The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, and former Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, are among prominent Nigerians recognised at the maiden edition of the Idoma Hall of Fame.

Echono was inducted into the Hall of Fame and conferred with a Lifetime Achievement Honour in recognition of his contributions to national development and service to the country.

The event, organised by the Management and Board of the Idoma Hall of Fame in collaboration with Ochetoha K’Idoma, formed part of the Idoma Centenary PLUS celebration in Abuja yesterday.

The founder and Executive Director of the initiative, Engr. Agaba Ikwue, said Echono had distinguished himself by flying the Idoma flag high through his meritorious service to Idoma in particular and Nigeria in general.

Reacting to the recognition, Echono expressed gratitude to his people, describing the honour as particularly meaningful because it came from his own community.

He made a reference to the biblical saying that a prophet is not without honour except in his hometown, noting that the recognition by his people gave the familiar expression a different meaning.

“When it is a reverse and it is your people who are appreciating your modest contributions to the growth of the land, it has a special flavour and special tenor,” he said.

Echono thanked the organisers and other Idoma personalities recognised at the ceremony, pledging to continue contributing to the development of the community and the country.

He also urged young people in Idoma land and across Nigeria to remain committed to excellence, assuring them that their efforts would eventually be recognised.

Adamu was listed among the distinguished Nigerians recognised in the Friends of Idoma category, which celebrates individuals outside the community who have maintained associations with or contributed to the advancement of the Idoma people.

In his acceptance speech, Adamu who served as Minister under President Muhammadu Buhari, described himself as ‘son of he soil’.

Other prominent personalities featured in the Hall of Fame include former Senate President David Mark, Senator Abba Moro, Chief Godwin Odumu Obla, SAN, and several distinguished figures in governance, academia, medicine, theology, diplomacy, military service and other fields.

The maiden edition also recognised past paramount traditional rulers of the Idoma Kingdom, including Agabaidu Ogiri Oko, Och’Idoma I; Agabaidu Abraham Ajene Okpabi, Och’Idoma II; Amb. Dr. Edwin Ogebe Ogbu, Och’Idoma III; and Agabaidu Elias Ikoyi Obekpa, Och’Idoma IV.

The initiative also celebrated prominent Idoma personalities in sports, entertainment and culture, including football legend Daniel Amokachi, music star Innocent ‘2Face’ Idibia, gospel musician Chris Morgan and footballer Moses Simon. Several individuals are being honoured posthumously for their contributions to the community.

Besides Echono, others selected for Lifetime Achievement Honours were: Chief Godwin Odumu Obla, SAN, Mammy Maria Ochefu and Amb. Dr. Edwin Ogebe Ogbu, with the latter two recognised posthumously.

According to the organisers, the Idoma Hall of Fame is designed to document, preserve and celebrate the achievements and enduring legacy of the Idoma people in Nigeria and across the world.

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, called for a political system that guarantees equity, fairness and equal opportunities for all Nigerians, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or place of origin.

Speaking on the theme, ‘People, Politics and Power Play in Nigeria: The Agitation for Equity and Fairness’, Wike said the persistent agitation for inclusion and representation in Nigeria could only be addressed through institutions that promote justice, respect merit and ensure that public power serves the interests of all citizens rather than a privileged few.

He warned against the growing tendency to interpret political appointments and the distribution of public resources as victories for some ethnic groups and defeats for others, arguing that such a mindset undermines national unity and weakens citizens’ confidence in the Nigerian state.

“In Nigeria, politics is rarely only about political office. It is also about representation, recognition, security, opportunity, resources and the reassurance that one belongs to the national power complex,” he said.

The minister stressed that the agitation for fairness should go beyond demands for political positions to address broader concerns about access to quality education, healthcare, employment, infrastructure, security and economic opportunities.

According to him, a political system cannot be considered equitable simply because different ethnic groups periodically occupy positions of authority, especially when ordinary citizens continue to struggle with poverty, unemployment and inadequate public services.

“The real measure of political inclusion is therefore not simply who occupies office, but what the exercise of that office produces for the people,” Wike said.

The keynote speaker cautioned political leaders against exploiting ethnic and sectional grievances for electoral advantage, noting that although legitimate complaints of marginalisation must be addressed, identity politics should not become a tool for deepening divisions or securing political power.

“The politics of identity can mobilise people quickly, but the instrument that mobilises supporters today can become the weapon that divides the country tomorrow,” he said

Wike also called for a balance between the federal character principle and merit, insisting that neither should be sacrificed in the pursuit of national inclusion.

He maintained that Nigerians should not be denied opportunities because of their backgrounds, but added that representation must not become an excuse for incompetence or poor performance in public office.

“The goal should not be to choose between diversity and merit, as though the two were inherently incompatible. The goal should be to build a system in which diversity enlarges the pool of talent available to the nation rather than narrowing it,” he said.

The minister urged Nigerians to move away from the politics of ethnic entitlement towards a culture of responsibility and accountability, challenging leaders to focus on what they could achieve with political power rather than where they came from.