Indigenes of Bassa-Nge Kingdom in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State have renewed calls for urgent infrastructural development, urging the federal and Kogi State governments to address decades-long neglect that has hindered the area’s economic and social growth.
The community specifically appealed for the reconstruction of the Shintaku–Gboloko–Oguma road, describing it as a critical artery that has remained in a deplorable condition for years, crippling trade, mobility and access to basic services.
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According to a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES, the call was made on Friday in Gboloko, the headquarters of Bassa-Nge Kingdom, during the formal launch and unveiling of the interim executive committee of the Bassa-Nge Progressive Union (BNPU).
The event also coincided with the 40th-day prayers in honour of the late paramount ruler of the kingdom, Abu Ali.
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Community leaders said sustained poor leadership and lack of cohesion had contributed to the slow pace of development in the kingdom, stressing that unity among sons and daughters of Bassa-Nge, both at home and in the diaspora, was essential to reversing the trend.
Unveiling the union, the Makama-Daniya of Bassa-Nge Kingdom and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, M.B. Abdullahi, described the occasion as a turning point in the quest for structured development in the area.
“We have gathered not only to celebrate unity, but to lay a solid foundation for progress, accountability and purposeful leadership that will accelerate development in our land,” Mr Abdullahi said.
He explained that the interim executive committee was carefully constituted to provide direction, stabilise the union’s structures and manage its affairs during a six-month transition period.
He urged the Bassa-Nge indigenes to give the team their full support, enabling it to deliver on its mandate.
Several paper presentations were delivered in honour of the late monarch, whom speakers described as a unifying figure committed to the progress of the kingdom throughout his lifetime.
In a presentation titled Strategic importance of Bassa-Nge Progressive Union as a tool for social and political emancipation of our people, Abdulmumini Umar said the success of the union depended on progressive leadership, unity and inclusiveness.
He warned that poor leadership and socio-cultural imbalance could pose serious risks, adding that deliberate efforts must be made to ensure adequate representation of the Bassa-Nge people in local, state, and federal governments, in order to attract infrastructure and development projects to the area.
“They must ensure that Bassa Nge children are adequately represented in local, state and federal government to enhance infrastructural development of our people,” he said.
Also speaking, the Kakaki of Bassa-Nge, Jacob Edi, said the union had developed a long-term strategic development plan spanning 200 years, expressing confidence that visible changes would begin to emerge in the coming years.
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“The birth of the union was to harmonise all previously contending forces and forge a common front. This, we believe, will accelerate development in the kingdom,” Mr Edi said. “Our late Chief has always advocated a platform that can champion the course of the land and that is what we are having today”
Other presentations focused on the legacy of the late Etsu of Bassa-Nge Kingdom and strategies for unlocking the economic potential of the area amid leadership challenges.
In his acceptance speech, the interim President of the union, Yahaya Ndako, pledged that the leadership would prioritise development and accountability.
“We cannot afford to fail our people,” he said, promising to work with his team to mobilise support and partnerships that would translate the community’s aspirations into tangible infrastructural and economic gains.
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