Yahaya Bello:The Silent Achiever behind the Media Scenes.
By: Sani Danaudi Mohammed
AREWA AGENDA – The explosion of social media in recent times, has dramatically transformed the way information is created, disseminated, distributed and consumed which to some extent has done more harm to Nigeria than good. In an age when information equates to power, adversity of opinion can lead to more problems than solving them. Nigerians are unfortunate people who believe always what they come across on Social Media. Nigerians have witnessed Conflicts and confrontations of ethnic and religious dimensions due to the dissemination of false information since the advent of the 21st Century Media.
It is now the platform for advertising both successes and Government failures in the eyes of the world, particularly in Nigeria. It leads to good governance and democratic consolidation in many countries across the globe (Nigeria inclusive). Looking at the recent election in Nigeria, where we just experienced a smooth transition from a democratic administration to another democratic government is a sign that sustainable democracy has come to stay as efforts are continually made by all the stakeholders to put democracy in proper shape. The Media long before now has kept political leaders to their knees to ensure that political leaders are accountable.
In Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello has become a target of Social Media influencers, He has been a subject of the national discussion on the internet, especially on Twitter and Facebook. He has consistently been under attack by the Social Media influencers who have turned these platforms into a political battlefield engaging those they perceived as opponents. The world and Nigerians outside Kogi State are forced to believe the narratives of exclusion have been padded around that Yahaya Bello is the worst governor compared to his contemporaries’ other Governors.
The Governor has proved himself beyond the Paper headlines and media scenes with his developmental strides that are making Kogi State a reference point of good governance since he assume office in 2016. He has successfully implemented projects worth billions of naira in all fora of human endeavours despite little resources available. As the North battles to curb incessant killings by gangs of criminals, He has done and is doing his best to ensure that the lives and properties of the citizenry are protected in the face of the current Nation Security challenges. This is a Governor whose actions speak much louder than his voice and he has taken upon himself all insults to ensure Kogites benefit from good governance they have been denied for decades.
As a writer, I decided to showcase the Governor’s goodwill and stewardship that has yielded a more positive impact on the lives of Kogites as against the purported lies and propaganda peddled around Social Media. His leadership and successes in Governance are the manifestations of the saying of Late Maitama Sule (Dan Masanin Kano), He says that Nigeria needs responsible decent rascals to rescue the country. The State is bordering Nasarawa and Niger States including the FCT which have been under an eclipse of bandits yet their activities and presence are unnoticed which showcases his priority in Securing his people beyond the gallery.
The likes of Professor Zullum of Borno, El-refuai of Kaduna , Wike of Rivers and Ganduje of Kano have dominated the headlines in recent times as the best if not the best performing Governors ignoring the likes of Yahaya Bello despite his transcontinental policies that set Kogi State on the path of excellence. Though the above mentioned governors have done well in their respective States Kogi State’s infrastructural development is now a subject of national discussion. The unveiling and inspection of world class infrastructures by Yahaya Bello have sent a strong signal that much effort is done to spring up the State to its dream Status.
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However, the recent unveiling of infrastructures that compete with international standards in Kogi State by Yahaya Bello has not only silenced his critics but rendered them useless. Many have chosen the path of honour by sending apologies to a man they once perceived as the worst in fiction but turned out to be the best in action. A Nigerian, a communicator per excellence and Mr turn around expert whose achievements are acknowledged as per second squared in Kogi State and beyond. The Kogi State Special Hospital and reference Hospital Okene, Massive road networks in Lokoja the State capital connecting the Local Governments and the State only flyover, Renovation, construction and furnishing of both primary and secondary schools, The Prince Abubakar Audu Teaching Hospital, Renovation and reconstruction of Kogi State Government House and their likes should have guided the pundits that Yahaya Bello is no doubt a white lion who is leading an Army of sheep in Nigeria. These world class projects have an international reputation.
The young Yahaya Bello was born 47 years ago and was declared the winner of the 2015 Kogi gubernatorial election after he was chosen on the platform of the All Progressives Congress as the replacement for the late Abubakar Audu who won the election but died before the result was declared. He was elected to a second term after he was defeated in 2019 as the youngest governor in Nigeria born after the Nigerian Civil War. He was a courageous man who stood his ground when the leadership of his party opted for consensus during the APC Presidential Primaries and fought to the end.
The Fake news purported by pundits in Nigeria has reduced the impact of real news by competing with it. For example, a BuzzFeed analysis found that the top fake news stories about the 2016 U.S. presidential election received more engagement on Facebook than top stories from major media outlets. It also particularly has the potential to undermine trust in serious media coverage and this is exactly the scene that described Governor Yahaya Bello. His success stories as an Executive Governor are underreported. By implication, Media has done more damage to him considering his successes as an Executive Governor of Kogi State. It has reduced his image in the eyes of the world and greatly affected his Presidential ambition.
Bello is celebrated today, Colleagues and brothers that we are because he never hesitated in speaking his mind in a brutally frank manner no matter whose ox is gored. He carried himself with uncommon patriotism and was always ready to reach out to Kogi State no matter their backgrounds and tribal inclinations. He is the first to build a Chappell in Kogi State Government House as a means of sustaining the nation’s peace and Unity. This is a man who has built roads,world class Healthcare systems, Schools, bridges and roads. This should be the news flying across the country and the world regarding Governor Yahaya Bello’s stewardship in Kogi State.
The greatest General that ever lived in this world, Alexander the Great, once said that he is always afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion than an army of lions led by a sheep. This tells us that leadership is not a child’s play. When we say a child’s play, we are not referring to the question of age, tribe or religion of the public office holder, but the maturity of what a person can offer and the quality he or exhibits as a leader when he/she is entrusted with power. Governor Yahaya Bello is no doubt the lion king whose leadership Qualities are beyond Kogi State.
He has proved to be a silent achiever behind the media scenes with massive developmental strides in Kogi State by Governor Yahaya Bello. History will be kind to him and posterity will judge him well for standing on the path of honour. My only regret is that the media has denied Nigerians the opportunity to have the best President in 2023 and to this end Governor Yahaya Bello is a silent achiever beyond the Media Scenes.
Danaudi, National President of Arewa Youths advocate for Peace and Unity Initiative, Writes from Bauchi via [email protected].
