joshuaHAS HISTORY BEEN FAIR TO FGYB: IT’S TIME TO ASK OURSELVES SOME NECESSARY QUESTIONS.
History, they say, is the vantage prism through which the past gives a reflection about the present and the future. Therefore, it goes without saying the fact that, you cannot make a reasonable projections about your future without knowing your past and the present. To put it in a more literally form, history is like a “conjoined twins” of the past and the present, including the future.
Therefore, it’s debatable the fact that, for proper understanding of one’s present, you must interrogate your past or seek to understand your past as that will also guide you to project about your future or peep into the future. It’s also a fact that, any individual or a tribe or a race who failed, either consciously or unconsciously to interrogate his/her past would find progress and prosperity to be elusive, if not permanently unattainable. Just like the proverbial person who failed to take cognizance of where the rain began to beat him/her, he/she would also find it intractable to know where the rain stops beating him /her.
Combing through our most recent political historical events in Kogi State since her creation, it’s a settled fact that, since the creation of Kogi State in 1991, by the then Military junta headed by the former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasiu Babangida, an Ebira man has never governed the state as democratically elected Governor until in year 2015 when His Excellency, the former Governor of Kogi State, Alh Yahaya Adoza Bello became the 4th Executive Governor of Kogi State by sheer providence.
In hinde sight, it will be recalled that most of us, if not all of us, had expressed pessimistic views about the chances of Yahaya Bello (As he then was) becoming the Governor of Kogi State simply because of the political exigencies of the time, thus; with few Local Government Areas, low voting strength, lack of political connection or link with the central government, lack of general acceptability and popularity amongst other human factors.
It’s also a common knowledge or a fact in public domain how Ebira people of Kogi State were regarded as being “second fiddle” in matters of general affairs of the State; how so many of us who were students then in our various Higher Institutions of Learning lost our pride and ego as Ebira people, especially our ladies who found it so embarrassing to identified themselves with their tribe or even spoke the language either in her place of work or in school. Indeed, it’s an undeniable fact that, most of us suffered from low self-esteem as a result of the general political insult that the highest any Ebira man could ever come close to the Kogi State seat of power is by playing the second fiddle. As a matter of fact, Ebira students in their various Higher Institutions of Learning were not the only affected category of persons as even Ebira Civil Servants in both the State civil and Federal Civil services, Workers in private firms were subjects of ridicule by their Igala colleagues at any given opportunity for the mere sin of playing the second fiddle in a state that is owned by all and sundry.
Now coming to the crux of this publication, the question begs for answer again; Has History Been Fair To FGYB?
Its a trite fact that, average Ebira man does not succumbed to intimidation or oppression, hence the general belief that an average Ebira man is aggressive in nature. Indeed, just like the FGYB, we have had political giants and gladiators who had given shots at the number one seat of Kogi State prior to 2015 Kogi State governorship election which eventually and miraculously produced the former Governor of Kogi State, Alh Yahaya Adoza Bello as the 4th Executive Governor of the State.
It’s also on record the fact that, we had previously lost so many of our political gladiators to the cold hands of death in the cause of their continued struggles to break the seemingly already established jinx of permanently shutting the Ebiras out of reach of Kogi State Governorship seat, ad infinitum.
In particular, the Writer of this publication had been severally engaged in discriminatory confrontations by his either Igala friends or other tribal friends on the basis that the Writer’s tribe, Ebira can never become the Governor of State. Of course, these were common oppressive expressions or confrontations faced by an average Ebira boy or girl who was a student of any Higher Institutions of Learning at the time.
Like prophet Moses Who was sent to liberate his people from the oppressive clutches of the Almighty Pharoah, history was made when the former Governor of Kogi State, Alh Yahaya Adoza Bello was sworn in on the 27th day of January, 2016 as the 4th Executive Governor of Kogi State.
Expectedly and typical of an average Ebira man, the former Governor of Kogi State, Alh Yahaya Adoza Bello took a bold step and he was able to right most of the wrongs committed against his people and every other tribes in Kogi State.
This he did with respect to citation of infrastructural projects, fairly and equitable distributions of political appointments across the three Senatorial Districts of Kogi State, fair and equitable recruitment processes and other giants steps he took to address all the longstanding lopesidedness and marginalization
Further, the vexatious question still begs for answer ; Has History Been Fair To FGYB?
The former Governor of Kogi State, Alh Yahaya Adoza Bello in his unfettered wisdom and beyond the wildest imagination of most of us, if not all of us, singlehandedly and miraculously too, ensured that one of his most trusted and trained political Teammates succeeded him against the most pessimistic opinions expressed in some quarters in the last Governorship election in Kogi State
In actual reality and contrary to human perceptions and imaginations, his choice and political Godson won in a free and fair election held on the 11th of November, 2023, hence we now have yet another Ebira man as Executive Governor of Kogi State in the person of His Excellency, Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo, the 5th Executive Governor of Kogi State who is now evidently consolidating on the legacies of his big brother and political father, Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello.
Further more, the question still begs for answer again; Has History Been Fair To FGYB?
It goes without saying that, in other climes, drums, pomps and pageantry would have been rolled out endlessly in celebrating this iconic son of the land who had performed heroic deeds by liberating his hitherto politically belittled people.
Yet again, we go back to the crux question; Has History Been Fair To FGYB?
In conclusion, it is the Writer’s considered view, though regrettable, that like the proverbial Kings who are not usually celebrated in their own land, coupled with sheer ignorance, unjustified hatred, and the age-long, but invalid idiomatic expression that, instead of Ehebe-clannish person to wear the crown, a faceless Soso-tribal man should take the crown; our little or no appreciations of his Excellency’s uncommon and unprecedented achievements might not be unconnected with the above quoted invalid idiomatic expression.
Admittedly, the foremer Governor of Kogi State, Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello being a human like me and you might have his own imperfections too. Nevertheless, his heroic achievements and good deeds outweigh his mistakes.
I therefore humbly recommend that, going forward, we must learn to interrogate our common history, appreciate our heroes and all those who have done extremely well and who have shown unprecedented exploits, so that Almighty God will continue to send and increase in numbers such special individuals from generation to generation.
May His Excellency, fGYB Triumph
May His Excellency, Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo succeed.
May Kogi State succeed
May Ebira land succeed, Amen
©️Barr. Haruna Usman
Writes from Lokoja,
Kogi State
08036313456
