Kogi State is the famous junction of Nigeria — the crossroads where the North shakes hands with the South, where goods, culture, ideas, and occasionally political confusion pass through. It is the only state in Nigeria where you can stand in one spot and practically wave at three geopolitical zones. A gold mine of geography, a strategic gift from God… and yet, somehow, eternally governed like a neglected roundabout.
Enter Governor Usman Ododo.
A man whose first major achievement in office — by his own mouth — was hosting a VIP. Not fixing agriculture. Not reviving industries. Not leveraging Kogi’s unique location as the heartbeat junction of Nigeria’s highways. No. The governor’s proud start to governance was playing hotel concierge.
At this point, you must applaud his honesty. Too many politicians boast about imaginary achievements; Ododo went straight for the one thing no one could dispute: “Dem come visit me.”
The Agricultural Gold Turning to Rust
Kogi’s agricultural potential is not a secret. The state should be a bustling food hub feeding half of the federation. Cocoa, cashew, cassava, fishery, rice — all sitting there, aging like museum artifacts. While other states are forming agricultural revolutions, Kogi’s farms look like they’re patiently waiting for reincarnation.
You would think a governor with such advantages would grab this with both hands — unless, of course, he needs both hands to keep shielding his predecessor.
The Yahaya Bello Continuity Project
Because let’s be honest: Kogi has not recovered from the Yahaya Bello era, and Governor Ododo is not even pretending to sever the umbilical cord. He is the political firstborn son whose job description seems to be: “Protect Daddy.”
When Yahaya Bello had his now-famous dance with the EFCC, it was Ododo who stretched out his hands like a spiritual usher, shielding him from enforcement like a VIP guest trying to leave an event unnoticed. In those moments, Kogites looked at their governor and wondered if they accidentally voted in a personal assistant.
And so far, Ododo is governing like someone who is still under internship.
Achievements? Still Loading…
Governors usually love commissioning projects — even if it’s just repainting a roundabout or erecting a streetlight that works only on inauguration day.
But in Kogi, the achievements list is so thin you can fold it into a bookmark.
No major agricultural revival.
No infrastructural surge.
No new investments taking advantage of the state’s central location.
No social welfare leaps.
Just… silence. And VIP hosting.
Even Ododo’s actual contributions — if any exist — are wrapped in secrecy thicker than federal budget padding. Kogites keep waiting for evidence that they elected a governor, not a custodian of political loyalty.
Kogi Deserves More
The sad part is that Kogi is a state with real potential. A state that should be thriving — not simply surviving. A state strategically located at the very heart of Nigeria, yet governed like an afterthought.
Governor Ododo still has time to rewrite the trajectory of his administration. But at the moment, his tenure reads like an extended epilogue to Yahaya Bello’s rule — a continuation nobody asked for.
Until we see tangible development, measurable progress, or at least one original idea, the question remains the same:
Of what use has Governor Ododo been to Kogi State?
Right now, the answer echoes like an empty hall:
“Still pending.”
Centre for Nigeria Progress 