We witnessed many crises in Ebiraland that claimed lives and destroyed property when we were not in power. Since political power shifted to Ebiraland, we have not witnessed such crises to the same extent. One fact remains: power will not remain in Ebiraland forever. One day, it will shift to another part of the state.
The question is this: are we going back to the era of crises whenever power shifts away from us? What were the causes of those crises when we were not in power, and how are we addressing them now that power is on our side? Are we merely managing the situation for the time being, or are we permanently addressing the root causes so that even if we lose power tomorrow, such crises will not reoccur?
Many of us can testify that we would have experienced serious unrest during the Imamship dispute if one of our own had not been the Chief Security Officer of the state at the time. What caused the rift between the two Islamic sects then? It was the process of appointing the Imam. Alhamdulillah, with with the help of Allah, Imam was appointed peacefully through dialogue before the last governorship election.
What I do not know is whether the leaders of the various Islamic sects in Ebiraland have unanimously agreed on a permanent process for appointing an Imam. We will not remain in power forever, and the time will come again when a new Imam must be appointed. Therefore, it is necessary to have a clearly defined process, endorsed and signed by the leaders of all Islamic sects, that can be followed whenever the need arises.
When the current Ohinoyi was enthroned, some individuals went to court to challenge the process that led to his emergence. According to them, the 1997 Edict provides that the Ebira Area Traditional Council remains the sole body of kingmakers. Furthermore, they argued that the 2007 judgment in Suit No. HCO/12C/2006 nullified the Ohi stools in Ebiraland and that, since the judgment was never appealed, the stools remain nonexistent in the eyes of the law.
Since power shifted to Ebiraland, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has been occupied by our own till date. These are issues that could have been resolved amicably long ago even before our late Ohinoyi joined his ancestors. If they have not been resolved yet, it is still not too late. We still have ample time to address them so that we do not face similar challenges in the future when we may no longer be in power.
Eku Echichi is another issue that has often triggered crises in Ebiraland when we were not in power. The stone-throwing we are witnessing today during the Eche-Ane Festival has remained largely because we are in power, otherwise, it could have be gunshots.
What plans or concrete steps are being taken to address this issue now that power is in our hands? We have every opportunity to reform the practice, especially since many people have been calling for reforms. Such reforms can be achieved if there is sufficient political will. The festival cannot be banned, but I strongly believe it can be reformed if we are genuinely committed to the peace and unity of our land.
We should all understand that no politician from another senatorial district will solve these challenges for us if we fail to address them while we have the opportunity. In fact, politicians from other districts may even exploit these divisions to destabilize Ebiraland for political advantage. They may find divide and rule more beneficial than peace and unity in our land. As the saying goes, there must be a crack in a wall before a wall gecko can penetrate it.
Leadership is not measured by how long we occupy public office, but by how effectively we use the opportunity to address our longstanding challenges and secure lasting peace for future generations.
– Engr Ira Habib writes from Kogi state.
