A communist amongst failed capitalists

By

Orok Edem

I have just read an article by Mr. Edwin Madunagu titled "More complex than politics" published in the www.Nigerdeltacongress.com  and the Guardian of August 28, 2003. I beg to disagree with his take on the issue being more complex than politics. I think the issue at stake, is the doused expectation or naivety of an armchair communist living in a failed capitalist society, with the attendant resort to blackmail, ethnicity and a dose of oppression, as weapons in resolving social problems.

Let me like Eka Edem, the target and metaphor of his write up, confess my shame at the ungrateful actions meted out to the popular and generous Mr. Edwin Madunagu, and offer my profuse apologies. Edwin has pictured a kaleidoscope of life with the masses, and he seems disappointed by the reactions of ‘these people.’

There are two intriguing parts to Madunagu’s expose. One, the assumed socio cultural linkage between Nigerian ethnic groups. Two, a simple matter of economic interactions between the haves and have nots. Yes, the Comrade belongs to the group of the haves. Edwin thinks that he is so "ordinary" that the masses would empathize and associate with him. He confessed that all his neighbors appear to be needy. He is not responsible for their plight, though he has failed in his enlightenment or collective self improvement campaign for their betterment. He is taken aback and bitter about the masses not appreciating his sacrifices on their behalf. He, obviously has failed to make communists out of his neighbors.

He therefore, decided to bring these ingrates to the court of public opinion. His angst is swelled by the use of the words – "chopping from the Ibo man". As readers must have noted, my name is also Edem, and Eka Edem could have been my mother, so read this piece with a heap of salt.

Comrade Madunagu, has failed to tell us, and this is very important - if the exchange of words between Eka Edem and Ete Ukpong, was in the English language., and if the protagonists knew and used his name before this incident, apart from referring to him as Sir Beetle, Prof. or, Comrade etc. Terms that Eka Edem, a peasant neighbor of his, would find difficult to use. Did Eka Edem use the words "Ibo man" in a derogatory sense? Or, as part of the normal everyday usage of words. There is no way in the setting painted by him, that a local woman would ever refer to him as Mr. Edwin Madunagu! When he finally comes down to earth, to intermingle with his community, he is most likely going to be referred to as Ete (?), (?) being the name of his favorite son or daughter who befriends the masses.

He confessed that he received reports from two members of his household, whom he had sent out to find out what the commotion was about. Were these members of his household Efik speaking? I put it to him, that those reports were hearsays, of what did, or did not take place. The report was written in the English Language in parenthesis. "Ete Ukpong, what have I done to you that you will not allow my son to participate in chopping from the Ibo man" Mr. Madunagu, with due respects is a LIAR, if he claims that Eka Edem, uttered the word "participate". Even using the ‘pidgin’ English variant, it is highly unlikely that a woman who is lamenting a chance for her son to get adequately paid for a road sweeping job, would be well educated enough to use the word "participate".

Eka Edem, does not want something for nothing. If you remove the word "participate" and substitute 'benefit' or 'getting something to eat from’, the situation changes entirely. Edwin, has confessed that Efik is not his strong forte, Yoruba and English being his primary languages, and he was not present when the exchanges took place. Neither, were the people he sent to find out. Yet, he has made two accusations based on the usage of the words "participate in chopping from the Ibo man". One, "participate in chopping" denotes elements of deceit or exploitation. Whereas, ‘to benefit or eat’ sends out a message of just a little for survival. "Chopping from" is the same as 'eating from'. Two, throw in the fact that this is to be done to "the Ibo man". We end up with paranoia - everybody hates the Ibo man syndrome. A woman who is well versed in the English language enough to utilize the word "participate" would not throw in the word "chopping", she would more likely use ‘eat or benefit’. The language of exchange between the protagonists was Efik. Anybody, who understands the syntaxes of the Efik language, and its direct translation into English, would see where the misinterpretation occurred.

Let us assume that the version he put forward is correct. Eka Edem is remonstrating with Ete Ukpong, for being a stumbling block to his son’s ability to strike what she thinks is a fair deal…. to get something from the Ibo man to eat for work to be done, a simple business transaction. I wonder how many Nigerians would accuse the Ibo men they come in contact with, of demanding unfair prices for goods and services? Its market forces cum capitalism, stupid.

Why is Madunagu, overtly riled when he as a capitalist landlord is faced with dealing with peasants? Why does he have to hide under the cloak of socio cultural identity to mask his failings as a communist, or lack of understanding of capitalism? He wants us to believe that his family has lived in Calabar since 1976, therefore, he is no more an (the) Ibo man. The dilemma of Comrade Madunagu, is that he does not understand poverty and its effect on people, his pretensions to communist ideology notwithstanding. Calabar is the most welcoming town in Nigeria, and a switch to being a Calabar man, does not even take a generation. Charles Taylor is well on his way to being one. Should Edwin have been called a Calabar man? A term which he is quite qualified to bear but is afraid to wear. The verdict is out on that one.

Calabar South Local Government Area, is the most dangerous part of Cross River State. It is the local government of the State governor, and has recorded more crimes including murders, than any other part of the State. Yet, Mr. Madunagu, voluntarily moved in to live there. He has never been assaulted, robbed, nor his rights impugned, ever since he moved in. He even attests to his mammoth popularity amongst the people. He "has constructed something and established something" in this community. Good old capital acquisition. He was offered a chieftaincy title and he turned it down. That offer is still on the table. All he has to do is contact his sidekick Bassey Ekpo Bassey, for it to be bestowed on him. The people consider this a slight. He does not drink palm wine, neither does he partake in the ‘chopping’ of 404, a delicacy of the masses. The people consider him standoffish. He has constructed a borehole, where the masses get water for free. The masses are appreciative of this, though, some argue that he was offered land to build a house only. Mineral rights, including anything dug from the ground, or obtained above the ground still belongs to the community. Also, it is true that Edwin’s wife is "from that part of the country", but the bride price of this wife has not been paid in full. Note, this part of the country being noted for an initial cheap down payment of bride price, has a rolling sum to be paid, thereafter. In fact, it is assumed that some in – laws, never finish paying until their death. So, this should serve as a wake up call to Mr. Madunagu, to ‘visit’ his in - laws more frequently, his popularity notwithstanding.

The problem with intellectual purists, is that simple things evade them. Mr. Madunagu, unleashed his cerebral and organizational capabilities against Eka Edem, because her son wanted to "chop" from the "Ibo man". Note, his use of parenthesis around the words "chop" and "Ibo man". He then planned a military operation from his stronghold, to bring those poor peasants to their knees. His strategy went thus. He recruited and trained a militia unit, and armed them with demands to foist on his enemies. He deployed women storm troopers for psychological advantage. The final showdown and demands were to be made in front of the household, so there would be no room for negotiations and retreat. Eka Edem, had to be crushed. The outcome? "They performed excellently." he crowed.

Firstly, he insisted that the offer made to Edem was fair, and he could obtain free services somewhere else, if he so desired. Bluff, Blackmail and Bluster! Madunagu, a capitalist exploiter? If you live long enough, you would get to see every thing. In his last paragraph, he confessed that another group of workers got the job done "the new price was higher than what Ete Ukpong, had offered to Edem". What is the lesson here. Madunagu, was out to blackmail and exploit Edem, into being compensated below market value, Edem, resorted to his one man labor union - his mother, who got trampled and humiliated by the closet capitalist.

Secondly, "the Ibo man" and "the mad man" analogy is misplaced. All what the poor Eka Edem, did was to challenge the employers of labor or owners of capital. A technique he Madunagu has espoused, when dealing with exploiters. Is it not interesting that he had to use an agent, Ete Ukpong, in this attempt to exploit the poor. Why did he need an agent in a community that looks up to him? Didn't he expect the agent to charge brokerage fees?

Thirdly, Madunagu after flirting with ethnicity, brings the church and her disciples into it. Typical capitalist tendencies. He asked Eka Edem, to explain why her church leaders do not repair the road. I leave this part for men of God to figure out. I would be wasting my time trying to convince him, that church people are engaged in the work of the Lord, and any attempt to query them would bring sanctions from the Holy Ghost fire.

Fourthly, if Madunagu is not paranoid about being referred to as an (the) Ibo man, this point takes the cake. Eka Edem, he confessed, attends a church owned by Ibo men "whom she regularly pays dues to". Jesu of Oyingbo! Eka Edem, believes in (the) Ibo people so much so that, she has to grovel to collect money from others, to pay to her Ibo church owners, who would then take that money to repair roads in Abia State. In fact, he has failed in his duty to educate Eka Edem. Is it right for an (the) Ibo preacher to "chop" from Eka Edem?

Finally, before I drown the Comrade turned General with my effusion of apologies, here is what took place as described by him. He marched his army of three in a single file., I believe they had on uniforms, or, were holding palm fronds in their left hands, with the demands carved onto a wooden slate, held in the right hand by his agent provocateur. He advised his operational commander of the need for the inculcation of psy ops tactics.... "asked them to dramatise their mission"., etc... The operation or "rally" as he described it, drew everyone. He was recruiting as he rolled along. He even noted the time, day and year of the operation for historical purposes. They descended on Eka Edem, bullied and humiliated the poor woman for daring to assert her son’s right to freedom from exploitation by an (the) Ibo man, after she is already being bled dry by another Ibo man, weekly.

My, my, now we know why God does not give bad animals horns. After all the humiliation and unconditional surrendering of his enemies, the clown, enveloped in the flush of victory, refused to accept the apology in person from the conquered, and sent back a complimentary card to Eka Edem. Even Obasanjo, did not treat Philip Effiong like this.

What inanity., so, Madunagu is no longer an (the) Ibo man?

August 2003