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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
On a quiet Saturday morning in Alushi, as mourners filed past the casket of Senator Solomon Akku Ewuga, an unmistakable sense of transition lingered in the air. The 70-year-old former deputy governor, minister, statesman, and cultural compass of the Eggon people had gone to rest, and with him, an era of political steadiness that shaped Nasarawa State for decades.
The gathering that day read like a roll call of the state’s political history. Governors past and present, lawmakers, chiefs, diplomats, youth leaders, and community elders filled the compound. Among them, standing with a reflective calm, was Labaran Maku, former Minister of Information, former deputy governor, journalist-turned-politician, and one of the most influential Eggon figures of the last 25 years.
His presence carried weight. It stirred old memories of political battles won and lost, alliances forged, movements built, and missions unfinished. It also triggered a quiet question circulating among the Eggon nation:
Ewuga’s death did more than create a vacuum; it reopened an unresolved question about leadership succession within the Eggon nation. For years, the former deputy governor was the moral authority that balanced internal competition, managed divergent interests, and kept Eggon politics from drifting into irrelevance.
He was admired beyond his ethnic bloc. His ability to calm crises, negotiate across party lines, and mobilise without noise made him indispensable. Even his opponents respected his discipline and approach.
Now, with his passing, Eggon land stands at a crossroads. The people must rethink their political architecture and rediscover the cohesion that once made them kingmakers in Nasarawa politics.
For many, the man who fits naturally into this void is Labaran Maku. Born in Wakama, in the heart of Nasarawa-Eggon, he rose from classroom teacher and journalist to deputy governor at 42. From there, he moved to Abuja, serving as Minister of Information during a period of intense national challenges and reforms.
Two things distinguish Maku in the political memory of Eggon people: his national visibility, which no other Eggon politician of his generation currently matches, and his mentorship culture, which cuts across age, party, and social class.
Over the years, he has supported and encouraged dozens of young politicians, activists, and professionals. Some of them now occupy influential positions in government and party structures. Others credit him with opening the political space for them when no one else would.
His return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in recent years revived old networks and reopened possibilities. For a politician who has contested governorship twice and remains a household name across the state, his influence has not waned.
If ethnic politics in Nasarawa were a chessboard, the Eggon have long been strategic players. They may not always clinch the governorship, but their numbers, spread, and organisation often determine who becomes governor.
From the Second Republic to the present day, Eggon votes and mobilisation have shaped victories in both the PDP and the APC. Ewuga embodied this king-making role for two decades. His successors must understand both the power and the responsibility that come with it.
Analysts argue that without a central figure to harmonise aspirations, Eggon political energy could scatter, weakening their long-standing influence at a time when every bloc in the state is re-aligning ahead of future elections. This is the argument powering the call for consolidation around Maku.
Among Eggon youth organisations, the sentiment is strong. Many see Maku as a stabilising force capable of continuing the mentorship tradition that Ewuga was revered for.
A youth coordinator in Akwanga who did not want his name in print described him as “the only politician from our ethnic group with a national network, national recognition, and a clear vision for our role in the state.”
He cited his clarity of thought, his accessibility, and his long-standing support for young aspirants as reasons he commands natural loyalty.
Community elders argue that this is not the time for experimental leadership. With political uncertainties gripping the state and the country, they believe that only someone tested in governance and negotiations can hold the Eggon bloc together.
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For them, Maku is that figure, adding that his time as deputy governor under Abdullahi Adamu gave him strong administrative experience. His years in Abuja as minister exposed him to broader national politics. These are the qualities that elders consider necessary for keeping the Eggon voice coherent.
Political observers, however, advise caution. They argue that the Eggon nation must avoid framing Maku as a sole leader or unquestionable authority.
Their argument is simple: monopolising leadership around one man could create resentment or sideline emerging leaders. What is needed is a unifying figure, not an owner of the movement.
In their view, Maku must be the coordinator, not the controller. “He has been there for others; this is the time to be there for him.” — Grassroots mobilisers
At the grassroots, from Alushi to Arikpa, from Nassarawa-Eggon to the diaspora, a different sentiment runs: reciprocity. Many believe that after years of Maku supporting and strengthening others, this is the moment for the community to rally behind him in a show of solidarity and political coherence.
They argue that ethnic political movements survive on memory, loyalty, and reciprocity. Ewuga received this loyalty. Maku, they insist, deserves it now.
For balance, critics offer counterarguments. Some point to his history of changing political platforms, describing it as inconsistency. Others question whether Eggon politics needs a generational shift rather than a return to familiar players.
A few warn that supporting one figure too strongly could stifle the internal democracy that keeps ethnic blocs dynamic.
These concerns are real, and they reflect the diversity of opinions inside Eggon land. Yet even many critics acknowledge that in this moment of transition, Maku remains the most politically experienced Eggon figure with statewide influence.
Rallying around Maku does not guarantee a governorship. History has shown that Nasarawa politics is unpredictable. But political strength is not always measured by occupying the top seat; it is measured by the ability to influence outcomes consistently.
This is the tradition the Eggon people built. It is the space Ewuga mastered. And it is the space many believe Maku can sustain, if the Eggon nation chooses unity over fragmentation.
Nigeria is in a season of political and economic recalibration. States are re-evaluating their alignments. Parties are renegotiating their internal structures. Ethnic nationalities are reconsidering their survival strategies.
In such a climate, fragmentation is costly. Eggon nation cannot afford disunity at a time when other blocs in Nasarawa are consolidating. Many believe that with Maku, Eggon land can speak with one voice, not to dominate, but to negotiate from strength.
Solomon Ewuga marks the end of an era. The Eggon nation mourns not only a statesman but a political compass. Now, the community stands at a historic turning point.
Rallying around Labaran Maku is not about coronating a new monarch. It is about consolidating political wisdom, protecting ethnic influence, and ensuring continuity in a period of uncertainty.
Whether the Eggon nation embraces him as the next rallying point will determine not just the future of one man, but the political direction of an entire people.
The story continues, and the next chapter belongs to the Eggon nation, together or divided.
