James Bola Fabola

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

Dr James Fabola, a candidate for next year’s election into the National Assembly, has reassured that his reasons for going into politics are not ‘personal’ but born out of a burning desire for rapid socio-economic development of his constituency. He made this known in Lokoja today at a brief interaction with journalists shortly after a pre-campaign consultation with some of his supporters.

Fabola a lawyer and missionary seeks to represent Yagba people of Kogi State in the lower legislative chamber on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. He expressed a strong conviction that people of good will, requisite skills needed to cast more than a passing glance in politics in order to rescue the country from “professional and selfish politicians who enthrone bad leadership.”

“My mission in politics is not about me. I remain grateful for God’s provisions to me. But, the truth is no one can claim to be rich in the midst of acute poverty, hunger, unemployment and grossly inadequate infrastructure. If the vast poor turn their anger on society, certainly the rich will not survive it. So, we all have a duty to be our brothers’ keeper and work on how to improve the standard of living for every one. There is a limit to what even good individuals can do. I believe they can do better when voted into public office. All well meaning and patriotic people must join in the search for good leadership for our country and that is why I have offered my self.” Fabola opined.

He noted further that the challenges confronting Yagba Federal Constituency in particular and Nigeria in general demand critical, deliberate steps and new thinking “which must reflect a profound understanding of the very great task ahead of us as a nation and as a people. The liberation of the African continent at the moment would require a determined leadership consideration of virtues such as strength of character, intellectual depth as well as dedication and commitment of the personages involved.”

“Giving crisis of development that has bedeviled African continent over the years, genuine people imbued with vision, courage, firmness, clarity of purpose, compassionate spirit, credibility, patriotism, articulate, a strong drive for positive action, optimism, modesty, humility and dynamism are a necessity.”

Fabola hails from a humble background. He was born to a polygamous home in Ponyan, Yagba East Local Government in 1956. His parents instilled in him a sense of brotherhood, peace, hard work and strong Christian values. In 1962 he was enrolled at ECWA Primary School Ponyan, where he finished in 1968. Thereafter, he proceeded to Oke-Oyi Secondary school, Ponyan where he obtained his WASSCE in 1974. His quest for knowledge took him to the school of Basic Studies, Kwara State College of Technology now Kwara Polytechnic, Ilorin, for his GCE A/Level Cambridge Moderated in 1978. He further went to study Law at the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University,Ile-Ife between 1978- 1981 where he was awarded Bachelor of Law degree. He was later called to bar in 1982 on the completion of his one year study programme at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos where he obtained his Barrister-at-Law Certificate with Second Class Upper Division.

Fabola did his compulsory one year National Youth Service (NYSC), between 1982 and 1983 where he served as Legal Adviser to the Nigeria Police Force, Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Kano and was recommended for Merit Award. Fabola holds a Master Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He was also awarded a honorary Doctorate in Divinity in 2009 by the frontline ECWA Theological Seminary, Gbaja. He began his working career as a lecturer in 1983 at Kano State Polytechnic, Kano. He later went into private legal practice and has substantial business concerns in the vast areas of mining, agriculture and commerce.

Fabola has contributed immensely to the growth and development of Kogi State in particular and humanity in general through his unparalleled good leadership qualities and supports to the educational development of youths and his numerous support to the widows and the needy in society.

“In recent years, I have been examining the cause of our recurring national problem and the quality and character of democratic leadership needed for evolving a national agenda based on a new political and social re-engineering for addressing them. I believe that my experience as a private sector operator and public officer of more than 25years, the fact that I have worked and lived in all parts of this country, my deep knowledge and understanding of the intricacies of our federal society and learned profession have sufficiently placed me in a vantage position to provide desirable democratic representation and leadership for the good people of Yagba Federal Constituency.” He concluded