DISMAYED by their continued marginalization, the Okun Yoruba people in Kogi State, yesterday, sent a delegation to Governor Idris Wada to demand immediate redress of their mistreatment by the government.

The 70 member delegation which included traditional rulers, frontline academics, politicians, religious, women and youth leaders was led by the National President, Okun Development Association, Ambassador Babatunde Fadumiyo.

In their address read by former Health Minister and convener, Okun Think-Tank, Professor Eyitayo Lambo, they expressed regret that successive civilian administrations in the state had compounded the trend of marginalization of the Okun people to a level that had become intolerable.

Specifically, he said the Igala and Bassa people of Kogi East senatorial district occupy the positions of Commissioner for Finance, Accountant-General and Auditor-General which give them total control over the finances of the state.

Lambo said that while the Okun Yoruba had 41 per cent of civil service population at the creation of the state in 1991, Kogi East, which then controlled 49 per cent now has 78 per cent, stressing that Kogi State University, jointly funded by the state and local governments was being run as if it was owned by Kogi East alone.

He said, “All vice chancellors of the university so far have been Igala. The same goes for the Director of Works. The Registrar and Librarian of the institution are at present also from Kogi East.” Lambo added that of the 637 directorate level positions in the civil service, Kogi East alone held 318 leaving the other two senatorial districts to share the remainder.

He noted that all officers who had held the position of accountant-general of the state except one had been Igala while at the Government House, there appeared to be a total lock-out of non-Igala persons from strategic career and appointive positions in the Government House.

According to him, the positions of chief of staff to the governor, permanent secretary (administration), director-general (protocol), special advisers for security, special duties and media all in the Governor’s office are held exclusively by the Igala. He urged the Governor to take bold and urgent steps to correct the lopsidedness in the distribution of political offices and halt the continued decimation of Okun people in the civil service.

Correcting the lopsidedness

Warning that the ship of state was being assailed by a potentially disruptive storm, Lambo counseled the governor to tackle the excruciating and pervading poverty in Okunland by increasing government presence in the area. He called for a review of the law establishing the state university to enable it open campuses in each senatorial district while the post of vice chancellor should be rotated among the districts “since all parts of the state have an abundance of qualified materials for the position.”

Professor Lambo also called for government assistance to the police and other security agencies to enable them discharge their internal security functions with greater confidence and efficiency.

Responding, Wada thanked the delegation and promised to set up a committee to examine the grievances of the Okun people. He said his background prepared him to have an open mind toward all men regardless of race or creed.