing investors to tap into the abundant solid minerals for their development. Not left out in terms of job creation and economic development is the proposed Cargo Airport along with the export promotion market development that has been passed into law.

Another interesting aspect of the governance structure in Kogi State is the futuristic approach to the long abandoned sub-sector of tourism. Kogi State happens to be centrally located and the gateway to the northern and southern geo-political zones in the country. That aspect was recently brought to the public sphere during the unveiling of the logo of the Kogi State International Carnival to be held in the month of December, which happens to coincide with the popular Ekwuechi festival of the Ebira people in the Central Senatorial District. That is another great step forward.

All considered, Ododo’s victory is well deserved. It is a testament to one visionary Nigerian ready to serve the interests and needs of the people, rather than to be served by the alluring apparatchiks of office. Praised for his legendary and uncommon humility, especially in a cloudy clime where some power mongers refuse to understand political power as transient, Ododo should keep remembering that he, like his peers, will always be judged by the legacies left behind, long after office.