By Onimago AbdulSalam
History has made it known and shreds of evidence abound that power is not gotten based on the geographical size of the location of a people or its population height, power is gotten simply based on the ability of a people to maneuver their interests to suit that current situation of their immediate society. We have it in the history of numerous small ethnic groups with tiny landmass ruling over a larger counterpart in their society, this reason isn’t far fetched, it’s because the small ethnic group was able to separate emotions from reality and make use of their senses instead of their tongues.
My above analysis speaks of the inferiority complex of some small ethnic groups in Africa and especially Nigeria. After independence, in all of the systems of government, we’ve tried and practiced, the Igbos of the South East have allegedly been shortchanged which to me isn’t true, no one can decide a people’s fate safe themselves. The Igbos have constantly thought the Presidency/the highest office of the land will be given to them on a platter of gold, who does that? Power isn’t given anywhere in the World but taken. The recent voting pattern further exposes the weakness of the Igbos that their dream will continue to be one until they learn how to make alliances and then wait for the right timing to demand their fair share. To cut the long story a bit, the Northern part of Kwara State has been going through similar experiences and situations of the Igbo of South East, but they can right the wrongs by being pragmatic, resolute, and sincere in their advocacy for a power shift. A notable political platform has done half of its assignments and what is left is for the people to augment that by voting in a block for their only son contesting for the States highest seat.
It’s so disheartening that of all time, now is the period when the traditional rulers from that axis came out openly to throw their support for the governor’s reelection rejecting their kin in fear of being witch-hunted, maligned or even dethroned by the governor, the mistakes the majority of these monarchs are making is that the Governor can’t bully everyone to silence, make your choice and make it wise for posterity will be the judge of us all after all. Kwara Northerners and voters must be wary of the ploy of a man seeking a second chance and promising heaven and hell, four years is enough a time to prove one’s ability to be useful and purposeful which can not be said of our governor fighting tooth and nail to get reelected.
Dear Kwara Northerners! Have you ever asked yourself what the fate of his previous co-travelers was? The son of yours you’re planning to cast aside for a stranger was once a big ally of the stranger, taking him from house to house to solicit support for him to be elected, and after the victory what was he paid with? The Oba Abus, The Akeem Lawals, The Lai Mohammeds, and a host of AA’s allies were dropped like a bag of sand immediately after he emerge, the governor is not someone that makes a promise and fulfills it, he’s vengeful and not honorable, such kind of man can mistakenly be entrusted with power but should not be rewarded with reelection.
For AA and most political elites, it’s a game of interest but for an average Kwara Northerner, it’s about now or never, what do Kwara Northerners think of their fate if AA is reelected? Do they think other districts will fold their arms and watch as power is ceded to their district, in all honesty, Kwara central should stand aloof for it has had a fair share of the rotation but will Kwara South be suppressed when it’s their turn? And can a Kwara North ticket beat that of a combined or allied Central and South ticket? These are questions begging for answers from our brothers from the North, as I posited earlier, to them its a game, but to you its about you and your generation unborn and their fate in the project Kwara which they can not afford to be a second or third class citizens in a State they contribute greatly to its development.
Kwara Northerners must not succumb to the divisive ploys of Gov Abdulrasaq Abdulrahman and his agents to perpetuate themselves in power, the notion that if Kwara Northerners should even produce a guber candidate that it should come from the Baruten Kiama axis of the region instead of the Nupe speaking region, and their excuse was that Alh Shaaba Lafiagi of Nupe extraction has once been a governor, this is nothing but crying of an eventual loser who’s afraid of losing. It has become a norm for both axis to rotate Senatorial seats, why then should it be difficult in the governorship case? If the Nupe extraction is done with theirs, then it can easily be shifted to the Baruten Kaiama axis when next the rotation comes North. One is forced to ask why the governor is being jittery and doing everything possible to retain power. His Oyo counterpart, Gov Seyi Makinde despite his open rebellion and public anti-party practices is still sure of being reelected which means he has served his people well and done his best but gov Abdulrasak Abdulrahman would rather empty our coffer just to get him reelected.
Away from Kwara North, other Kwarans must stand up for justice and fairness, we must rally around our brothers because if we stay aloof and act as onlookers when the power brokers are done with them, others will be the victim of their injustice, and an injustice to one is an injustice to all.
Dear Kwara Northerners, missing this opportunity will amount to forgoing a rare opportunity that might not present itself for a very long time, irrespective of the divides one finds himself, to save Kwara from the perpetual failure and gross abuse of office we must vote Alh Shuaibu Abdullahi Yaman and the PDP as they remain the only platform that can rescue our State and it’s people. Kwara Northerners, it’s now or never, and the wise men say, “Never say Never.”
Onimago writes from Agaka, Ilorin.