I feel greatly troubled by the manner in which Austin Usman Okai and his retinue of greedy Igala politicians think they can decide the political fate of many people in Igalaland in particular, and Kogi State in general. The recriminatory vitriol of MrOkai against Mr Edward Onoja’s post on the makings of the Senators of Kogi East Senatorial District does not come to me as a surprise, for it is known among the well-informed men of valour that Austin employs every little opportunity to shine his dull star.
My response is therefore not given because Mr Edward Onoja is involved, but because Austin’s post smacks of greed and selfish disposition, especially towards those they feel are malleable to their lacklustre political calculations. I feel Austin’s response is born out of a calculated attempt at provoking a conflict of interest between the old and new Senators of Igala extraction on one side and the Chief of Staff on the other side. It is also a conceived attempt at provoking a humiliating conscience in Alhaji Jibrin Isa Echocho in order to make Echocho weak and keep him endlessly dependent on their whims and caprices, and as well make him a perpetual slave to PDP. It is on the case involving Echocho that I will rest my points.
Echocho has suffered a political blow from those he trusted with his fortune and pursuits, he knows what is good for him now politically, and has the latitude to seek his political affordances where he deems fit. Why should people think they can tie his destiny to their own callous political aspirations? Has Okai forgotten how Ibro cheated and duped Echocho of his money to enable him win a position Ibro had already given to Wada, and how both Ibro and Wada subsequently kept Echocho’s hope alive, milked him, and eventually frustrated him? Has Okai forgotten how this man was forced to sell his items of property and these same items of property were bought at low prices by the Kogi PDP bigwigs, and the proceeds of the sales were poured into the party that frustrated, humiliated and stripped him? Does Okai think Echocho would continue to wait for Godot, living in a forlorn hope? Should he continue to serve the party that stripped him of his wealth, dignity and worth because he wants to please some persons? It is insensate and so disgusting how Austin Usman Okai thinks he can dictate the political fortune of Echocho or any other person in Kogi State at that.
Whoever does not have problem with comprehension should know that what Mr Edward Onoja wrote was not in my view intended to vilify or denigrate anybody’s political ambition old or new. It was an analytical piece that opens account-by account exposition of the life and time of each of the Senators Kogi East has ever produced, their achievements, failures and weaknesses. He asserted that with Echocho’s informed background, already in politics, he would be able to make a difference. This is not, to me, to suggest that Echocho’s aspiration is intended to boost the political image of the Governor, or the Governor wants to use Echocho to redeem his political image. It is only a kid that will think that a living, sitting governor needs to drive into victory the crest of an individual aspirant who wants to use a platform to advance his own milky course. If anything, Echocho needs the Governor to succeed. Echocho needs the governor to succeed because many scavengers of PDP and Igala extraction, who milked Echocho dry, fearing his soaring aspiration regardless of what they did to him, are still bent on pulling him down. It is the usual politics of Dekina people to pull people down, and it won’t come as a surprise if Echocho suffers the same fate. A total stranger is here to take up Echocho’s fight and make it his, and rather than thank him for it, some arms-chairs critics think they have found a fertile ground of baseless criticism. Echocho will ride to victory – before their very eyes.
The Okai’s rejoinder, laced with many discordant, muddled expressions, though satisfactory to his many worshippers, does not evoke any sense of rational information that can keep a discerning mind informed. It is a desperate move by the rapacious, frustrated PDP apologists to vent their damaged and deflating fortune on people that are flying to victory already.
For the record, it is pertinent to note that Echocho can decide his fortune without recourse to anybody’s conscience or acceptance in PDP. Echocho, through the APC, will ride to victory!
– Odih Daniel N.
Lokoja, Kogi State.
Odih4sure@gmail.com
