James Udor Ebe, Esq.
President, Igede Rebirth League
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in this write up are strictly those of the author, based on his personal convictions, research and information sourced from relevant materials about the individual/s. It must also be noted that the write up is not a sponsored or paid advert for any personal, clannish or political interest. It is a personal project of the author in his capacity as the son of Agba and the president of Igede Rebirth League, a civil society organization registered for the promotion of socio-cultural values, good governance and socio-political development of Igede nation.
“The socio-political history of the Igede nation vis-a-vis a holistic developmental roadmap has an uncoordinated and inconsistent trajectory over the years. For a society with the quantum of challenges as the Igede, that looks forward to a bright future among the comity of ethnic nationalities, the present Igede development trajectory is unacceptable. It is needless to say that a deliberately designed socio-political roadmap emphasizes a unique understanding of all forces and factors that shape the individual’s status in the society. Therefore, it is only through a roadmap that all socio-cultural and political experiences can converge together to continually refine the community which would ultimately build in individuals the capacity to envision and help create a just society for all” – culled from @Igede Rebirth League’s Blueprint for Igede Development, 2021.
It is premised on the above profound quote that I would be doing a little write up on a carefully selected 23 personalities representing the 23 Council Wards of Oju and Obi Local Government Areas of Igede nation. It is beyond any ounce of argument that Igede nation is blessed with a lot of great men and women of intellect with great potentials, crisscrossing every human endeavour. We are honest and hardworking people, albeit a recent alien culture of deceitfulness and laziness exhibited by a handful of few individuals with a false sense of entitlement. But we won’t rest in our oars until we get it right, no matter the price!
Notwithstanding our intellectual capacity and the tall attributes of honesty and hardworking, we have many things working against us, ranging from being a minority ethnic group to internal wrangling, lack of unity of purpose, ineffective political representation over the years, erosion of values, among some other teething problems. Regardless of these challenges, beaming a searchlight for the persons, on whom the cap would fit most, in our political permutations, equation and negotiations with other ethnic nationalities and political stakeholders as we enroute to 2023 general elections, will help in returning Igede nation to its prime place in the schemes of things; and this is one responsibility I have taken upon myself to do, so help me God.
The 23 personalities will include those who will wear the crowns and those who will help in crowning others (i.e. Kings and Kingmakers). After all, we cannot all be kings or queens at the same time. These 23 personalities would be people of 3c – character, courage and charisma.
The criteria for selection or projection of these 23 personalities would include academic qualification, experience, expertise, intelligence, special skills, integrity and track records in their various chosen endeavours. They would be randomly selected based on my personal assessment of the individuals after conducting some background checks on them. Therefore, if you see more than one person from one Council Ward or you do not see any person at all from your own Council Ward, please don’t take it personally. It is not done with a view to promoting any Council Ward or individual to the detriment of others. The focus is not on the individuals or Council Wards but the collective interest of Igede nation.
The political offices (both elective and non-elective) in focus in the political permutations and negotiation, include but not limited to the following:
1. Governor of Benue State
2. Deputy Governor of Benue State
3. Benue South (Zone C) Senator
4. Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly
5. Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly
6. Secretary to the Benue State Government
7. Commissioners
8. Federal Government Ministerial slot/s to Benue State
9. Ambassadorial slot to Benue State
10. House of Representatives (within the kitty)
11. Local Government Chairmen (within the kitty)
12. House of Assembly Members (within the kitty)
PROF. ODE OJOWU, OFR
The first person to make the list of the 23 Igede Personalities as we enroute to the 2023 general elections is no any other person than very own, Prof. Ode Ojowu, OFR. Prof. Ojowu is a global citizen, a colossus and a household name in the national and international arenas, who does not need any long essay to introduce him to the world. But to achieve the purpose of this write up, permit me to give my reading audience a little glimpse of Prof. Ode Ojowu.
Ode Ojowu (born August 16, 1948) is a Professor of Economics. He obtained a First Class Honour’s Degree in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, in 1974. He was employed as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Economics, ABU, Zaria. After his NYSC in 1975, he won the AFGRAD Fellowship Award under which he completed his MA and PhD in Economics from the University of Connecticut, USA between 1975 and 1980 and returned to ABU. Prof. Ojowu was appointed Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in Benue State between 1984 and1985 under the leadership of Brig-General Atom Kpera. Between 1989 and 1991, Prof Ojowu was Consultant/Coordinator of Nigeria’s Industrial Master Plan sponsored by UNIDO and from 1994 to 1999 he was a member of the National Economic Intelligence Committee (NEIC) with oversight function over the national budget and PTF projects under General Sani Abacha. Between 2004 and 2005 he was a member of the Federal Executive Council with specific responsibility as the Chief Economic Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Executive Officer of the National Planning Commission.
Upon exit from government in 2005, Professor Ojowu returned to the University of Jos from where he retired in 2007 to private life. He has however continued to work as consultant to organizations like the DFID, UNDP, the World Bank and Federal/State Governments. In 2008, he set up the Country Policy Centre (CoPoC) which he now directs.
In November 2008, he was appointed Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Benue State University till March 2016. In 2011, Prof Ojowu was awarded the national honour of OFR. Currently, Prof Ojowu is Chairman, Board of Economists of the Daily Trust Newspaper, where issues of fiscal and monetary policies, economic development and diversification and budgetary issues are analysed with recommendations routinely published for the attention of the government and other stakeholders.
Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, appointed Prof. Ojowu as a member of a newly formed Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC), that is charged with, among other things, the responsibility of advising the Federal Government of Nigeria on national economic policies for rapid, inclusive, sustained and sustainable growth. He is also the Chairman of the Benue State Economic Advisory Council. He has published several papers about the Nigerian economy.
In spite of the fact that he rose to the zenith of his career and peak of academic excellence, Prof Ojowu still practises farming and he is active in national, community, and mission services for Christ and humanity; and his passion for Igede and Nigeria’s development is second to none.
Though from a humbled and minority ethnic group of Igede, Prof. Ojowu is highly respected among the world political and economic leaders. He is a man of 3c – character, courage and charisma. With these sterling qualities, exceptional academic qualifications and excellent track records and integrity, needless I to state that Prof. Ojowu is eminently qualified to hold any political office in Nigeria and beyond.
Therefore, as we engage other ethnic nationalities and political stakeholders, especially our Tiv and Idoma brothers as we enroute to 2023 general elections, I present to you a worthy son of Agba, Prof. Ode Ojowu, to lead other Igede political elites and interest groups in the discussion about power sharing in Benue State in general and Benue South Senatorial District (Zone C) in particular. I call on all Igede political elite and other interest groups to close ranks our very own Prof of class and excellence and provide all the necessary support in the political permutations, equation and negotiations as we enroute to 2023 general elections.
To the best of my knowledge, Prof. Ojowu is not a politician in the sense of being a card-carrying member of any political party like All Progressives Congress (APC) or Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the rest. But beyond being a career politician is the fact that Prof. Ojowu has all the necessary credentials and requisite experience that a good leader must possess to change the narrative of not just only the Igede nation but also that of Benue State and Nigeria at large, if he is given the opportunity to serve in any capacity of leadership, whether elective or non-elective position.
Furthermore, it is my personal belief and conviction that apart from possessing all the necessary credentials and requisite experience of a good leader, Prof. Ojowu also has the capacity to make other people leaders from Igede nation. For me, he is one of the oracles in Igede nation. Let us consult him as one, as we chart a new course for Igede socio-political development.
Therefore, as Benue Rebirth Movement and other interest groups are championing and clamouring for the zoning of Governor of Benue State to Zone C in 2023, this is the right opportunity to present our best and united squads to our opponents (our Tiv and Idoma brothers) in the power sharing negotiation table, and in my search, I cannot find any better person to lead Igede nation in this discussion/negotiation than Prof. Ode Ojowu.
Igede Ihiooo!
Watch out for the 2nd personality….
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