16/03/2023
LEGACY COMES FROM INSIDE.
Our New Direction under Governor Yahaya Bello recognises Character, Capacity and Competency as core values with any form of Bigotry as public enemy No. 1.
These core values are not external virtues, put on display to impress people. They come from deep inside the man - and have been his guiding principles in life and business long before Government House, Lokoja.
Oga's Fairplus Group was a pan-Nigerian conglomerate which employed people from everywhere and of course I was raised in the Banking and Petroleum sectors where merit still rule.
One funny accusation people throw at the two of us is that we love other tribes in Kogi more than our own. They say our 'EBIGO' and 'Enemuneme' philosophy has made His Excellency to do more for Igala, Okun and other people than his native Ebira while Igala people say Edward Onoja prefers to help Okun, Ebira and others more than them.
Of course, that's not true. Oga is Governor of all Kogites and must apply equity to all and I am his loyal lieutenant. Two of us love our respective tribes but we have a duty to love all Kogites as equally as possible and that is what we do.
Even our New Direction Blueprint proclaims itself to be 'a roadmap for accelerated and proportional development of Kogi State in all her constituencies'. To tell you the truth, we really enjoy practicing that 'accelerated and proportional' part a lot.
Apart from tribe, religion too has failed to become the huge point of division it used to be in the previous administrations. Today, even as Governor, you will find ordinary people in His Excellency's inner circle whose only qualification is their character, capacity and competency.
His driver, 'the Mobile Lion' as we call him, is a devout Christian, an Igala man from Abocho in Dekina LGA. My own driver, 'the Mobile Tiger' is a devout Muslim, an Ebira from Kuroko in Adavi LGA.
If you visit the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja you will experience the harmonious coexistence between our two major religions. The Mosque and the Chapel are within shouting distance of each other and adherents of both do their devotions in the fear of the Almighty God alone.
We have had the pleasure, over the last seven years, of seeing our diversity of tribes, religions, age, class, gender and ability working together in closer harmony than at any other time before and we can see how our state has leapt forward in development.
Kogi State has greatly surpassed the 35% gender inclusion bench mark in the both the elected and appointed offices in the GYB's administration. Show me anywhere outside Kogi State where we have a (gallant) Female Officer as the ADC to a Governor.
We do not just mouth it, we walk our talk. When Yahaya Bello hands over at the end of his tenure, his legacy will not just be the concrete, iron infrastructure and asphalt roads he has built but a people and State held together by bonds of oneness that are stronger than any steel specification.
We are now on the quest to find a leader who knows GYB's mind and has followed his footsteps closely enough to take over and keep Kogi State firmly on track to be Nigeria's Confluence of Opportunities.
With all humility I, Edward David Onoja, is groomed and ready to serve all of Kogi and her people. Support me. Join me. Let us keep the flag of the New Direction flying.
CEDO Speaks
