As the 2026 Bassa-Nge National Youth Conference approaches, it is imperative for both the young and old, highly placed personalities, professionals, traditional leaders and all well-meaning sons and daughters of the Bassa-Nge Kingdom to reflect deeply on the need to come together, close ranks and work collectively for the advancement of our people and the development of our land.
Without mincing words, it is pertinent to state that the Bassa-Nge people of Kogi State have not enjoyed the level of government patronage and infrastructural development that the kingdom deserves. A journey from Shintaku through Gboloko, the headquarters of the kingdom, reveals glaring evidence of underdevelopment and infrastructural deficit.
This is particularly painful considering the calibre of personalities the land has produced—men and women who have occupied strategic and influential positions at both the state and national levels. One cannot therefore help but question why a kingdom blessed with such human resources and political capital has continued to struggle with basic developmental needs
It is against this backdrop that there is an urgent need for the Bassa-Nge people to close ranks and speak with one voice, irrespective of political, religious, social or ideological affiliations.This is where the forthcoming Bassa-Nge National Youth Conference, scheduled for 29th August 2026 in Lokoja, becomes particularly important.
The conference provides a unique opportunity for youths and elders to come together, deliberate on the critical challenges confronting the kingdom and develop practical, realistic and sustainable solutions for attracting meaningful development.The conference must, however, go beyond the celebration of our cultural heritage, fashion and traditions.
While our culture remains an important part of our identity, the gathering should equally serve as a serious platform for intellectual engagement, strategic thinking and collective action.The issues affecting the kingdom must be placed firmly on the table. Roads, education, healthcare, agriculture, youth empowerment, employment, security, political representation, economic opportunities and other areas requiring urgent intervention should receive the attention they deserve.Various speakers and panelists are expected to present papers and engage participants on issues affecting the kingdom.
It is hoped that these deliberations will produce meaningful and substantial resolutions that can translate into concrete actions and ultimately bring smiles to the faces of the indigenous people of Bassa-Nge.The administration of the Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, is doing its bit to improve the lives of the people, but much more still needs to be done in the Bassa-Nge area.
One issue that deserves urgent attention is the Shintaku–Oguma road, which connects communities within the area and links the people to Oguma, the headquarters of Bassa Local Government Area. The deplorable condition of the road is a serious concern, particularly for a people whose major economic activities revolve around agriculture.
The government should consider the reconstruction of this critical road as a matter of priority. Doing so would not only ease the movement of people but also facilitate the transportation of agricultural produce, stimulate economic activities, open up rural communities and increase revenue generation for government.
The people of Bassa Local Government Area have remained grateful to Chief Clarence Olafemi, whose tenure as Acting Governor brought government presence to the area through the construction of the road connecting several communities. Today, however, that road is in dire need of rehabilitation.
Despite the previous administration’s reported award and flag-off of the project, the expected reconstruction did not materialise. The current administration therefore has an opportunity to address this long-standing concern and further strengthen its relationship with the people.
The Bassa-Nge National Youth Conference must therefore not become another jamboree. It should be a defining moment—a platform where elders, youths, men and women can speak candidly, reason together and agree on a common developmental agenda.A house divided against itself cannot stand.The strength of the Bassa-Nge people lies not merely in the number of influential individuals they have produced, but in their ability to unite their voices and channel their collective influence towards the development of their ancestral land.
Political differences will always exist. Religious differences will always exist. Personal interests will always exist. But the development of the kingdom must rise above all of these.The time has come for the Bassa-Nge people spread across Adavi(Zango), Bassa, Lokoja and Ajaokuta Local Government Areas respectively to speak with one voice and attract the much needed attention that will help accelerate the much desired development and transformation to the People spread across the nooks and cranies of Kogi state and beyond.
The time has come to transform influence into development, political connections into tangible projects, intellectual capacity into solutions, and unity into collective progress.The Bassa-Nge National Youth Conference 2026 should be the beginning of a new conversation—and, more importantly, the beginning of collective action for the transformation of the kingdom.29th August 2026. Lokoja.Let us come together. Let us speak with one voice. Let us build Bassa-Nge together.
Godwin Wambebe Ailuka is a Journalist, On Air Personality With Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation(FM 94.1), Member Media And Publicity Committee Of The Conference And Writes From Lokoja