Posted by By Dayo Omole on
TWO ethnic groups from former Kwara State which are presently in Kogi State and are occupying two senatorial districts are strongly clamouring for power shift. Their main reason for this agitation is that the Igalas have had their fair share of ruling the state.
TWO ethnic groups from former Kwara State which are presently in Kogi State and are occupying two senatorial districts are strongly clamouring for power shift. Their main reason for this agitation is that the Igalas have had their fair share of ruling the state.
The fore runners in this fierce struggle for power shift are mainly professional politicians who at a point in time have pursued gubernatorial ambitions but could not get it and those who are nurturing it now and in the nearest future. When this issue comes up for discussion, one is usually confronted with a lot of arguments on why power 'must" shift.
The premise on which the agitators base their case is that the Igalas have ruled the state enough and that the Okuns and Igbirras should be given a chance as if it is a cake that you cut and pass round in a tray.
The micro minorities in the state that is the Oworos Ogoris and Bassas are not even considered as suitable to present candidates for Lugard House for reasons best known to the crusaders. It is only the Okuns and Igbirras who think they alone parade an array of gubernatorial materials with intimidating profiles that are bent on having power shift. As an indigene of the Okun nation, many would wonder what has gone wrong with me. Some will claim I want recognition while others will say its money I want.
None of the above assumptions which are among the things man works for are true.
Any nation will have reasons before going to war and this must be due to public opinion or as a result of the vested interest of the ruling class of that nation against the ruling class of another nation; either of which must be seen to benefit that nation.
Any reason besides this will amount to sheer waste of human, material and financial resources such as the sadist Bush Jnr of America did to Suddam Hassein of Iraq and ended turning the Iraqi society into an assassination theatre. Lies and counter lies from a supposed elder statesman like Bush Jnr were tendered before this ugly war against Saddam and not Iraq. All the crimes claimed to have been committed by the Saddam led government have increased inspite of the poor man's ouster.
The million dollar question I want to ask our power shift campaigners is that when we were in Kwara and we were not marginalized, what visible or prominent achievement, physical, and human did they achieve for us?
The only good thing they did for us particularly the Okuns was to sow the seed of discord among us. When Kogi State was to be created, the Igalas fought for it tooth and nail, while our own people were not decided on whether to come or not.
Our political leaders then went as far as trying to contest for the governorship election in Kwara.
We were not fully prepared for the state. The Igalas saw the creation of the new state as an opportunity to get their freedom from the domination of the Tivs and Idomas and as a result all the ingredients needed for emancipation from perceived slavery including unity, love and focus were put in place.
Our own people were divided among themselves.
The Okun political leadership then for fear of losing their strong holds opted to remain in Kwara going as far as contesting for governorship election in that state. We finally arrived Kogi without a clear mission of what we wanted.
The Igalas had a mission, they vowed not to play second fiddles any longer.
When eventually our people reluctantly joined the state some of the prominent decision makers were our brothers and sisters at inception. What did they do for us?
Then it was not a game of numbers but of intellect IBB ushered in his democratic agenda and we had every opportunity to produce the first Executive Governor of the state. But we threw it to the winds.
One of our big uncles from Okun land went to Igala land and brought an opponent to contest against our beloved father in the defunct SDP and all students of history can still remember what that singular monumental act did to our aspiration as a people.
Then came the Gen. Abdulsalami (rtd) face saving democracy and we had another opportunity thrown at us.
Only God knows the number of lives and property that were lost when this new political families fought themselves to a stand still in PDP for the gubernatorial slot zoned to us which gave our charming prince from Igala a second chance.
As if that was not enough bitter pill to swallow, one of our big uncle's again in Okun land brought a micro minority man to snatch what would have been our consolation prize in the National Assembly because of a glaring selfish agenda.
We have failed to realize that the Igalas don't play partisan politics when the issue of who rules the state comes up.
As long as we allow the selfish interest of our so called political leaders to direct us as a people, we should forget powershift.
A hunter that goes on hunting expedition with his entire family will be stupid to come back with his kill only to invite his uncooperative neighbour to come and share with him when his family is yet to be satisfied. Let the Igalas savour the sweat of their labour and let's wait for our time which will come. They waited in Benue and their political leaders did not waste their lives and property.
Mr Omole writes from Kogi
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