Bello And Onoja L, An Uncommon Tie -By Abdullahi O. Haruna

Edward Onoja is the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi, he is Igala and a Christian and inarguably the most trusted and closest aide of Mr Bello. Feelers have it that they only time they are ever apart is when they retire to bed. What would have made a Muslim man found such intimate refuge and friendship in the embrace of a Christian man of different tribe at a time religion and ethnicity define our body existence?

Writing from unconventional lane, I may be forced to say that loyalty and trust played a prominent role in the closely-knitted friendship of this duo. When a stranger manifests real love, he takes the place of a brother. That Mr Onoja has remained a constant decimal in the aspirations of Yahya Bello is a pointer to my assertion that whoever sticks to the rod of consistency in character and loyalty is a friend for life.

Story had it that only Edward believed and nudged Bello to try his luck in the murky waters of Kogi politics. Even with obvious measurable signs that winning a Guber seat in Kogi by almost a political greenhorn like Bello was akin to the proverbial stunt of the camel passing through the eyes of the needle. But one man defined by obstinate conviction believed otherwise and pushed his friend to run for the office of the governor Kogi state. Indeed Bello ran and failed in the APC primaries but by sheer providence, the pendulum changed and Mr Yahaya Bello became the governor of Kogi after the untimely and devastating demise of Prince Abubakar Audu.

When you have a friend who believes in your existence, you can go far in your earthly voyage. Edward believed in his friend, pushed him on to the impossibilities and today he is a governor no thanks to the belief of a friend. May you have friends like Onoja who chose friendship over primordial limits.

On a personal note, I got my first shock from him when I met him for the first time at the Nicon Luxury Abuja. Sitting in a car, oblivious of the happenings in the world was Edward, I had passed the car he was in when I turned to behold a figure that sent a recognizable wave in my head. Then ,it registered on me. This must be Edward Onoja, the dude that has been described in many ways by different people. The general notion was that he was a proud man. I retraced and tapped on his car and he jolted to reality, gently opening the car door and standing in full to acknowledge my greeting. I told him, I am the publisher of the World Entourage Magazine , a kogite and one of the critics of your government’. He laughed and uttered, ‘My brother, its criticisms like yours that helps shape our policies, any government that is surrounded with praises is a government doomed for failure’. That encounter changed my erroneous and hasty perception of this Olamaboro scion, that never in your life use the ratings from others judge someone you don’t know. The humility of alighting from his car to greet a mere me so awe me that I instantly connected to the man called Edward. And since then, it has been a mutual friendship defined on the wavelength of respect and mutuality.

Today is his birthday, let me join to pop the wine for a man who broke the barriers of ethnicity and religion in friendship.

Impressively musing

Abdullahi O. Haruna Haruspice