By SUNNY IDACHABA
One of the men, though late, was instrumental to lifting Igala people and indeed Kogi state out of political oblivion was Dr. Stephen Achema. His indelible contributions, many years after his demise, have continued to occupy public discourse, the reason for which he has remained an unforgotten hero in the annals of Nigeria’s history; SUNNY IDACHABA writes.
Anyone born from the year 1999 to date would have been an adult by now, but except such an individual has recourse to history, they would know next to nothing about the late Dr. Stephen Makoji Achema, an Igala political colossus right from the days of Igala sojourn in Kwara state through Benue state up to the time Kogi state was created in 1991.
Popularly known as Dr. Achema, he was a political rallying point for public office seekers, especially from Igala extraction. Aside from that, he was instrumental in raising many young Igala professionals who are making waves in government and private sectors today.
Even though he was not among those that can be classified as political moneybags, he was a humanist, rights activist and political tactician whose influence on the political scene was unwavering.
A two-time chairman of Idah local government council, the most influential council areas in Igala land for obvious reasons, he was until he breathed his last, the Senior Special Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Civil Society Organisations and Labour Matters up until November 6 1999.
That appointment wasn’t just foisted on him to satisfy federal character principle, but basically because of his long-established stint in the operations of civil society organisations and his consistent fight against human rights abuses and subjugation. Therefore he could be described as a square peg in a square hole.
Achema was everything to the Igala nation; he was a fearless advocate and defender of Igala people. No wonder, he was nicknamed ‘Alapa’ for his audacious and courageous stance on issues affecting the race which he was unapologetically committed to. He could be likened to the Biblical Moses who led the Israelites to the promised land or Nehemiah who rebuilt the ruins of God’s temple.
His activism started right from the university in Zaria where he studied Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1975. While there, he got involved in students union activities and became the national president of Igala Students Association (ISA) and had a very successful tenure.
When Igala nation was under Kwara state, just before Benue state was created, Achema led a protest against the imposition of taxes on women in Igala land. The protest eventually led to its abolition.
Under his leadership, ISA brokered a peace meeting among aggrieved parties in Igala Royal Ruling House between Opaluwa Oguche and Attah Ali Obaje in 1972, a situation that brought lasting peace to the kingdom.
He had a brief stay in public service with the then Benue state government when the Anyigba Agricultural Development Project (AADP) was established in 1978. There he rose to the position of deputy project manager, but retired from public service in 1982 at the age of 34 on grade level 16.
His active political life actually began shortly after this when he joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and became a legislative aide to Senator Ahmadu Ali and was with him in Lagos until he resigned voluntarily to contest for the Benue state Secretary of NPN.
Achema distinguished himself in community development service and became the national president of Idah Divisional Development Association (IDDA) during which the association established 13 Community Secondary Schools in the old Idah LGA now split into Idah, Ibaji, Ofu and Igalamela/Odolu LGAs.
Among other exploits of his as IDDA president was that he championed the fight against sabotage at the Federal Polytechnic Idah in 1983, when there were incessant fire eruptions in the institution coupled with consistent theft of the institution’s equipment. He led a delegation to the federal government and demanded investigation into the matter, leading to the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry. This singular act saved the polytechnic from being relocated out of Igala land.
Also, as leader of the youth wing of the Movement for the Creation of Kogi State during the Second Republic, he organised rallies in support, a development that increased his popularity among Igala people.
His achievements as chairman of Idah LGA under the military rule was legendary as his records remain unbeatable even 20 years after leaving the office. For instance, he took the military governor of the state, Col. Fidelis Makka, on a tour of the entire local government travelling through villages and getting to meet the people with a view to drawing the government’s attention to the plight of rural dwellers. Villagers in places like Odolu, Akpanya, Agojeju, Aloma, Ofabo, Ejule, Itobe, Ochadamu all had the privilege of meeting with the governor.
Following the creation of Kogi in 1991, he threw his hat into the ring to run for governor. Through support from friends who rallied resources for him, he had a very formidable campaign team, but lost the election to Prince Abubakar Audu because he faced very stiff opposition as they considered him too radically stubborn due to his uncompromising posture.
He went through the governorship primaries seven times yet won all; therefore, seven days before the election, he was cleared to contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but having lost the election, he accepted the results in the spirit of sportsmanship without seeking redress at tribunal. To him,
Prince Audu is a brother and an Igala man; so he conceded defeat in a manner that is not typical of politicians.
Although some elite never accepted his views, he controlled a viable political structure that is second to none in Kogi state. Dr. Achema had a think-tank made up of intellectuals who offered selfless services making personal sacrifices for the advancement of Igala land.
He became a member of the Alex Ekwueme-led institute for civil society that later became G-34 in 1998 and opposed Gen. Sani Abacha in his self-succession bid. The group metamorphosed into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). On the day of the party’s launch at the International Conference Centre Abuja, he was on the front row as a founding member and became chairman, Steering Committee of the party in Kogi state.
He was always on political mission both for the state and Igala land when tragedy struck on November 6, 1999, on the Jamata bridge near Koton Karfe in a ghastly motor accident while on his way to Lokoja to facilitate for Chief John Odawn to be the state chairman of the PDP.
Writing about his death, a newspaper columnist, Jonathan Jibrin, said, “Tragedy has always dealt a blow on the life of any group of people as it bothers on their heroes, men and women of valour. Most often, this creates a vacuum of pragmatic leadership and popular idealism.
“These were people committed to the communal essence of living and desiring nothing short of the best for their people. They lived selflessly for the benefit of humanity even though they were most often misunderstood, persecuted, suffered deprivation and even became victims of high level conspiracy.”
Obasanjo as president then remarked during his funeral service at the Qua Iboe Church in Utako that, “I have never come across a politician as selfless as Dr. Achema in my short encounter with him.”
At the memorial lecture in his honour held last year, a former Minister of Information, Prof Jerry Gana said, “Dr. Achema envisioned a Kogi state thriving on its abundant natural resources and agricultural wealth. His dream remains a beacon for the state’s future. Kogi is so wealthy that resource-based industries could turn Kogi into the richest state in Nigeria. This is an opportunity that must not be wasted. Dr Achema’s vision lives on. Let us honour him by taking bold steps towards the development he dreamt of for Kogi state and Nigeria.”
Speaking at the same venue, the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shaibu Audu, called on all Igala sons and daughters to preserve the labours of heroes past. He described Dr. Achema as a “phenomenal patriot” of Igala land and a “nationalist” to the core who fought for the emancipation of Igala land, just like the late Prince Abubakar Audu.
He recalled the historic ‘Ukanugboda Accord’ of 1999 championed by Dr. Stephen Achema which consolidated the electoral victory of his father, Prince Abubakar Audu, as governor of Kogi state, a spirit, he said, that must be preserved.
“Today, we gather here with a profound sense of reverence as we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the passing of a remarkable politician, a stalwart, a true champion of Igala land and a force to be reckoned with, Dr. Stephen Makoji Achema.
“A phenomenal patriot of Igala land and a nationalist to the core, Dr. Stephen Achema, just like my father, Prince Abubakar Audu, consistently fought for and championed the course of the Igala nation and her people, ensuring we were never marginalised and built legacies that many of us, the younger generation are standing on today.
“As we honour this remarkable man today, let us also commit ourselves to continuing his noble work. Let us carry forward his vision of a prosperous Igala land where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to society.”
For these and many more reasons, he remains an unforgotten hero.
