News Analysis.
Photo by KGSG Press Release.
Once soaked in the blood of political violence, Kogi Central is rewriting its story,not with weapons, but with wisdom.
The recent peace and empowerment initiative by the Kogi Central Youths (KCY) has stirred a deep sense of reflection and renewed hope for a generation that once paid the price for power games they never benefitted from.
In a symbolic gathering titled “Peace After Pain,” the KCY management honoured the memories of youths who were used and discarded by desperate politicians during the violent political era of the early 2000s. Back then, the district became a hotbed for thuggery and unrest. Young people, full of promise, were turned into political mercenaries. Many died, others were maimed, and their hope left shattered.
But today, the tides are turning.
The dark past has given way to a promising present, thanks to sustained peacebuilding efforts initiated by former Governor Yahaya Bello and now continued by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. Former political foot soldiers have turned peace advocates. The same streets that echoed with gunshots now resonate with the hum of empowerment,skills training, youth programmes, and strategic investments in human capital.
At the heart of the KCY event was a powerful gesture: 114 families of slain youths received N100,000 each in support, and 171 resilient youths,three from each of the 57 wards,were given N50,000 to help restart their lives. Moreover, one youth per ward received an industrial sewing machine to promote skills acquisition and self-reliance, while each local government area was awarded N1 million to drive youth-focused initiatives.
These gestures are not just acts of charity,they are statements of transformation. They say, “We remember. We forgive. And we are rebuilding.”
But more importantly, this moment offers a cautionary tale to the youth of Kogi and Nigeria at large: never again should they be pawns in another man’s political chess game.
Alhaji Kashim Ododo, Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs, in his key note address at the occasion,struck a resounding chord when he told the youths, “You were once tools of destruction, but today, you are builders of peace.” His message was clear,”let no one exploit your poverty, your passion, or your pain for political gain.”
Echoing this, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, hailed the turnaround in the district and described the development as “destiny-fulfilling.”
He affirmed that youth empowerment is not just a tick-box for the government,but also a deliberate strategy to entrench peace, stability, and progress in Kogi State.
The Chairman of KCY, Ahmed Adams (Orio), captured the new spirit of Kogi Central in a single sentence: “We are no longer victims,we are visionaries.” His call to youths to remain law-abiding, focused, and united speaks to the soul of a district once broken, now reborn.
But for this change to endure, it must come with a new mindset: No election is worth dying for. No politician is worth killing for.
The days of being bribed with small money and weapons to destroy your own community must end. Real power lies in the ballot, in education, in skills, and in unity. If politicians truly care, let them invest in your future,not in your funeral.
The KCY initiative is a model for other districts in the state still grappling with politically induced violence. It shows what is possible when leadership is visionary, and when youths decide they deserve better.
Kogi Central has risen from the ashes of a violent past. Now it must guard its peace like gold. And the youth? They must never again trade their destiny for a politician’s ambition.
Source:KGSG Press Release and analysis by Dada Ahmed.
