ARISING ISSUE ON THE OFFICIAL CORONATION AND RECEIPT OF TRADITIONAL TITLES
BEING THE CONSENSUS VIEW OF MEMBERS OF “AYEGBA OMA IDOKO ANE’GALA”.
Greetings to you all our Brothers and Sisters of Igala Kingdom. There has been many negative feelings emanating from the issue of chieftaincy titles being conferred on Governor Yahaya Bello and some members of his administration by the ATTAH IGALA, AGABAIDU.
It is worthy of note that in Nigeria every State Governor and Chief executive Officer of the state has an executive privilege to be awarded and conferred with Honorary Chieftaincy titles, degrees among numerous other recognitions. Kogi State is not an exception. Hence, in all modesty, this is not a new phenomenon in Kogi state! You will recall for example every past governor of the state was given one title or the other and it is given to them at a time of their choosing .
That said, there must be a “Quid Pro Quo” to warrant such entitlement of traditional titles of Igala origin.
Most notable reason for the conferment of traditional title to the Governor of Kogi State notwithstanding our assessment of his performance in the State so far is the unbanment of the OCHO Festival that was proscribed for over 56 years, of which ATTAH IGALA, AGABAIDU lobbied for the ban to be lifted which was indeed lifted by the Governor of the State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
At this juncture, it is imperative to say that it is only reasonable and humane for the ATTAH IGALA, AGABAIDU to apply the principle of reciprocity for lifting the ban on OCHO Festival.
Even in warfare, there are “rules of engagement”, that all actors are expected to adhere to. Chivalry ?????? is not dead in Igala Kingdom. The ATTAH IGALA, AGABAIDU in reciprocation obliged the Governor by granting him the chieftaincy title for the signing into law the unbanment OCHO Festival.
OCHO Festival marks the beginning of the hunting season for the Igala people. It is a clarion call to all Sons and Daughters of Igala Nation to rally together to form social formations to reflect and strategize on the general welfare of Igala land.
The real question here is, does that affect the vote tally in the November 16 Gubernatorial election in Kogi state ? The general answer is a obvious!
The low level popularity of Governor Yahaya Bello among the Igala people in particular is due to the the kind of people he has chosen to surround himself with.
Classical politics teaches us that the intelligence of a leader is judged by the ministers he has around him. This is unassailable.
The strategy that is being exploited by this unpopular Administration is called “divide and conquer”.
They are using the power of incumbency to redirect the frustration of the Igala people from the State Government to the throne of ATTAH IGALA so that the Igala people will be engrossed in internal bitterness with themselves and engage in cynical criticism of the ATTAH IGALA’s throne instead of criticizing the State Government for the abysmal performance of this administration.
Knowing fully well that a drowning person will clinch unto anything around him as anchor, it is not far fetched that the timing of the conferment of this traditional titles to the state Governor and some members of his administration is a ploy to save themselves from their inevitable fall from power.
AYEGBA OMA IDOKO ANE’GALA is not moved by this rouse and will continue to stands firm in deciphering any plot to disenfranchise the Igala voters in the build up to the November 16 gubernatorial election in Kogi state.
True leadership is by choosing one of your own to lead. Therefore, the totality of the Igala political good will is for Engr. MUSA WADA and we shall prove it by giving him a 100% unanimous block vote by voting for PDP en masse come November 16, 2019.
Prince Ocholi Ameh Oboni
President, AYEGBA OMA IDOKO ANEGALA.