Introduction
Recently, there came to be an upsurge on the demand by the Igbos for a sovereign nation. It is not like this call for the Republic of Biafra is new, it has been there since the 1960s and even culminated into the civil way which lasted for three years. Many Igbos have pitched tenth with certain factions of the divide, what I would like to call ‘ndi kwe na ndi ekweghi’; that is those who believe in the indissolubility of Nigeria and those who are die hard supporters of the Biafran cause. There is still a third group, the disinterested observers who are keen on leaving their lives much like the stoics and who would naturally fit in to any side when the need for that arises.
The reason for this piece is not to state whether the arguments of a particular group is superior to that of the other, but, to x-ray those things which we as Igbos ought to address whether as Nigerians or as Biafrans without which even at the actualization of Biafra, there wouldn’t be stability and tranquility. I have chosen to limit my reaction to three key areas of leadership, doing the right thing at the right time and the theory of marginalization.
LEADERSHIP
This has been an endemic problem and is not just peculiar to the Igbos. But in the case of the Igbos, maybe because of the interpretation of our history and because of the generalization of the fact that Igbos had no paramount leaders, the notion of ‘Igbo enwe Eze’ still subsists. Taking a cursory look at the administrations of Governors of Igbo extraction both past and present, one may not err in reasoning in concluding that we cannot go far with these crop of leaders.
The question, then, if we succeed in our quest for the actualization of Biafra, who will be the leader (s)? I know many persons would say that the question of who leads is a matter to be discussed after the actualization, but I beg to differ with them. If not for anything, the rot and decay in the Nigerian society immediately afyter independence and the current political instability in south Sudan tells us much about what problem leadership can cause among a people even when they posit themselves as brothers and sisters. Of couser, many persoms are yet to come to realize that there would be stiff disagreement on where the Capital territory is to be located and things like that after which the problem of states, constitution, the type of government to be formed and so on.
DOING THE RIGHT THING AT THE WRONG TIME OR PLACE
At the peak of the demonstrations for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, I shared this view with friends who either agreed or disagreed with me. Now, I’m not against protests for whatsoever reason, but I believe that if one wants to protest, then, it should be done in a manner that the ‘right’ audience or attention is got. Specifically, I was not very happy with the way the demonstrations were done at the Onitsha head bridge. My reasons are very simple to understand.
1. There is no way one can claim to be working for my own good when he at the same time is inflicting unbearable pains and injuries on me
2.The state of the Niger Bridge is not a secret, those of us who are engineers can tell us better. If in the process of protesting, with the attendant vehicular traffic gridlock, the bridge caves in, who will lose?
3. The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaigners did not waste time in going to the capital city to protest. They copied a vantage place at the capital city for their protest. In such way, the government, international representatives and so on were attracted, the message was passed across to the right people.
THE THEORY OF MARGINALISATION
We are quick to state that we are being marginalized by the government when among us, something more than marginalization exists. Is it also marginalization when our brothers and sisters who have the wherewithal to build industries and factories site their industries outside Igboland? Is it marginalization when our brothers and sisters in government could not provide nor attract to us the basics of human welfare in the form of good roads, electricity and so on? I am one of those who stated clearly that the appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari is lopsided, but, can we ask ourselves what changed when some of us were ministers of power, finance, petroleum, education, health etc. Even those we call elected representatives.
For me, the solution to the problem or theory of marginalization begins with us and in so far as we cry wolf without first addressing the inherent marginalization and tendencies to that end in us, I fear we won’t cease shouting ‘marginalization’ even as people of the Republic of Biafra.
Conclusion: THE SOUTH SUDAN EXPERIENCE
South Sudan got her independence from Sudan on 9th July 2011 with a referendum of over 99% of their population in favour of cessation. But since then, the state has been in utter internal wrangling cum conflict. As a country, South Sudan occupies a pride of place on the Failed State index, one of the worst tags to give to a country.
Our case is not quite different from the South Sudanese, and until we first of all methodologically address our problems first, then, we may end up like South Sudan (although I do not pray for that).
In summary, let there be Biafra, the Land of The Rising Sun, but first things first!!!
Written: 12-12-2015
Benin.
Recently, there came to be an upsurge on the demand by the Igbos for a sovereign nation. It is not like this call for the Republic of Biafra is new, it has been there since the 1960s and even culminated into the civil way which lasted for three years. Many Igbos have pitched tenth with certain factions of the divide, what I would like to call ‘ndi kwe na ndi ekweghi’; that is those who believe in the indissolubility of Nigeria and those who are die hard supporters of the Biafran cause. There is still a third group, the disinterested observers who are keen on leaving their lives much like the stoics and who would naturally fit in to any side when the need for that arises.
The reason for this piece is not to state whether the arguments of a particular group is superior to that of the other, but, to x-ray those things which we as Igbos ought to address whether as Nigerians or as Biafrans without which even at the actualization of Biafra, there wouldn’t be stability and tranquility. I have chosen to limit my reaction to three key areas of leadership, doing the right thing at the right time and the theory of marginalization.
LEADERSHIP
This has been an endemic problem and is not just peculiar to the Igbos. But in the case of the Igbos, maybe because of the interpretation of our history and because of the generalization of the fact that Igbos had no paramount leaders, the notion of ‘Igbo enwe Eze’ still subsists. Taking a cursory look at the administrations of Governors of Igbo extraction both past and present, one may not err in reasoning in concluding that we cannot go far with these crop of leaders.
The question, then, if we succeed in our quest for the actualization of Biafra, who will be the leader (s)? I know many persons would say that the question of who leads is a matter to be discussed after the actualization, but I beg to differ with them. If not for anything, the rot and decay in the Nigerian society immediately afyter independence and the current political instability in south Sudan tells us much about what problem leadership can cause among a people even when they posit themselves as brothers and sisters. Of couser, many persoms are yet to come to realize that there would be stiff disagreement on where the Capital territory is to be located and things like that after which the problem of states, constitution, the type of government to be formed and so on.
DOING THE RIGHT THING AT THE WRONG TIME OR PLACE
At the peak of the demonstrations for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, I shared this view with friends who either agreed or disagreed with me. Now, I’m not against protests for whatsoever reason, but I believe that if one wants to protest, then, it should be done in a manner that the ‘right’ audience or attention is got. Specifically, I was not very happy with the way the demonstrations were done at the Onitsha head bridge. My reasons are very simple to understand.
1. There is no way one can claim to be working for my own good when he at the same time is inflicting unbearable pains and injuries on me
2.The state of the Niger Bridge is not a secret, those of us who are engineers can tell us better. If in the process of protesting, with the attendant vehicular traffic gridlock, the bridge caves in, who will lose?
3. The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) campaigners did not waste time in going to the capital city to protest. They copied a vantage place at the capital city for their protest. In such way, the government, international representatives and so on were attracted, the message was passed across to the right people.
THE THEORY OF MARGINALISATION
We are quick to state that we are being marginalized by the government when among us, something more than marginalization exists. Is it also marginalization when our brothers and sisters who have the wherewithal to build industries and factories site their industries outside Igboland? Is it marginalization when our brothers and sisters in government could not provide nor attract to us the basics of human welfare in the form of good roads, electricity and so on? I am one of those who stated clearly that the appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari is lopsided, but, can we ask ourselves what changed when some of us were ministers of power, finance, petroleum, education, health etc. Even those we call elected representatives.
For me, the solution to the problem or theory of marginalization begins with us and in so far as we cry wolf without first addressing the inherent marginalization and tendencies to that end in us, I fear we won’t cease shouting ‘marginalization’ even as people of the Republic of Biafra.
Conclusion: THE SOUTH SUDAN EXPERIENCE
South Sudan got her independence from Sudan on 9th July 2011 with a referendum of over 99% of their population in favour of cessation. But since then, the state has been in utter internal wrangling cum conflict. As a country, South Sudan occupies a pride of place on the Failed State index, one of the worst tags to give to a country.
Our case is not quite different from the South Sudanese, and until we first of all methodologically address our problems first, then, we may end up like South Sudan (although I do not pray for that).
In summary, let there be Biafra, the Land of The Rising Sun, but first things first!!!
Written: 12-12-2015
Benin.
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