BNW

The Persecution Against Igbos Continues...

by
Michael Ozulumba, Esq.

As I sat and pondered the future of my life, torn between the desire to return to my homeland that I have left since almost 20 years ago to attend College in the United states and the prospects of a life in United States filled with continued economic prosperity in my chosen legal profession, the events in Nigeria seem to have cast a compelling decision on me to choose death in Nigeria rather than wealth in the United States. I traveled to Washington DC in 1999 shortly after President Olusegun Obasanjo's victory as Nigeria's President to hear our new leader in his predictable sermon that we should return home to build our country. I followed him to Harvard University a few days later and continued to watch the remake of an old tired actor. On both occasions, I came out with a sense of disappointment. The President spoke in a tired disjointed and incoherent manner. He cracked jokes in pidgen English that showcased a desire but not the will. He introduced his Ministers which then included Late Chief Bola Ige as the Minister for Mines and Power that will turn around Nigeria's ailing Electric Authority (NEPA). Defense Minister Theophilus Danjuma, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Mrs. Kema Chikwe and host of other officials collectively presented a gloomy look in both their appearances and their body language. I was however proud to be a Nigerian again.

The events since the 1999 appearance in Nigeria's political and economic development have taken a hydra head of near dangerous proportions. As an Igbo Nigerian, I feel particularly embittered by the continued insult and economic persecution orchestrated by the President and his men that have since soured my affection and sympathy for this great man who was lured out of Abacha's Gulag to lead Nigeria in her attempt at 4th Republic Democratic dispensation. What crimes have the Igbos committed to deserve this endless assault on our economic breadbasket? Why has the President chosen to often land draconian economic policies and ad-hoc measures all with the attendant punishing impact on Igbos? Has the clamor for a Nigeria President of Igbo extraction helped to fuel this Presidential fire of hate against Igbos. Are they not entitled to seek to lead a country where they have contributed so much in every facet? A close examination of certain policies by the President since his inception in office will clearly prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the Prez has his sight set to destroy Igbo economic fabric.

In many years of late General Abacha and to a large extent General Babangida's leadership, Nigerians largely suffered from obnoxious decrees that largely curtailed freedom of expression. Yet, what we now gained in the form of expressive freedom, have cost us dearly in untold economic hardship worse than during the years of the Military juntas. When the President took office Naira stood at about N84 to 1 US Dollar. Today, Naira has lost so much value under Obasanjo's watch that there is no measurable meaningful impact on an average Nigerian. All basic commodities may have doubled in price under Obasanjo's leadership. The President seems to have no clear comprehensive long term economic policy as Naira now trades at about N135 to 1 US Dollar.

This invidious devaluation has caused untold harm to Nigerians and have led to a spiral negative effect in armed robbery, joblessness, homelessness and a host other social ills as Nigerians struggle relentlessly to make a daily living in the face of potential abundant natural resources in the country. With a massive devaluation of the Naira, Nigerians now go to the market to shop for used clothing sourced from the trash bins and donation centers in America and Europe. The Igbos, quick to exploit these new sources of cheap clothing and of course unable to afford the money to purchase and maintain manufacturing machinery in Nigeria to produce brand new clothing, capitalized on the used clothing market. On October 3, 2002, the President banned the importation of Textiles into the country. In January 2002, the President clamped down at the National seaports and ordered a total (Import Duty Report) IDR Report on all goods entering the country. With his tribesmen now in control, they cared less about the punishing financial loses tolled against largely Igbo importers who could not clear their goods at the wharf and were penalized in Port charges putting so many of them out of business. The used Refrigerators dealers followed� Banned by the Presidency on environmental jargon. Before long, used auto dealers received the Presidential fire when he banned again fairly used vehicles older than 5 years from entry into Nigeria. Neighboring country Benin Republic quickly expanded her Ports and lowered tariffs to enable Nigerians use her Ports for imports. These again are clearly Igbo dominated businesses. When the President's Poultry farm at Otta, his hometown, which he could not pay his business loan was revived after his ascension to office, he recently banned importation of frozen poultry into the country. Igbos again were targeted.

In Igbo states, especially Anambra State, crime was terrible. Armed robbers, fuelled by the Presidential impotency on economic growth for the country roamed the streets with reckless abandon. Of course, even with a sprawling market city of Onitsha, the number of Policemen posted to Anambra State could not make a dent in effective policing of the state and armed robbery exploded in and around Anambra State. A new Governor, who came to the office with Bible in one hand "get them" in one mouth stood down armed robbery by creating his brand of state sponsored vigilantes called Bakassi Boys. Mbadinuju's Bakassi boys took on the armed gangs in Anambra state and defeated them in less than few months of operation. The robbers were in complete retreat and fled the state. Before the Governor could settle down to talk about Igbo presidency or any vision of Governing, the Prez smelled trouble and set about promoting his rabid attack dogs to destabilize Mbadinuju. The APF (Anambra Peoples Forum), a radical branch of the President's PDP Party set out to attack the Governor at every opportunity. Before long, the naïve Governor, faced with drone of Federal Might and dozens of Armed Mobile Policemen Guarding his opponents, blanketed himself with his Bakassi Boys for his Executive Protection. With dwindling action in the war against armed robbers, the Bakassi Boys soon began to eye the Governor's political opponents with menacing disdain and contempt. The spate of extra judicial killings increased in Anambra State and soon, yes, the President banned the Bakassi Boys, invaded Anambra State and arrested several Bakassi members who now languish in Police Cells in Abuja without charges or bail. The Presidency took action in furtherance of his objective to Ban ethnic Militias.

Yes, Mr. President, but what about your own tribesmen who formed the OPC (Oodua Peoples Congress)? Are they not ethnic Militias? They issued press releases warning Nigerians that hell will ruin the country if the President is impeached. On October 1, 2002, over 50,000 members of the OPC blocked traffic at Ikorodu Road Lagos to shout their solidarity with you and paraded their leader Frederick Fasheun who in early times propagated independence for Yorubas but now shelved his clarion call until after your second term? Are they legal or untouchables?

Permit me to ask, are we no longer operating a democracy? Where are the powers vested by the constitution on the Legislative arm of the Government? Does the President now wear Agbada but act like a khaki General? What kind of economic policy triggers the President, without legislative hearing on the impact of imported goods on the economy, to just wake up, have a brief meeting with powerful lobbyists, and just announce a new ban. In his latest ban on Textile imports, he stated that he needed to give local manufacturers a chance to revive their ailing industries. Has the President really bothered to know why the manufacturing sector is in a deplorable shape. How has he improved the Power supply he joked at the Washington DC Hotel that with Chief Bola Ige, power outages will be a thing of the past. Before Chief Ige could perform his magic, he was redeployed to Ministry of Justice and was brutally assassinated in his living room by yet to be caught or prosecuted perpetrators. Has the President cared to notice that the country's banking industry, dominated by his tribesmen have dealt more damaging blows to Nigeria's economy than poor Igbo importers. How can a local manufacturer, with primitive supply of electricity, 40% bank interest rate on loans, dangerous roads to carry the imported raw materials to his local factory, unchecked inflationary waves of the Naira, dubious Port officials and indiscriminate police road blocks extorting money from raw material importers be able to sustain a viable local industry.

The President always seems ready to act by Fiat whenever the result invidiously and inhumanely affects the Igbos. This trigger happy ban happy Prez should please attend some serious courses on Economic Policies and Separation of Powers in a Democracy. We may claim to have democracy, but really Mr. President's action cannot go further without notice by all Igbos of good intent and Nigerians at large. Since importation is the Igbo man's last hope at economic survival in Nigeria, the Prez seems to want to strike hard at our head Shepherd. In so doing, he may be expecting the inevitable result from such action, which is to dishearten and weaken the Igbos beyond any rational measure.

We shall persevere!