The Idoma indigenes living across Kogi state have commended the leadership qualities of the commissioner for Solid Minerals, Engineer Bashir Gegu’ for attracting transformative and people centric development to his area
This is just as he beamed his development agenda to the Idoma settlements across Kogi/ Kotokarfe local Government Area which has brought improvement and relief to their Socio economic and insecurity situation that bedeviled the area
The Idoma indigenous people living in kogi under the aegis of Idoma Development Association, made the disclosure in a communique issued to Treasuretimes at the end of the meeting held in Lokoja, kogi state capital.
The chairman of the Group, Onehi Friday, commended Engr. Bashir Gegu for being at home with his people and listening to their challenges and profer practical solutions with pragmatic developments.
He praised the commissioner for taking them as his own , as he has attracted good things of lives to the Idoma dominated settlements in Kotokarfe local Government, while soliciting for his contact to connect them to the government and Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo to give due recognition to the Association just like it’s counterparts of Igbo community, Tiv , Yoruba and even Igedde communities living in the state.
Onehi Friday , noted that the Idoma which is the second largest ethnic tribe in Benue state, its people living in kogi state have not received fair share from the state despite her contributions to the political and economic development of kogi state
He lamented that despite their numerical strength in the state his people have not been recognized by the state
According to him, the Idoma people with 9 local Government councils in Benue state, have systematically been excluded from kogi state government recognition, although, two LG within the zone , who have dialectical variation, mainly the IGEDE people have been accorded recognition even as the TIVs leaving out the Idoma to believe that they were inferior to other communities in the state
” In Benue state we have 9 LG councils.in Zone C, but the IGEDE and few other dialectical variations of Idoma, have 2 LG.of Oju and Obi. These two local governments
The chairman stated that to attract government attention to them, they have in earnest begun mobilisation of their people living in the state, to support policies and program of the present government of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
He added that the group has equally begun aggressive campaign for his people collect their PVCs , the only weapon for active political participation.
He said the essence of the meeting, was to draw the attention of government to their plight of non recognition as a community in kogi state, despite their contributions to peace and development in the state, saying his people have lived here for years, which should deserve government attention
He assured the state of their unalloyed support and meaningful contributions to the growth and development of kogi state while appealing for Gov. Ododo’s magnanimity to recognize them as a community in the state to ease their age long agitation.
