A metaphoric representation by Stephen Adeka
In the heart of Nigeria’s North-central zone, where the Niger and Benue Rivers wind their way through the sprawling plains and fertile valleys, a tale of disillusionment was etched into the annals of time. It is a story that is unfolding over the course of seven+ long years, leaving the citizens yearning for change like a desert seeks rain.
On December 31, 2015, hope still lingered in the air, and the total debt stock of the state stood at N42.034 billion. But then, on the 27th of January 2016, a new administration took the oath of office, led by a man who promised prosperity, and progress via a new direction. Little did the people of KIGO know that their fate was about to take a treacherous turn.
The domestic debt of the state soared to N71.381 billion by December 31, 2016, like a kite caught in a relentless gust of wind. The promise of a brighter future was overshadowed by the looming clouds of debt.
Fast forward to the 27th of September 2023, and the once-proud state found itself burdened with a staggering domestic debt of N93.669 billion. The people are no longer wondering where they had gone wrong, except for the cruel twist of fate that had robbed them of their beloved Prince of the Niger.
It was this very twist of fate that had allowed the incumbent governor LLOBO, fondly known as the “Pale Lion,” to ascend to power. Through a web of political maneuvering and the connivance of a powerful northern cabal, the governorship was secured, and what followed was a reign of looting and plunder that the state had never witnessed before.
But the die is now cast, and the people are ready for change. The signs are ominous, and the air is thick with discontent. But the pale lion, now obsessed with power, is determined to cling to it like a drowning man clutching at straws.
The “Pale Lion” had a plan. He let his Siamese twin take charge to exhaust his juvenile political oracle before reining in his naked plan that reeked of nepotism and selfish ambition. He truncated his now-so-called Siamese twin’s self-centered ambition and now struggled to foist a minority and a cousin brother on the state, a move that feels more like a bid for a third term in disguise. Couldn’t the pale lion have equally settled for the more dangerous Akusu or even, the Okun Ajuwasi instead? Nein! His goal is to close his fraudulent tracks and keep the coffers open for yet another vain presidential race in 2027, as he had attempted earlier in 2023. Nigerians are indeed smarter!
The pale lion’s obsession with his central zone has led to the concentration of development and key appointments there, including the civil service while the majority of eastern and western zones languish in neglect. Division and violent crimes are been sown like seeds of discord to weaken the resolve of the easterners, to divide their votes. The Godhead is just watching!
Even the Ajibi area, which had been promised environmental restoration and development by their struggle for recognition as oil oil-producing area has been perennially crying out to the heavens for help on account of the flooding they experience always. It is sad to note that since January 2023, the state has been receiving the 13% oil derivative funds, but Ajibi has remained in a state of environmental distress, ignored by the very government that should have nurtured it back to health. The fund just comes to the state and stays! But where is the 13% derivative fund and the necessary structure for its administration?
The pale lion’s tactics are clear – create panic, cause mayhem, and confusion as are visible all over the places today, pay unmitigated Ilaga elements 6k for their conscience, compromise national institutions to manipulate election results, and create ungovernable spaces in the eastern heavy vote zone; Opposition voices, like the popular SDP candidate Alhaji Mutala Kajaka, targeted and facing daily attack with the goal of silencing and cowing him with impunity. But Kajaka will only become, and get stronger, popular, and eligible for an early win come Nobember 11, 2023!
But amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope remains. The people of KIGO, tired of the misrule and disillusionment, are determined to reclaim their state through the unassuming, resilient, capable, and popular masterstroke, MURI AJAKA who has excited a grassroots movement in the eastern homeland and now, the entire state. This is about wrestling power from the captor and usurping occupant of Lugard house who has tasted power and now desires to perpetuate. How sad? The November 11, 2023, off-cycle governorship election is the chance to break free from the chains of an irresponsible administration by a resolved majority, and no force will be able to stop them.
As election day approaches, the citizens of KIGO are ready to cast their votes, not just for a new leader but for a new beginning. The tattered tapestry, messy embroidery, and high disillusionment and disappointment of the state of affairs or so-called poor state’s governance would be rewoven, and a brighter future awaits on the horizon. Only resolved people can make it happen and with gusto!
The deep story of KIGO’s disillusionment and disappointment is far from over, but the final chapter is about to be written, -Nobember 1, 2023, and the people are determined to author it themselves.
“It is the end of the years of the Locust, the Cankerworms; the end of a dark era and the dawn of a new day -it is a story of resilience, hope, and the undying spirit of a people yearning for change. KIGO’s change is here, Hurray!
