Kogi’s Emperor Emeritus: Yahaya Bello’s Grip on Power Refuses to Die”

“Kogi’s Emperor Emeritus: Yahaya Bello’s Grip on Power Refuses to Die”

The eight years of Yahaya Adoza Bello’s rule over Kogi State (2016–2024) have been described as one of the most turbulent and controversial chapters in the state’s political history. Branded “The White Lion” by loyalists, Bello left behind not just a legacy, but a political empire many argue still holds Kogi in chains.

From his earliest days in office, Bello’s administration was plagued with allegations of massive corruption and an authoritarian dismantling of democratic institutions. The judiciary and legislature pillars of any functioning democracy were widely viewed as extensions of his office, rubber-stamping his directives without question. Observers likened the state to a monarchy disguised as a democracy, with Bello enthroned as supreme ruler.

But what shocked many is how the story didn’t end with his departure from Lugard House in January 2024.

A viral video recently confirmed what critics long suspected: Bello is still calling the shots. In the footage, the former governor is seen addressing lawmakers of the Kogi State House of Assembly not as a retired leader, but as their master. He instructs them to fully “cooperate” with his handpicked successor, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, and to pass all bills without resistance. To punctuate his command, he pulls on his ear an unmistakable gesture that sent a chilling message: his orders remain law.

For many Kogites, this was the clearest sign yet that Bello may no longer wear the crown, but he remains the “Emperor Emeritus” the unseen hand ruling from behind the throne.

The Ododo administration has sparked mixed feelings. While some praise the governor’s early performance, skeptics insist his achievements are simply the result of increased federal allocations, not genuine reform or independent leadership. Others fear Ododo is merely a caretaker in Bello’s shadow, unable to chart his own course for the state.

The result is a democracy in name only. For critics, Kogi is less a state than a kingdom where power doesn’t transition, it endures. Where elections change faces, but not rulers. Where the roar of the White Lion still echoes across the land, drowning out the voice of the people.