“Everything I need in life, this country has given me. I’m the one who needs to give back”-Yahya Bello
It is a known fact that the primary responsibility of government anywhere in the world is to ensure the safety and well–being of its people. In addition to ensuring adequate security of lives and property, it is the responsibility of government to provide the basic socio-infrastructural facilities requisite for growth and development. These include good network of roads for effective transportation of goods and services, portable pipe borne water, efficient and affordable health care delivery system, as well as a sound educational system that will supply the needed skilled man-power resources to effectively drive economic growth and development.
Information indicates that is most African countries, most government institutions are weak, ineffective and subverted by corruption; there is nothing to show in a way of efficient infrastructure, continuous energy and quality of human life; service delivery in virtually all areas continues to fail drastically, leading to the emergence of more or less viable alternatives in the form of private hospitals and schools, vigilante groups providing security services etc. Millions of people are without jobs. Those who are employed face the challenge of feeding well. Millions do not have decent roof over their heads. Fear and insecurity are the portions of millions of citizens who on daily basis sleep in the dark with an empty stomach, hoping and praying that things get better. To borrow a phrase from the 17th century physician, Thomas Moffett, it seems Africans are “digging their graves with their teeth”.
Joseph Stieglitz, noble prize in Economics, captured it effectively when he stated that it’s better to be cow in Europe than to be a poor person in Africa. Why? Cow in Europe are given a direct subsidy of $ 2 daily, whereas most Africans can hardly afford to live on $1 daily! Many may flinch at the comparison, but it requires no clairvoyance to deduce that what are drifting too fast towards a precipice.
It is in the light of the need to check this dangerous slide to retrogression that characterized this part of the world, among other reasons to address the leadership question as a solution to the above problem. Nigeria which is the giant of Africa have its fair share of the crunch is returning to a decisive elections in 2023. A President that will address unemployment, continuing food insecurity, rise of extreme poverty ,mindboggling high child and maternal mortality, weak public institutions, administrative nepotism and insecurity.
It is not possible to skip one man with capacity and ability to change the status as Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahya Bello. In his quest for a greater Nigeria, he exhibited his mettle and panache in spear heading policies that have elicited national and international accolades unprecedented in the annals of the country as the number one citizen of Kogi. All he ever wanted to do in his life was to make a difference in others people’s lives. As a child, he has thought the only way to accomplish this was to engage in a vocation where his impact would be most felt.
Governor Bello is a quintessence of good leadership .The trait theorists listed the qualities of good leadership to include intelligence, charisma, decisiveness ,integrity ,self-confidence ,enthusiasm ,strength and bravery which all epitomized by GYB.
The vision of Yahya Bello is to build a prosperous, highly educated, technology driven pace setting Nigeria. GYB believes that the fastest and only way to change the populace is through education. While most Nigerian elites are busy manipulating ethno-regional difference to personal advantage, Yahya has always being vanguard of harnessing the differences to build a restructured united Nigeria.
All over the world, there has been progress in many areas such as life –saving medicines, the internet revolution, oil boom, under-water exploration, airbus, the advent of mobile phone and whatsoever. Yet the same poor way of doing things looms even today in Nigeria. Instead of coming up with better innovations and development strategies ,successive government makes life miserable and put the across some of the worst ideas ever; confused ,drawing plans ,postponing and re-introducing the policies yet again.
This decadence permeates all sectors of the economy and the situation gets bleaker by the day. Yet those on the driver’s seat have the gear in reverse and on full speed. Having summed up the economical, psychological, emotional, physical and spiritual cost of all these on the future of Nigeria and Nigerians the amount is hefty and the only remedy is to give the job to Yahya Bello.
Alhaji Yahya Bello has in-depth understanding of the contemporary problems of Nigeria. His ideas can build solid bridges leading us into the future with sound economic development. He has an analytic mind that is fertile and pregnant with development ideas. He is what Nigeria needs now. Nobody can doubt the political sagacity and international reach of Bello, who has supporters in every nooks and crannies of this country. A founding member of APC, he has the network and political muscle to challenge any Nigerian for any position including the highest office in the land.
The governing APC has a far better chance to stay in presidential villa with Yahya Bello. This is so because of his endowed ability to overcome most complex problems at the snap of a finger; his good leadership qualities that evoke confidence and experience paved way his service in numerous public offices.
Ahmad is the National Coordinator of New Breed Coalition and wrote in from Abuja
