By: Hon. Shuaibu Onakpa
Politics, like life, is never free of misunderstandings. But for every disagreement that arises between brothers, wisdom teaches that settlement behind closed doors is the noblest path. Today, two great sons of Igala land, Distinguished Senator Jibrin Isah Echocho and his long-time confidant, Alhaji Abubakar Rajab find themselves on opposite sides of a public narrative that should ordinarily have been handled in private.
There is no denying the deep history between these two men. Anyone familiar with the political trajectory of Kogi East knows that the Echocho project was not built overnight, nor was it the effort of one man alone. Rajab, by his own testimony, invested his resources, influence, and loyalty in ensuring that Senator Echocho’s senatorial ambition came to fruition. On the other hand, Senator Echocho, now representing the people of Kogi East in the hallowed chamber of the Senate, carries the weight of responsibility that comes with public office and the expectations of countless supporters spread across the district.
But must these two pillars of our land wash their linens in the public square? Must we allow years of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice to be eroded by a few sharp words exchanged in the heat of emotion? The truth is, when brothers quarrel in the open, outsiders rejoice, and the larger family suffers.
Igala land, at this critical moment, cannot afford divisions among her most prominent voices. Senator Echocho remains one of our foremost representatives in Abuja. Rajab remains an influential grassroots mobilizer, a man whose network and sacrifices for the community are not in doubt. Both men are assets, not just to each other, but to the land and people they serve.
The path of wisdom, therefore, is reconciliation. Echocho must recognize that loyalty such as Rajab’s cannot be bought in the marketplace, and Rajab must remember that leadership is often burdened with competing demands and limitations. Each must make concessions. One with magnanimity, the other with patience. Let grievances be tabled behind closed doors, not on social media; let solutions be reached in brotherhood, not in bitterness.
For history teaches us that empires collapse not when external enemies attack, but when internal allies fall apart. The political future of Kogi East is stronger when Echocho and Rajab remain united than when they stand divided.
I therefore appeal, not as a partisan voice, but as one who seeks the greater good of Igala land, Distinguished Senator Echocho, Alhaji Rajab, you have both come a long way together. The bond of years cannot be thrown away in the heat of a moment. Sheathe your swords, embrace dialogue, and let posterity remember you as brothers who rose above ego to put the interest of the land first.
In the theatre of politics, true strategy lies not in fighting every battle, but in knowing which ones to resolve in peace. And this, without doubt, is one of them.