The past eight years had been commercially enterprising for Political profiteers and merchants of vices who ravished in foremost sales; trading Igala identity for political gains. To the shallow minds, it is for pecuniary rewards and ostensible gains but in essence, the identity and fountain of Igala ethnic nationality had been dragged to the mud. Without recourse to the labour of our past heroes or the flagging strides as one of the forefront ethnic groups in Nigeria’s middle belt, they brought us low and rated us next to nothing.
I am bewildered; a true born Igala blood could sit in a gathering that has ushered unprecedented insults and denigration to the Royal throne of his ancestors.
At first, I mistook it for Usman Ododo’s incoherency; a man who loses feet at mere sight of the crowd. But I was wrong. His contemptuous disregard for Igala race was a deliberate affront. To the collective quests for good governance, he holds aloof but indispensable to deepening competent manifold of rots in Kogi state. This is the gathering that His Royal Majesty the Attah of Igala and his illustrious children were humiliated. This is the same gathering that Joel Oyibo the selected deputy governor stoop low lying head down at Bello’s feet. Jibrin Isah Echocho sat comfortably while Shaibu Abubakar Audu node head, among other betrayers.
I am not surprised, Joel Salisu Oyibo; the classroom teacher ranked by perfidy is fanning the blues. A quick peruse of his countenance glaringly spelt the ordeal of Kogi teachers and why the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Kogi state chapter, could not raise an eye brow against Bello’s caprices. They formed the sectoral moles with whom payment of salaries were perpetually denied the civil servants.
Be that as it may, Joel Oyibo needs a brief and Edward Onoja is with it. ‘Who no go, no know’. There is a wine for all Igalas partaking in this proxy government. It is just a matter of time. Those who sell their brothers are never trusted by their buyers either.
The identity you have sold and still seek to murder will stand through the test of time. It will come out stronger but your existence henceforth is at best an affiliate. Because, the attendant consequence of your action says the royal Attah throne is not relevant. The euphoria of your misdeeds belittled Igala race in all ramifications.
We were told that a child who mock his father’s nakedness brings shame and curse upon himself. I do not know if this maxim holds water in your political tenths. But it is unethical dinning with those who sees you and your kin as rebels and hold you in the highest contempt. Therefore, it becomes a subject matter whether or not the owners of these government had sincerely extended a hand of fellowship to you or your proceed from betrayal is temporary. The clarity thus, is a duty call for your predecessors. Ask them to share their experiences. Only then you will know that when you go low, Igala goes high.
The present isn’t the yardstick to what is ahead. Igala land is resolute and history will place you all aright. Remember, Araga was once the talk of town. Suddenly, he became a profile murdered at prime. How it happened remains a chapter you should not miss.
By now, I know Dr. Steven Achema of the blessed memory is turning in his grave. The man who went all-out declaring a sit at-home for entire Igala race in protest of injustice meted on his royal father by an old Benue dictator is apparently dismayed by the greedy quests of the generation he left behind. This same Achema ensured the victory, popularity and relevance that you just plunged abyss. Isn’t that shameful?
The labour of our past heroes is in vain just because few men sought political relevance. They divided us, caused chaos and sabotaged us before our traducers. Worst still, they willingly accomplice the process which spatted on Igala Royal stead.
Wait a minute, Ododo and his political benefactor ignominiously labelled Igala people as nursing sentiment, what exactly can we point at that is not sentimental about the past eight years? Enthroning a family friend as successor or hand picking cronies and former colleagues as kitchen cabinets? What is more terrible than the divide and rule system advocated so far? For all I care, these guys are guilty as charged. But to the impotent enablers of this indelible mark; the merchants of Igala identity, Kudos. A time of reckoning beckons.
– John Paul writes from Lagos.
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