Edward David Onoja, the former deputy governor of Kogi State, has said that he has forgiven his former boss, Yahaya Bello, for actions that damaged their political relationship. However, he made it clear that restoring broken trust remains a difficult challenge.
Speaking openly during an interview on the MiC On Podcast on Saturday night, Onoja explained that although both men served together until the end of their term, he deliberately chose to create some distance after leaving office.
“We served together till the last day, everybody exited and followed the path that God has created for them. I am not serving under him (Bello). It won’t be a daily affair for us to be relating, and we just felt there should be space. Like I said, I isolated myself for a very good period of time,” he said.
When asked directly whether he had forgiven the former governor, Onoja confirmed that he had, but emphasised the lasting impact of broken trust.
“For those actions, by faith and by creed, if you don’t forgive, you can’t move on. If you don’t forgive, you can’t even fly,” he stated. “I believe I have, from my heart, I have.”
He continued, “Once you destroy trust, it will be very, very difficult to build.”
Onoja also revealed that he has moved forward politically and is now focused on supporting the current governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, as well as serving on the board of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) under President Bola Tinubu.
“I am free, looking forward to greater things and then adding value to the current governor (Ododo) in the areas I can, and then serving at the level that God has placed me today. I now have a new principal, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I am serving him,” Onoja said.
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