By Christopher Sunday
Voxnews.com.ng
In the orchestra of political nations, silence is not just absence—it is erasure. The Igala Nation, once a luminous presence in Kogi State and a consequential voice at the national roundtable, now finds itself muted—not by accident, but by a lapse in collective will, strategic direction, and philosophical introspection. Democracy, like history, does not favour the disunited; it records, rewards, and remembers those who dare to think, act, and unite.
The events of November 11, 2023, are not merely political entries in a state election diary. They are a mirror—a reflection of a great people fractured by sentiment, fragmented by party loyalty, and diminished by tactical naivety. In supporting the SDP candidate, many believed they were upholding ethnic pride. Yet, that pride was not harnessed with the rigour of political wisdom. The outcome left us not with the thrill of triumph, but with the sobering weight of reflection. This, therefore, is a call—not just to action, but to thought. A call to rethink what it means to be Igala in the evolving theatre of Nigerian politics.
From 1999 to 2015, the Igala held the reins of power in Kogi State, commanding respect and opportunities at the state and federal levels. But since the shift of power to the Ebira bloc in 2015 and again in 2023, the pendulum has swung. This regression is not the failure of fate, but the failure of unity and foresight. We have not been outnumbered, we have been outmaneuvered. Politics, like chess, rewards those who plan beyond the next move.
The 2023 election, shaped by tribal undercurrents, was an opportunity to rally behind a shared vision. Instead, we presented a house divided—SDP here, PDP there, and some shadows in the APC. The result? A dispersed majority that could not withstand a coordinated minority. This is the paradox of our time: strength in numbers, weakness in unity.
The consequences transcend Lokoja. At the national level, the Igala voice is increasingly faint in federal appointments, policymaking, and national discourse. The silence is not due to marginalization alone, but to our fragmented approach to power. We must remember that political irrelevance begins with internal disorganization.
To reclaim our dignity and place of honour, we must awaken from political slumber. This is not the time for blame but for blueprint. We must:
Convoke a Pan-Igala Political Council that transcends party lines and generational gaps.
Embed strategic negotiations within APC and PDP, demanding visible federal and state dividends.
Unite behind one qualified candidate by 2027, chosen through consensus and grassroots deliberation.
Engage other ethnic blocs in Kogi to build a stable power-sharing alliance.
Educate and equip our youth in political literacy and leadership.
Revive our cultural pride, using it as the soul of our political mobilization.
This is not a political manifesto—it is a philosophical awakening. It is a reminder that a people who once built an empire from Idah to the banks of the Niger cannot afford to be footnotes in their own political history. We must act with clarity, vote with unity, and organize with wisdom.
This mission belongs to us all: traditional leaders, youth voices, women movements, religious icons, intellectuals, and grassroots organizers. The time to rise is now—not tomorrow, not next election. Today.
Let the Igala Nation rise again—not in anger, but in purpose. Not merely to exist, but to lead. Not just to be counted, but to count.
Let the Igala Nation Rise Again—Stronger, United, and Unstoppable!
