By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Igbo community in Niger state has called on Governor Mohammed Umar Bago to consider one of their own as Commissioner for appointment into the State Executive Council (SEC) because of their support for him and in line with his promised, ‘all inclusive’ government.
Igbo people who are naturally business inclined are said to have been contributing greatly, even more than other tribes, to the growth and development of Niger state, especially in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). They added that they have remained committed to doing that notwithstanding the alleged occasional provocations.
Secretary of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, Niger state chapter, Chief Valentine Oparaocha, who made the position of his people known in an interview, also said that Igbos voted for Bago and including one of their own in his cabinet in the spirit of justice and fairness to all, is not too much to ask.
Oparaocha said, “There is no part of the state you don’t find Igbo man or woman. Go to any market, you will see them doing their best and contributing to the state economy. That is why we feel that it will not be out of place asking to be included in the cabinet”.
Against some vested interests, Oparaocha who is a retired security personnel said, “We voted for Bago because our son, George Dike assured us of his sincerity to carry the Igbo people along. We voted for him even when we were sidelined in the largese that was shared to the other twenty-six (26) non-indigenous tribes in the state.
“Our youths have always shown their support for Bago, and they told us to vote for him because he will not disappoint us and we did. We want the Governor to treat us like some states by bringing us into the security and state executive council”.
The Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo scribe who traced the relationship between Igbo people and Niger state recalled, however, that the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, one of the notable Igbo leaders was born in Zungeru, his father being the biggest business merchants of their time, Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, established many businesses that thrived in Niger state.
Nigeria’s first civilian President, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was also born in Zungeru, so also late K O Mbadiwe and others traced their birth places to this state. This shows that historically, the Igbo people, over the years, played pivotal role to the growth and development of Niger state.
He however regretted that a historical artefact in honour of, late Odumegwu Ojukwu, for the significant role a national monument was been abandoned in Zungerus for years and pleaded with the Governor to grant his people a place of recognition in his government.
Oparaocha argued that, Igbo sons and daughters who are doing businesses across the nooks and crannies of the state, contribute almost 50 percent of the state’s IGR. And for the sake of being non-indigenous, the Igbo people should constitute at least 10 percent of the cabinet.
The best way to appreciate the contributions of the Igbo people in voting for Bago and as well contributing in no mean way to the economy of the state, Oparaocha insists is to be included in the SEC, because they have been able to scale through these two key factors, that is why we are appealing to Governor Bago to have a place in the current dispensation. NNL.
