Just going through memory lane of what my experience was when I was schooling at Bishop Delisle College, Lokoja.
I had friend across different tribes – Okun, Igala, Ebira, Igbo, Housa, Yoruba etc – we do discuss a lot together during our leisure time, and when it comes to politics, more especially Kogi politics, it’s ending is most a time two facetted, while some go away happy, some go very sad.
This is due to some insulting statements by most of my Igala colleagues. For example, how can a tribe like Ebira be called a Wife to the Igalas, and Okun as their children?
One of them said “Until after the mad men in Igala land have ruled, no other tribe will rule.
In 2007, I could remember when PDP was in power, there were other political parties like ACN, ANPP etc Ibrahim Idris was all together the governor and PDP Guber Candidate from Kogi East, ACN featured Senator Ohiare as their own candidate from Kogi Central, while Prince Abubakar Audu flew ANPP flag and he was from Kogi East as well.
The ACN movement came so powerful due to the clamour for power shift and very many people queued behind Ohiare.
After the election results were announced, PDP;s Ibrahim Idris came first, followed by Senator Ohiare of ACN and then Prince Abubakar Audu as third from ANPP. The exercise was nullified due to several misconducts and malpractices.
While I was hoping for a change as we await the declared rerun, I was returning from school together with my classmate one day when we saw a poster of Prince Audu as ANPP guber candidate while Senator Ohiare was his running mate, I could not believe my eyes. As expected, they, the Igalas present, mocked me and said all manner of dismal statement.
That day was indeed a bad day for me. Just feeling so weak and disappointed, one question I asked myself that day was – “when and how is this power going to shift from the Igalas to other tribes in Kogi state?”
Fortunately, in 2015, God answered my question by taking power from the Igala and handed it over to the Central.
Now, fast-forward to 2023, of the two major political parties in the nation and Kogi state, the so-called majority, the indomitable, the lion of the tribe of Kogi state, was nowhere to be found leading either of the two parties to 2023 governorship election. Rather, it is the said minorities that had their sons leading both parties to the forthcoming Kogi state general election. This reminds me of the Biblical statement by King David saying “HOW ARE THE MIGHY FALLEN…” This shows indeed that power comes from no man, tribe or nation but God and God alone.
I, therefore, implore all (Individual, tribes, nations) to learn from this and stop bragging and monopolizing power whenever the opportunities comes their way. No matter the happenings, God still and will continue to rule in the affairs of men. Don’t wait for the punishment, learn the lessons and do righteously.
This goes to my esteem people from Kogi Central too – by the mercies of God, after He (God) helped us through the next eight years in government, please, I implore that it moves to Kogi West for the purpose of fairness and inclusion. We didn’t get the governorship position by our own power and we must not toe the wrong path so as not to invite God’s anger too.
I also implore my Tiv brothers from Benue state and the entire nation Nigeria to cultivate, and if possible (I believe), enshrine it in the constitution to ensure power rotation within all government sphere so we don’t invite God’s anger to ourselves as a nation, such as being experienced in our dear Kogi state.
God bless Kogi state.
– Onimisi Joseph writes from Abuja.
