An Open Letter To Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan: PDP Candidate, 2023 Kogi Central NASS Election »

By: Farouk Ozigi Onimisi

Dearest Sister,

I was once your admirer sometimes in 2017 when you came to the fore as an activist and what I described as a voice for national development, but with some of your tinted actions against Yahaya Bello’s administration subsequent to this, I quickly withdrew my convictions in you. No one wins power by fighting government of the day. You are literate enough to know this but it all ended in my favour when I discovered that your agitation for the revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company was a camouflage of your finding your way into the Red Chambers. You didn’t surprise us when you came attacking Yakubu Oseni in the 2019 Senatorial Election where he defeated you hands down; all pointing to the fact that no one steals his way into power.

You showed up again in the November 16th 2019 Gubernatorial Election where GYB, Messiah of Kogi Central, beat you hands down and the PDP’s Wada Aro. Put succinctly, the reelection of Yahaya Bello ended ethnic bigotry, a situation which almost had the state lackluster. While we understand the rate at which ethnic interest was propagated in the old days of Kogi State, the broken of the ethnic chains by the white lion is a most commended fusion and understanding its test of time to come forth, the good people of Kogi Central will forever go the way of His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Bello.

Regardless, I see you as a sister but it seemed you are not well informed of the experiences of Kogi Central people in the hands of PDP you are now flagging her senatorial ticket. Let me help in bringing some memories: Kogi State, before the inception of the New Direction Administration, did not live up to the expectations of the founding fathers and the exponents of the creation of the state ever since its creation.

Unity of the three senatorial districts was absent as there were pockets of violence and in some cases, outright breakdown of law and order. What was ubiquitous among the districts was structural violence manifesting as negative peace as the districts had mutual mistrust and animosity towards one another. Put succinctly, they were not able to work together as partners in building the state but rather, embarked upon actions that would rather divide the state with underdevelopment. You don’t get unity by ignoring the questions that have to be faced. (Jay Weatherill).

On the whole, the ethnic groups were not been able to establish enduring peace and unity among themselves following the creation of The Confluence State until the coming of our strong-minded, erudite, unity-oriented, no-nonsense, detribalised and peace loving White Lion, Alh. Yahaya Bello. Perfectly embedded in his New Direction Government, the GYB-led government took into cognizance, the sharp cultural, religious and socio-economic differences that existed among the disparate groups before they were amalgamated into Kogi State. This affirmed to Wilson’s quote which says “we cannot be separated in interest or divided in purpose. We stand together until the end.”

Structurally, some people believed you are championing the type of fierce campaign that occasioned the contest between two candidates in the past which culminated in thuggery and wanton destruction of properties. Important centres of convergence in Ebiraland were torched in these periods. Okene Central Market was burnt down, shops and stalls of important party notables were burnt, and it also led to dislocation and dismemberment of families. We lost children and all other values of ethnicity in these periods. I am very certain, dearest sister, you won’t watch your fatherland go back to these periods.

The violent nature of politics in Ebiraland was predominant especially in the PDP’s regime you are now her flag bearer for the Red Chambers seat. In their reigns again, contest for political office among politicians exacerbated the spate of violent conflict among clans and politicians in Ebiraland. To seek for political office, there was need to recourse to sub-ethnic identity.

Politicians who felt marginalised instigated their sub-ethnic groups against the other clan members. Thank God, the good people of Ihima are aware of this. Ebiraland is one and contest for political offices will never divide us. We are all one and children of Itaazi.

Yesterday, I watched an online video of you saying you will fight the resolve of the Kogi State Government on concession of Okene Reference Hospital, something some of your followers once tagged as World Bank Project. I have a question as a concerned brother: what business of yours is this in the first place? You came up with this decision without sampling the decision of neither the majority nor the government. Is this what you will do if you ever get the chance of representing us in the National Assembly? But you are satisfied with the concession of Ajaokuta Steel Company to Russia.

You are very satisfied with Atiku and his privatisation policies. I laughed all through when I watched the video. I was like, thank God, you have nothing to campaign against Engr. Abubakar Ohere, your opponent in 2023 who is already coasting to victory.

Concession does not mean outright ownership by the privatisation company. Let me make one example: the electricity we use today in Nigeria, is it not a private business but the government continue to have policies in power and same to some other assets of the federation? It is no doubt that some government assets are better run in the hands of private firms and this was the sole reason of President Olusegun Obasanjo coming up with a council-like council called National Council on Privatisation, just to keep the assets running.

Many were concerned about my writing you this but as a concerned brother, I am worried about the perception of the general public towards you especially when it seemed you are only concerned about dragging Yahaya Bello. There are better ways to win election but with a very passionate position, you will agree with me that Ohere shall win you very easier than the way Oseni won you in 2019. Peace is costly but it is worth it.

We don’t hate you as a person but your party, PDP. Sincerely, we appreciate your blood as our own but in this present Ebira society, we cannot forget how we were in the hands of PDP, where our people took to nerve explosion and self immolation. If it is not a violent contest between political parties then; it is one Ebira community versus another.

At other time, it could be one masquerade group versus another or one clan against another. At a time, it was Idozumi versus Idoji in Okene, at other time, it was two clan groups in Adavi that engaged in war of attrition. Again, in the Adavi area, it was Adavi versus Ihima and two clan groups in Ogaminana toring each other apart. Ogu and Omoye clan groups in Okene have also mauled each other to bits. All these, when looked into critically point to the fact that the State Government was not concerned. Even the PDP-led Federal Government described Kogi Central as terrorist zone.

Today, we have GYB to always glorify: he changed our name as Ebira people; ended ethnic bigotry; gave us the hospital stolen from us in a more refined manner. Federal University, Lokoja, was supposed to be in Kogi Central but the hatred of the PDP administration saw it in Lokoja, yet GYB gave us Confluence University of Technology, Osara where Okene Reference Hospital shall serve as its Teaching Hospital. Put succinctly, the GYB-led administration united Kogi Central people and it is the more reasons the majority will always follow him and his party, All Progressives Congress. Without being partial of course, your brother, Alh. Yahaya Bello united the three major ethnic groups in Kogi State.

I will never advise any opponent to step down as it will not make Ohere’s victory interesting. But, I see you in a better future as someone we can always count on. You don’t know the extent of my envying your boldness. It is not in me to ask you to make friends with Yahaya Bello, but remember, Atiku is not enemy to Tinubu neither is Jonathan enemy to Buhari. We are Ebira people and it is high time we stopped denting ourselves before the general public.

If there are some choice of words I used here and it offends you, I’m very sorry. I am only concerned about a sister and how valuable she could be to us in the future. I am certain, your brother, Alh. Yahaya Bello, is not your enemy. Don’t make an enemy of him as well. He is the leader of Kogi State and by extension, your leader. Do your campaign without creating the impression of fighting him. Together, we are stronger.

I look forward to having you as my Special Guest in my intended book launching: Pains of a Mother.