Kogi Debacle: The Unraveling Of A State
By
Dr Felix S. Odaibo
fsodaibo@telus.net
The former Kabba Province evolved into the present KOGI
state. Since then it has been an uneasy relationship with the
inhabitants of this state. This union is now on the brink of bursting
at the seams given the recent news that the Igalas are seeking OKURA
state. The seal is the agitations for the creation of a new state out
of the present Kogi State being on the rise with youth groups from
Ebira and Okun, the Yoruba speaking areas of Kogi State coming out
with their demands for a separate state. There are 3 senatorial zones
in Kogi for the record.
I understand that the youths, under the aegis of
Coalition of Okun and Ebira Youths (COEY) have called for the
restructuring of the present Kogi state in a way to have the West and
Central senatorial districts, peopled mainly by the Okun-Yoruba and
the Ebira, in a separate state. They envisage the state will be
exclusive of the East zone peopled by the Igala.
How did KOGI get to this point? I really have memories
and sentiments about the old Kabba Province especially when we were
all in the old GSS Dekina.
Historically, it was by way of a circuitous
route. When in 1967,the Igalas joined their kith in Benue state, they
were ab initio, happy, but pretty soon and having been lorded over by
the Tivs, they quickly found their way to the present Kogi
arrangement. Because the system had been in a sound working Provincial
relationship, all parties were happy that the Igala’s had come back
home! Whilst they were struggling alongside the Idoma’s in Benue to be
seen and not heard, meanwhile, the Ebira had had a shot at the
Governorship whilst in Kwara state, which at that time included the
Borgu’s, Nupe, Igbomina’s, Okuns and the other smaller units such as
the Ogori/Magongo, Ebira Koto, Oworo etc.
Since coming back home, The Igala’s have by way of
Majority held a gridlock in the Lugard seat of power in Lokoja and
beyond. The Governorship lodge is as if it is an ancestral home for
they have now held the Governors position twice successively and by
the simple rule of the winner takes all, they are now themselves
paying the OKUN and the EBIRA, Ogori/Magongo, Ebira Koto, Oworo in the
same coin they were paid by the Tiv! If there is any uncanny way a
State can be unraveled it is by the way the Federal posts are being
selectively and craftily (I forgot that the Governor is a carpenter)
arrogated to only the individuals in the East of Kogi Senatorial
District. I have not observed any of these Federally appointed
officers bearing a Bassa Nge or Bassa Komo name! So it is only EAST by
name. To make matters even more desperate there appears to be no
immediate relief at site.
Smart Adeyemi has spoken and argued on Principles and I
cannot but identify and empathize with his argument. Governor Idris
of PDP is an Igala from the East and the deputy once again is EBIRA. Do
not forget that Mr. Patrick Adaba, who was the deputy to Audu under
ANPP is also an Ebira! So who has been picking the short straw all
along?
It is therefore not surprising that Mr. Smart Adeyemi
is really smarting under! He argues thus: “Don’t
forget that before now, there have been quite a number of appointments
made that I never said a word. I swallowed the bitter pills of keeping
quiet. What are those appointments? The Ambassadorial posting came and
it went to the East. The
Federal Character Commissioner came and it went to the East. Revenue
Mobilization and Fiscal Commission director came and it went to the
East. INEC came and it went to the East. One of the directors for
Security and Exchange Commission that was zoned to North Central; the
North Central zone met and in their wisdom, they gave it to Kogi
State. The Kogi State government nominated somebody from the East. So,
that is five serious appointments under this dispensation going to one
Senatorial district and I kept quiet. I felt maybe the government
would see reason as to why the next ministerial appointment will come
to us”
Where is
the place and role of the ordinary citizens of KOGI in this evolving
saga? Where does their interest lie and what have they gained from
this union called KOGI? Who should really be speaking for them?
Should it REALLY be the youth groups, whom they have not elected?
Whom do the members of the Kogi House of REPRESENTATIVE really
REPRESENT?. One
would have expected that they would be bringing order to the system
especially when the governor has had an oversight and has conveniently
not been counting the tally!
Is it all about posts? This state is still as backward
as when we used to take Ferries from Lokoja to Shintaku. Some would
argue that we had Ferries then!
Are we simply dealing with a situation and a system
where political posts allows one to rise above the pathetic social
structure? If it is the case, is it not natural to put on blinkers
when a situation arises that would scupper the only easy route to gain
influence, status and privilege? This is looking less and less about
service to me. In such a scenario, people will continue to agitate for
smaller and smaller entities until such a time that the individual
politicians become the proverbial large fish in a small pond.
At this rate, the end of Kogi is desperately near
despite the historical Provincial ties that bound the people in the
past, unless Alhaji Idris rapidly rises above tribal sentiments,
correct the oversights and stop being glaringly biased to one compass
side of the state! The OKUN especially have to be assuaged!
|