Reconciliation politics: In fairness to Gov Bello and the greater public

I have watched, conscientiously, the video clip currently circulating the open-access media of the statements made by Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, rejecting a proposal to reconcile with his political opponents in Ebiraland. The proposal was questioned to the governor ostensibly in the interest of unity and progress of the […]

I have watched, conscientiously, the video clip currently circulating the open-access media of the statements made by Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, rejecting a proposal to reconcile with his political opponents in Ebiraland. The proposal was questioned to the governor ostensibly in the interest of unity and progress of the Central District. The said video clip was cleverly framed to transmit an aspect of events that will mislead public understanding and worsen the political issues in Ebiraland. Expectedly, the prevailing opinion is that Governor Bello has publicly and disparagingly rejected a proposal to discuss reconciliation with his political opponents in Ebiraland. This video has been followed by reactions from Ebira individuals and groups, all of who condemn the governor’s utterances as childish. 

I am compelled by the negative impact of this video, and the haste and weak contextual assessment with which those who have ‘mediatized’ their opinion on the matter attacked the governor, to question the motive of cross posting such an extremely sensitive question to the governor in a communication context that was not only inappropriate but also unintended for it. To begin with, I agree absolutely that, as things are now in Ebiraland, nothing is more important than political unity of the people because of its centrality to their profitable involvement in the affairs of the state. However, inflammatory videos such as the one in question and the insulting reactions that accompanied it cannot help the people reach the goal of this all-important political unity. The video strategically undermined the interest of the greater Ebira public, and diverted attention from the critical development issues that were discussed at the meeting.

The reactions I have read so far indicate that some people are not well-informed about the purpose of the meeting and the context in which the governor made the transmitted statements. I therefore consider it relevant to provide a little background on the event from which the video clip emerged. Leaders of the Ebira people’s Association (EPA) had met Governor Bello recently to request for a meeting with him to discuss a number of development issues in the state, including non-payment of salaries, especially as they affect Ebira people. Of course as a tribal association, it is understandable that EPA’s concern is how Bello’s government will benefit Ebira people. 

However, it was not a part of EPA agenda for this meeting to discuss reconciliation between Governor Bello and his political opponents in Ebiraland because EPA is not a political association. The governor consented to EPA’s request, but suggested that the meeting be open for inclusive attendance rather than restricted to EPA Executive members. Obviously, the governor saw an opportunity in this meeting to persuade public understanding on the issues in the agenda, rather than to publicly reject a proposal for political reconciliation, which was not even in the agenda in the first place. It was at the point of Q&A that a member of the audience asked the reconciliation question. This question was definitely an outlier to the many impacting issues in the EPA agenda on which the Governor spoke during the event. 

But at the end, we did not hear what the Governor said on these important issues. Instead, the “citizen-journalist” in attendance considered it more newsworthy to transmit a conflict-goading clip of the event, unmindful of the harm such de-contextualized messaging would mean to EPA’s effort at optimizing benefits from this government for the greater Ebira public. This “journalist” was also oblivious of the need to exploit Governor Bello’s underlying interest in directly touching the lives of the needy populations of young persons, instead of observing a fading tradition of two-step flow governance in which your welfare is channeled through the warehouse of constituted or self-appointed authorities of senesced political leaders.

This thought eluded the indigenous media illiterates who fell prey to the video and submitted their views that Governor Bello should be hanged for uttering disagreement with an ill-intended and infiltrating proposal. Come to think of it, there are some Kogites in the East who are discontented with the role Honorable Edward Onoja played in Governor Bello’s victory. Such people consider Edward to have betrayed his identity in supporting an Ebira man to become Kogi state Governor. However, we see nothing about this in any media form, and I wonder what exactly would have happened to Bello if Edward Onoja were not there to support him during the struggle. Of course today, we would not be having Yahaya Bello, in any way, to blame or insult for not issuing political appointment to some persons or giving others the ticket to nominate some persons for political appointment. We would probably not have considered him important enough to be invited for political reconciliation. 

Till today, as I write, Honorable Edward Onoja has remained the most formidable backbone of Yahaya Bello, working day and night to ensure that the Ebira man is not embarrassed out of Lugard House. If there is any pride of an Ebira man becoming the Governor of Kogi state today, no matter how little the pride is, Honorable Edward Onoja deserves a thank you! This is the truth that should guide the way we, the Ebira people, think about the Chief of Staff in the interest of a promising future.

On whether Yahaya Bello, as governor, was right or wrong in his statements, it is unconventional of a politician to reject reconciliation proposal in a public setting. Governor Bello understands this very well, but because he is of the long-awaited newbreed with the audacity to risk truth, the sarcastic context in which the question was posed to him could not have attracted anything better than the metaphor of resurrection of dead persons, which he put forward as condition for him to admit reconciliation proposal. There were no hands of friendship extended to Governor Bello at this event, and he has not rejected any such, at least not conclusively unlike the prevailing opinion shows.

It seems the governor only metaphored the intensity of his painful political experience, which, in fairness, would require more than a casual question to resolve. As a member of the ordinary public, what I think is more important and gratifying indeed, is that Governor Bello has so far not allowed political opposition affect his leadership delivery to the generality of Ebira people. This is a key determinant of the future of political decisions among the voting populations in Ebiraland. Take note!

Ozohu-Suleiman wrote in from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.