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A nation without a leader
joseph c. ebegbulem
When I write
about a nation here, I am not writing about those several groups of people with
diverse cultures and multi-lingual who occupy a well-defined territory under a
single government that is empowered to make and enforce laws within its
territorial boundary. I am rather writing about a people living in a territory
constituting a distinct society with close contact with each other, I am writing
about a people who are bound together by one language, culture, and common
feeling of oneness and unity of purpose; I am writing about a people who share
deeply significant elements of common heritage and have a common destiny for the
future; they believe that they have more in common with each other than with
outsiders. I am writing about the IGBO NATION.
The Igbo Nation has men and women of
distinct character who work harder than any other nation in the Nigerian State,
but what the nation lacks is a leader. It is a nation without a leader-a leader
like Chief Awolowo of the Yoruba nation. The distinguished leadership qualities
of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo propelled the aspirations of the Yoruba to a
greater height. That leadership saw the West as the hub of economic activities
in Nigeria. He highlighted the importance of education and brought free
education to the West. As a quintessential leader, he worked assiduously to meet
the expectations of the Yoruba people. As a utilitarian as well as a welfarist,
Awolowo used the resources in the West for the benefit of the Yoruba people. He
inspired the Yorubas by the sheer force of his personality and the strength of
his commitment to their cause. Awolowo was a political genius and natural leader
of men. As a man of profound ideas and intellectual fecundity, Awolowo
consistently maintained that the search for knowledge was of utmost importance,
hence the free education in the West.
Unfortunately, the Igbo of the South East
never had a leader to propel their aspirations like Awolowo. The Igbo need a
tactical and pragmatic leader like Chief Awolowo who will not just see himself
as a mere leader, but a grand tribune of the Igbo nation; leader whose magnetism
will hold the millions of Igbos together. He must be an epitome of selfless
aspiration, and a representative and voice of his people. Ndigbo need a
leader who will be dedicated to their cause. We are yearning for a true visioner
to direct Ndigbo, the most dynamic and the most talented people in our
society today on how to get similar benefits and privileges like the other
groups in the Nigerian polity, and lead them through the desired change.
The lack of solidarity and cohesion has
been the supreme characteristics of Ndigbo and their self-acclaimed
leaders. There is therefore a vacancy in the Igbo nation for strong, viable
organization and leaders that will emerge as a melting pot of ideas, and the
platform for the formation of Igbo positions on issues that affect the Igbos in
particular and the Nigerian State in general.
The inability of Ndigbo to take their
rightful position in the political and economic firmament of Nigeria is as a
result of the insincere and discriminatory tendencies of the managers of the
affairs of the Nigerian State who see their versatile and enterprising nature as
a threat to their selfish ambition of dominating the political and economic
landscape of Nigeria. They have been able to achieve this as a result of the
absence of selfless and dedicated leaders in the Igbo nation.
Our Northern brothers have on many
occasions displayed supercilious and disdainful attitudes towards the Igbos in
the North, which has sometimes resulted in rabid conflicts. Ndigbo have
the right to settle down happily anywhere in this country as citizens of the
Nigerian State and nothing should be done to stimulate their consciousness of
difference from the rest of Nigerians who are from other geo-political zones.
While the Igbos have suffered immense deprivation in Nigeria, other groups from
these geo-political zones have benefited immensely in and from Nigeria. Part of
these groups, which had before 1999 enjoyed excessively the monopoly of
executive power at the highest level, wants to return to status quo ante Come
2007.
To remain in the mainstream of the
Nigerian Politics, Ndigbo must remain focussed, and fashion ways to be equal
stakeholders in the Nigerians venture. Efforts to position the Igbo agenda for
greatness in the Nigerian polity have often been thwarted by the selfish motives
of sycophants at the corridors of power who always put on the tag of "Igbo
leaders". As a result of the crumb they get from the "masters’s" table, they
look the other way each time the ugly hands of tyranny and oppression are
extended to Ndigbo.
At this point in our history, Ohaneze
Ndigbo should be preoccupied with the problem of getting competent men to
lead Ndigbo out of their political and economic enslavement. The affairs
of the Igbos should be entrusted only to wise, selfless, competent and morally
soundmen. Their affairs as presently conducted under the "ambit of Igbo
speech-makers and arrogant rhetoricians" will not lead them to their political
and economic paradise. It can correctly and validly be said that our present
"leaders" in the Igbo nation are blindly and ferociously ambitions in the
Nigerian State of depravity.
They seek power and wealth through
intrigue and conspiracy which portray them as enemies of the people they profess
to lead. They don’t understand anything in politics except money and power which
they always vow to get by all means. To them, power is the unchallenged right to
influence issues negatively, and sometimes use it against the people they
profess to lead. We all saw how the people of Anambra State were shortchanged in
good governance as a result of "master-servant" squabble between Governor
Mbadinuju and Chief Emeka Ofor. How about the recent rift between Governor Chris
Nigige and Chief Uba in the same State?
Thank God for Chief Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia
State and Dr. Sam Egwu of Ebonyi State who stood firmly against the incursion of
external powers from Abuja in the governance of their respective states. I doff
my hat for these two political gladiators who are master tacticians in the game
of politics. Ndigbo should not associate themselves with those in their
midst who have an unquenchable thirst for domination; whose primary drive is for
power over others. They look at themselves as more intelligent and progressive
members of the Igbo society.
Why are we crying now to have a shot at
the Presidency? Have we forgotten how we gave it to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on a
platter of gold in 1999? We can still recall our memories to reflect on how our
"illustrious" sons worked very hard at the PDP convention to deny Dr. Alex
Ekwueme his political right. Dr. Ekwueme worked diligently as a prominent
founding father of the People’s Democratic Party for the Presidency until our
"Nelson Mandela"-the "Messiah" came out of prison to hijack the political
machinery of PDP with the assistance of notable politicians of Igbo extraction.
This was a political blunder and one of the most startling political crimes not
only against Dr. Alex Ekwueme, but against Ndigbo.
I get agitated each time I read or I hear
people talk about the zoning of the Presidency to the North by the People’s
democratic Party (PDP). The Igbo are worried about this scenario as if the PDP
is the constitution of the land or as if the People’s Democratic Party is the
only political party in our present political arrangement in this Country. I
want to remind them that Nigeria is not yet a one-party state, therefore I don’t
see any reason why they should be bothered if PDP zones the presidency to the
North or any other geo-political zone. We have 30 registered political parties
in Nigeria and if PDP cannot accommodate the Igbo any longer why can’t they pull
out of PDP and work with another serious parties to replace the "dead’ Alliance
for Democracy (AD) as a formidable opposition.
Ohaneze Ndigbo
must look beyond 2007 presidency and come out with a political formula for the
unity of the Igbo. It must learn to make political statements backed by action
on matters that affect the Igbo man irrespective of his status in the society.
It should not be seen as a "colossus with a feet of clay".
After the Nigerian Civil War, Ndigbo
were socially discontent, economically disadvantaged, and politically
disoriented. With just 20 pound sterling as the highest amount of money found in
the hands of any Igbo man after the war in 1970, the Igbos are today the
economic giants of Nigeria with adequate man-power and technological know-how to
transform the Nigerian economy.
My heart bleeds each time I reflect on how
they have always been the target of dehumanization whenever there is breakdown
of law and order in other parts of Nigeria, especially in the Northern part of
the country. Their houses and other investments are always destroyed. It beats
my imagination as they keep investing in these volatile areas.
Ndigbo need
a vibrant leader to advise them that as the most enterprising race on earth,
their socio-economic and political emancipation can be achieved without
investing heavily outside the Igboland. I wonder why they have refused to learn
from history. They have forgotten with ease the Igbo massacre in the Northern
section of the Country in 1966 and the abandoned property saga at the end of the
Civil War. When one goes to Alaba International Market Ojo, Trade fair, Idumota,
Balogun, Ladipo etc one will begin to appreciate the economic contributions of
Ndigbo to the Nigerian State. Available statistics show that more than 70
per cent of the shoes won in Lagos are made in Aba and 40 per cent of shoes won
in the Ecowas countries are made there too. Yet they are persecuted and
dehumanized each time there is ethnic or religious conflict anywhere in Nigeria.
If I am given the opportunity to put up a
proposal to the emergent true Igbo leaders and the five Governors of the South
East, I would advise that land should be provided to the Igbo sons at Alaba
International Market, Trade Fair and Ladipo at Nnewi to make that City African
version of Japan in auto parts and electronics manufacturing and distribution;
Orlu - the India of Africa in the manufacture and distribution of pharmaceutical
products; Aba-the Italy of Africa in shoes and dress making; Abakaliki-the
Thailand of Africa in rice production and distribution.
The above idea can be achieved only if
Ndigbo are blessed with leaders who can articulate properly and encourage them
to embrace collective efforts to develop the Igbo nation. As the most dynamic
and talented people in this country Ndigbo need a pragmatic leader who
can lead them through the desired change and make them understand that it is
more profitable to invest at home than outside. They should learn from history,
as a nation that forgets its past has no future.
•Mr
Ebegbulem, a teacher, lives in Lagos.
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