The Special Adviser to Governor Mohammed Bago on Tribal Matters, Mr. George Dike has said that there is no tribal discrimination in Niger State.
Dike who hails originally from Anambra State before relocating to Niger State, said he does not even remember that he’s an Igbo man as he has integrated so much into the system in Niger State as a way of life.
He described anyone flaunting tribe and place of origin as a tribal bigot who is also lazy.
Such a person, he advised, should look for something to do and contribute to the growth of the state where he finds himself.
The Special Adviser made these assertions to Arewa PUNCH on Thursday, during a chat.
According to him, Governor Bago has been engaging non Niger State indigenes and appointing them into offices of responsibility in his government, thus bridging the tribal and ethnic gap.
Dike further explained, “Niger State is like any other state. It is peaceful, the people live here without let or hindrance. I have not seen an iota of the so-called discrimination of non indigenes in the state.
“I have always asked people to go and mind their businesses, make some improvements to their respective professions. Niger State is a free place for people to trade their wares, and there’s no impediment to anyone who wants to live here and who even wants to go about business entrepreneurship or any other aspect of social development.
“I have not seen any form of discrimination. I don’t think there is any such thing here. Anybody who wants to talk about discrimination in Niger State is lazy. I came here, I worked. I don’t know anything about discrimination. I did my youth service here, and nobody discriminated against me,” he pointed out.
The Anambra State born Quantity Surveyor said Governor Bago found him qualified for the office of Special Adviser and appointed him into office without any form of discrimination.
“Like I said, I don’t like to be referred to as an Igbo man in that respect. This is where I know. I have been living here for 42 years. I married my wife from Kaduna, though an Igbo. I raised my children here. They went to school here. They are all grown up.
“I even schooled in Niger State, and I made a distinction pass at OND and HND. No one discriminated against me. If you don’t pass your exams, you say it’s discrimination. If you write well, your lecturers will give you your actual grade. All these talks about discrimination and marginalisation, I don’t believe in them.
“So, I’m more from Niger State. People say I’m a Nupe man. My first appointment here, I worked for 15 years with a Nupe man, and they call me ‘Ndaduma’, and it is all appreciated. I live here and I have not drawn any line about where I come from and nobody has done that in Niger State and I don’t want to bring that up in terms of my contribution to what is happening in Niger State,” he added.
Dike pointed out that the Bago government has invested heavily in Niger State and ensured that there is social development and infrastructure revolution.
“You’ve seen the way the present administration is dispensing appointments, doing lots of projects and all that. That is a responsive government and they have their manifesto and I think they are true to it and so, they are doing well in the areas of social development and Infrasturctural revolution as you may call it, because the amount of money the government has dispensed on various projects is really outstanding and they should be commended for that,” he said.
He also spoke about his office and the role he is playing to bring all residents of the state closer to the government.
He remarked, “The purpose of this inter-tribal matter is to integrate all the tribal groups so that it becomes non tribal. There is a level playing field. Nobody comes here thinking he has come to deal with an Igbo man, so he can not get anything he wants.
“We relate with all the communities. We deal with their tribal chiefs, their town unions and associations, and even individuals. In fact, when you come here, we won’t even ask you where you come from. Once it is clear to us that you are a Nigerian, we go straight to work and address whatever prompted you to come to this office.
“So, by and large, our duties are not limited to any sectional group or ethnic group. Even people from Minna State capital and other local government Areas come to this office, and we get their issues addressed.
“There are appointments the governor made from this office they are from every tribe. There’s no discrimination. The word inter-tribal group means no tribe. We dissolve all tribes as soon as they come here,” the governor’s S.A. clarified.
