Ododo, The Chief Servant Who Bows to Listen

Politics Jun 5, 2025 1294 Add to Reading List

By Blessing Ele

The Chief Servant Who Bows to Listen

This is my Governor, the people’s Chief Servant, paying homage to His Royal Majesty Matthew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa, the Attah Igala, Chief Custodian of the Igala sacred tradition and President of the Kogi Council of Chiefs. My King.

It was during his visit to Idah Kingdom to commission the 7.1KM Idah township road, part of the 100KM KOGROMA Road Rehabilitation Project currently ongoing across 8 LGAs, including Yagba West, Omala, Ijumu, and others. Another campaign promise delivered.

Now to the juice of this article…

Where I come from, one of the finest ways to recognize a true leader is how he carries power, with respect and restraint. And no one embodies that like Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. He bows to listen to the pain of his people. He respects tradition. But more than that, he acts to proffer solutions, taking Kogi from where he met it to where it ought to be.

From the way he has carried the civil service along, you can tell he understands the soul of government. Since becoming Governor, there have been no strikes. No lamentations. No arrears. In Kogi today, salary day is a day of joy, not prayer and fasting. In fact, civil servants nicknamed him “Mr. Salary” for prompt payment.

And look at education. Students in Kogi public schools enjoy free basic education from JSS1 to SS3. Common Entrance, WAEC, and JAMB registration are covered by the State as well. And beyond that, bursaries have been revived to support students where it matters most. Ododo is making it abundantly clear that under his leadership, no child will be left behind as a result of financial constraints. Call it strategic investment in human capital development and you'd be absolutely right.

Even the Health Insurance Scheme for students and the elderly, not many states in Nigeria are doing it. Students, the elderly and pensioners in Kogi State enjoy low to free health insurance And yet, you won’t see him trumpet it. The Chief Servant lets his results speak.

No drama. No gimmicks. Just delivery.

Ododo may not be perfect. But he’s present. Present in action. Present in empathy. Present in tradition. Present in governance. And if Kogi must catch up with the best, we need this kind of consistency, this kind of courage.

So if you’re still trying to measure him by old politics, adjust your lens. What we have here is a man who is building with the discipline of a servant, but the clarity of a master.