That Yahaya Bello Award
By Achike Chude
Last Saturday, precisely the 21st of June 2025, the Nigeria Union of Journalists celebrated a landmark occasion as one of the country’s most cherished pre – and post independent organizations. The union celebrated 70 years of solid history. It was a celebration replete with the pomp and pageantry, gaiety, and joy that are the usual hallmarks of such momentous occasions. The celebrating media was well alive and firmly enscounced at the Yar Adua Conference Center Abuja, as many of them broadcast live over multiple media networks.
You could tell that the media was buoyed and motivated by the thrills of the moment and naturally pulled out all the stops. Nothing that was worthwhile was left undone. The special purpose committee set up to organize the event simply outdid themselves. They were superb in the planning, which was almost flawless. All past and living presidents and national secretaries of the union were invited. It was their day, and nothing was going to stop them from reveling in the monumental achievements of Nigeria’s men and women of the pen.
Everything that could be done was done. The introductions were made as the presence of ‘powerful’ men and women of the past and present were announced to cheer and muted applause. Speeches were read, a book was launched, advice was handed out, admonitions were given, and hope was rekindled.
Then it was time for the awards – to deserving citizens, of course! The awardees came up one by one as they were called up to the stage to bask in the glory and adoration of the audience and their admirers.
And that was it! Seventy years of history had just been encapsulated in a five hour recap. That was surely it! Everyone could now go home and reminisce in the afterglow of a well organized, well orchestrated celebration.
And they did go home to do just that.
And that was when the dam broke. Soon after, Nigerians from across geopolitical zones, professions, and affiliations began to have their say. It was like the stories we were told by our parents and elders while growing up: human beings do their buying and selling in the market place and depart at dusk only to be replaced in the ungodly hours of the night. That is when the spirits, who must also eat, come out to do their own buying and selling in the same market and depart before the light of day. The NUJ had done its bit. Now, the people would have their say. And why would they not? They have the constitutional rights to express their opinion.
And what a say they have had.
They had neither problem with the event nor the organization nor the speeches. They did not have a problem with the awards and awardees except for one – Yaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State, young, brash, incendiary, controversial and constantly hounded by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for all manners of corruption and corruption related activities.
Soon enough, the same day of the event, the story was circulating on social media that the NUJ had given an award to Yaya Bello, now seen as the ‘enfant terrible ‘ of Nigerian politics. The condemnations were strindent and came from everywhere. A friend queried me from the United States, and others as a group expressed serious disappointment in the NUJ and argued that it undermined the credibility of the Union.
The anger of Nigerians over the Yaya Bello saga is understandable. Nigerians are not very much in love with their politicians , who blame for much of the country’s myriads of socio-economic contradictions that have churned out poverty-stricken Nigerians in their tens of millions. Yaya Bello is seen as a signpost of these problems. If it were left to Nigerians, the former governor of Kwara State is not deserving of such an award based on the countless controversies that have trailed him up till this point.
But it is not just about Nigerians alone. It is also about the institutions of the state, the executive, and the judiciary that have yet to finalize his prosecution so that he can either be found guilty or innocent of the various charges leveled against him.
I am not sure that the award given to Yaya Bello had anything to do with his politics and performance as governor. If it were so, it would be a more grievious indictment of the awarding institution. The award it would appear was given to Yaya Bello for his contribution to journalism. The record with the NUJ is that he helped train 200 journalists every single year, and his government also organised competitions that helped to financially empower some journalists in the process. No governor is this country has been able to replicate that. To ask the NUJ not to show gratitude would be an act of ingratitude.
Still, this award leaves a sour taste in the mouth of Nigerians. Surely, the court of public opinion is ultimately more important than the judgment of the men and women in black robes who sit behind huge desks to deliver judgements on their fellow mortals. The NUJ must be much more circumspect in dishing out awards. This is not to say that the union must always have an adversarial posture when engaging with politicians. Nothing in the law or ethics of the profession says that the union should not shake hands with government officials. It’s just that when they do, the handshake must not go beyond the elbows.
Politicians, government officials, and the so-called big men and women must learn something about time and social dynamics. Society does not always evolve on their own terms. Everything has its own time and place. No man living is in control of all the variables of life.
Perhaps Yaya Bello is innocent of all the corruption charges against him, but we have often been told that perception is reality. In the perception of Nigerians (most), Yaya Bello is as guilty as sin.
Achike Chude
