Kefas is God’s project with a human mission

From his childhood to adulthood, the PDP flagbearer in the upcoming 2023 governorship poll, Lt Col Agbu Kefas (retd), has continued to be a special persona. His life story reads like one of those biblical epics of how God called someone no one was expecting like King David. Kefas is indeed the rejected stone that is now the head of the rest. The shepherd boy who is to go to the throne from the backwaters of a wilderness. Underestimated always, Kefas has often turned up as a shocker to many. He is also very reliant on God and believes what he does has divine stamping.

Early Days

Alot is now going to be known about Kefas but as a child growing up in Wukari, then part of Gongola state, the next governor of Taraba state was just part of the kids in the great compound of the Atewunus. But even in childhood, the consistency, the perseverance, the ability for long suffering and the love for people have begun to shape up. A changing period of his life was when the evangelistic zeal started by his late father, caught him too. The young Kefas would hold crusades for children his age or less and preach the gospel. His message as a child was very simple: children should be obedient and helpful to their parents. He once said that as a child all he wanted was for people to point at him and said he’s a good kid! That “good kid” is still lurking in the colossus that is Col. Kefas

Military career

From a preacher kid back in the days to a child suffering persecution in a polygamous family, how Kefas transformed into a soldier is another story in itself. Yet when the small looking young man appeared in Wukari in the 90s smartly dressed in his NDA (Nigeria Defence Academy) uniform, everyone suddenly got the feeling that God’s project has already begun in earnest.

As a soldier, Kefas had a brilliant career. The same principles of human kindness, humility, wisdom and total reliance on divine directions, saw him whether many storms for two decades. His silent, always positive outlook and a deep love for people always endeared him to both seniors and junior officer and the civilian populace.

No wonder he was able to perform almost incredible feats in those early days. His work with militants has since become legendary. His voyages and connections to the highest level of the intelligence community is well documented.

Back to Civil life

Leaving the military itself was a deft move that could have only being orchestrated by some divine directions. Not many expected the dashing young colonel to drop the career and moved forward. Promotions were up ahead and many opportunities abounded. But Kefas once again listened to divine arrangements and pulled out. He went into businesses and also continued his passion: touching lives, mission work, raising a church, taking care of families across the world and building bridges.

Politics

Kefas doesn’t cut the image of any modern idea of the cut throat politicians we all know. Calm, suave and always jovial, he resembles the clergy that he is yet he has a sharp ear for divine calling. He once confided in close friends that he has a leading to join the politics of Taraba state. So after a glorious outing at NIMASA, Kefas came to Taraba state to test the waters. He started straight up with the governorship politics. He likes to say that that is all God told him to do in Taraba state (governorship) and not any other positions such as Senator or Reps. So, in 2015, he was already among the top contenders for the number one slot in the state. When however he was not picked back then by the committee set up to look at the candidates, Kefas did not belly ache. He quickly supported the governor and gave him all his dues. Today, he is poised to be the successor to that Same governor.

Current emergence

The last thing that was on Agbu Kefas’s mind between last year and this year was the governorship. Although it was something he clearly knew God told him, he was unsure how God will do it given the circumstances. So he told close friends and allies to watch and see what God will do. In any case, he was already neck deep in humanitarian work and the mission fields. Yet one early morning, he got led again to consider becoming the state PDP chairman. Back then, it looked like a mission impossible but to cut a long story short, he easily got the position in a move that could only be providential. When Kefas became PDP Chairman not a few sense that governorship wasn’t far away from the corner. He actually looks gubernatorial. But eventually Flying the PDP flag is also a divine occurrence as he wasn’t among the top names making the round. Kefas was satisfied with his role as a chairman of the ruling party in the state. On the night that it became clear he was the chosen one, he just broke down in tears. To sum it up, Let me end with his favourite quote: ” we should always try to be in the center of God’s will because that makes everything easy”!

His life is indeed a testimony of this.