For an average Idoma man, governing Benue State is akin to passing seven heavily pregnant elephants through the eye of a needle. To some, it’s like an attempt of venom on the rock. While others equally see it as a complete mission impossible.
In less than 10 months, electorate in Benue State, the acclaimed food basket of the nation would witness a change in leadership. In fact, a new leader will emerge to take over the mantle of leadership from Governor Gabriel Suswam, a Tiv man, after 8 years of what many have tagged ‘barren tenure’. While the Idoma/Igede ethnic groups, otherwise known as zone C jostle to mount the governorship stool for the first time, the Tiv, who are the majority would seek their continuous dominance in political affairs of the state.
From the look of things, it seems the Idoma community has woken up from their years of somnolent quietude. The ‘blogsphere,’ ‘homesphere’ and even the ‘streetsphere’ are currently reverberating with the anthem, ‘give us Idoma governor in 2015.’ The ongoing clamour for an Idoma governor reminds one of the Biblical Rachel who avowed ‘give me a son or I die.” A desperate Idoma community wants to rule the state, even if na three days or they wash their hands off Benue politics. The recent shocker was the assertion by the former president of Idoma National Forum, Engr. Momoh who was quoted as saying that ‘no Idoma governor, no vote in 2015.’ How realistic is this dream? This is a big question to answer.
Another shocking trend is the recent protests organized by some ebullient Idoma youths drawn from various organizations who stormed the NEC meeting of the PDP with banners bearing different inscriptions to protest the refusal of the Tiv nation to allow the Idoma ethnic group rule the state after 38 years. The anthem is deafening, like the chorus of disappointed spectators during a goalless football match –‘all we are saying, give us one goal.’ All we (Idomas) are saying give us Idoma governor in 2015.
Indeed, the Idoma community is not ready to leave any stone unturned in their quest to occupy the governorship come 2015. While still basking in the euphoria of this new union, delegates at the ongoing national conference released a ‘bomb,’ thus recommending the creation of eighteen additional states. The ‘good news’ is that the long-awaited Apa State was not omitted from the list. Hmmm, Interesting!
Surely many political ‘Gadafis’ from Idomaland will use this as a gimmick to win the heart of our people come 2015. I smell deception. Papa Decieve Pikin. Since the news hit the media last week, Apa State paean has been triggering social media tsunami. This is the music: “Finally, Apa State is here with us. Ahinya Lowoicho.” Suddenly, we begin to divert our attention from the big task ahead of us to this bait called state creation. The vim and verve we had initially towards the forthcoming guber election begin to dwindle drastically.
The passion begins to fade into cultural pot of time because some persons sat somewhere and concluded that the birth of Apa and other states is in sight. Sad. Pity. SMH. In my research on how a state is being created, especially during civilian dispensation, I was shocked to discover that it takes not less than five years to complete right from referendum signed and of course you must determine the organ that will even conduct the referendum. But as at today, the constitution doesn’t specify who should conduct the referendum.
I was made to understand that from the referendum stage to the state House of assembly where it would be debated upon and passed, before it is sent to 2/3 of the states in the country, 24 must approve that the state is created. Then, it comes to the National Assembly, each of the Houses will pass it. Then a joint committee would be set up to look at it, to recommend, then they vote on it. This takes not less than about four to five years to complete.
Recall that history of the struggle for the creation of Apa State could be dated back to1996, when Mbanefo’s panel was set up. The panel went round the whole country and recommended 12 states, two per zone. In the north central, they recommended Nassarawa and Apa States. History has it that Apa State was even number seven on the list. But when it came to the actual creation exercise, the then Head of State, General Abacha denied the Idoma nation. One of the criteria for creating a state was that the area must not be less than 1.3 million; the Idoma area was 734,000 as at that time. That was how the Apa State never see the light of day. Don’t get me wrong, I am not against State creation, especially my beloved Apa State, but from the look of things, this may eventually end up as an empty celebration considering the fact that the ongoing national conference may not take fire across the stream.
Already, some delegates from the north have shrugged their soldiers over this development. Yeye dey smell. Now, come to think of it. How ready are we for the coming of this much-talked-about Apa State? Is the Idoma nation ready to welcome this state with two hands? Is the Enochi ready to work with (A’lala) Enone? Is the Igede nation ready to join this match? This and many other questions are begging for answers, hence it becomes a case of torturing an already traumatized woman.
Already, there’s an ongoing debate on various social media platforms on where should the capital of the yet-to-be-seen Apa State should be situated. In fact, some persons are saying that Otukpo is the right place for the coming bride. Others say Ugbokolo seems to be the best place for the capital city. While some equally suggested that the capital of Apa State should be situated in Owukpa. Na wa o!
As I end this article, I leave you with the word from the book of Idoma elders that says, “eche ora itanwnu lifu ishi no.”
Apa State is here, but don’t celebrate yet. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.
Ameh Comrade Godwin writes from Anumachogwu, he can be reached via comradetalents@yahoo.com ff: @amcomrade
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