Human beings are so made that the ones who do the crushing feel nothing; it is the person crushed who feels what is happening. Unless one has placed oneself on the side of the oppressed to feel with them, one cannot understand.

The Zone C, which is predominantly dominated by the Idomas, has been in oppression for so many years now since the creation of Benue State from the then Benue-Plateau State in 1976 along with Igala and some parts of Kwara State.

Mark-Onjeh

The Igalas in 1991 had their freedom alongside with the Ebiras and and other Yoruba speaking folks from Kwara state.

The Idomas for obvious reasons at that time could not have their freedom because of the geographical location and the population then.

But over the years, they have been clamouring for an Apa State, a state, which, if eventually created, will grant them the freedom they have long been seeking for.

This agitation for the creation of Apa state which by all standards is legitimate and the right call to make has not been without a resistance from their oppressors, the Tivs.

It’s a general belief that the powers behind Onjeh, the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are bent on removing Senator David Mark of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Senate in order to pave way for the total domination over the Idoma nation.

David Mark has always been the predominant voice fighting the cause of the Idomas.

By removing him from the Senate through political manipulations, this will automatically give the oppressors the political leverage to continue in their oppression.

It is imperative to note that a vote for Onjeh in the forthcoming senatorial election is like raising a standard for political and social repression of the Idoma nation.

The Idoma people must not be misled by APC’s propaganda that they are not free under David Mark. There will be nothing like freedom with Daniel Onjeh, but only oppression and complete enslavement by those who are already supporting, investing and funding his (Onjeh’s) campaign.

The Idoma people must note that in all of the accusations against David Mark, he has been able to influence several federal government projects to Zone C with other personal initiatives like MarkDBall initiative whose primary aim is to help the youth of Benue South realize their full potential in sports. Not to mention projects like the NOUN Study Center in Otukpo, which he single-handedly built and donated to NOUN.

Excellence they say, is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines one’s destiny.

It is my sincere hope and prayers that the Idoma people would make a wise choice come 20th February, 2016.

A choice to continually be oppressed by their oppressors or a choice to continue the fights for the liberation of Idoma people from oppression.

The destiny of the Idoma people is in their hands.

Agada Theophilus  is a public affairs analysts writes from Abuja