Ebonyi is seen in many quarters as one of the educationally disadvantaged states in Nigeria. This is to the extent that it is erroneously believed that the people can hardly produce high-level academics and other reputable professionals; hence many of their positions at the federal level are said to be occupied by people from other states.
Interestingly, to prove naysayers wrong, recently, many Ebonyians living in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) gathered and celebrated the swearing in of two of their sons – Roy Umahi and Uchenna Uzo Njoku – as Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs). Few individuals who know the weight of this achievement sponsored the celebration.
But as the celebration was going on, a concerned indigene said he would have been happier if Ebonyi people could get more of what they should get in the federal government equation. The young man made allusion to the vacant slot of Ebonyi State in the federal permanent secretary position and described how a son of the state went through a rigorous examination and screening process and qualified for the position, but two months after, candidates from eight other states were sworn in as permanent secretaries but the candidate from Ebonyi is still waiting.
This narrative is as astounding as it is gripping. What was a joyous moment immediately became a rendezvous for lamentation. But what could have happened? Are these narratives true? Are the people in the right places aware? What have they done about this situation? These are germane questions because it beats all imaginations that a state would qualify for a position and it would be kept on the bench while its contemporaries are already playing the league.
In a statement shared on a WhatsApp group recently, concern was also raised over an alleged “non-inclusion of a finalist from Ebonyi State in the recent inauguration of federal permanent secretaries.”
The narrative is that out of the nine finalists, eight from other states were inaugurated in August by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu while the ninth person and the only finalist from Ebonyi was left out.
It is, therefore, surprising that Ebonyi is always touted as a disadvantaged state but often not considered for elevated positions even when they meet considerable requirements.
Curiously, a lot of people from the state who met the criteria applied and participated in the process, up to the last stages of the examination process, but they were not considered for appointment at the end of the day.
To this end, concerned Ebonyi sons and daughters are calling on the Ebonyi State Government led by Francis O. Nwifuru and other people in positions of authority in Nigeria not to relent in fighting for the people.
There is the need to ask why directors from different states participated and reached the final stage in the just concluded examination for that position and eight of them were appointed while the one from Ebonyi State was withheld or not included. The questions that come to mind are: Did the candidate fail in any of the tests? Is Ebonyi not ripe to have a federal permanent secretary yet? These are some issues we are not comfortable with.”
There is an urgent need to remedy the situation so that Ebonyi people can occupy their merited positions in the federal equation. Time is of essence.
Anthony Chukwu, a public affairs specialist, wrote from Lokogoma, Abuja
