The question confronting the Igala people today is no longer whether disunity exists. That debate is settled. The real question is this: who will convene the family and when.
For too long, Igala unity has been discussed as a seasonal slogan, often raised during elections and quickly forgotten afterwards. But the problem is not electoral. It is structural. The Igala do not lack leaders, elites, or associations. What is missing is a recognised centre, a moral and cultural rallying point around which all Igala interests can converge.
Across Nigeria, other major ethnic groups understand this principle. They argue, disagree, and compete, yet they still gather under broad umbrellas that give them bargaining power and collective voice. The Igala, by contrast, remain institutionally fragmented. There are Lagos based Igala elites, Abuja based Igala elites, and separate associations in Ankpa, Idah, Dekina, Ibaji, and beyond. Each speaks earnestly, yet none speaks for all.
In the past, platform like ICDA was leading, and even attempted to play this unifying role. It was not perfect, but reflected an understanding that power listens to structure. Today, new groups continue to emerge, including Ukomu Igala and others, each with its own leadership, yet without a central house capable of accommodating them all. As Professor I. Omale rightly observed, the problem is not the absence of associations but the absence of an umbrella.
An Igala proverb says that a single broomstick breaks easily, but a bundle sweeps the floor. The Igala have many broomsticks, but no binding cord. Another warns that when brothers fight, the stranger inherits their land. Political history confirms this truth repeatedly. Influence rarely disappears by force. It fades when unity collapses.
This moment therefore calls for leadership beyond ambition and above faction. The Attah Igala stands uniquely positioned to convene such unity. Not as a partisan actor, not as a political decider, but as a custodian of Igala conscience and continuity. The throne has always symbolised balance, authority, and gathering. Silence at a time of fragmentation is itself a message.
This is not a call for domination or decree. It is a call for convening power. A roundtable of elders, intellectuals, youth leaders, women groups, professionals, political actors, and diaspora associations. A space where differences are acknowledged but destiny is prioritised. Where Lagos meets Ankpa, Abuja meets Idah, and ambition bows to ancestry.
Stakeholders across Igala land must also answer this call. Unity cannot be outsourced to the throne alone. Elites must choose collaboration over competition. Youths must resist being used as weapons against their own future. Associations must see themselves as rooms within a house, not houses competing for land.
An Igala saying reminds us that the child who breaks the clan pot will thirst alone. Disunity punishes everyone equally. No title, no connection, no wealth can shield a people from the consequences of collective weakness. The rich igalas in diaspora cannot invest in a land without vision.
This is the debate the Igala must now have, openly and honestly. Not who should lead next, but how the Igala should stand together. Not which association is strongest, but which structure can carry everyone.
One people. One voice. One destiny.
Until the Atta Igala and key stakeholders rise to convene this unity, the Igala will continue to speak loudly yet negotiate softly. And history, which does not wait forever, will move on.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
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