I have admired Barrister, Senator Natasha Akpoti from the very moment she threw herself into limelight. She first caught my attention a few years ago when she launched courageous campaign and fact-of-the-matter “war” against negative elements that were trying to derail the practical takeoff and functionality of Ajaokuta Steel Project.
As a matter of fact, my admiration for her grew when the fact was made available to me that she is the daughter of one of the greatest leaders the Ebira nation had ever been blessed with. He was Dr. Jimoh Abdul Akpoti, a devout Muslim from Obeiba-Ihima in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State. Dr. Jimoh Abdul Akpoti was primarily a medical doctor, having studied medicine in the Soviet Union, now Ukraine, where he met his wife and mother of Natasha, in the person of Ludmila Kravchenko, an Ukrainian citizen.
Natasha’s father was known not only in Ihima but the Ebiraland for acts of generosity and service, such as treating poor patients for free, helping to pay school fees for children and supporting local farmers and traders, and above all, his sense of forgiveness, humility and practical peacemaking. These were the values he upheld, so much that he wormed himself into the heart of Ebira people of different classes, clans and status. He was embraced by both the second first class Paramount ruler of Ebiraland, late Alhaji Mohammed Sani Omolori and the immediate past King, late Alhaji Dr Ado ibrahim. Natasha benefitted from her father’s all-round goodness when the immediate past King crowned her with exhalted traditional title. In fact, when Dr. Jimoh Abdul Akpoti died on 3 November 1998, the then King (Ohinoyi) was reported to have begged that he should be buried in his Palace. His death shook Ebiraland and beyond.The memory of his peacemaking efforts and humble disposition lingers on in many of those who knew him or heard about him.
…. Natasha
It is therefore not surprising that Natasha turns out to be the chips of the old block, as they say. In fact, the characters and characteristics of Natasha do not deviate a bit from her father, despite the fact that she is a female. This pontificates the Ebira proverb which says that where male dog is not available to go for hunting, female one would suffice. Of course, Natasha has a younger brother, Dr. Okehi, who is also a medical doctor but prefers to live a quiet life where he is practicing in Abuja.
However, there is just one beautiful trait which Natasha has failed or forget to imbibe and or display from the point of view of her father’s character: forgiveness and mindset for manifesting unity amongst Ebira people, especially of different political camps. This is even more distrubing considering the leadership position God has thrusted on her.
Speaking about the leadership, she happens to be the only female leader in recent history from Ebira that has attained national recognition by whatever means. On top of it, today, she is a traditional title holder; the Ohiogu of Ebiraland, just like her husband, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan who is the Alema of Warri Kingdom in Delta State. And therefore, it should have been part of Natasha’s itinerary to accord respect and even join hands with the reigning Ohinoyi of Ebiraland to bring about the kind of Ebiraland her father had dreamt of and worked hard to build.
It doesn’t make sense to me that Natasha refuses to acknowledge the authority of the present Ohinoyi simply because of the circumstances of his ascension to the throne, and of course, because of who appointed him.
As a good Christian, Natasha ought to know that it is only God that chooses leaders. In other words, there is no leader that can emerge without the Hand of God in the emergence. The fact that the person one doesn’t like or, appropriately, because it is one’s adversary that is responsible for the choice of the leader does still not cancel the idea of God’s Hand.
And as a senior lawyer, and in fact, as a Barrister-at-law, Natasha should know that the present Ohinoyi of Ebiraland emerged from within the provision of legal framework and traditional requirements.
In other words, it is on record that no fewer than 70 qualified sons and daughters of the land contested for the stool. It is natural that in such contest, one person must emerge, and be chosen and appointed by the STATE GOVERNOR in accordance with the legal framework and traditional requirements. Unfortunately, such law and traditional requirements do not give the name of a particular GOVERNOR to make the choice and appointment. In fact, the law doesn’t say the GOVERNOR must be your friend or detractor or adversary.
In the case being treated, the law and traditional requirements were blind to who was the Governor, who made the choice and appointment; he could have been from Igalaland, Okunland and Koton Karfe. Such Governor would have chosen and appointed Mohammed Ataba Sani Omolori or Barrister Momohsani Shaibu or Engineer Ibrahim Jibril or any of the over 70 contestants to the throne. It would not have made any difference for the fact that it was still the GOVERNOR that did the choice and appointment, according to the legal framework and traditional requirements.
It therefore looks strange that Natasha turned her back on the new Ohinoyi simply because he was chosen and appointed by the GOVERNOR she has issues with. Her main grouse is that the Ohinoyi was the choice of her sworn political adversary, not that the person who was finally chosen and appointed offended her. Not that she has any particular issue with him.
One has the feeling that Natasha would still have turned her back on whoever, amongst the contestants that emerged Ohinoyi, aside from the one on the throne now if such contestant was still chosen and appointed by the same Governor that chose and appointed the present King.
My honest advice to Natasha in this circumstance, is that she should have a rethink and tow the line of her father who she so loved, and who was so loved by Ebira people because of his impactful contribution to the peace, unity and development of the land. Natasha, being the Ohiogu of Ebiraland should return to the root to play her role in uniting the people, in spite of whatever political differences and or disputes she is battling with opponents; the opponents that are purely her brothers and sisters.
For Natasha to be playing politics with the mind that she cannot forgive or that she has nothing to do with her adversaries forever is like swimming in the river and trying to avoid or complaining of being touched by water. Politics anywhere in the world, to the best of my knowledge, is full of mudslinging, backslapping and even, in the context of Africa, attempt at physical elimination of the opponents. In short, political game in Africa, Nigeria and Ebiraland is full of landmine and is meant for those who can take mighty risk, of either “do” or “perish”.
As a good Christian, Natasha should know that her life has been predetermined by God Almighty and that no machinations of man or woman can change it. It is God Almighty that has sustained her life all through, in the face of dangers she encountered in the process of politicking. It is therefore not fair even to God Almighty who has so sustained her for her to get angry with those she claimed “wanting to kill her” and therefore hold such people, and the people around them as enemies for life.
For a fact, her husband is currently playing an impactful role, as traditional title holder for the peace, unity and development of his Kingdom. He is relating very well with the Paramount ruler of his Kingdom and politicians of different camps. Why would Natasha, not also turn to the only birth place she can legitimately lay claim to, to proudly play the same role in her kingdom?
Her father, late Dr. Jimoh Abdul Akpoti left a legacy as a unifier of Ebiraland, embraced both the good and not so good people in the community, beyond just being generous. In turn, he was loved and embraced also by all. Natasha should aspire to do the same, with the desire to even leave behind legacy that is better than that of her loving father.
This is the way I think, for her to go, because when the chips are down, this is what will determine the people’s verdict long after she’s gone.
