The Politics of Half-Truths: A Rebuttal to Senator Smart Adeyemi’s Claims on Kogi Governance – Dr Emmanuel Kolade
Former Senator, Smart Adeyemi’s recent remarks on AIT’s Focus Nigeria—where he heaped glowing praise on former Governor Yahaya Bello and attempted to recast the history of educational development in Kogi State—demand careful scrutiny.
Political loyalty is understandable, but when it becomes a deliberate attempt to distort public memory, citizens must respond with clarity and truth.
Adeyemi’s narrative, if left unchallenged, risks turning propaganda into public history.
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Development Cannot Be Declared Into Existence, Senator Adeyemi claimed Yahaya Bello delivered “unprecedented infrastructural development” in Kogi State. The people, however, remember a very different reality.
Across the state, township roads deteriorated, water supply systems collapsed, healthcare centers struggled, and civil servants battled months—sometimes years—of unpaid salaries.
These failures are not erased by the unveiling of billboards or ceremonial projects. Infrastructure is not what politicians praise on television; it is what people experience in their daily lives.
Creating New Universities While Neglecting Old Ones Is Not Visionary Leadership
Adeyemi centered his argument on the creation of Kogi State University, Kabba and CUSTEC Osara.
But he conveniently ignores the state of Kogi State University Anyigba during the same period—years of strikes, crumbling facilities, and chronic underfunding.
A government that proclaims many new structures while failing to sustain existing institutions demonstrates political calculation, not educational reform.
No serious administration builds progress on the foundation of neglect.
The Yoruba of Kogi Do Not Owe Their Identity to Political Patronage
The senator attempted to celebrate the academic excellence of the Yoruba, only to reduce their progress to the generosity of a former governor. This is both offensive and historically inaccurate.
Okun-Yoruba communities have produced scholars, professionals, administrators, and innovators long before the creation of any new university.
Their excellence is not a gift from government but the product of generations of sacrifice and commitment. No ethnic group should have its dignity tied to the benevolence of a political figure.
Ethnicizing Education Is Dangerous for a Multi-Ethnic State Perhaps the most troubling part of Adeyemi’s statement is the claim that Yahaya Bello created “a university for each ethnic group.”
This is a divisive and misleading assertion.
Universities exist to serve the state—not to serve tribal blocs. Turning higher institutions into ethnic compensation packages is an invitation to tension, entitlement politics, and institutional decay.
Such a philosophy is unworthy of a diverse state like Kogi.
The 16-16-16 Rotational Formula Is Political Convenience, Not Equity
Adeyemi’s endorsement of a 16-year rotational governorship arrangement is more about political survival than justice.
The numbers he presents do not align with historical continuity, nor do they reflect the complex democratic yearnings across Kogi.
Equity cannot be achieved through mathematical slogans.
It must come through consensus, fairness, and public trust—not television announcements.
Governor Ododo’s “Continuity Agenda” Must Be Earned, Not Inherited
The senator concluded by urging Okun and Kogi West to support Governor Ododo in 2027 in the name of continuity. But continuity must be defined.
If it means greater development, transparency, and improved governance, then it must be demonstrated.
If it means continuing the opaque and controversial governance patterns of the Bello era, then the people have every right to reject it.
Leadership is not hereditary. Mandates must be earned.
Conclusion: Kogi Deserves Truth, Not Political Mythmaking
Senator Smart Adeyemi’s remarks attempt to rewrite the past in favor of political allies. But Kogites know their lived reality.
The future of the state must rest on: Honest governance Fair distribution of opportunities
Institutions built on merit, not ethnicity
Accountability, not propaganda
Leaders who speak truth, not political poetry
The people of Kogi have outgrown the era of narratives crafted for convenience. They want progress rooted in truth. No amount of praise-singing can replace that.
– Dr Emmanuel Kolade, a political Analyst, writes from Abuja.
(DemocracyNewslineNewspaper-November30th2025)
