2008 Failed Igbo Day: Ohaneze Nd’igbo Do Something Today
As I seek to publish this article, I must state categorically that I expect unaccountable number of rebuttals from my non tolerant fellow Igbo readers but in spite of this, the truth must be told because it is only this truth that can set us free from the present predicaments our Igbo nation is facing. I wish to remind our fellows Igbo who normally view constructive works on the Igbo situation in nation as attempts to denigrate the people that balanced criticisms prescribes perquisite for recovery and rediscovery for the people and this for long has remained the major instruments several people have utilized in radically turning around their societies for good. Biological and cultural affinities should not make us realize that we are associated with problems.
One should however still be grateful to the like of former Governor Achike Udenwa of Imo State one of the few Igbo men that believe that problems are leaving side by side with Igbo to the extent that the ethnic group is not finding its feet politically in the present day Nigeria. Achike Udenwa in a way has helped to portray that truth about core issues about the Igbo race and its segments needs discussed and addressed thoroughly. As a key player in the political affairs of the Igbo land there is no doubt that he has a perfect understanding of politics and exactly how it affects the Igbo people of Nigeria. Our Igbo leaders obviously continue to fail us where it matters and have themselves proved that they cannot keep the light of the spirit of leadership of the race burning as lit by Azikiwe, Ibiam, Osadebe, Okpara and others.
The September 2008 failed Igbo Day have not spoken in our favour but have really further confirmed that all is not well within the camp of the race that everyone even outside the country once tipped to produce the likes of sound minds that would usefully rule the country for many to come.
In 2008, at the venue of the celebration of Igbo Day in Okpara Square in Enugu State, Nigeria suspected youth wing of MASOB invaded the venue and disrupted the celebration half way into the event. Events like this are not new to the Igbo race but what was perhaps strange was that the Igbo perhaps for the first time have decided to fight themselves dirty in the public to the extent that Otunba Gbenga Daniels had to intercede on behalf of the elders of Igbo present on the occasion for justice to be tampered with mercy. We thank the almighty God that the youths MASSOB listened after all.
Other tribes seem to posses the charisma lacking among the Igbo indigenes and indeed the Igbo society as a whole. This charisma is the ability to speak and be listened to, ability to gain recognition as a tribal leader, ability to be held as one with insignia of leadership and ability to posses the attribute of recognition for the leadership control of a society. The problem of the Igbo in today's society of Nigeria begins with the absence of any force that speaks and expects to be listened to as one great leader with the mandate of the people perhaps since the exit of the Great Zik of Africa. Even some critics will argue that Azikiwe himself found himself in similar socio-political mess as his presumed leadership of the Nd'Igbo was frequently challenged. The height of this can best be defined with the events of the Nigeria-Biafra war in which the Great Zik defected to Nigeria because he wanted to be part of the planning process of Nigeria but the opportunity was never accorded him. Still wanting to remain relevant he defected to Nigeria where he believed that better respect would be accorded him.
One thing that puzzles me is that even Ohaneze have found itself overwhelmed by this problem of the Igbo leaving a lot of vacuum asking to be solved. Is it not right for us to conclude that the Igbo are facing the worst stage as a nation in nation? As further noted by Achike Udenwa, the failure of the Igbo is a collective thing. "I blame ourselves for the fate of the Nd'Igbo today, because we are contributed to the problem of elevating individual interest rather than that of the collective Igbo race"
We recall that the Igbo in the past 8 years of Obasanjo administration produced 5 senate leaders and all the five states of the South-East produced one senate leader each and at present an Igbo man is the chairman of People's Democratic Party so one can obviously understand the viewpoint of this Ex-Governor but these leadership positions have translated to nothing for the Igbo larger society as nothing has changed for us. The southeast is the most politically divided today in the entire nation of Nigeria and no one Governor or leader in region has firmly stood up to challenge this situation at hand. Again the region is the most relegated among all the existing geo-political regions of the country.
The issue of erosion which plagues the region and other Igbo lands in the country continues unchecked without a single Governor of Igbo extraction rising to the challenge and rallying round other governors to seek solution to this problem which drives the people of the region o other regions where they further constitute the second largest ethnic-groups after the natives of such regions, developing every region they come across with so much burden of taxation and discrimination among several others the opportunity of developing our own Igbo land are therefore lost to nothing.
Ordinarily the Nd'Igbo have no place in the politics of Nigeria which they have worked so hard to build more than every other tribe as every single region of the country have had the Igbo contributing to its development whether directly or indirectly. Even the population of Nd'Igbo have remained grossly undercounted as far back as the history of population census in Nigeria can take us back yet Ohaneze have not considered it wise to radically gather the vast brains of ethnic group from Imo, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta and Rivers and seek solutions to the problems troubling us recognizing that cross-fertilization of ideas and not rebuttals and pretences will help us to overcome the problems. Ever since the Lawmakers in the country moved for the creation a sixth state for the region to help balance the number of states existing in the South-Eastern region, no single Igbo leader has radically reminded the Nigerian Government of this development lately. Haba! Something must be wrong somewhere.
The southeastern region is the home of the Igbo nation, and the Igbo are significantly found in Delta State, Rivers State, Cameroun and Equatorial Guinea, the socio-economic and political well-beings of the Igbo of Delta and Rivers States especially are tied around the southeastern region of Nigeria who indeed are expecting the region to determine their political climates in the entity of Nigeria but these bulk of people appear to be losing hope after exhausting their patience. While the Igbo in Delta State especially have patiently awaited the larger society to push forward their bid for the creation of Anioma State unsuccessfully, some closely related sub-groups and Igboid groups such as Ika and Ndokwa people have taken to the discrimination of the Igbo not just because of the negative implication of the Civil war on the Igbo nation but because Igbo nation are found wanting in its ability to politically lead the entire Igbo race. No group obviously wants its future mismanaged.
As the humble man he is the like of Achike Udenwa has taken blames for several of these bad situation besetting the Igbo race because according to him, "the failings of one man as that of all because they) collectively are (were) entrusted with the people's interest, but the politician from Orlu would not take any person's blames for downturn"
The Igbo should not worsen their own problems like Governor Chime, a host who decided to absent himself in his own ceremony leaving guests to take charge with no words from him and Governor Elechi who the Igbo people also look to, to help usher in solutions to the problems confronting not only the region but the entire Igbo of Nigeria. The affairs of Igbo race should be taken seriously for the failed congress should have afforded the Igbo the opportunity to discuss their problems once again. And the Igbo Youth wing of MASSOB allowing the congress to hold and expressing their grievances, holding their leaders accountable for their failings by far would have been a better option than scutling the congress and allowing the leaders to leave. The problems have only deepened and nothing less is expected.
The Ohaneze and indeed the entire Igbo Igbo leaders would need to do a lot more put the race back on track because the Igbo are not born to be ruled but also rule because as the citizens of Nigeria we have equal rights as those of Hausa/Fulani and the Yoruba. Whatever other ethnic groups can do right politically in Nigeria, theIgbo can do better. For a society that has produced Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chinua Achebe, Augustine Esogbue, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala the next president of Nigeria needs to emerge from Igbo land whether from Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Delta or Rivers States. We need it. Ohaneze do something.
One should however still be grateful to the like of former Governor Achike Udenwa of Imo State one of the few Igbo men that believe that problems are leaving side by side with Igbo to the extent that the ethnic group is not finding its feet politically in the present day Nigeria. Achike Udenwa in a way has helped to portray that truth about core issues about the Igbo race and its segments needs discussed and addressed thoroughly. As a key player in the political affairs of the Igbo land there is no doubt that he has a perfect understanding of politics and exactly how it affects the Igbo people of Nigeria. Our Igbo leaders obviously continue to fail us where it matters and have themselves proved that they cannot keep the light of the spirit of leadership of the race burning as lit by Azikiwe, Ibiam, Osadebe, Okpara and others.
The September 2008 failed Igbo Day have not spoken in our favour but have really further confirmed that all is not well within the camp of the race that everyone even outside the country once tipped to produce the likes of sound minds that would usefully rule the country for many to come.
In 2008, at the venue of the celebration of Igbo Day in Okpara Square in Enugu State, Nigeria suspected youth wing of MASOB invaded the venue and disrupted the celebration half way into the event. Events like this are not new to the Igbo race but what was perhaps strange was that the Igbo perhaps for the first time have decided to fight themselves dirty in the public to the extent that Otunba Gbenga Daniels had to intercede on behalf of the elders of Igbo present on the occasion for justice to be tampered with mercy. We thank the almighty God that the youths MASSOB listened after all.
Other tribes seem to posses the charisma lacking among the Igbo indigenes and indeed the Igbo society as a whole. This charisma is the ability to speak and be listened to, ability to gain recognition as a tribal leader, ability to be held as one with insignia of leadership and ability to posses the attribute of recognition for the leadership control of a society. The problem of the Igbo in today's society of Nigeria begins with the absence of any force that speaks and expects to be listened to as one great leader with the mandate of the people perhaps since the exit of the Great Zik of Africa. Even some critics will argue that Azikiwe himself found himself in similar socio-political mess as his presumed leadership of the Nd'Igbo was frequently challenged. The height of this can best be defined with the events of the Nigeria-Biafra war in which the Great Zik defected to Nigeria because he wanted to be part of the planning process of Nigeria but the opportunity was never accorded him. Still wanting to remain relevant he defected to Nigeria where he believed that better respect would be accorded him.
One thing that puzzles me is that even Ohaneze have found itself overwhelmed by this problem of the Igbo leaving a lot of vacuum asking to be solved. Is it not right for us to conclude that the Igbo are facing the worst stage as a nation in nation? As further noted by Achike Udenwa, the failure of the Igbo is a collective thing. "I blame ourselves for the fate of the Nd'Igbo today, because we are contributed to the problem of elevating individual interest rather than that of the collective Igbo race"
We recall that the Igbo in the past 8 years of Obasanjo administration produced 5 senate leaders and all the five states of the South-East produced one senate leader each and at present an Igbo man is the chairman of People's Democratic Party so one can obviously understand the viewpoint of this Ex-Governor but these leadership positions have translated to nothing for the Igbo larger society as nothing has changed for us. The southeast is the most politically divided today in the entire nation of Nigeria and no one Governor or leader in region has firmly stood up to challenge this situation at hand. Again the region is the most relegated among all the existing geo-political regions of the country.
The issue of erosion which plagues the region and other Igbo lands in the country continues unchecked without a single Governor of Igbo extraction rising to the challenge and rallying round other governors to seek solution to this problem which drives the people of the region o other regions where they further constitute the second largest ethnic-groups after the natives of such regions, developing every region they come across with so much burden of taxation and discrimination among several others the opportunity of developing our own Igbo land are therefore lost to nothing.
Ordinarily the Nd'Igbo have no place in the politics of Nigeria which they have worked so hard to build more than every other tribe as every single region of the country have had the Igbo contributing to its development whether directly or indirectly. Even the population of Nd'Igbo have remained grossly undercounted as far back as the history of population census in Nigeria can take us back yet Ohaneze have not considered it wise to radically gather the vast brains of ethnic group from Imo, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta and Rivers and seek solutions to the problems troubling us recognizing that cross-fertilization of ideas and not rebuttals and pretences will help us to overcome the problems. Ever since the Lawmakers in the country moved for the creation a sixth state for the region to help balance the number of states existing in the South-Eastern region, no single Igbo leader has radically reminded the Nigerian Government of this development lately. Haba! Something must be wrong somewhere.
The southeastern region is the home of the Igbo nation, and the Igbo are significantly found in Delta State, Rivers State, Cameroun and Equatorial Guinea, the socio-economic and political well-beings of the Igbo of Delta and Rivers States especially are tied around the southeastern region of Nigeria who indeed are expecting the region to determine their political climates in the entity of Nigeria but these bulk of people appear to be losing hope after exhausting their patience. While the Igbo in Delta State especially have patiently awaited the larger society to push forward their bid for the creation of Anioma State unsuccessfully, some closely related sub-groups and Igboid groups such as Ika and Ndokwa people have taken to the discrimination of the Igbo not just because of the negative implication of the Civil war on the Igbo nation but because Igbo nation are found wanting in its ability to politically lead the entire Igbo race. No group obviously wants its future mismanaged.
As the humble man he is the like of Achike Udenwa has taken blames for several of these bad situation besetting the Igbo race because according to him, "the failings of one man as that of all because they) collectively are (were) entrusted with the people's interest, but the politician from Orlu would not take any person's blames for downturn"
The Igbo should not worsen their own problems like Governor Chime, a host who decided to absent himself in his own ceremony leaving guests to take charge with no words from him and Governor Elechi who the Igbo people also look to, to help usher in solutions to the problems confronting not only the region but the entire Igbo of Nigeria. The affairs of Igbo race should be taken seriously for the failed congress should have afforded the Igbo the opportunity to discuss their problems once again. And the Igbo Youth wing of MASSOB allowing the congress to hold and expressing their grievances, holding their leaders accountable for their failings by far would have been a better option than scutling the congress and allowing the leaders to leave. The problems have only deepened and nothing less is expected.
The Ohaneze and indeed the entire Igbo Igbo leaders would need to do a lot more put the race back on track because the Igbo are not born to be ruled but also rule because as the citizens of Nigeria we have equal rights as those of Hausa/Fulani and the Yoruba. Whatever other ethnic groups can do right politically in Nigeria, theIgbo can do better. For a society that has produced Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chinua Achebe, Augustine Esogbue, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala the next president of Nigeria needs to emerge from Igbo land whether from Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Delta or Rivers States. We need it. Ohaneze do something.
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