A famous German dramatist and critic, Gotthold Ephraim, once made an axiomatic statement still being quoted today for its relevance; “there are good men in every land. The tree of life has many branches and roots. Let not the topmost twig presume to think that it alone has sprung from mother earth…we did not choose our races by ourselves. Jews, Muslims, Christians alike are MEN. Let me hope I have found in you a MAN.
The forthcoming governorship election in Kogi state no doubt has two major contenders, the incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello who is seeking a re-election under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his main challenger, Engr Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The campaign organizations of these two leading political parties have since commenced rigorously with their supporters and loyalists making frantic efforts at “selling” their candidates across religious, tribal and geographical boundaries within the state.
Sadly, in the past couple of days, we have witnessed some level of tension in our political climate as a result of the actions and utterances of certain persons which cannot be described as palatable in a sane democratic atmosphere.
In 1962, Nigeria’s Governor general, Dr NnamdiAzikiwe (who later became the first president) paid a three day official courtesy visit to the premier of Northern region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in Kaduna. He was accompanied by his wife Flora. The host premier mobilized all the paraphernalia of office in honour of his guests whom he gave an unprecedentedly flamboyant hospitality. The visit enabled their wives to become so familiar with each other that Flora also invited the Bellos to the east on a similar visit. By the end of the visit, Azikiwe had become so much impressed that at the point of departure he held Bello’s hands and gently told him “please, let us forget our differences”
In response to that emotional gesture, Bello said, in an equally gentle baritone voice “no sir, rather than forgetting our differences, let us understand them. You are a Christian and a southerner while I am a muslim and a northerner. It is only by identifying and understanding these differences that our friendliness can truly endure” there and then, Azikiwe nodded in approval to his host’s logic of the fact that one could not forget what has not been understood.
As the November 16th governorship election in our state ‘knocks at the door’ we need to learn a lot from the above. None of us choose to be Igala, Ebira or Okun, we belong to our different tribes because our fathers belong there. The tribal dimension in which our electioneering is taking these past days is worrisome and to say the least, disturbing. To the best of my knowledge, all the political parties in Kogi state comprise virtually of all the tribes in the state, one then wonders what the promoters of ethnic discord and tribal chauvinism are really out to achieve aside deliberately plotting to throw the state into an arena of political crisis and a theatre of inter-tribal chaos.
Leaders and candidates of political parties in the state should be mindful of the fact that there would be no state to govern or rule over if the current level and spate of politically motivated tension, hatred and violent attacks by their supporters are allowed to degenerate into full blown crisis. Hence, the need for them to as a matter of urgency, call their supporters and sympathizers to order in the interest of peace and brotherliness. The candidates should display a commitment to peace, free and fair election and democracy by refraining from utterances and actions that are capable of fanning the embers of disharmony and heating up the political space.
It is not by mistake that we all found ourselves in the same state; we actually share a common history, ancestry and heritage even though our tribes and tongues differ. We must avoid projecting the forthcoming governorship election as an inter-tribal “war” or as a contest between Igala and Ebira.
The November 16th election is merely a contest among ‘brothers’ and regardless of who comes out victorious at the end of the day, we must shake hands and embrace ourselves as siblings from the same parents. We must eschew bitterness, animosity and acrimony as we unite to support whoever wins in moving our dear state to an enviable height.
Every contest must produce a winner, the eventual winner in the coming election should be magnanimous in victory, he should understand the fact that his victory isn’t because he is the most brilliant or handsome but God almighty has willed it.
The next governor should extend a hand of fellowship to all Kogites, and to his co-contestants especially. He should regard himself as the father and be fair to all, irrespective of tribe, political party affiliation, religion or gender.
To our teaming youths, we can have a smooth election devoid of violence and still have our choice and preferred candidates emerging victorious. We don’t have to kill or die, we can all stay alive to celebrate the winner and help the losers heal faster from the trauma of defeat.
Whether Igala, Ebira, Okun, Ebura-koto, Bassa, Hausa, Nupe or Ogori-Magongo. We are all brothers and sisters. An Afrian proverb says “when two brothers fight to death a total stranger inherits their father’s wealth”. If the development of Kogi state is really our priority then we have no reason to fight each other.
Election is not war, vote and don’t fight. Stay alive and let’s have a peaceful election.
#LetCommonSensePrevail
– Hussain Obaro
oseniobaro@yahoo.com
08157719456
