By Oyez Olatunde Rex
‘’Dino Melaye is a child who lacks home training’’ –Gov. Yahaya Bello
‘’Gov. Bello is a compound fool on cheap drugs’’ – Senator Dino Melaye.
These quoted words are from the two main personae holding sway and fiercely struggling for supremacy in Kogi state political space. Let the discerning minds come with me as I try to critically look at their antecedents in the last few weeks.
Does anything reflect Excellency in the utterances above of His Excellency, Gov. Bello? Or, what is distinguishing or honourable in describing a serving governor with the words credited to the distinguished senator Dino Melaye?
I am not writing for the benefit of the rabid and fanatical supporters of these two folks who have continued to bring everything negative but development to the state. I just want the world to see and know of the sham, shame and shambles which kogi state has become.
Just how true is it that a society gets the kind of leadership it deserves? What, I asked myself, made my state deserve to be led by these two unscrupulous megalomaniacs? Why did my people become so blinded by partisanship and financial inducements that we still help these folks to ruin our land and needlessly get our youths killed? Spiritually speaking, is our land so sinful that God has sent these two demons to punish us? It is unusual of my stories to dwell on personalities. This week however, I am mad at Gov. Bello and Senator Dino Melaye. They have sacrificed the peace of our state; they have soiled their various exalted offices; they have exposed my state to ridicule; most saddening of it all, they have allowed youthful blood to be shed on the altar of their ambitions. This, for me is beyond sacrilege.
I won’t go again into the well read stories of how the governor has allegedly put state funds in to the useless venture of recalling Senator Melaye, or infact, how Senator Melaye left the enormous task of legislation at the National assembly to address a student protest rally in his support. These two organic actions of theirs which culminated to the loss of lives sickens me to report here again. Worrisome however, is the insensitive and callous statement of governor Bello to the press that the state is peaceful. In his, estimation, a state where gun duels and blood shed occurred like a Hollywood movie can be said to be peaceful!
In all these, the people are paying the price for their macabre dance of shame. Some of our youths have died untimely; lots of civil servants have died from avoidable and unforgiveable situations of lack of funds for medical bills. There are undeniable cries from majority of civil servants who still haven’t been paid their monthly wages for over twelve (12) months. The situation becomes more annoying when one takes the pain to peek into the expenditures of government in Kogi state. I have reported in one of my past stories how the ministry of environment budgeted N30Million for sensitization and awareness of our unpaid and hungry, dying people. It’s not at the MENR alone, the office of the secretary to the state government, renovations and furnishings has actuals budget of N10.098Million in 2016 and yet budgeted N120million for same this year 2017. These things bother me! Yes, maintenance and renovations are in place, but in the face of no salaries, hunger, and death? I really think there is a need for our people to ask questions. An American friend of mine, a financial expert and writer pointed some of these to me. She wondered why my people have been silent in the face of the rape of our dear state. She seem to know more of the issues that matter about our state than most of our folks. She asked me how many times I had met Senator Dino Melaye at a constituency meeting where he gives us account of his stewardship at the senate. I honestly could not remember any meeting of such nature. These folks are simply just taking us for granted.
Sadly, I grudgingly agreed that we actually deserve these set of leaders we have. We allow our children, our youths, ourselves to be used to forment trouble in the name of political rivalry, we become willing accomplices in electoral heists and rigging in different forms. The elites sit at home mostly on election days following television coverage of election activities. Now, we have been brought to a situation which must make us rise to our civic responsibilities. We all should vote and defend our votes. We all should insist on our representatives giving account of their stewardship. Let us take on our house of assembly, house of Rep and Senate representatives. If we don’t do these things, the clear truth is THINGS WILL GET WORSE.
Kogi state can be great again. If there be any trait of decency, honesty and humanity in Governor Bello and Senator Dino Melaye, let both of them sheath their swords now, pay salaries and see what more can be salvaged with the remaining two years they have in office. Power is transient!
