Adejoh Muhammed Idakwo
Greetings to you all my Kogi State brothers and sisters. I can proudly say it anywhere in the world that I am from Kogi State and I hold every Senatorial Districts in Kogi State in very high esteem. I have never picked my phone to write anything about happenings in Kogi State before now. However, I do seldom find myself discussing one or two issues of importance with some highly intellectual people about Kogi State and Nigeria at large.
My concern about what I am writing is because of an event that happened in my very eyes in Lokoja. I became so sad when I later heard and read something quite different from what took place at a place I was present in flesh and blood. This now prompted me to write in episodes some issues that has been bothering me about Kogi State.
EPISODE 1- THE WHITE LIE AGAINST ORICHA
On Wednesday 20th March, 2024, I was on my way from Mount Patti side and I had to pass through the Government House. As the bike man that took me passed through the seat of power, I saw some people gathered at the entrance of the Government House gate and something just prompted me to order my bike man to stop. I wanted to see why the operatives of the EFCC were at the gate of the Government House. I paid my bike man and he left. The security men stationed at the gate of the Government House did not allow the EFCC men to enter. They now made the police men Manning the Government House gate that they came to check the palliative store in the Government House. They were told that there was no palliative store in the Government House and they were later taken to Muhammadu Buhari Square where the palliatives were always stacked before distribution. I was there when Alh. Oricha Shaibu followed them to Muhammadu Buhari Square. The DG SIP, SEMA, NEMA all followed the DG Government House to Muhammadu Buhari Square to talk to the EFCC men. I also over heard them discussing the logistics needed to offload the palliatives arriving Lokoja and the DG Government told the heads of SIP, SEMA and NEMA to follow him to his office for this to be looked into properly. It was at this point I left.
I was however surprised when some people gathered at where we used to gather and read newspapers saying Oricha the DG Government House was almost arrested yesterday by EFCC if not the Government House policemen that began to shoot at the EFCC that came to arrest him. I was shocked to my bones and marrows that people could lie in the holy month of Ramadan against a man known as Oricha. I had to stop them from what they were saying that was not true to tell them what actually happened. The two guys that brought a different version from what happened stylishly left the place when I exposed the exact thing that happened. This is how we bring rancour that leads to wanton hatred in Kogi State.
As a person, I have known Alh. Oricha for many years from afar. I do not have much relationship with him but all I have heard people say about him has always been on the positive side. Part of what was what written in the social media that is making waves is pure fallacy. There is nothing wrong in transferring people in civil service from one office or ministry to the other. My late father was a civil servant and he was transferred to 4 different ministries before he retired meritoriously after 35 years. I have also heard him talk so well about Alh. Oricha as a detribalised man.
Weaving a story about EFCC trying to arrest Oricha to the transfer made in the Government House is the height of wickedness among those who are neck deep in this wrong allegation against a man Almighty Allah (SWT) has been using to attend to the problems of many people. When a civil servant is transferred from one ministry to another, it is to improve knowledge and enhance good working relationship in the civil service. It is not to be seen as witch hunting evening we know some transfers are done based on sentiments from some quarters.
EPISODE 2- PAYMENT OF SALARIES IN KOGI STATE
Judging from my name, you will discover that I am Igala by tribe and I am proud of it. However, my people the Igalas needs to start retracing their steps and utterances so that we do not become an eternal laughing stock that is gradually becoming our portion. I am saying this because we have not done well. We have become a set of people that sees white and calls it black because our conscience has been smeared with hot iron. I was so glad when the Ebiras became the governor of Kogi State because I am one person that will never for any reason join my people to eat the food that is meant for all to eat. A greedy attitude like this can make one to miss out from Aljanah and I do not want to rot in hell.
Concerning the payment of salaries in Kogi State, I knew how the late Prince Abubakar Audu owed salaries for 8 months which was later cleared by Alh. Ibrahim Idris. Time was when the same Audu paid leave bonus only for him to later tell civil servants that the leave bonus has been converted to their salary. What I have said is not a lie. It is a taboo for me to lie against the spirit of the dead. The question is what stopped my Igala people from protesting against what Audu did then? The answer is not far fetched. It was simply because an Igala man was in power and we also saw it that we were the majority so, we kept sealed lips and endured the unfair treatment Audu meted on the civil servants.
Still on payment of salaries, Alh. Ibrahim Idris also owed 4 months salaries which Capt. Idris Wada came to clear when he became governor. When Wada was leaving office he left behind a backlog of 3 months salary which he did not pay. It was Gov. Yahaya Bello that later paid the 3 months unpaid salary Wada left behind. My greatest sadness concerning the top leadership in Kogi State is that my Igala brothers ruled more and they were all Muslims who claimed to have the fear of Almighty Allah (SWT). They all owed salaries but Gov. Yahaya Bello did not owe any state civil servant a dime till he left office. Whereas, he was the governor that had the lowest allocation from the Federation Account as compared to his predecessors. I stand to be quoted anywhere on this.
The only bone of contention when it comes to salary payment is the local government workers. It is high time we tell ourselves the truth as it is else our so called faith in Allah will amount to nothing. Gov. Yahaya Bello as far as I am concerned as an Igala man is the best thing to have happened to Kogi State. He inherited the percentage payment of salaries to local government workers. The backlogs was already on ground which was caused by my Igala brothers who were governors before him. The regime of Alh. Ibrahim Idris and that of Capt. Idris Wada paid between 10 to 15 per cent salary. Presently, that is between Gov. Yahaya Bello and Alh. Usman Ahmed Ododo who is our new governor, local government workers are now taking 80 per cent of their pay which I know Ododo will surely take to 100 per cent for him to stamp his name positively in the hearts of local government workers. I pray that Almighty Allah will help him.
FINAL WORDS
I want to please beg and counsel that people should desist from carrying false news and rumours that will always create more harm than good for us as Kogites. It is time for us to have a state sovereign conference where we will discuss our differences so that we will chart a new course on how the leadership in Kogi State should be shapen. I will also without minding whose ox is gored in Igala land where I come that our people should try and learn the ropes of politics. Even if we are the majority, it is now common sense that our so called majority is not enough to fetch us the votes needed to become the governor of Kogi State. Our wreckless utterances during and after the last governorship election shows we do not know anything about an all encompassing politics. We called the people we needed their votes to win an election our common enemy and today we have turn out as the common enemy of our own selves. I rest my case.
