My Dear Umu Anioma
I became a member of this group when its membership strength was in the 2nd thousandth. Since then I have come to fall in love with this group. I have watched the group grow from strength to strength. As I type away on this script, on this beautiful Easter Day, the group’s membership stands at 5743. It is still growing. Issues discussed here have been robust. Some controversial, some emotive, but most underline the yearnings and aspirations of Anioma people. From all indications, Aniomas are united on two points: (1)The need for an Anioma son or daughter to become the governor of Delta State in 2015; and (2)The yearnings of Anioma people for a state our own called Anioma State.
Anioma Voice has done an excellent job on both fronts. But like all organic organisations, there are beginning to emerge some noticeable chinks in the group’s armour, and it is to these I shall focus this piece. Our yearning for an Anioma State is well documented, and is as old as states creation goes in Nigeria. I will therefore not dwell on it. I am confident it is a matter of time. We shall have an Anioma State, but with regard to Mandate 2015, I am afraid we are putting the cart before the horse.
I have read comments and discussions about Mandate 2015 in this forum. I have participated in some of those discussions and on-line BB conferences. I have also made a few comments myself, some quite controversial. Arguments on Mandate 2015 have largely been one sided. This is understandable. For us it is an emotional issue. But in our quest to voice our wishes, some have aired their opinion in a manner that tended to suggest that our votes alone can give us the governorship in 2015. This is far from true.
One thing however can be said for an average Anioma son or daughter – we are articulate, vocal, voluble, fearless and passionate about Aniomaland. While these maybe good attributes to have, it is these same qualities that have thrown up some inherent contradictions in this group, and it is on that plank I hereby suggest a road map to Mandate 2015. Itemized below are the steps I think we need to take in that road map. They are by no means exhaustive. Suggestions and modifications are welcome.
1.
1.
FENCE-MENDING: In
my undergraduate days we were taught the four major stages in group formation.
These are Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. Each of these stages has
its own inherent characteristics. My view is that Anioma Voice is currently at
the second stage, which is Storming. The major characteristic of this stage is
conflict and confrontation among the members of the group. It is no
secret that in our desire to air our views in discussions on this forum we may
have individually and/or collectively made some comments that have offended some
people, even within this group. So what I think we have to do as a first step
to fence-mending is to stop attacking one another or anyone for that matter, in
or out of this group. Let us stop the attacks and focus on issues that affect
Anioma. We must encourage all Anioma sons and daughters to belong and work
together for the good of Aniomaland. We must close ranks irrespective of our
political leanings. I am aware that we all feel largely disappointed by the
performance of our Anioma political office holders, but the solution does not
lie in personal attacks that tend to suggest to the outside world that we are
not united.
1.
2.
REACH OUT: Closely
related to the first stage in the road map is to reach out to other ethnic
nationalities in Delta State and offer a hand of friendship. It is not unlikely
that we may have also made comments that offended them. We must begin to forge
strategic alliances with our internal and external audiences and assure other
ethnic nationalities in the state that an Anioma governor in 2015 will
accommodate their interests and aspirations. Our votes alone cannot give us the
governorship. We must admit that fact.
1.
3.
ARTICULATION OF THE ANIOMA VISION FOR DELTA STATE: Next we have to
draw up an Anioma agenda for Delta State. The agenda must accommodate the
yearnings and aspirations of other interest groups in the state. It must be
fair, it must be assuring, and it must be devoid of primordial sentiments that
have divided Nigeria over the years. Anioma intelligentsia, traditional
leaders, politicians, opinion leaders and leaders of other relevant interest
groups must form part of the committee to draw up the agenda.
1.
4.
PARTY MEMBERSHIP: We must also start making conscious and concerted
effort to populate the existing political parties in the state. From within the
parties, we must begin to sell and propagate the Anioma agenda for Delta state.
Anioma sons and daughters must stop seeing politics as a dirty game. We all
understand how it is played in Nigeria, unfortunately, but nothing will be
corrected if we all shy away from politics. We must get involved. The easiest
place to effect a correction is from within.
1.
5.
MASSIVE ENLIGHTENMENT CAMPAIGN: It will be of no use if we draw up an
Anioma agenda without selling it to the general public. We must therefore
embark on a well coordinated and orchestrated public enlightenment campaign.
Every available fora or media must be used to sell the Anioma agenda. The
campaign must cut across party lines, it must be all-inclusive. We must put
ourselves in a position where we run or influence things rather than let things
run or influence us. Simply put, we have to put ourselves in a position where
we are impossible to ignore
1.
6.
CHOOSING OUR CANDIDATE: When the time comes we must chose our
governorship flag bearer carefully. The flag bearer must be somebody with a
cross-over appeal. Somebody other ethnic nationalities can trust. Choosing our
flag bearer should not be based on politics. It should be based on
acceptability. If we can get the candidate from the strongest political party
in the state (presumably PDP), all well and good, but PDP is not the only party
in the state. We must hunt for credible candidate everywhere, even outside
political parties.
1.
7.
REGISTER TO VOTE: Points 1 to 6 are all well and good, but equally
important is to register as a voter. Side by side with this is to mobilise all
Anioma towns, villages and communities to register. Our guest communities must
also be encouraged to buy into our agenda and register not just to vote but to
vote for an Anioma son or daughter. Anioma Sons and daughters living
outside Aniomaland must be encouraged in their town meetings to go home and
register when it is time for registration of voters. We must stop showing
apathy to, or disinterest in, elections.
1.
8.
VOTE AND GUARD OUR VOTES: On the day of governorship election, we
must also make sure we turn out en-mass to vote our candidate. Again those
living outside Aniomaland must also be encouraged to go home and vote. But we
must not only vote. We must also guard our votes. We must not vote and simply
go home. We must vote and remain at the polling station until the votes are
counted and result declared at the station where we voted. In all this we must
be peaceful, orderly and be sure not to violate any electoral law.
1.
9.
ACCEPT THE RESULT: when we have voted, and result is finally declared,
we must also be willing to accept the result. Having done 1 to 8 above, our
prayers and hopes are that the result turns out in our favour. But where it
does not we must accept it as it is. We must be sportsman-like. It is not a do
or die affair, and there will be another day.
Given our boisterous nature, I am not unaware that this road-map might elicit criticism and condemnation from Anioma sons and daughters. But Like I have stated earlier, it is not absolute. Suggestions and modifications are welcome.
Long Live Anioma
Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria
FRANK OFILI
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