Governor Ododo: The quiet and focused Governor transforming Kogi State
By Issa Itopa Lucky
Let me start by confessing that I was one of those who initially doubted Governor Ododo’s capacity to effectively govern a complex State like Kogi State.
Well, over one year after his inauguration as Governor of Kogi State, my doubts are not only fully cleared, I am filled with apologies to him for doubting him at first.
How Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has been able to get his hands on the job and to deliver on every count and in every aspect of governance is indeed a wonder which many watchers and observes hope never ends.
Whatever inspires Governor Ododo is something he should reveal to every other Governor and to future Governors and future public office-holders.
First of all, he started by equipping himself with a cabinet that is full of capacity. There are many people of capacity in Governor Ododo’s cabinet. One of them is his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Ali Bello, a quiet, young, loyal, focused and determined individual.
The other person that has made Governor Ododo’s cabinet one of the best in the history of governance in Nigeria is the Special Adviser on Media, Hon. Ismail Isah.
Hon. Ismail Isah is a seasoned media personality who knows the job of media very well and even under the most intense of pressure he has shown what effective media capacity looks like.
These two key appointments, the moment Governor Ododo made them last year when he was starting his Government, it was in that moment I began to really believe that maybe just maybe Governor Ododo will surprise everyone for good because Alhaji Ali Bello is a good and honest man, and Hon. Ismail Isah is a genius when it comes to communication of Government policies and effective coordination of media.
In fact, everyday since January 27, 2024 my mind is daily at rest knowing that a capable media personality like Hon. Ismail Isah is the Spokesperson of Kogi State Government. I could not have preferred anybody else when it comes to the question of who I think can effectively use decorum and mutual respect to drown the noise and prospective unrepentant negativity of the naysayers everyday and to in the process, win converts for the Government while in the business of communication of Government policies and Government efforts.
Governor Ododo has in the past one year shown full capacity on the job of governance and in the process he has won many converts. Many who initially doubted his capacity on the job are today his biggest supporters.
Ordinarily, as Nigerians we don’t expect much good governance from our public office-holders. Typically, our public office-holders would promise us “heaven on earth” during campaign to get our votes and then they will begin to show us “hell” when they finally get voted into office inspite of the fact that it is our votes that put them in office in the first instance.
Governor Ododo is different. Many did not hear him say much during the campaign when he was running for Governorship back in 2023. In fact, many referred to him as a proxy for then outgoing Governor Yahaya Bello. But, well, one year after since Governor Ododo became Governor of Kogi State we are now very grateful to now former Governor Yahaya Bello for the gift of Governor Ododo; therefore we the people of Kogi State could not have asked for a better proxy. That is, assuming without conceding that Governor Ododo is indeed a “proxy Governor” on anybody’s behalf.
Proxy or not, we want good governance in Kogi State and Governor Ododo is daily delivering good governance to every square inch of Kogi State even beyond expectations.
The primary duty of a State Governor is the security of lives and properties of the citizens of the State. I will be economic with the truth if I say Governor Ododo has only merely done well in terms of security in Kogi State. The truth is, Governor Ododo is not only doing well in terms of the security of Kogi State, he is surpassing expectations inspite of the fact that Kogi State is a State that shares boundary with many States, a situation that makes security a complex situation, but somehow by some clear logic that is working, Governor Ododo has defeated the whole complex situation and he has daily delivered peace and security in Kogi State. Governor Ododo ensures that there is absolute peace in all communities in Kogi State.
Today, Kogi State is one of the most safest States in Nigeria. The local security network in Kogi State is one of the most efficient in the country.
On many counts, Governor Ododo has invested greatly in the security of Kogi State through giving operational vehicles to the various security agencies in Kogi State. Also he has ensured that the morale of every security agent in Kogi State is at the highest level at all times, by providing every needed State-support enough to help the security agents do their job of keeping Kogi State safe at all times.
In the aspect of agriculture, it is worthy of note that Governor Ododo recently won Award of Governor of the Year on the key basis of his intervention in agriculture and food production in Kogi State.
Governor Ododo has from time to time intervened in the agricultural sector of Kogi State through empowerment of farmers and through various intervention programmes as well as helping to encourage mechanised farming in Kogi State.
Through his various intervention efforts in Kogi State, he has ensured sufficient food production in Kogi State and this has helped many families in Kogi State to not only be self-sufficient but to also be able to benefit greatly from their farm produce when they sell their farm products both within the State and beyond.
Governor Ododo is quietly raising future and legitimate millionaires in Kogi State who are making alot of money through farming. First of all, if Governor Ododo did not make Kogi State safe, farming would have become near-impossible and it would have led to hunger and increased cost of food and increased cost of living in Kogi State.
Governor Ododo has been able to improve the micro-economic status of the average Kogite who is into farming, by ensuring that the lengths and breadths of Kogi State are safe and not subject to any form of insecurity. Little wonder, he was awarded Governor of the Year recently especially in recognition of his very remarkable efforts for the agricultural sector in Kogi State.
Under Governor Ododo, Kogi State is currently one of the States that are minimum wage-compliant and beyond that, the workers’ salaries are consistently being paid without delay.
In terms of road infrastructure, Governor Ododo is ensuring that Kogi State is turning to a road projects State with roads being constructed across the three Senatorial zones of the State as contractors are fully on site to do good roads that will be of global standard in fulfillment of the infrastructural vision of Governor Ododo for every book and cranny of Kogi State.
As complex as Kogi State is, Governor Ododo has ensured that there is zero tolerance for discrimination in his Government as all the various zones of the State are well-carried along in terms of State appointments and State resources allocation.
We may banter and disagree on opinions among ourselves as we wish to, as analysts, opinion-molders, media influencers, sworn opponents, people with partisan bias, observers and writers or by whatever name we call ourselves in support of our individual viewpoints about politics and governance from time to time; but when it comes to the scorecard of Governor Ododo, the truth is Governor Ododo is doing well for the people of Kogi State and he deserves his accolades already because we would have been dragging him on the media space everyday if he was failing.
Governor Ododo has in the past one year been able to use good governance to practically win over converts and it will be self-deception to not attest to the fact much as he is hardly on the media talking all the time for the fun of media. Quietly, he is working and the media has a duty to recognize his good works.
One year in office is enough time for anyone observing to draw conclusions on whether a Governor is doing well for his State or not. The conclusion of the matter is that so far, Governor Ododo is doing well for Kogi State.
Personally, I commend him and his team and I urge them to keep up the good works they are doing for our dear Kogi State.
