Chinua Achebe (now of blessed memory) in his 88-paged book titled, “The Trouble with Nigeria” (1983, p.1), stated that the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership. Under a democratic clime, leaders are chosen through periodic elections. In other words, the choice of either good leadership or bad leadership is absolutely that of the people under a democratic system of government. This choice is made by the electorates, who are given the opportunity to vote for their most preferred candidates based on their personal judgment or assessment of his or her ability to deliver good leadership to the people. This then, brings us to the year “2019”, which is an election year in Nigeria!
It is no longer news that elections shall be conducted across Nigeria for the purpose of electing the President, members of the National Assembly, Governors and members of the State Houses of Assembly within the months of February and March, 2019, respectively. Peculiarly, Kogi State gubernatorial election will be conducted in the month of November, 2019.
It is for this reason that we introduce to the good people of Kogi State, a man of the people: James Iyeh Ihiabeh. An indigene of Aloko-Oganenigu in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State and born on 15th April, 1966, James Iyeh Ihiabeh attended the following schools/institutions to wit: Local School Board (LSB), Aloko-Oganenigu (1972-1977) – where he obtained certificate of Primary Education, Ochaja Boys’ Secondary School, Ochaja (1977-1982) – where he obtained O’Level Certificate, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, where he obtained ND in Agric. Mechanization (1985), and HND in Agric. Engineering (1991) respectively.
James Iyeh Ihiabeh is a member of Nigerian Institute of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), and has worked in the following places to wit: Mechanical Supervisor, NOMA Farms Ltd, Bida, Niger State (1987-1988),Technical Officer, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI), Sarki, Oyo State (1991-1992), Senior Agric. Extension Officer, Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund, Abuja (2000-2003), Senior Agric. Extension Officer, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abuja (2003-2006). On 30th November, 2005, James Iyeh Ihiabeh due to his political aspirations voluntarily wrote a letter of his resignation from the Federal Public Service, and the same was accepted and approved in a letter written on behalf of the Honourable Minister, dated the 26th day of October, 2007, with effect from 13th February, 2006.
After his resignation from the Public Service, James Iyeh Ihiabeh has also worked in the following places; Managing Director, Agape Springs Ltd, Oba, Anambra State (2007-2009), and Chairman/CEO, Gloryland Farms, Aloko-Oganenigu, Dekina L.G.A., Kogi State (2010 till date).
In 2007 and 2011 respectively, James Iyeh Ihiabeh aspired for the Kogi State governorship position.
Looking at the above brief biography of James Iyeh Ihiabeh, one can easily see that he is a man with firm knowledge and wealth of experience in agriculture. There is no doubt that he would bring his knowledge to bear in the agricultural sector of our State upon coming into power as the Governor of Kogi State after the November, 2019 election. Agriculture is the most potent alternative to the infamous overdependence on oil, which is one of the factors limiting the development of our economy and the growth of our nation’s GDP.
With the oceans of experiences acquired from the private sector and public service, James Iyeh Ihiabeh is indeed, the man to lift Kogi State from the dungeon of poverty, debts, underdevelopment, insecurity, hunger and economic servitude, to the pinnacle of job creation, youths and women empowerment, prompt and regular payment of salaries/pensions, infrastructural developments, security, social justice, and respect for the rule of law.
It is interesting to note that apart from the general wishes of the people in favour of this gentle man, one of the variables that support the candidacy of James Iyeh Ihiabeh as the next Governor of Kogi State is the fact that he is a devoted Christian from Dekina L.G.A. whose turn it is (still) to produce the next Governor of the State under the zoning arrangement. This struggle is a struggle for all and we must all keep watch and resist every suppression in order to ensure that we come out victorious at the next Governorship polls in Kogi State.
A Chinese witty saying goes this way: “If you cheat me once, you are a fool; if you cheat me again, I am a fool!”. Let the cheating and the oppressions of the past be sufficient for the past; we must not be cheated again.
A learned friend, Samuel David, Esq., once said that, where the wise fail or neglect to participate in the government of their country, they will be governed by the unwise! This is why we must join hands together to support our own, a man with impeccable beatitudes; James Iyeh Ihiabeh. He is a man with uncommon sense of humility. He listens to both the low and the mighty and has vowed to be a servant-leader. One of his guiding principles in politics is that leaders are elected to serve the people and not the people to serve their leaders. It is high time we elected leaders based on what they can deliver for the general welfare of the people and not based on their political popularities or party affiliations, without more.
Ben Carson, in his “One Nation” (2014, p. 69), stated that blind loyalty to a party platform is tantamount to relinquishing the important duties of intelligent voting. We can’t afford not to have the person of James Iyeh Ihiabeh as our next servant-leader (Governor) in Kogi State. He shall be contesting under the Platform of Zenith Labour Party. Support Zenith Labour Party for the good and prosperity of Kogi State!
– Barr. S. A. Onunoja
For: Integrity & Honesty Group.
