‘After God, You're Next': Aviation Student's Family Sends Emotional Message to Ex-Kogi Gov Bello
- The family of Enejoh Faith visited former Kogi governor Yahaya Bello on Monday to appreciate him for sponsoring her aviation training
- Bello first met Faith and her father on July 17, 2025, when they came to his residence seeking financial help to complete her aviation registration
- Bello's spokesperson said at least 4 people have been trained as pilots through the former governor's private scholarship scheme
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Lokoja, Kogi state - The family of Enejoh Faith, an aviation student from Kogi state, paid a thank-you visit to former Governor Yahaya Bello on Monday, August 31, after she successfully completed her pilot training, which Bello had funded in full.
As reported by The Nation, the visit came about a year after Faith and her father first approached Bello at his residence on July 17, 2025, requesting financial support.
Source: Original
At the time, Faith had secured admission for aviation training but her family could not raise enough money to complete her registration. Her father brought along her admission letter and other documents to explain the situation.
Bello agreed to take on the full cost of her training, which ran to about N30 million.
According to a statement by his spokesman, Onogwu Muhammed, Bello provided more than the amount initially needed because he anticipated that Faith might face additional expenses during her studies. No press conference was held and no media attention was sought when the support was given.
Aviation student’s father hails Bello’s support
During Monday's visit, Faith's father told Bello that his daughter scored 89 per cent out of 100 in her public pilot licence examination and also performed well in her computer-based test. She has now completed the programme and is preparing for the next phase of her career. Her father said Faith had dreamed of becoming a pilot since her secondary school days.
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He also noted that Bello had no prior relationship with either of them before July 2025.
Source: UGC
AIT quoted Faith's father as saying:
"And Oga did not know me before. He didn't know my daughter."
The father described what the gesture had meant to his family in emotional terms.
"God will bless you, sir. I have nothing to reciprocate. In this family, after God, you are the next person to us. Our family will continue to remember you. Even at death, our spirit will continue to appreciate you," he said.
He also recalled the stress he carried before Bello's intervention.
"Before we came to your place, my BP rose to 180. When we left, and I checked the next day, it came back to 130. If I had died that very day, I would have still died a happy and fulfilled man on earth," he said.
Family publicises faith’s pilot training journey
Muhammed said Monday's visit was arranged at the family's request, as they wanted Faith's story made public so others could know what made her training possible. The family came solely to express gratitude and did not seek further assistance.
He added that Bello's private scholarship initiative has produced at least four trained pilots in total, while other beneficiaries have received support to study at universities within Nigeria and abroad.
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EFCC withdraws appeal against Bello
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a notice of withdrawal to halt an appeal against an order of a Kogi high court restraining the agency from arresting Bello.
In the notice signed by its counsel, J.S Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the EFCC said the withdrawal is predicated on the fact that events have overtaken the appeal.
Source: Legit.ng
