INJUSTICE AND THE TYRANNY OF POWER. June 28, 2023

 

How Chief Tom Ikimi and Chief Anthony Anenih Marginalized the Ewohimi Community and the People of Esan South-East LGC in Esanland During the 1996 Creation of New States and Local Government Councils (LGC) by the General Sani Abacha Military Regime.

The picture we attached below is the map of Esanland, with its five Local Government Councils, created in 1996 by General Sani Abacha's military regime. The calibration is the handiwork of Chief Tom Ikimi and Chief Anthony Anenih - an undeserving condescension perpetrated against the people of Esan South East LGC in general and the Ewohimi community in particular. And it was parked with social and economic setbacks, not just for the people of Ewohimi or Esan South East Local Government Council (LGC), but the entire Esan tribal region.

The people of Ewohimi didn't have powerful people in the corridors of power at Abuja to intercede on their behalf during the deliberations that culminated in the creation of the new LGCs. Consequently, the two elder statesmen, Chief Anthony Anenih and Chief Tom Ikimi, decided to lump Ewohimi and Ubiaja together with ten other indigenous communities as one LGC.

Making a case for six LGCs in Esanland would have been the most reasonable decision and honourable choice to pursue, because the facts on the ground were sufficient to support approval by the Sani Abacha's military regime.

Before the creation of the new LGCs in 1996, Esan had two LGCs, namely, Agbazilo and Okpebo, with headquarters at Ubiaja and Ekpoma respectively. Subsequently, three new LGCs emerged from Okpebho - Esan West LGC, with headquarters at Ekpoma; Esan Central LGC, with headquarters at Irrua; and Igueben LGC, with its headquarters at Igueben.

The old Agbazilo LGC got two LGCs - (1) Esan North East LGC, with headquarters at Uromi, and (2) Esan South East LGC, with its headquarters at Ubiaja. A third LGC would have deservedly gone to Ewohimi, but the two gentlemen, for reasons I still cannot fathom, stood against a third LGC in Agbazilo with headquarters at Ewohimi.

Adding to that, the two gentlemen were not under any compulsion to produce only five LGCs from Esanland. However, they choose to yank the people of Ewossa from their ancestral brethren in Ewohimi and Ewatto in the old Agbazilo and merge it with Igueben in the old Okpebho. Chief Tom Ikimi knew quite well that it was more reasonable to leave the three brothers (Ewohimi, Ewatto, and Ewossa) intact to form one LGC with their two distant cousins, Ohordua and Emu. But he wouldn't have any of it; he took Ewossa away. We will address that later.

Historically, in terms of size and population, Ewohimi was next to Uromi until a few years ago, when Ekpoma started experiencing a population surge following the establishment of the Ambrose Ali University at Ekpoma, and Ewohimi slides to the third position.

When the entire Esanland was one local government council, and Ubiaja was the regional headquarters, Ewohimi was the district headquarters of the Eastern Ishan District Council. Then, Igueben, Ebelle, Okalo, Ikekhen, Ewossa, Ewatto, Emu, Ohordua, Amahor, etc., were under Ewohimi in the Eastern Ishan District Council.

For instance, before the creation of AAU and the new LGCs, Okaigben, one of the villages in Ewohimi, had more strength than Igueben, Ubiaja, Irrua, and Ekpoma. Not anymore. Even though the geographical width has not changed, it has suffered population and socioeconomic decline compared to the mentioned communities.

There is no doubt, the doctrine of Emi lo kan is real and has come to stay. We cannot eliminate it from the pursuit of leadership positions in Nigeria until influential political leaders embrace the principle of egalitarianism, selflessness, and equal rights and justice in the distribution of the fruits of office.

Looking at the map alone is enough evidence of the INJUSTICE they unleashed on Ewohimi. What you are seeing on the map is not just a vast wasteland; it is populated by about twelve autonomous communities with traditional Crown/Stool to behold. The geographical space can comfortably produce two viable LGCs - Ewohimi, Ubiaja, Ugboha, Emu, Ohordua, Ewatto, Okhuesan, Oria, Orowa, Illusi, Onagholo, and Inyenlen. They didn't want to allow Ewohimi and the affected communities to feel a federal presence.

His Royal Highness, Enosegbe II, Onogie of Ewohimi, pleaded with them for a separate local government council for Ewohimi, Ewatto, Ewossa, Ohordua, and Emu, with the headquarters at Ewohimi to no avail. The most painful part was Chief Tom Ikimi's unilateral decision to remove Ewossaa from her Agbazilo ancestral folks and merge it with Okpebho under Igueben LGC, where it hasn't and bears no ancestral connection, affinity, or heritage.

The names alone are proof of the consanguinity between Ewohimi, Ewatto, and Ewossa. Integrating Ewossa into Igueben LGC wasn't because Chief Tom Ikimi loves the people of Ewossa more than the rest of us. And it wasn't because he wanted the best for them, but to add geographical weight to the sparsely populated and not-so-big Igueben LGC. All I can say right now is that Ewossa is in forced exile. Hopefully, it will return home one day.

Denying Ewohimi its well-deserved LCG headquarters doesn't confer economic or social benefits on any given community with a local government council headquarters in Esanland. Overall, it is a monumental economic setback for Esanland, because Ewohimi is a larger market for goods and services. With Federal presence in the Ewohimi community, more businesses will sprout, positively imparting ancillary trade and services in the nearby towns and villages. That possibility is presently on hold because of the not-so-dignified resolve of two elder Statesmen.

I am optimistic that Ewohimi's Sun will rise again and set no more. God willing, with the presence of the federal government in our peaceful and lively community, we will be able to catalyze the sluggish economic growth we are currently experiencing.

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