The President-General of the Okun Development Association (ODA), Amb. (Chief) Akenson Rotimi, has made a passionate and historic case for power rotation to Kogi West, declaring that the next Governor of Kogi State must come from Okunland in the interest of equity, justice, unity and development.
Amb. Akenson stated this while presenting the official position paper of the Okun people titled “When Will An Okun Man/Woman Become Governor of Kogi State?” at the Kogi State Power Rotation Conference held in Lokoja.
In his address, the ODA leader said the creation of Kogi State in 1991 was meant to end the marginalization suffered by minority groups in the old Kwara and Benue States. He argued that if after 35 years, a major component like Okun has never been allowed to govern the state it labored to create, then the very purpose of state creation has been betrayed.
Tracing the political history of the state, Amb. Akenson lamented a glaring imbalance in the distribution of power. According to him, Kogi East held power for 17 unbroken years through Prince Abubakar Audu who governed for 4 years, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris for 9 years and Capt. Idris Wada for 4 years. He noted that Kogi Central is on course to also hold power for 16 years, comprising 8 years of former Governor Yahaya Bello and 8 years of the incumbent Governor Usman Ododo whose tenure is being projected to run till 2032. In stark contrast, Kogi West has held the governorship for zero year.
“If 17 years of Kogi East was considered too much which led to the clamour for change, then 16 years of Kogi Central will also be unfair and unacceptable. The final tally will be East 17 years, Central 16 years, West 0 year. No definition of fairness can justify this,” he said.
The ODA President-General linked the underdevelopment of Okunland directly to its exclusion from executive power. He described Kogi West as the most deficient in terms of state presence, functional industries and critical infrastructure. He cited the deplorable condition of state roads from Kabba to Egbe, Isanlu to Ayetoro-Gbedde and Mopa-Muro as painful evidence that what a people cannot get through political representation, they cannot get through appeal.
He further recalled a painful history of broken promises, stating that successive leaders including the late Prince Abubakar Audu, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and Alhaji Yahaya Bello all promised to support an Okun governorship but failed to honour their words.
“For many years we have demanded fairness. Our loyalty has been taken for granted for too long. We have endured, we have voted for others, we have never threatened the corporate existence of Kogi State. This loyalty must now be rewarded, not punished,” Amb. Akenson declared.
Debunking any notion that Okunland has little to offer economically, Amb. Akenson emphasized that Kogi is rich because Okun land is very rich in human capital and natural resources. He noted that Okun land hosts Obajana Cement, the Dangote Cement plant which is the largest cement factory in Africa, as well as the Mangal Cement factory in Iluagba. He added that the zone is abundantly blessed with commercial deposits of limestone, gold, kaolin, feldspar, talc and other precious minerals in Egbe, Isanlu, Mopa, Iyamoye and Ekinrin-Adde axis, most of which are currently exploited by illegal miners due to government neglect.
“It is therefore unfair and unjust to have such enormous resources without participation in governance at the highest level. Okun land is not a parasite; it is a major contributor to the commonwealth of Kogi State,” he stressed.
The ODA leader said Kogi State has a lot to learn from states with similar multi-ethnic composition that have embraced power rotation as a tool for peace and progress. He mentioned Cross River where Efik, Ejagham and Bekwarra have all governed, Edo where Bini, Esan and Afemai have produced governors, Ogun where Egba, Ijebu and Yewa have all taken turns, as well as Akwa Ibom and Plateau States.
“If those states could do it and live in harmony, Kogi State with only three senatorial districts can do it even better,” he argued.
He also paid tribute to the sacrifices of Okun patriots from the old Kwara State struggle for relevance to the movement for the creation of Kogi State itself, mentioning icons like Chief S. B. Awoniyi and Chief J.O.S. Medaiyese, insisting that their sacrifice must not go unrewarded.
On the capacity to govern, Amb. Akenson stated that Okun has an abundance of competent, patriotic, detribalized and tested personalities with proven track records in business, politics, civil service, the military, academia and industry. He noted that Okun has produced Permanent Secretaries, Professors, Generals, Judges, Captains of Industry, Deputy Governors, Senators and Speakers who have served Kogi with distinction and can govern effectively and unite all sections.
In his concluding prayer, Amb. Akenson said it is worrisome, disappointing and highly unacceptable that 35 years after creation, the Okun people of Kogi West have never produced the Governor. He therefore humbly but firmly demanded that the next Governor of Kogi State must come from Kogi West Senatorial District.
“The time for Okun is now,” he concluded.
