We have all read the news about the proposed creation of new states in Nigeria, which clearly states that Kogi State would be divided into three: Okura, Okun, and Confluence State.
When I read this proposal from the National Assembly, my immediate concern was Ajaokuta, which has been included in Okura State as proposed by the Igala. Legally, they claim ownership of Ajaokuta, as they reportedly won the first court case at the tribunal—if I am correct—before our people rushed to process a stay of execution. To this day, I have not come across any news regarding the court case over the rightful ownership of the land between the Ebira and the Igala.
As Ebira people, we say, “I know my people is not insult.” Today’s Ebira people are more focused on internal differences, allowing outsiders to defeat them. But this is not the Ebira people I have read about in history. Many of us have heard stories of how our forefathers united to fight for the common good of our land. How well have we embraced this legacy?
Politics and the Ohinoyi stool have divided us to the extent that even cripples and blind people can now invade our land and go scot-free. I was expecting to hear news that the Ebira had won the appeal court case on the land dispute with the Igala over Ajaokuta, but unfortunately, the news we got instead was that the Ohinoyi was removed by the state high court.
The same people who rushed to court to challenge the process that installed Alh. Dr. Muhammed Anaje as Ohinoyi did not see the need to challenge the tribunal judgment that declared Ajaokuta as belonging to the Igala. Let’s even assume that you all went to court to challenge irregularities in the process—losing our land, which is rich in resources and has the potential to boost our economy and reduce unemployment, should have been the real battle to fight for the betterment of our people.
Some of our people behave like a prick—they become fully erect when it’s an internal crisis that could be resolved without aggression, yet become weak when the real battle against external forces that requires erection. They prefer to make their own people trend negatively in the news while aligning with outsiders who are the real threats to our land. Some are even willing to align with outsiders just to destroy their fellow Ebira brothers and sisters to achieve their personal interest.
– Engr Ira Habib writes from Lokoja.
