Opinion
HON. HASSAN ATAYOMA OMALE: A Legislator Who Gave Representation a New Meaning
There are men who occupy public offices, and there are men who give meaning to the offices they occupy. Hon. Hassan Atayoma Omale, a distinguished member of the 8th Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, belonged to the latter category.
His tenure in the Green Chambers was a defining chapter in the political and developmental history of Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro. He did not regard legislative representation as merely attending plenary sessions, or speaking from the floor of the House. To him, representation was a covenant with the people—a solemn responsibility defending their interests and bringing tangible development to their communities.
Hon. Omale consequently redefined the role of a legislator in his constituency.
His footprints are visible in the construction and rehabilitation of rural roads across the three Local Government Areas and communities. He supported the renovation of hospitals and the construction of medical centres, demonstrating his understanding that representation must touch the lives of ordinary people in practical ways.
He also contributed to the development of educational infrastructure through the construction of classrooms across the constituency, investing in an enduring legacy for generations yet unborn. His intervention in the construction of a local bridge further reflected his appreciation of the everyday challenges faced by rural communities and his determination to address them.
But Hon. Omale’s legacy was not confined to physical projects.
At the National Assembly, his voice was unmistakable. He spoke with conviction, courage and remarkable energy. Like the canary whose song cannot easily be ignored, Hon. Omale spoke—and he made his voice count.
He moved motions aimed at preventing the withdrawal or evacuation of a Federal Government infrastructure from Anyiga (Kogi East) as he opined that that government institutions and federal establishments were not merely offices but instruments of economic opportunity and development for the people.
He also drew national attention to the electricity challenges affecting Ankpa, including the need for the re-routing of electricity supply, and advocated measures to improve the area’s access to reliable power.
Through bills and legislative initiatives, he sought to attract and establish Federal Government presence in Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro, understanding that meaningful development requires more than promises—it requires institutions, investments and sustained government presence.
At a time of heightened tension between Coal Mining Companies and the Locals, he called for the constitution of a Committe that visited miners and the Locals which inturn diffuse the tensions and mistrust between both parties. One of His strategic Motion for rehabilitation of Ajaokiuta Steel led to visit of the 8th Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara to Ajaokuta Steel Company.
The essence of Hon. Hassan Atayoma Omale’s representation was to bring the concerns of his people from the villages and communities of Kogi East to the floor of the Nigerian Parliament.
He was not a silent participant in the affairs of the nation. He was embullient, articulate and forceful, and he used the privileges of legislative office to draw attention to the aspirations, needs and challenges of his people.
His was a politics of presence.
His was a representation that sought to leave something behind.
His was a voice that refused to be drowned by the noise of the chamber.
As I recount his days at the Green Chambers, I do not merely the office he occupied, but the lives touched, the communities connected, the institutions strengthened, the roads opened, the classrooms provided, the health facilities improved and the causes championed.
The true measure of a public servant is ultimately found in what remains after the office has been vacated. In the case of Hon. Omale, the evidence is written across Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro—in roads, bridges, classrooms, health facilities, legislative interventions and, perhaps most importantly, in the memory of a people who knew that their representative had a voice and was willing to use it.
History will record his tenure. The people will remember his interventions.
(Alfa Shittu ishiaka writes from Ogbabe District of Enabo)