Barrister Henry Ojuola is a legal luminary, an erudite scholar who has been a serial agitator both in the court rooms and the hallow chamber of Kogi State House of Assembly where he served for two terms. A Deputy Governor to late Prince Abubarkar Audu under the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). In this exclusive interview with Inuwa Garuba, he agitates for the emergence of Kogi West at the Lugard House. Excerpts…
To the public, how do you want me to present you?
Thank you very much. My name is Barrister Henry Ojuola. I am a lawyer by profession, I had being a member of the State House of Assembly for two terms and I had being a Deputy Governorship Candidate to late Prince Abubarkar Audu under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and right now, I am a practicing lawyer.
No doubt power took a dynamic turn in Kogi State. The East maintained governorship position for almost nineteen years. Now the Central. From fillers there is a sublime agitation for power to rotate to the West. How to you feel about that?
While parts of Kogi State were still in Kwara, kwarans were magnanimous enough to allow late Adamu Atta to be Governor. At that time, the Kwarans could make it impossible for the minority to emerged victoriously, but they were magnanimous enough. Now that we have arrived in Kogi State, one would expect that things would be easier but we are just making things difficult for ourselves. There is absence of co-operation. No love, no harmony untill nature took it course and produces Yahaya Bello. If the East has ruled the state for almost nineteen years, and the central would soon now complete eight years, is it not conscientious enough that Kogi West should be supported to have the privilege to serve at that level? I think if we would follow our conscience, natural laws and fairness, I think the Kogi West Senatorial District of Kogi State should be allowed to produce the next Governor of the State.
Sir you are being blunt about this, can you painstakingly tell us the factors mitigating against the focus of the west in clinching the Governorship position?
Well, there is nothing that is mitigating against us. Even if Kogi West people are not cooperative enough, the other Senatorial Districts is expected to be magnanimous. Greediness should be jettison. Even if the west is not making move at all, it behoves on other senatorial districts to reason along and allow Kogi West to serve. It is not a matter of the people of Kogi West, but the general and acceptable decision to allow equity in governance. Inconsideration, avarice and greediness will not allow even development and we hope that Governor Yahaya Bello haven maintained a balance in his appointments and developmental agenda would look into that direction.
As an elder-stateman, are there activities geared towards realizing this objective* .
Activities are going on to ensure that Kogi West is allowed to realize the dream. Actions are going on right from Koton Karfe to Egbe and all the areas that make up Kogi West and by the grace of God, there is no problem between Koton Karfe, Lokoja and Okun people as a whole. We are already working on it assiduously and by the time we come out, the whole country would be proud of us. Kogi as a replica of Nigeria can set a template that will erase ethnicity, fear of domination and uneven development and by God’s grace, we will achieve that.
Politics is around the corner, what is your charge to the people?
Politics is not even around the corner, we are already in it now. For example, we shall finish by March, the current political dispensation and by next year November, we shall be going for the Governorship position of this State. We are doing everything. I can’t open everything right now but there are many meetings, many committees, inner caucus that are carrying on to ensure that Kogi West is not cheated in the schemes of things.
Of course, we are appealing to Ebiras, and to Igalas that the West should be considered. For the purpose of unity and development in the state, every part must be taken along simultaneously for good
