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In African democracy, Nigeria as a reference point. The game of mass participation have not grown beyond your family background, your origin, your extraction and what have you, except on a very rare cases that is only applicable and practicable only in Lagos state.
But in politics, we apply asymmetrical strategies to woo the electorates, and made them to see reasons why the issue of indigenisation played a prominent role in our society by and large ,particularly in the current dispensation in Kogi east, and Dekina Federal Constituency.
Historically, which may not be completely divorced from our polity, the two contending aspirants from Dekina/Bassa desired to be x-rayed so as to give what belongs to the goose to the goose, and give gander his dues.
It is still unripe for the Igala race to continue to concede high profile political offices, that will be beneficial to the socio-ecomomic and infrastructural development of the area, on the altar of age-long stay in an area or suffice to say,”Born and Brought up” in the area.
Dekina federal constituency election between the PDP’s Ikani Benjamin Okolo and Hassan Abdullahi of APC is indeed a race declared for indigene of Dekina and a non indigene.
The facts remain that conceding state Assembly slot to the same person in question does not guarantee an extension of similar gesture in the current dispensation from the area, which formed the crux of the would be keenly contest in 2019.
Benjamin Ikani Okolo(BIO) was born in Anyigba to the family of Jibili Okolo as the ancestral home of the father was traced to Agala Ate, in the suburb area of Anyigba, in the then and current Dekina local government area of Kogi state.
His mother was buried in Alokegbe Egume two years ago according to Christian rites, therefore her origin of this area was not contestable. Hence the trace of origin if brought to bear, allow a leeway for BIO to vie for another shot of the contest.
Hassan Abdullahi, the APC candidate was born in Anyigba, but the story surrounding the origin of the parents remain unclear as most people that tend to shed more light, tilt towards a migrant status who came around Anyigba town as a merchant with large merchandise but only settled down in the area because of the accommodating status of the community and its people.
A source said they both migrated from Omala local government, others insisted the family hailed from Ankpa local government, with multiple origin of Nupe, Kakanda and other languages we have not confirmed, as at press time.
With these controvertible and multiple extraction with abode in Anyigba, how do we mortgage the destiny of the Igala race from Dekina/Bassa axis in the hands of a personality with dicey offshoot?
I know we are highly tolerable as the race connotes, but what excuse will we proffer before our good brothers from Bassa land, whom out of magnanimity had concede another term to our area?
Will it be possible for the people of Bassa land to, in the nearest future, allow a Nupe man from Lokoja, but with long time abode in the area, to represent them in the spirit of oneness, at both the state elective position or federal level ?
If the Igala race from Anyigba axis had done it now, Idah, Ankpa, Olamboro, Ofu and other part of Igala land are yet to delve into our magnanimous goodwill to a non indigene
So the contest of the House of Representatives in Dekina/Bassa is a kind gesture misinterpreted and realized.
The resolve now is to support our own with dual advantage when re-elected; one, as a ranking member of the lower house and at the same time, stamped our feet on our indigenous policy so as to return our son, BIO.
– Abdulkarim Adehi writes from Anyigba
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