Yahaya Bello: ‘lily-livered’ ‘White Lion’ -By Richard Odusanya

Yahaya Bello is a chicken hiding under the costume of a Lion. ‘Chicken Hearted Man’ pretending to be a Lion. The story of Yahaya Bello is laced with controversies. The phrase “the chickens are coming home to roost” is well-known and often attributed to African American, anti-imperialist, revolutionary leader Malcolm X following the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. This refers, of course, to mean that the wrongs committed by an individual or political entity will likewise have a boomerang effect and come back to punish the wrongdoing party in a similar vein.

First, Yahaya Bello is a PhD holder in criminality and stealing. His atrocities surpassed Godwin Emefiele, who is in the same category as General Sani Abacha and Diezani Alison-Madueke. GYB replicated most of the criminalities of self-styled Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada, a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He ruled as a military dictator and is considered one of the most brutal despots in modern world history.

Secondly, his worldview revolved around multiple concepts: power-mongering, recklessness, and profligacy. GYB epitomizes the essence and character of Adolf Hitler, an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in 1945. Sadly, the likes of Yahaya Bello are a typical example of the reason youths cannot be trusted with power in Nigeria. He crippled the confluence State in a manner that can better be described as a ruthless dictator.

Thirdly, he is; a lily-livered coward, the lawlessness of Yahaya Bello, and his thuggery nature in Kogi state are legendary. He can be best considered a gusto of degenerated mind – stealing with boldness. In this vein, for political sustainability and strategic self-interest, sub-national statecraft should point toward a world consistent with its values. They said they should relinquish power to the youth. Look at what Yahaya Bello did with the opportunity given to him. Suffice it to mention that, he was a bad example of the youths.

Yahaya Bello atrocities have been fully established – now that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the self-styled ‘White Lion’ wanted. EFCC issued the public notice declaring GYB, wanted after he failed to appear for his arraignment on N80 billion money laundering charges scheduled to take place at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday 18th April 2024. EFCC Chairman Mr Ola Olukoyede, narrates how former Governor Yahaya Bello allegedly moved $720,000 from the state government’s account to a BDC and used some of it to pay his child’s school fees in advance. This is separate from the sum of N80,246,470,089.88, fraudulently converted to his personal use.

Lest I forget, the criminalities of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and his Predecessor, Yahaya Bello, Aiding and Abetting. Street Vybz – like the relationship of Euripides with Archelaus is also important as an illustration of the role played by absolute rulers in the creation and dissemination of tragedy. A growing interest in the reception of tragedy by Greeks outside Attica has prompted scholars to reassess previous “Athenocentric” interpretations of tragedy, especially the assumption that fifth-century drama was primarily created by and for Athenian citizens as a political institution within the democracy.

In conclusion, permit me to share with you the profound words of Joseph Marie, comte de Maistre, a French Savoyard philosopher, writer, lawyer, and diplomat. Joseph Marie, philosophically posited: “Man is insatiable for power; he is infantile in his desires and, always discontented with what he has, loves only what he has not. People complain of the despotism of princes; they ought to complain of the despotism of man.”

Finally, empirical evidence shows that corruption is considered one of the main contributors to Africa’s development challenges, but less is known about the determinants of corruption and why the levels of corruption vary between countries. For example, Nigeria is a nation floundering under high-scale corruption, especially among public officeholders. The legacy of corruption is numerous:

¶ Jim Obaze, accused Godwin Emefiele of unlawfully lodging billions of naira in at least 593 bank accounts across the United States, United Kingdom, and China.

¶ Nigeria Air: EFCC arrests ex-aviation minister, Sirika over N8bn fraud

¶ A former Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris stole a whopping #109 billion.

¶ A total sum of N37,170,855,753.44 was allegedly laundered in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs under former minister Sadiya Umar-Farouk/Betta Edu and some other government officials.

¶ Sale Mamman, a former minister of power under former President Buhari, was last month arrested and detained by the commission in connection with an alleged N22 billion fraud related to power projects and many others.

Richard Odusanya
odusanyagold@gmail.com