By Emeka Obasi

I lost interest in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) the moment Danladi Umar displayed the attributes of Street Urchins at an Abuja plaza in in 2021. Now, my attention is back following the style of Dr. Mainasara Ibrahim Umar Kogo, the groundnut eating Chairman.

Kogo succeeded Danladi after President Bola Tinubu nominated him in July  2024. It took the National Judicial Council (NJC) nearly a year to do the normal recommendations before the jurist was sworn in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere – Ekun.

Since the nation abandoned Agriculture for oil, our economy has been a huge field of corruption. It was the visionary Premier of the Northern Region, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello who relied on groundnuts to develop the upper divide. When anyone mentions Groundnut Pyramids, that is just to remind us of the glorious past.

Do not get me wrong. Kogo is not idling away in his office eating groundnuts. Far from it. The man is quite different from the rest of the pack. I stumbled on him through an interview sent to me by veteran journalist and kinky reggae entertainer, Sunny Nwosu. And I have been wondering why such men are not found in Government Houses across the country.

Kogo said: “I live a modest life, I don’t want to be rich. I am the only one in my position today, without a car (official) or house.” This sounds like a fairy tale in Fourth Republic Nigeria, where snakes swallow Ghana Must Go bags of our our hard earned resources.

The CCT Chairman did not meet any bullet proof official vehicle when he assumed office. He relied on taxi to access the office from his  Garki village residence. Some of his subordinate high office holders were not better off. Commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada ferried them to work.

It was like the CCT headquarters was stripped bare as Danladi exited to face corruption charges. Those who lack physical energy would have found it difficult to call on Kogo because the elevator to his office was vandalised and the engine stolen. Visitors had to do mountain climbing exercise.

Credit to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike who came to the rescue. The Chairman’s official quarters was restored and a new Certificate of Occupancy issued after the old one was revoked, to punish the buyers. The looting was so bad that doors, windows and even toilet seats disappeared.

Danladi, the immediate past Chairman of the CCT, hails from Bauchi. He made the world see him as a crime free boss. However, under his nose, the North East zonal headquarters was sold. Two houses in highbrow Asokoro, Abuja  and another in Zone Five were auctioned.

This partly explains why the University of Maiduguri trained lawyer is in the bad books of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over about 16 million naira that boosted Danladi’s account while he threatened a security guard over parking space in an Abuja shopping mall.

The irony is that the same Danladi who acted Rambo by picking on Tinubu, Senate President Nikola Saraki and Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, was not free from sleaze. The CCT Chairman who almost turned to street fighting was not better than those he condemned in his court.

The difference between Kogo and Danladi is clear. While the former goes about without security details, the former relied on his crowd of security operatives to oppress shoppers and civilian security guards. Kogo discharged all those detailed to protect him because his office does not have enough funds to pay for their services.

And that is a big risk. We all remember how his predecessor was attacked in Nasarawa. What saved Danladi at the time was the presence of Department of State Services and Police operatives, attached to his convoy. Kogo does not have that luxury now.

Anyway, the man is not afraid. And that brings me back to his groundnuts story. “Every night around 9 o’ clock, you will find me lying down on my bed listening to radio, eating groundnuts. Even in my office, you’ll see me peeling and eating boiled groundnuts,” Kogo added. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa… *****Continue reading @Saturday Vanguard