Let’s not start with Echocho (Senator Jibrin Isah), who represents the good people of Kogi East in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly. Honestly, we shouldn’t. But if your mind is eager to know why, I will leave you to answer just two questions: “How voluminous do you think the annual photo album would be if Echocho were photographed with all the people he supports and facilitates jobs for?” And the second question: “What do you think inspired the nickname ‘Echocho’? Was it given to him at birth, or earned by his good actions towards mankind?”
Please, go on, continue to praise Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for all the good work she is doing representing her people in Kogi Central. In fact, she deserves all the accolades so far. The magnitude of what she is doing should be very pleasant to her people first and to Nigerians who cherish her contributions to national issues through the Senate. She is distinguishing herself as a politician and should be encouraged. However, comparing her to other colleagues, like the Kogi Easterners have been doing recently, could, in the long run, turn around after a careful analysis of the political situations and realities in Kogi State.
As soon as images and motion pictures were rolled out from Senator Natasha’s first-year anniversary in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Kogi Easterners turned them into tools of attack, calling out their representatives at the national assembly, with Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho taking the largest share of the criticism. Unfortunately, as is often the case with people, most of us (particularly on social media) take advantage of situations like this to attack, abuse, blackmail, and malign, instead of challenging constructively to draw the attention of our leaders to areas where we want them to improve in their service to the land as our representatives. This ugly trend has become a bad culture, to the extent that caution is often thrown aside and past good records are easily forgotten when attacks begin. We have frightened our people and driven many away from community development activities, as they think their contributions cannot guarantee them even a small shield from their own people when they are in trouble or in need of a place to run to when things get tough. It is a painful situation, but it’s the reality today.
Not to drag this too long, do we truly understand the demographic disadvantage of Kogi East in the political structure of the state today? Consider this briefly: Your senator covers nine humongous local governments, almost the size of three South-Eastern states put together (check available data to confirm this point), and one of your House of Representatives members covers the size of the entire Kogi Central, which is also a Senatorial District. Hope you know that Ajaokuta, as a local government, is also a Federal Constituency? So, by the time Honourable David Idris Zacharias is moving around Ibaji, his colleague from Ajaokuta would have done two or three rounds of his own constituency. While Zacharias may be dealing with issues in Ibaji, those in Idah, Ofu, and Igalamela-Odolu would have been tired of waiting for him, and so, the circle continues—we are locked in here for some time.
However, the realities from the demography of our region shouldn’t give room for excuses for quality representation and good performance. Instead, these realities are calling our political leaders and representatives, in particular, to realize that the office they occupy requires constant updates on their activities. They shouldn’t settle for defense or reactionary media work. They should understand that the age we are in demands to see and know every public move. Any delay in relaying information at the appropriate time and strategically will only create room for complaints, blames, and misrepresentations on many fronts. Recovering from such negative developments will cost greatly.
Most of the leaders from Kogi East are not intentional when it comes to media engagement. Their cold approach to media costs them a lot, without them knowing it most of the time. In other places, political leaders strategically engage people when they are about to do something, whetting people’s appetites and creating expectations. When doing, they engage the media deeply, and thereafter, they keep discussing their work until another new project begins, keeping them relevant around the clock. If Echocho or Zacharias were to make a list of their efforts so far in 2024 alone, you would be amazed. And, unfortunately, when they finally roll out these things in reaction to a development, many will dismiss them as merely political. In democracy, engaging citizens is critical and non-negotiable.
Finally, and on a lighter note (as you may wish), I hope you are ready to give Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan your full support if she stands for Lugard House tomorrow. You have seen what she is doing already. I hope you won’t introduce gender, region, religion, and party differences into your analysis in the future. Let the praises encourage her to do more, but shift away from the path of comparison, as it may be doing her a disservice for so many reasons.
ARISE!
