Kogi masterclass: Ododo collaborates with FG to renew Nigerians’ hope
BY BABAJIDE FADOJU
The renewed hope ambassadors and members of the presidential communications team, on the latest leg of their national media tour, have painted a vivid picture of a state being transformed by deliberate policy and sustained investment.
Kogi state, often described as the gateway connecting northern and southern Nigeria, is emerging as a powerful testament to what can happen when a focused federal agenda meets a committed state government.
The scale of infrastructure witnessed in the education and healthcare sectors during the inspection tour is no coincidence. It is the direct result of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, which have expanded the fiscal space available to states to undertake projects that were previously considered impossible.
At the heart of this transformation is the recognition that effective governance requires continuity and partnership.
Sunday Dare, special adviser to the president on media and public communication and leader of the delegation, captured this perfectly when he noted the benefits of continuity between the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello and the efforts of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
This spirit of continuity, where projects are sustained beyond political cycles, is the bedrock of genuine development.
“When you look at the cardinal points of the eight-point agenda of the president, education stands in a prominent position. There is no better testimony to what we have seen at the Confluence University of Science and Technology,” Dare said, emphasising the importance of science and technology to the 21st-century economy.
The Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, stands as a monument to this collaboration.
The federal government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has invested more than N2.3 billion in the construction of the Faculty of Science Complex, Faculty of Environmental Sciences Complex, Faculty of Management and Social Sciences Complex, and Faculty of Anatomy.
This investment is complemented by the state government’s construction of the Faculty of Engineering and the College of Medical Sciences, as well as critical infrastructure such as the 33kVA transmission line supplying electricity to the university and surrounding communities.
The 2025 TETFund Special Intervention under the Renewed Hope Initiative further demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to expanding access to education through the construction of a female hostel, ensuring that the next generation of Nigerian scientists and engineers has a conducive learning environment.
Beyond the university, the Renewed Hope Agenda is touching lives at every level.
The GYB Model Science Secondary School in Nagazi, a Kogi State Mega School initiative commissioned by Governor Ododo, is a beacon of hope for more than 1,700 students. The school provides STEM education through 18 modern classrooms, fully equipped laboratories and a 326-seat computer-based test (CBT) centre.
The Barefoot Renewable Energy College and the Green Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Pilot Plant at CUSTECH represent strategic investments in clean energy innovation. They are equipping young Nigerians with practical skills to install, operate and maintain renewable energy systems.
As Otega Ogra, senior special assistant to the president on digital engagement, noted, “The college is the second globally, after the one in India. The hydrogen plant is the second in Africa.”
The transformation of Kogi’s road infrastructure is equally compelling.
The Abuja-Lokoja highway, which deteriorated after years of neglect by previous administrations, has now been prioritised for completion by President Tinubu.
Salami Ozigi Dedaat, Kogi commissioner for works, confirmed that the project has been divided into five sections, with each awarded to a different contractor to accelerate delivery.
The strategic approach is yielding results, with construction progressing steadily on a project being treated as a new undertaking.
The Lokoja-Benin highway, one of Nigeria’s busiest transport corridors, is also undergoing dualisation with reinforced concrete pavement designed to last between 50 and 100 years. The Obajana junction flyover is another key component of the investment in national connectivity.
The dividends of this federal-state partnership extend to healthcare. The CUSTECH Teaching Hospital in Okene is equipped with advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities, including an MRI scanner, CT scanner and hyperbaric oxygen chamber.
Kogi State University, Kabba, has also recorded significant development in just two years, while the Mopa Primary Health Centre and the erosion control project in Kabba under the agro-climatic resilience in semi-arid landscapes initiative demonstrate the government’s commitment to reaching even the last mile.
The renewed hope agenda in Kogi state is not a distant promise; it is a present reality. It is a powerful demonstration that when political will meets strategic partnership, the dividends of democracy can reach communities across the state, strengthening the nation and laying the foundation for a more prosperous future.
