Igala socio-cultural group, the Igala Vanguard has criticised the continuous denigration of Igala traditional culture both by the state government and it’s officials especially Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Salami Ozigi-Deedat
The Vanguard in a strongly worded media statement released by Engr Lawrence Akpa on Friday described the ongoing onslaught as no longer tolerable, in view of the actors premeditated intentions to reduce the highly revered traditional stool to nothing.
He said the visit of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ahmed Deedat on a condolence visit sitted side by side with the paramount ruler of Igala Kingdom, the Attah Igala, HRM (Dr)Mathew Opaluwa Oguche Akpa was the height of cultural bastardisation deliberately been displayed by Kogi Governor and his officials and it is condemnable.
This was coming when the traditional class in Kogi state targeted at Kogi east was detered in an official memo not to welcome the SDP governorship candidate in the State, Alhaji Murtala Ajaka on a courtesy visits.
The same Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy under the instructions of the state governor issued such dangerous memo to desecrate the culture and traditions of the Igala nation and cause dissatisfaction between the traditional class and their subjects.
Akpa maintained that Bello’s penchant for disrespecting the traditional class was legendary as on many occasions has invited the late Attah Igala, Micheal Idakwo Ameh Oboni to his office and that of his former commissioner for local government, now Senator representing Kogi Central.
The embarrassing scenario had gotten to the climax as the state government at will summoned traditional rulers on flimsy state matters targeted at witch hunting the Igala royal fathers.
“We recall how he hurriedly invited and hurriedly packaged a press release on behalf of the traditional rulers, when the alleged attempt on the lives of the SDP candidate portraying their position as having condemned the attacks and issued by his Chief Press Secretary, of Igala extraction.”
Akpa demanded an unreserved apology both from the state government and it’s officials, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who had been hired to continue to carry out the one sided dirty job to suppress the Igala culture.
The state government and it’s officials are up to something, having unilaterally targeted it’s actions against the Igala traditional council.
Akpa maintained that it is not on record were such affront and day light disrespect and disregard for the traditional class has taken place both in the Central and Western Senatorial zones.
“It is still fresh in the memory of the Igala Kingdom how the Kogi state governor arranged a ground breaking ceremony of Idah -Agenebode Bridge, Idah- Ibaji dragging the traditional class into dirty political arrangements that was later abandoned before his reelection in 2929 and on assumption of office in 2016.”
He warned the state government not to tinker with it’s tradition having bastardized the political class and denied the people of social security, stating that the Igala nation will resist further affront on its traditional custody.