I grew up as a little boy, I have studied history and
read about the depravity and the hatred of humanity, not with exceptions to the
Idoma people in particular. A lot of Igede people, to mention a few, have been
killed in the pool of their own blood in Otukpo. I grew and witnessed the
burial of some of our brothers who were murdered without a clue.
The Ad’Utu stool in Igede is very much long overdue
and we the younger generation will continue to remain restless. We are not
ready to unleash terror or adopt violence but it has become so worrisome where
the rights of a people are denied without any viable reason. Do not tell me
that I am too young to dable into such issues, but what is the purpose of
leading a people and having them under you when the issues that bother them
seem to be none of your business?
The Boko Haram started in the North for reasons best
known to them, the Biafrans wanted to gain freedom but they took the wrong
steps though they fought the incessant killings of their sons and daughters.
The Igede nation is long overdue for a first class
chief. Whatever the reason has been that has delayed it till now, we do not
want violence and we are not pleading because as a nation and as an entity we
have our rights that we must not even beg before we are given.
The Idoma people refer to us (Igede) as slaves. I am
yet to find out the part of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
that places the Idoma nation above the Igede nation.
Silence must not be taken for granted. Years have gone
and we are becoming impatient. We can lead ourselves, and I even think with the
partisan nature of leadership displayed by our traditional leaders the more and
the urgency for the Ad’Utu stool draws closer.
Deep in a democratic society you do not impose leaders
on people but people choose their leaders themselves. All the machineries are
in place to have the Igede nation decides who leads them.
Year after year and night after night we keep
anticipating a formal coronation of our king, our patience is overflowing and
we are still very patient but I cannot guarantee how long this can wait.
Lovers of Igede nation in the words of a leader which
say “whatever you don’t have, means you are not desperate for it enough to have
it”.
The traditional stool should not be a thing of
politics. I see the Och’ Idoma so partisan and gets even into playing clannish
politics, if his grandfathers never told him to not grant the Igede nation
their freedom to have their first-class chief then we are ready to rewrite
history.
The blacks suffered in America until Martin Luther
King lead the black negros to gain freedom. Igede nation has been patient
enough and we cannot continue to live without a king because the Och’Idoma, I
do not think, knows anything about what happens in Igede. So, we want a
leadership that will be close to the people of Igede to help us solve our
problems.
Let Igede have her Ad’Utu and let it be constitutional
and recognised by the government, lovers of Igede this must be a focal point in
our historical growth, till we realise this mission of being free, I see the
white colonialism in disguise happening right now when the Idoma people subject
us to compulsory slavery every second and each passing day. God bless Igede
nation.
Long Live Igede nation
Ogi John 2015
Nigerian Singer, Olumuyiwa Osinuga aka Nomoreloss’ untimely death has
thrown the entertainment industry into a state of mourning.
