The state of my state

So I have been thinking, if a child offends his father in the house, does the father in the bid to correct
his child calls his neighbour to report the bad deed of the child and begs the neighbour to help him
spank the child? This is what I know, as a mother, when my baby is wrong, I talk to her calmly,
lovely, I tell her how angry I am and I hope she doesn’t repeat it again.

Of course, my girl constantly wants my approval so she will promise not be do it again. Other times,
she does something wrong and I do not wait to talk to her sweetly. I will give her “abara” (spank), yes
I am an African in the sense that I understand that this is my girl’s formative years and there are
things that must be driven thoroughly into her.

My girl is just 2 years 6months but there are times I have had apologised to her for judging her
wrongly and I have scolded myself for being tough on her, other times I think I love her so sweetly
that am scared she may get spoilt but I am quick to tell myself that she deserve the love.

My baby carries this aura of affection when she walks, it is easily seen. People have told me my girl
behaves like a child who is too pampered, and I do not have a problem with that.  My Mum helps in
pampering and also scolding her, meaning it is a collective parenting to make sure she is properly
brought up.

This talk on my daughter and I, this is how I can relate with what I want to talk about.

Kogi State. This is my state of origin, I love my state and wouldn’t clam another for any reason.
Whatever happens in this state affects me. People are quick to ask of your identity and most often than
not it comes with where you originate from.

I do not understand the political mathematics that brought Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello to be governor
of Kogi State but some politicians made it politically correct and he rules the state. Well, for me, this
was victory. I have wished the Ebira nation become governor over the state they fought for and
invited other tribes to come join us.

The Ebira nation fought to have a Kogi State coming out of Kwara State (I don’t want this post so
long if not I would have giving the story of how Igalas came to rule), however the supreme power of
governing the state was never giving to the Ebiras.

By divine intervention, a governor from the Ebira Nation came out. This I felt it’s a redefining
moment for Me, Us, Kogi and Nigeria at large, somewhere in my dream I pictured a state that will be
ruled by law and not anarchy. As change seemed to be the mantra of the day, I felt kogi was about to
witness the real change.

This is almost 20 months since the governor came into power and the lives of the masses have gone
from bad to worse. Salaries are not been paid I hear 8 months and then pensioners are owed over 18
months. Worse is the ill treatment meted on local government workers.

How do we keep quiet in the midst of this evil? There is something we are not aware of, if Alhaji
Yahaya Adoza Bello fails we all fail. Do not think you are doing him any good by singing his praises.
We are a team, and we must come to the conclusion of winning or losing. Whatever befalls him will
be written in history and whatever good work he does as governor of this state will be written with a
golden pen on an expensive marble.

We must all understand that injustice done to one is injustice done to all. If the masses continue to
suffer this way, one day they will come for us the so called “elite” (apparently that is what we think  we are). Be reminded that the masses or the ruled are always more than the rulers. You cannot subdue one for long. Even the biblical pharaoh couldn’t do that to the Israelites when the time came they had their freedom.

We all talk of corruption, ghost workers et al. this is how it all starts. Those who are working at the moment can see how pensioners are not paid, even they who are working aren’t paid. So when they get to position of power where they are accountable to large money, they steal and change figures.

Should in case they retire they would have money to fall back on. You can’t say you are fighting corruption and your body language and even actions speaks otherwise. The reason why I like rules is because it speaks of equity it binds all. Even if there are exemptions to rule you can’t make a rule and talk of not being part of it. Isn’t it leadership by example?

I speak to the Ebira nation, do we want to rule? If we must continue to remain in power what are the immediate pertinent things to be done? Should we continue to be sycophants or remain silent even in misdeeds? Is this what we have always envisaged? How do we want to tell our story? Are we thinking of our children? This and many questions I have brought before us.

Remember this is for the best of our Nation Ebira.