Stakeholders blame bad leadership, corruption for Kogi State underdevelopment

Stakeholders have blamed bad leadership, docile followership, system that encourages corruption as some of the reasons why Kogi State has failed to develop like its counterparts created in 1991.

Our Roving National Correspondent reports that the stakeholders made the observation during a Public Lecture organized by the Nigeria Post Newspaper to commemorate Kogi State 25^th year anniversary.

Speaking at the lecture, the Majority Leader of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Mathew Kolawole, who chaired the anniversary celebration, raised concern on the level of sentiment which has negated the development of the state.

Hon. Kolawole called for collective effort to move the state forward, stating that irrespective of religious, party ideology and tribe, a better Kogi State should be the common goal.

The State Lawmaker also acknowledged the huge potential of Kogi State and called on all Kogites to join hands with the present government to move the confluence state forward.

The Guest Speaker at the lecture, who is also a Senior Lecturer of Kogi State Polytechnic, Dr. Joel T. E, while presenting a paper titled, “Kogi State at 25, this house must not fall regardless of the challenges of state in a depressed economy," noted that government is continuous, hence it must be supported, encouraged and not vilified nor condemned.

According to him, “Kogi State in 25 years has evolved into a very busy commercial centre, adding that all over the 21 local government areas in the State businesses are thriving, only but slowly." He noted that the challenges facing the state, has its roots, in the challenges facing Nigeria.

He averred that Nigeria has been "tattered", to the international capitalist order, that is imperialistic and self serving. The depression of Nigeria, economy can be situated in this disproportionate or original relationship that encourages prebendalism (sic) and clienthism.

Dr. Joel stated that unemployment, kidnapping, armed robbery, tribalism, nepotism, embezzlement of public funds and padding of salaries as some of the challenges facing Kogi State.

He opined that the State is faced with the challenge of dealing with international conspiracy, unemployment, rising crime rate and dwindling national resources.

The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello who was represented by his Special Adviser, Media Communication and Strategy, Abdulkareem Abdulmalik enjoined Kogites to be patient amidst the current economic hardship.

In the same vein, Publisher of the Nigeria Post Newspaper, Mike Abu while expressing optimism on the new direction of the present government, also stressed on unity for development to strive in the state.

It would be recalled that Kogi State was created in 1991 by the General Ibrahim Babangida military administration. The state was carved out of the old Kwara and Benue States.

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