35 Years After: Kogi West, 2027 and the “Nightmare of Wait for Your Turn”
As Kogi State marks 35 years of its creation, there is a need for deep reflection on our journey as a people and, more importantly, on the principles of justice, fairness and equity that should guide our collective political future.
For 35 years, Kogi State has remained a home to three major senatorial districts—Kogi East, Kogi Central and Kogi West. We are one people with a common destiny, united by the desire for peace, progress and development. However, the question of political inclusion, particularly in the occupation of the highest political office in the state, remains one that we must confront with sincerity.
One painful reality is that Kogi West is still living with the nightmare of “Wait for Your Turn.”
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For decades, the people of Kogi West have been patient. We have watched power move and remain within the political arrangements of other districts, while Kogi West continues to wait for the opportunity to produce the Governor of Kogi State.
Yet, whenever the issue of power rotation and political equity is raised, the familiar response to Kogi West appears to be:
“Wait for your turn.”
But after 35 years, it is only reasonable to ask: When exactly will that turn come?
How long should a people continue to wait before their patience is rewarded with fairness? How many more political cycles must pass before equity becomes a reality? At what point does “Wait for Your Turn” stop being an appeal for patience and become a justification for perpetual exclusion?
These are questions that every lover of justice and unity in Kogi State must honestly reflect upon.
The idea of rotational governance should not be seen as a weapon of division. Rather, it should be understood as an instrument for promoting unity, inclusion, fairness and a genuine sense of belonging.
A state becomes stronger when every component part believes that it has a stake in its leadership and future. Political stability becomes easier when no section feels permanently marginalised or excluded from opportunities that belong to all.
Kogi West is an integral part of Kogi State. Its people have contributed immensely to the political, economic, educational and social development of the state. The district is blessed with capable, experienced and competent men and women who possess the capacity to provide purposeful leadership.
Therefore, the question is not whether Kogi West has qualified individuals who can govern Kogi State.
The question is whether the principles of justice and fairness will be allowed to prevail in 2027.
The 2027 governorship election presents Kogi State with a defining moment. It offers us another opportunity to demonstrate that our commitment to unity is genuine and that the principles of equity are not merely political slogans used when convenient.
For too long, Kogi West has been told to remain patient.
For too long, we have been asked to wait.
For too long, the hope of having a Governor from Kogi West has continued to be postponed.
But a turn that is continuously postponed can eventually become a denial of justice.
This is why the conversation about 2027 and Kogi West must go beyond politics, party affiliations and individual ambitions. It must be a conversation about the future of Kogi State and the kind of political culture we want to build for generations yet unborn.
We must decide whether Kogi State will continue to operate a system where some sections are repeatedly told to wait while others continue to have their opportunities, or whether we will embrace a future built on fairness and equal opportunity.
Let it be clearly stated: Kogi West is not asking for a favour.
Kogi West is not demanding charity.
Kogi West is simply asking for justice, equity and fairness.
The demand for a Kogi West Governor in 2027 should not be interpreted as a declaration of war against Kogi East or Kogi Central. No district should be seen as an enemy of another. We are all Kogites, and the progress of one part should contribute to the progress of the whole.
Rather, the call for Kogi West in 2027 is a call for the completion of the circle of inclusion.
It is a call to ensure that every major component of our state has a genuine opportunity to contribute to its leadership at the highest level.
After 35 years, Kogi State must move beyond the “Nightmare of Wait for Your Turn.”
The time has come for us to replace endless waiting with genuine fairness.
The time has come to replace political convenience with justice.
The time has come to demonstrate that every part of Kogi State truly belongs.
2027 presents that opportunity.
History is watching.
The people are watching.
And generations yet unborn will judge the decisions we make today.
After 35 years of waiting, Kogi West deserves more than another promise to wait for its turn.
The time for fairness is now.
The time for equity is now.
The time to end the nightmare of “Wait for Your Turn” is now.
2027 should be the year Kogi West takes its rightful place in the leadership of Kogi State.
Kogi West is not asking for a favour. Kogi West is asking for justice.
— MOY
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, AUGUST 27TH, 2026)
