WE ARE ALL NDOKWA INDIGENES

Once upon a time, in Nigeria, Abdurrahman Darman Shugaba a charismatic politician who attracted large crowds at political rallies and as majority leader of Borno State House of Assembly was declared a “prohibited immigrant” resulting in his being deported to Chad Republic where it was proven his father is from. Also, late Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta of Adamawa State may have been a full blooded Cameroonian who once served as an efficient IGP of the Nigerian Police Force, and the heaven did not fall, as he was neither accused nor discriminated against. Another full blooded Cameroonian may have twice served as a Vice President of Nigeria, and again the heaven did not fall.

Similarly, there are some other top political office holders, former Military Heads of State amongst several security personnel who may be suspects. Same was the case with late Alh Abubakar Saleh Michika, former Governor of Adamawa State. Till date, many Chadians, Nigeriens, Cameroonians are serving in the States and Federal Governments of Nigeria as elected and appointed Nigerian officials, politicians and security chieftains.

2) Back home, better to let those who live in mud houses to do the stone throwing, as it is unwise for those living in a glass houses to throw stones at another glass house. Just because of the confrontation against a historic protest event that we will all outlive, the protesters are being strangely and suddenly being declared as non-indigenes? This brings us to the issue of FAMILY TREE. 

It is a responsible duty for us to know our roots. Even before marriage thorough investigation is usually required even when our traditional communities wisely agreed to put an end to the era of outcast stigma which declares anyone a non-indigene, settler or even ‘Osu’. Recall a great political guru, Chief Ifeanyichukwu Onwukamike whose mother is from Ase, in Ndokwa East and father from the Eastern Nigeria. He is one of our greatest Local Government Chairmen when the present three LGAs were one huge LGA. And, after Ndokwa East was created; he also became its glorious Chairman. No one pounced on him that he is a non-indigene.

3) Being absolutely CLUELESS is to wrongly see this last resort protest action as being about extending the epileptic GRID light from BEDC to Ndokwa areas. The TRUTH is that Ndokwa is in THICK DARKNESS as regards not being directly connected to the Okpai IPP generation’s stable power source since 2005, counting 20 years. The suspicion of false internal sponsors from within the merged APC is a mere political tool for distraction. 

4) All Nigerian citizens have the right to freedom of association anywhere in Nigeria, not excluding the ‘Very Dark Man’ (VDM) amongst other patriots who may wish to join the Peace protest in Ndokwa land to simply sustain the pressure on the MD/CEO of TCN and its inefficient Substation contractor against perpetual delays in administrative protocols. But why all the notorious fear from State actors, instead of welcoming their support or solidarity? Therefore, before joining others to call any NDOKWA PEACEFUL PROTESTER a non-indigene or settler, it is advisable to first investigate and prove the originality of your very own Indigene FAMILY TREE, so that a bow-legged visitor does not end up mocking a K-legged son. 

Since anointing flows from the head, a typical example that such highly sensitive discriminations or offensive insinuations no more exists in ‘NDOKWA’ communities, is the case of the current PG of NNU who ought to be the umbrella ‘father of all’ including the protesters. Let him first publicly prove his own FAMILY TREE record before joining to resurrect the outcast stigma, or pelting others, especially those who are even not blemished. On the other hand, when he served as the Okpai CDC Chairman, did anyone know his actual FAMILY TREE; even as the PG of a major ethnic nationality?  

5) It will be comforting to believe that our highly exalted NNU-PG office is not currently being occupied by an alien or extraterrestrial? Otherwise he, as the PG of everyone, including the protesters, being present at that opposition meeting ought to have cautioned those calling the protesters non-indigenes. Was he not complicit in the leadership of the CDC, and Okpai has not recovered from the ‘divide and rule’ he may have caused, along with the late Nwadozie. Think, and think again, nothing lasts forever, as there is always life after the end of any political office or NNU Exco tenure.

As parents, we do have our very own biological sisters, and our loving biological daughters; who may choose to marry outside our ethnicity. If their children so decide to identify with their maternal family why should they be discriminated against? Either maternally or paternally, an Ndokwa offspring is Ndokwa. We really don’t need to resurrect any ugly discrimination that may in future turn back to bite us. WE ARE ALL ‘NDOKWA’ FAMILY. END 

Svt/ONE (June 12, 2025)