* Commissions projects*.
I’m not a cynic. Far from it. I’m a very positive man. I always scrutinized messages before propagation. However, I became cynical, not because of the message, but the messenger. Two months ago, I was told that Hon. Umar Yahaya will commission projects in Omala. Cynical not of his capacity to execute projects, but a project that will attract the Chief Servant of kogi state to attend the commissioning.
That Night, my sleep was abrogated. There were strikes in my brain. Could it be real or the usual antics of politicians. My brain runs from India to Bagana trying to fathom its reliability. I have been in this nightmare until Saturday.
However, when Saturday came like a flood ,my cynicism vanished with immediate alacrity.
Yes, Omala has always been blessed with Representatives of repute. However, what I saw on Saturday, amazes me. An amazon has landed in Omala. Before Umar Farouk Yahaya on the saddle of Omala state constituency, his predecessors have done great. But Umar’s exceptional love for his people is gargantuan. Methinks, wisdom resides only with Methuselah. He has demonstrated that Omala has reservoir of young people who are proud to raise their people from multi dimensional poverty.
Umar has raised the bar in representative governance. He has attested to the axiom that ” When there is a will there is a way’. He has proved my cynicism wrong. Just barely three years in the Chamber, he has carefully itemized most pressing needs of his people. He has not only itemized, but mobilized resources – only God knows where he could have that kind of homologous fund to ease pains of his people at a time when his classmates in the Chamber complain of visiting their constituencies. His magnanimity was not because the scarce fund is flowing on the streets for him to pack. It is from the deep heart for his people. He has shown that even during drought, grapes can be harvested. He has validated the choice the people of Omala had made of him. The Omala people irrespective of political affiliation, creed, age, gender stood like Iroko tree for him. Although, he was relatively young , his stellar quality was evergreen. No wonder, for hindsight, Omala across 147 polling Units in Eleven Wards sang his song on his election day, second to none in the history of elections in Omala.
Coming back to the historic commissioning, which drew the Chief Servant, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to Omala, although represented by his deputy, Comrade Joel Salifu Oyibo, the people kept holding their fingers with their teeth. The people jabs, yell and dance ecstatically to the tune of the moment. From the cutting of the tape to herald the testimony of his milk of kindness to the actual presentation of multi million naira Bus to the Lokoja branch of Ife Development Association IDA, a promise he has kept, the donation of Motorbikes ,to the opening of the doors of a police station at Ibado- Akpacha, -to strengthening Security architecture – to Mother and Child ultra modern clinic at Ogodu and a tap gushing out water at Bagaji – Odo, it was marvelous and awesome sight to behold. This is not just a project, but , people centric award that will continue to ink in the lives of his people.
This is not politics, but validation of his inner person. It is his contact with destiny. He brought security, Health , water and transport , the ingredients that support lives for a long distance journey . As many people were ensconce to have the glimpse of his kindness, I overheard them saying, his journey of life to the top has just begun.
As we wait for the next stanza of his political journey, the milk will continue to flow to the people. As a popular saying that one good turn deserves another even higher, a song that is expected to be on the lips of Omalites both at home and in the diaspora
