The Kabba-Owe community was indeed jolted , shocked and embarrassed to note the contents of a forwarded PROPOSAL to the National Assembly by the Okun Development Association (ODA) on the creation of Okun State. It recommended that Okun State consisting of all Okun settlements in Kogi State and a sprinkling of some in Ekiti and Ondo States be created with the Capital at Lokoja or a virgin land in the middle of Okunland. It further recommended that some LGAs be split giving Ijumu LGA into 4 LGAs, Yagba-West 2 ,Yagba-East 3, Mopa-Amuro 2, and Kabba given ONLY 1 and to be named not Kabba but Owe LGA.
B. Our Reactions
1.00 Anecdotes of ODA hostility against Kabba: At every twist and turn the ODA has been openly or surreptitiously showing their thinly veiled hostility against Kabba. A few years ago, one of our illustrious , well respected and well decorated Custom officer Mr James Olumudi (now late) contested for the Presidency of ODA in an election that he was popularly coasting home to win; but there was hurriedly a carefully crafted and an unholy gang up against him and he was roundly humiliated with electoral defeat. Yet this is against the backdrop that the Presidency of ODA was last held by a Kabba (Owe) man more than fifty years ago! To exacerbate the situation, in the immediate past electoral arrangement, the ODA internal schemers ruled that of all positions in the Association only the post of Assistant Legal Officer would be reserved for Kabba District. Distraught and humiliated , the Kabba delegates rightly opted out. The latest in the ODA series of embarrassmen is now their proposed Okun State that has already been submitted to the Senate without any iota of consultation or involvement of Kabba people. A casual observer will not fail to realize that it was essentially a ploy to ridicule, humiliate and embarrass Kabba.
2.00 Non Prior Consultation of Kabba by the ODA:
It is indeed curious to note that a momentous, fundamental and landmark exercise like the creation of Okun State can be carried out by the ODA without any contact, negotiation and brainstorming with the good people of Kabba District. Yet the ODA felt at ease to go and submit a sensitive proposal for Okun State without involving Kabba people at all ! Having deliberately sidelined the people of Kabba, the ODA went ahead to submit to the National Assembly a warped, skewed and vexatious proposal. By all rational standards, and metrix, the proposal was nothing but a hostile anti-Kabba document. It woefully failed to reflect the centrality of Kabba and the
historical leadership role and pride of place that history has bestowed on the Kabba community. It ignored the historical Administrative roles Kabba had been playing since pre -colonial times up till now. It cynically brushed aside the leadership roles that Kabba had been saddled with since time immemorial. There was therefore no rational reason to sideline Kabba in deliberations leading to the creation of Okun State.
Kabba has been the hub of Okunland and should play a pivotal role in the sensitive deliberations on the creation of Okun State
3.00 Historical Antecedent Roles of Kabba.
From History, Kabba was founded well over 2000 years ago. It also happened to be the most cosmopolitan and populous area in Okunland. It has thus been playing a leadership role in the whole of Okunland since pre-colonial times.
3.01 Kabba In Pre-colonial Times, Kabba had a head start or precocity over its neighbours because it was evidently the most populous and most secured settlement with its city walls. It has since then been playing leadership roles all over Okunland. Kabba-Owe therefore deserves to be respected and factored into any move to create Okun State.
3.02 The Nupes targeted the Kabba kingdom because of its flourishing trade and population; and between the 1800s and 1890s they held sway in the Kabba kingdom. The Nupe local colonialists upheld and exploited the centrality of Kabba. They also upheld the leadership positions of Kabba over its vast neighbours. Kabba was made the epicentre of their activities in Okunland. Kabba’s leadership even as that time was recognised. This leadership role should not be egregiously dampened now.
3.03 The British conquered Kabba in 1893 which marked the beginning of its colonial rule. In 1895, a Waff company of 500 soldiers led by Sir George Goldie defeated the Nupes between Kabba and Ogidi thus ending the Nupes” era and firmly establishing British Colonial Rule
To further underscore the importance of Kabba, the British Expeditionary Force that later conquered the whole of Northern Nigeria was at a time stationed in Kabba. Their Military Barracks were in the present upper Kano Road, Kabba. The artesian wells dug and used by the soldiers are still there now; and the Kabba people called them “omioyibo”. They are still under the ancient mango trees planted by them. To crown it all Sir Frederick Lugard visited Kabba in 1902. In the 1900s, Kabba was divided into 4 Administrative Divisions. In 1904, the British completed the Lokoja -Kabba road. In 1920, Kabba Province was created and became autonomous; and Kabba was made the Provincial Headquarters. This humongous Province covered not only the whole of present day Kogi State but part of Ondo State, e. g Ikare , Owo, Ikole and also included part of Edo State like Akoko-Edo up to the Kukuruku hills. This marks the apogee of Kabba being a leader and centre of a very vast Province. However the Provincial Headquarters was moved to Lokoja in 1922; but the name of Kabba continued to resonate in not only Northern Nigeria but the whole country. The name of Kabba should therefore be a pride to the Okun people.
So why should such a place like Kabba that has played a historical leadership role be ignobly ignored by the ODA when considering the creation of Okun State?
3.04 Kabba has since been headquarters of Okunland when it was called Kabba Division , when it was Bunu, Ijumu, Kabba (BIK) , Oyi LGA and now Kabba-Bunu. With all these antecedent leadership roles Kabba has been playing how can it be justifiably sidelined in the creation of Okun State; and worse still, how can the proposed Capital of Okun State be taken to an extraneous Lokoja?
3.05 Kabba Current Leadership Status:
By God’s grace, Kabba today is not just the Headquarters of Kabba-Bunu LGA, but because of its rich historical antecedents, the Kogi State and the Federal Government made it the Headquarters of Kogi State Western Senatorial District which encompasses the whole of Okunland and both Lokoja and Kogi LGAs. With this type of esteemed status, why should ODA denigrate,downgrade Kabba and even propose a largely non-Okun town as the Capital?
4.00 The ODA in their wisdom or otherwise, proposed Lokoja to be the Capital of the new State or a vast virgin land around Mopa, Ife-Olukotun and Ekirin-Adde. This cannot be more preposterous because of the following reasons:
(i) Lokoja is currently being hotly contested by the Igalas, the Oworos, the Hausas, the Nupes, and Kakandas. Among these contestants the Oworos are the only Okun people and they are relatively low in the power equation of the place.
As recent as 2020, the Igalas won a case at the High Court ascribing the ownership of Lokoja to the Attah of Igala land. Meanwhile the Nupes are Kakandas are still claiming to be the first aboriginal settlers in Lokoja; and to boot, a Hausa man is the current Maigari of Lokoja. The Ebiras also claim to have a say in Lokoja. In this maddening mix up and cacophonous voices, how safe, viable and appropriate will Lokoja as the Capital of Okun State be? A State Capital should embody the physical, spiritual, religious, emotional and cultural essence of the State. Kabba with its relevant rich historical and cultural antecedents, rich infrastructure, good network of roads leading to every part of Okunland, a friendly and accommodating people and more importantly located at the heart of the proposed State eminently and justifiably qualifies to be the State Capital and not a hotly contested, tangential and extraneous Lokoja.
(ii) Kabba is generally associated with Okun So many people even justifiably use the two names interchangeably. It is therefore normal, natural and congruous to make Kabba the Capital of Okun State. Lokoja is patently incompatible with the ethos and essence of Okun State. One outstanding benefit of Kabba being the Capital is that it will spread development to adjoining or contiguous towns in Bunu and Ijumu which will be part of the Capital just like Ilorin expanded to nearby towns.
5.00
The National Executive Council of ODA did not hide their partiality and disdain against Kabba (Owe) community in carrying out the proposed splitting of LGAs :
Out of 15 LGAs being sought, Kabba – Owe with 9 political Wards was allocated only one (1), This unjust distribution of LGAs may be a reflection of the ignorance of the town/village structure of Kabba District . To the unaware, Kabba is erroneously thoughtful to consist of only Kabba Municipality. This is far away from reality as Kabba District consists of the following settlements:
Kabba Municipality, Iyah, Idde, Ekiri, Okuta Elewo, Bolorunduro- Otu, Aiyede-Otu, Aiyetoro-Egunbe, Aiyedun – Egunbe, Egbeda, Okeola, Obiri, Okedayo, Gbeleko, Kakun, Apanga, Ogbagba, Ayangan, Iduge, Ohakiti, Obele
Oke Oja, Egunbe Obangogo, Ego, Eludun, Egbeda Loke, Apole, Adesua
The 2006 population figure for Kabba-Bunu was 145,446 of which Kabba District was more than 60%. On this account, we hereby propose that 4 LGAs be created in Kabba District as follows :
Kabba Municipal
Kabba East
Ikowaopa North
Ikowaopa South
Given the economic virility, expanse of land, and a land bustling with the highest population density in Okunland, these 4 LGAs are indeed well deserved.
6.00 The Name Of The Proposed State:
It is generally known that almost all the new States created in Nigeria derived their names from their immediate past Provinces. Why should that of Okun be different? Why not Kabba State? If the ODA carefully takes into consideration the historical, cultural and political identity of the people, Kabba is a more suitable name rather than the amorphous “Okun” identity.
It should be noted that ” Okun” as a Yoruba word and greeting is not restricted to our local territory alone. Okun is generously used in Ekiti, Ijesha, Igbomina and several Yoruba territories. It therefore does not give us the unique and exclusive identity required. It is Kabba that adequately satisfies that unique, incontrovertible and exclusive identity. There are no other Kabba people elsewhere in Nigeria but only ourselves in Kogi State. Therefore, we propose that the name of the new State be “Kabba State”
7.00 The writers of the proposed State seemed to be oblivious of the fact that repeatedly in the Press and at different fora , the Okun people in Kwara State, Ekiti State and Ondo State have snubbed and rejected their planned inclusion into Okun State outright. If a referendum is taken today in those areas we may be embarrassed by their deafening rejection. Except if there is a determined fresh effort to sensitize and mobilize those people, they should just be left alone and not included in the new State. The inclusion of Lokoja, Eggan, Kupa, Kakanda etc., is at best controversial and vexatious. Only Oworo people are Okun. How can the other distinct ethnic groups be joined willy-nilly to Okun State? If a referendum is carried out among those people it is very likely that they will decline inclusion thereby threatening the case for Okun State. Okun State should exclusively have an Okun character just as it is in Ekiti State. Okun State should not be a mishmash or potpourri of ethnic groups.
8.00 Failure To seek The View Of Owe (Kabba) :
One of the core pivotal principles guiding the operation of an Organization or Association is consensus building which is also the hallmark of democracy. This is quite lacking in the way the ODA went about in pushing out their submission on the creation of Okun State without consulting Kabba District. It should be noted that Kabba is the Headquarters of the whole Western Senatorial District. The Obaro of Kabba is also the Chairman of the Okun Traditional Council. To refuse the input of such a revered traditional ruler who will play a foremost role in the whole gamut of traditional affairs in the new State if created has made a mockery of the exercise and terribly attenuated the integrity of the submission.
9.00 Legal And Constitutional Rights To Self Determination :
The Nigerian Constitution guarantees the rights of communities to determine their political future through democratic means. The whimsical, arbitrary and presumptuous inclusion of Kabba in the proposed State without seeking their consent and participation is a violent breach of democratic norms. Until a mandate is sought and obtained from Kabba people any inclusion of Kabba in the proposed State should be considered illegitimate.
There is nothing sacrosanct about Okun State If the foundation of the State is based on disrespect, intrigue, pettiness, hatred, animosity and ill-will against Kabba people.
Kabba people eminently reserve the right to completely opt out of this spiteful and treacherous contraption. Our full and zealous involvement can only be guaranteed only if the rough and jagged edges of this exercise are smoothened.
10.00 Conclusion :
From the foregoing presentation, it is evident and crystal clear that Kabba has been playing leadership roles over the whole of Okunland and even beyond since pre-colonial days up till now. She has also been duly recognised not only by the colonialists but the then Northern Region, all the various regimes of the former Federal Military Governments, and the Constitutional Democratic Governments at both State and Federal Government levels. It is therefore absolutely absurd for the ODA to spitefully ignore Kabba in the creation of an Okun State and allotting demeaning positions and plans for Kabba in the new State. For all practical purposes it is as if the ODA or some of its functionaries are hell bent on completely obliterating the name of Kabba in all social and political ramifications. This is an ignoble and gratuitous act. Our involvement in the push for the new State can only be assured and guaranteed if all the aforementioned mis-steps are urgently corrected.
E-sign by the Community Leaders
High Chief Joseph Ojo Oshagbemi
Mr McJohn Bayo Afolabi
High Chief Michael Alegbemi
Chief Sunday Ibileke.