Our present condition,national neglect and deliberate un-inclusiveness both at the national and state level has shown that government and politics in African nations is a game of numbers and interest – this interest has its own undertone which is often dictated by how influential such politician is or the kind of arsenal he or she has assembled.
If you say yes to this then that brings us to the issue of a forerunner which has become an obvious challenge to the igala nation.
Our inability to find for our self a forerunner who will navigate the movement and speed of our tribe has made us a people totally detached from the leadership and stake calling in the country,it has made us a stranded people who keep moving yet heading no where,it has made us a people who has being relegated into third and fourth class citizens,a people who are only mend to watch and not per take in the decision making of both the state and the nation at large.
The igala tribe despite being amongst the ten largest tribe in the country has being totally segregated and turned into a national caricature,and like I said yesterday,if any thing happens to an Igbo man,you will see and hear from the likes of Sen Abaribe,Rochas and the Wikes,if it happens to the Yorubas the likes of Ahmed Tinubu,Obasanjo,Igboho and the rest will come to show Affiliation,let us not even give a run through of the list of those you will hear from should it happen to a Hausa Man. But again if it happens to a Tiv Man you will see the likes of Akume,Suswam and Ortom,if it happens to an Idoma Man,the likes of David Mark won’t remain silent just like the likes of Bello,Asuku and Natasha will also be at the forefront to speak out if the Ibira nation is attacked in any way.
But if today any thing happens and affect the igala nation who shall speak for us – who shall call the attention of the federal government,the answer is no one,I repeat again,no one and this is because we have rich elites rather than influential elites.
Our tribe has often celebrated only people with money and not people with ideas,people with wealth to throw around not people with influence,people with myopic thoughts and not people with national charisma,not people with adaptable progressive visions and foresight.
Our people vote according to what the stand to benefit personally from the aspirant and not what such aspirant will contribute to the development of our tribe,gradually we have continued this way and have not only being deprived of everything at the national level,but has become a tribe only known for taking the back sit.
As at the time of writing this Article the igala tribe does not have any Minister to its name,No Director General of any Agency,No single Ambassadorial office,No permanent secretary,common an SSA to the president we don’t have – off course we all know we don’t have a sitting governor,and unfortunately we don’t also have an Attah.
We have being detached from the center and all that we have left are just stakeholders whose only interest and plan are themselves,all we have left are politicians who will only surface during election and vanish the moment that elections are over,all we have left in igala land are elderly men who will collect from here and collect from there and ended up not being able to caution their elites,all we have left are rich men who only invest in the growth of the tribe only if it will benefit them and their family,all we have left in the tribe are old,weak and outdated elites who have made the growth of the tribe their personal property,that they sit any where and decide who becomes who,most of all we have become a tribe that is known but not recognized,not acknowledged or any way accorded similar regards like others.
The igala tribe is in need of a forerunner,some one who can assemble all its native and re-enbibe the need to struggle towards a common goal,a forerunner who has a workable foresight that can guide us out of this pandemic denigration – a forerunner who can for once put personal interest aside and champion the course for a new igala nation where we will be involve in the administrative process of this nation,where we will have a say and our say will be regarded.
The igala nation is in need of Another Stephen Ache ma who can weather the storm,who can look directly into the eyes of power and speak to it,some one who can mend the broken bridges and unit the tribe again,redirecting and guiding them towards newer orientation – an orientation that will give us a new national recognition,influence and dividends. The tribe is in need of an ardent propagator of the Alapaic tenets, unwilling to bend,unwilling to second,unwilling to be compromise and constantly forth coming with robust plans for the growth and development of our tribe.
It is only when the tribe find such a forerunner,that it can find its foot at the national level,it is only when such mobilization and rebuilding of bridge is allowed that we can gradually redeem our already damaged and deteriorated national image.
Until we forget about this seasonal politicians we have in our state and beginning to find a forerunner who we can rally behind,we will continue to loose our national recognition.
written by
Jacob Unekwu Agada.
the Author,EBULEJONU.
Idah,Kogi state.
