Gov. Gabriel Suswam
An adage in Igede says, “No matter how big a head is, it can feel pain if it is knocked”. If a big head can feel the pain, how much a small head (the Igede) that is severally receiving blows from the big neighbours. I am yet to understand the mystery of this life. Why has injustice permeated the world unchecked? Why are oppressors taking delight in oppressing their fellow human beings?
Each time I sit melancholy brooding over the affairs of this world, I wonder why a mortal man feels he is superior to his fellow mortal man. I am puzzled; so in my state of coma, I ask, where does man’s pride lead him to?
There is this pretence by the Benue state government that unless the First class traditional ruler of Idoma expressly grants the state power and authority, the state has no power and authority to create an autonomous traditional institution for the people of Igede. The impression in this case is that the Idomas have the divine and supernatural power over the Igedes, so Igede must be under the hegemony of the Idoma nation in perpetuum.
There are hundreds of first class chiefs in Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo nations. Numerous tribes and ethnic nationalities have first class traditional rulers in this country. It baffles me and I keep wondering if the Tiv and Idoma ever received the kind of treatment being meted out to the Igede from the larger ethnic groups like Hausa or Yoruba or Igbo.
Tradition as the word implies is a natural thing. Traditional institution in the first class status should be a basic right of a people to have. In fact, every ethnic group has inalienable right to have the first class traditional ruler for the purpose of maintaining peace as well as promoting co-existence among the people. This right is inherent, so it will be a mission in futility to deny or attempt to deny or suppress people’s basic right to preserve their cultural heritage.
Our clamour for a first class Ruler is normal and we deserve it. Notice that we are not asking for the head of John the Baptist, so our request deserves urgent attention and should be granted. At the moment, the only traditional ruler in Igede that is recognised by the state government is “Ada-utu”.
“Ada-utu” which means “Justice of Peace was institutionalized some few years ago when intra-tribal wars or crises were prevailing in Igedeland; and the major role of Ada-utu is to lead the council of Chiefs, otherwise known as Adikobia to resolve the differences.Time is ripe, and any further delay to install our Ruler as demanded will amount to attempt by the Tiv and Idoma leaders to subsume our culture, and jettison the existence of the Igede – God forbid! We are appealing to the Governor of Benue State, Rt. Hon. Gabriel Suswam, the man of history to create a Kingdom for the Igede and appoint the person whose name shall be forwarded to him.
Ad’ Igede stool is sacrosanct. I, therefore, advise Ada-utu of Igede and other traditional rulers as well as prominent people and political leaders to come together to decide who should be appointed as Ada Igede. A person to be considered should be highly educated having at least first class degree or its equivalent.
We do not want a person who will not be able to express himself. We do not want someone who will feel inferior in the midst of other traditional rulers. The first class stool everywhere is now occupied by highly educated and intelligent persons. Take for instance, Professor Edozie, the father of Ngozi Okonji-Iweala, Minister of Finance, is the first class traditional ruler of Asaba, capital of Delta State. ‘A stitch in time saves nine’, so this is the time of decision, period!
Ijuo Okpe is the President of: Igede National Congress (INC)
This article was first published in the The Congress Magazine of July 3, 2009
This article had actually received state government's attention as it led to various agitations that eventually produced Ad' Igede. The Congress Magazine was very popular with rich contents. Many Igede people were delighted that the Magazine was shaking the entire state of Benue, but greedy enemies within struck and the rest is now history.
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