Bello Yahaya, the ebullient but raw mannered former governor of Kogi state is on the run. He is running (away) to avoid being arrested or even questioned or being put on trial over his stewardship as the governor of his state. Bello is a typical street urchin in the Nigerian fashion. “Vumm is better than statement,” a local cliche says. This means, running away from the law is better than being caught by the law when you have committed an offence. So, Bello runs away. Bob Marley’s lyrics should have guided him, “Running away,” Marley sang, “running away, but you can’t hide” So Bello running away does not mean he can hide, even as he hiding.
He was aware of his date with the law. He was said to have dipped his hands too deeply into his state’s patrimonial jar of oil and his hands drip of it. He had his fingers and hands soiled when he was entrusted to use them to sow good seeds that will germinate greatness for Kogi state and her people. Bello lived happily and savoured the lures of his office. He personalized the seat and was vaulting in the exercises of the powers. He was said to have been a dictator in a democracy, muzzling everyone and anyone who dared challenge him. He was a man under the law, who wanted to be the law. He operated like the law himself. Dreadful Bello, is now, a run away Bello. A stowaway. How are the mighty fallen, intoned David.
Bello made his running plans. He backed his own political horse, he betted on it, he worked for the victory by insisting on it. His horse, became his successor. His successor, His Excellency, Dodo became his man Friday, his hatchet man. They knew their plans. They wrote the scripts together. They are acting it. Wike would boil with envy. Poor him. Fubara can’t play a Dodo even when two of them looked the same, deceitfully meek.
Kogi state is turned into a huge theatre of absurd. The EFCC, came calling with litany of questions. The commission said it has evidence that Bello took what he was not supposed to take. He overtook many of his former colleagues in the taking sprees. N80 billion naira in sundry takings? He must come and explain how and why the financial roofs under him leaked so loosely and badly the anti graft body mouthed. EFCC wants to ask him for reasons for the leaks. Bello doesn’t want to be asked. Maybe, to him, with him and for him, government money spent in government house is not accountable. He might have been inspired by his kindred spirit governor before, the comical former governor of Kano state, late Barkin Zuwo.
Recall, he had it planned like I said earlier. To prove his loyalty, he had him, his successor, Gov Ododo together with his wife, prostrate before him immediately after Ododo’s inauguration. EFCC did not pick the imports of that theatrics. Gov Ododo must play the yeoman’s game for his master. He must protect him from all aggressions and transgressions from the enemies, within or outside, real or imagined. Though Gov Dodo apparently sworn to protect the constitution little did anyone know that his constitution was the mighty Bello who made it possible for him and protections he must offer him against the nation’s constitution.
Bello Yahaya is a disgrace to the exalted office of the governor. His conducts while in office showed it. His conduct out of office confirmed it. He has fouled the excellency prefixed to his name and he is today as naked and bare as a common felon.
I thank the presidency for insisting on the course of law on this. This is not politics and Bello should not be allowed to ridicule our laws. He should be smoked out from wherever hole he is hiding and made to face the law. Let his trial be accelerated and justice served. Let the same speed of light in Bobrisky’s trial be lit in Bello’s trial.
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