Olusegun Adeniyi
It doesn’t shock me that the previous Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is now a fugitive from the regulation. Any discerning individual would know that the person who bullied the folks of his state for eight years is merely a coward. 4 years in the past, I wrote the next phrases after Bello was re-elected for his second and closing time period in workplace. “Whereas the physique luggage are nonetheless being counted in Kogi State, with recent killings even after the outcomes have been declared, Yahaya Bello is again as I predicted,” I said within the opening paragraph to my November 2019 column, following his re-election marred by a number of killings. “I watched him (Bello) on tv yesterday and he couldn’t even spare a phrase to condole the households of those that died. So, to the folks of Kogi who should endure one other 4 years of purposeless authorities, please settle for my commiserations.”
An Affiliation of Nationwide Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN)-certified accountant, Bello labored with the Income Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Fee (RMAFC) from 2001 (after his necessary NYSC) till he retired into transport enterprise and politics. He joined the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) of Muhammadu Buhari, who would later develop into president. Elected governor in November 2015 with out even being on the poll (he inherited the votes of Abubakar Audu who died earlier than the outcomes could possibly be introduced), one would anticipate Bello to be humble. However for eight years, he behaved as if he was above the regulation. In reality, he noticed himself because the regulation. He repeatedly advised appointees that in his personal dictionary, ‘loyalty comes earlier than effectivity’.
Below Bello’s stewardship, each election in Kogi State was like conflict. In a video that went viral earlier than the 2019 gubernatorial election, Bello’s feminine supporters had been threatening his opponents with gunshots. Forward of the 2023 election, there was one other trending video of Bello the place he stated: “I’ll personally gentle a fierce hearth in my hand. Whoever need it, we will use it to burn them, whoever survives it’s going to thank God… Whoever is in opposition to us, we are going to make her or him (to) be part of my mom and lie together with her (my mom) within the grave.” By that video, in accordance with the Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP) spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, Bello revealed himself. “From his outburst, Nigerians now know the people who engineered the ugly killing of a lot of our residents together with the PDP Lady Chief in Kogi State, Mrs. Salome Abu, who was burnt alive in her home in 2019. Additionally, Nigerians now have extra perception into the disappearance of Hon. Adelabu Musa, the PDP Chairman in Okene Native Authorities Space for over three years now,” Ologundana stated in a press release launched on the time.
Ordinarily, the impeachment course of is guided by unambiguous legal guidelines as to the way it could possibly be prosecuted. However not in Kogi beneath the ‘White Lion’ who held the three arms of presidency in his agency grip. On 20 October 2019, Bello illegally terminated the tenure of his deputy, Simon Achuna, utilizing his cronies within the State Home of Meeting and a compromised judiciary. The then Chief Choose of Kogi State, late Justice Nasir Ajanah, empanelled an impeachment committee in keeping with part 108 of the 1999 structure (as amended) to analyze allegations in opposition to Achuna by lawmakers. The committee reported again that there have been no verifiable grounds for impeachment and consequently returned a verdict of not responsible. At Bello’s insistence, the identical Justice Ajanah, whose panel acquitted Achuna of any misconduct, carried out the swearing in of David Edward Onoja (to exchange Achuna) as Deputy Governor!
For eight years, Bello projected the picture of a tricky man, apparently as a result of he misunderstood the true which means of energy. Appearing beneath a purported decision by the State Home of Meeting in October 2022, the previous governor deployed armed thugs to seal the Dangote Cement Plc in Obajana. He claimed that Kogi State owns the plant and resorted to self-help in what appeared a not-so-subtle try at a shakedown. After a lot injury had been executed, the corporate was reopened following the intervention of the federal authorities.
The litany of misdeeds by Bello, who mixed hubris with narcissism, is fairly intensive. Through the Covid-19 pandemic that led to a lockdown in most international locations the world over, together with Nigeria, the previous governor insisted there was no such well being problem in Kogi State. When Justice Ajanah died on the Gwagwalada COVID-19 Isolation Centre in Abuja and needed to be buried at Gudu cemetery in compliance with the COVID-19 burial protocol set by the Nigeria Centre for Illness Management (NCDC), Bello was furious. He stated the Kogi Chief Choose died of pure causes, and never of anything as is “being insinuated by sure individuals for political and mischief functions”, whereas describing Covid-19 as a ‘hoax’.
In the meantime, Bello has a legal case with the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) concerning double registration in each the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Kogi State. “Following reviews of the alleged double registration by the governor of Kogi State within the on-going Steady Voter Registration (CVR) train, the fee arrange a panel of investigation into the involvement of employees within the matter. The preliminary report submitted by the panel was referred to the Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee, which made suggestions to the fee,” the INEC Nationwide Commissioner & Member, Info and Voter Training Committee, Mrs. Might Agbamuche-Mbu, introduced on 14 December 2017. “Whereas the governor of Kogi State at present enjoys immunity from prosecution, the fee took the next selections in respect of its personal employees: Abstract dismissal of two employees for acts of gross misconduct, rapid and obligatory retirement of an electoral officer for acts of gross misconduct.”
So critical was the matter that on 28 February 2018, the Senate mandated its Committee on INEC to analyze. “The governor of Kogi was concerned in double voter registration and weeks after, INEC confirmed that by sacking three of its employees,” Senator Mohammed Hassan stated in a movement that was unanimously adopted. “It was reported that he (Bello) was issued one other Momentary Voter Card (TVC) at his Okene ward.” Then Senate President, Bukola Saraki, defined the gravity of the matter: “The problem you’re speaking about is one that’s necessary as a result of the steadiness of our democracy depends upon the credibility of our electoral course of. It’s one thing the INEC committee ought to examine and report again to the Senate.” Regardless of the indictment, Bello claimed that if anyone was engaged in double registration, it should have been his ghost. Now that he not enjoys immunity from prosecution, the regulation should discover that ‘ghost’ and maintain him to account.
Readers might argue that the foregoing has nothing to do with Yahaya Bello’s case with the EFCC. That’s true. I’m simply not inquisitive about that drama of corruption. As I’ve at all times reiterated on this web page, combating corruption requires correct investigation that will result in trials and convictions. It’s not about telling tales within the public. Within the instantaneous case of Bello, the one proof of corruption that’s credible is the one introduced in a courtroom of regulation. Not at press conferences. In November 2017, then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, established the Corruption and Monetary Crimes Instances Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO). In its report, the committee stated of the EFCC: “Offenders are charged to courtroom earlier than correct investigations of the costs are executed, and afterwards, anticipating the courtroom to detain such alleged offenders until conclusion of their investigations”.
I’m conscious that the previous governor and his nephew, Ali Bello (at present the Chief of Employees to the incumbent Governor Usman Ododo) and two different accomplishes are being accused of laundering a complete sum of N80,246,470,088.88, belonging to Kogi State. The allegations might be true. However he won’t be the primary governor to be so charged. A former governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle (round whom EFCC staged an identical drama final 12 months) is now a member of the federal government council! So, this intervention will not be about how Bello fiddled with the assets of Kogi State and his hide-and-seek recreation with the EFCC. It’s in regards to the perils of energy for politicians who behave as if there isn’t any tomorrow. The query that arises is, why do the Yahaya Bellos of this world thrive in our political system?
Since early final 12 months, I’ve been engaged on a guide concerning 25 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria. Regardless of my greatest efforts, it’s not prone to be out until the tip of this 12 months or early 2025. The reckless abuse of energy is without doubt one of the points I’m interrogating since those that abuse energy don’t have any qualms about looting public funds. We should surprise why a constitutional republic continues breeding so many rudderless apprentice emperors who rule with impunity, fiddle with public funds, violate the rights of the very residents they had been elected to manipulate, and actually run amok with energy.
However it’s not all detrimental. The power of our system lies within the chilling lesson that after the wildness of uncontrolled energy comes a return to sanity when the cloak of absolute immunity yields place to the chilly actuality of frequent ordinariness. By his motion, Yahaya Bello has instantly come to phrases with the total implications of that actuality. What he has failed to grasp is that he can not proceed to deploy the providers of his successor, Usman Ododo, to protect himself. I’m positive there may be an expiry date to that relationship between the godfather and his godson as we now have seen in quite a few states over time.
General, I fail to grasp why Bello is on the run. If he’s properly suggested, he might give up himself to EFCC adopted by drummers together with his ‘Ta ta ta’ feminine supporters as cheerleaders. With sufficient assets to rent as many Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) as he needs, I’m positive Bello would spend not various days in Kuje earlier than he walks free. A ‘Lion’ (white or black) mustn’t regress into the rascality of behaving like a weather-beaten hen in a bid to frustrate the regulation and evade accountability.
A Worthy Instance for Yoruba Obas
The ten-minute BBC Yoruba interview with a former United States-based wrestling legend, who’s now Oba James Oladipo Buremoh, Aroko Ola Ajagungbade 1, the king of Idera neighborhood in Kwara State, has continued to generate appreciable curiosity. Within the video clip, the person famend prior to now as ‘Ladi the African Tiger’, advised the story of his emergence as king, and the preliminary pact together with his folks which included permitting him to spend six months yearly working in the US and returning house to spend six months. Working for a tour agency as a bus driver as revealed in his interview with the American Nationwide Broadcasting Firm (NBC) displeased some Nigerians who felt that he was denigrating the standard establishment. “At this level, Safiu Olaniyan, the Nigerian Consul in the US needed to douse the strain by letting everybody to grasp that there’s dignity in labour,” he recollected.
For somebody who spent most of his formative years in the US, it’s outstanding that Oba Buremoh (who in 1978 defeated American Mike Hayes for a World Wrestling title) speaks impeccable Yoruba. The normal ruler stated as of the time he ascended the throne in 2003, solely one among his kids had accomplished secondary college and he needed to prepare them with out relying on authorities or anyone. So, he opted to proceed working in the US whereas ploughing his financial savings again house. Let me take a number of the story from the standard ruler: “You may ask my kids. They know I don’t purchase garments. I don’t purchase something for myself. I want to lack than to see folks round me in dire want and struggling. No matter cash I made overseas, I used to be bringing house to spend on my household and Idera neighborhood. Previously, kings had been seen because the lord and grasp. These days, I believe they need to be seen as servants as a substitute.”
The Oba, who returned house totally in 2019, continued: “That’s the means I see myself. I’m a servant and I say this on a regular basis to my folks in Idera neighborhood. As an alternative of directing or forcing folks to take up a job throughout any neighborhood work, I at all times lead from the entrance. I keep in mind the day we had been constructing our main college. It was a joint undertaking with the federal government. I personally paid our personal share of the counterpart funding whereas the federal government paid the remaining. On the day of the muse laying ceremony, I used to be the primary to start out work on the web site. The chiefs tried to prevail on me to not be part of them in working however I declined. Like a labourer, I picked up a digger and I participated totally from the start to the tip. Every time I begin any work in the neighborhood, no one would sit down whereas I used to be working. This manner, we now have been shifting collectively in the neighborhood over time with a powerful conviction that there’s a transparent distinction between a boss and a pacesetter. A boss calls for respect whereas a pacesetter earns it.”
Within the BBC clip, the royal father might certainly be seen in a t-shirt and denim shorts, working with different males inside his neighborhood. For me, he’s a worthy instance of what any chief, particularly any conventional ruler, ought to be. Sadly, in Yorubaland as we speak, the general public being elevated to the throne consider it’s all about overdressing in some gaudy apparels and gallivanting far and wide reasonably than serving their folks. Many additionally shouldn’t have different technique of livelihood and don’t current themselves publicly as worthy examples. That was not the way in which it was prior to now once we had a Timi in Ede, Oba John Adetoyese Laoye, who was not solely a drummer-king, dancer, and cultural icon but in addition globally famend for his craft at the same time as a standard ruler.
At age 78 in 2012, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona—who shall be 90 subsequent month and has been on the throne for the previous 64 years—enrolled to review Legislation on the Nationwide Open College of Nigeria (NOUN). “Age can’t be a barrier to studying for me. It’s what I want and I guarantee all of you that I’ll research very properly and are available out of the college in document time with out fail,” the Awujale stated on the time whereas becoming a member of 200 different college students at NOUN’s Awa Group Research Centre, in Ijebu North Native Authorities space of Ogun State. With that, the revered Ọgbagba Agbotewole II, an accountant, despatched a powerful message to his folks on the significance of schooling.
Let me say right here that there are a lot of conventional rulers in Yorubaland as we speak who are worthy of their thrones. Not too long ago, there was a trending video of Oba Oyewole Oyediran enjoying the organ and conducting a choir of the Cathedral Church of St Paul, in his Sagamu city, Ogun State. That may be a royal father certainly! And lots of Nigerians know that even because the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin nonetheless pursues his ardour for schooling to the good thing about his folks. Sadly, this class of conventional rulers will not be within the majority, therefore the necessity for soul-searching. Being a standard ruler is a excessive calling. I’m delighted that Oba James Oladipo Buremoh recognises that.
To the Aroko Ola Ajagungbade 1, ki ade pe l’ori, ki bata pe l’ese o!
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