Chief Richard Asaje, an elder statesman from Okun extraction in Kogi West senatorial district has appeal to all Okun people of whatever political party/backgrounds to get together ,form a united front, be realistic and focused on how best we can win power after Governor Ododo’s administration.
In his message to the unique people of Okun land, he asked, “When will Okun people learn?, stating that it is high time we get together, good governance is also possible if one of our kinsmen is in charge, then, rotation becomes a currency in our polity.. The Western senatorial district have never produced a governor,” he said.
It is no gainsaying the fact that okun people who once stood out as the engine room of the defunct northern region under the regional system of government in Nigeria are seeing sidelined, and marginalization has continued to be prominent in the political lexicon of kogi state remains an incontrovertible statement of the fact.
Any one that is not conversant with the age-long kogi politics which hallmark is lopsidedness in the location of the tertiary institutions and infrastructure in kogi state will readily erroneously take side with some sections who have been occupying the Lugard House in lokoja with no end in sight to their political scheming that is largely hinged on their claim of the largest population.
Today, when you go to the central, you will observed that FGYB development stride in the senatorial district is commendable, his people are proud of him, and of course, we in okun land appreciated him for giving us Okun University in kabba before he completed his two-term of office.
It is high time to start critical self assessment as to why and how we declined so much politically and economically.. Probably due to general lack of cohesion.. which is still ravaging us and yet to be addressed.. lt is sad to continue to describe us as strangers people who had lived in their present locations for many decades, hence the need to support, collaborate with our “Old Kwara’s , the people of kogi Central , to make power rotation to kogi west/okun extraction possible immediately after Governor Ododo’s tenure of office.
Our expectation now, after Governor Ododo two-term , it is the turn of an okun man in the spirit of fairness, equity and inclusiveness.. An average okun thinks it is high time we unite and strategize for the state’s top job. The closest an Okun man who has ever gone to being the governor of the state was when the then Speaker of the State House of Assembly , Rt. Honourable Clearance Olafemi , acted for about two months, when lbrahim Idris was temporarily asked to step aside, to allow for a supplementary election. An event that led to the State gubernatorial election being an off-cycle one.
Dear okun Patriots, we need to think and think to be able to be the next governor of the state after the central.. Down memory lane, kabba is the only province that as not being a state capital and a university , if not the one given to us by FGYB.. It’s the perfect time to offset emotional stressors by employing strategies to harnessing collective wisdom and insights on the work strategy, direction and plan implementing patriotic roles.
It is only by forging a united front that the okun people of kogi west senatorial district of kogi state can overcome their development challenges.. Okun people must be unite, okun must forge a united front, unity is our only option going forward.
The things that divide the okun people would only further distract them from the onerous task of building a strong and self reliant okun land.. We need to learn/ understand how the okun people contribute to kogi state economy through agriculture, trade , cultural tourism and the looming prospect of political emancipation of our people.
The moment we are able to curb unnecessary bickering , deep seated clannish and communal divisions among okun communities which have in diverse ways , imparted our leaders by narrowing their developmental dragnets within these divisions, that is the moment we can begin to achieve our aims for genuine development of our land and people.
This is herculean but achievable , if we are one unique people.
Until we realize the strategy to engage with, considering the mutual understanding between us and the central , and stop criticising FGYB for personal reasons, because criticism from kogi East is lesser than west. We need to stop mischievous character, okun joined hands to make Ododo governor on the directives of FGYB, and from observation FGYB is determined to change the old order of things to make power rotation possible in the state, among the three (3) Senatorial District.
When one or two ethnic group continue to lord it over other groups in the state , can that situation be said to be democratic? No.. The Western Senatorial District has never produced a governor, we need unity of purpose , support of FGYB , then, one would be able to predict where the pendulum will swing to after Governor Ododo’s two-term in office.
The aspiration of having an okun man occupy the Lugard House is sacrosanct.
Chief Asaje therefore promised to continue to work with the relevant stakeholders in building the okunland of the dreams of the people of the area.. Okun people must be determined to work as one united political family to stava off defeat in year 2031, now that we have realized that no faction and division can win election.. We should start creating awareness for 2031,we are concerned about unity of kogi and of Nigeria, he concluded.
Okun people should change her mind , we’ve decided to paddle the same canoe with the central , our intentions is not to scuttle the electoral process or underate opinion of others to enhance governorship rotation , and to ensure 2031 will not pass by for another zoning without Okun getting into the future plan on a platter of goal..
We’re now running with the kogi central programmes of 2031 for kogi west/okun extraction..Long live Okun Nation..
Signed:
Secretary, “Like Minds Alliance Pressure Group.
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