Igbos: Think before leaping

by

Sebastine Hon, Esq.

Ask any elite from the core North now, and he will readily point out to you that Eastern and Northern Nigeria have had a long - standing historical and political alliance. Although this has some element of truth therein, the irrepressible fact is that the 'North' is desperately shopping for a new political marriage, having lost a beautiful bride in the Middle Belt. Historical facts will show that the North and the East have, to an extent, shared from the same political pot, with the East smarting out woefully.

The political marriage of a sort between the North and the East dates back to as early as 1946 when the Zikist Movement was formed by Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe's militant supporters, mainly from the North and the East. Indeed, it was the Mallam H.R. Abdulahi - led Zikist Movement that stirred up an anti-colonial uprising in Enugu in February, 1949, against the cold blooded murder of 20 coal miners by agents of the colonial government. It was still this movement that, in 1950, made an assassination attempt on Sir Hugh Foot, the Colonial Secretary. This unwholesome attempt made the colonial administration to ban the Movement. The highest point of this so-called alliance was the formation, in 1959/1960, of the NPC/NCNC coalition government with Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as the Prime minister while Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe became the Governor - General or ceremonial President. This alliance, however, was short-lived as evidenced in the events of 1966, which I shall come back to later.

But if you ask a true and dispassionate Igbo man, he will readily tell you that he has been marginalised, oppressed, killed and maimed by almost every other Nigerian ethnic nationality, especially the Hausa/Fulani. He will tell you that both the South - South and the Western regions are inhabited by back-stabbers, betrayers and sell-outs. He will readily recall the press and personality war that ensued in the pre-independence time between the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo (as championed by his press outfit, The Daily Service), and the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (as also championed by his press outfit, The Pilot). He will further tell you with much passion that both Chief Awolowo and Major Banjo were betrayers. He will also not forget the roles Generals Adekunle ('the scorpion") and Olusegun Obasanjo played in crushing the Biafran uprising. Turning to the South - South, he will not forget the role played by notable Ijaw leaders like the late Isaac Boro in thwarting the Biafran campaign. To the Middle Belters, the Ndigbo will again tell you with unmitigated angst and passion that they were really the people that fought the war. After all, one of them, General Yakubu Gowon, was at the head them. Finally, turning his search light on the Hausa/Fulani, Ndigbo (not the selfish Ndigbo elite) will swear to you that they are his worst enemy, (the Ndigbo) having lost unaccountably because of the former's Jihadist disposition to the latter, right from pre-colonial to post-colonial times.

Recent events in Nigeria, including the utterances of notable politicians have, however, shown that while the core North is desperately looking for a new political alliance, the East has again, unwittingly proven to be a willing tool cum partner. Following the sharia-provoked riots between February and May, 2000, Northern Leaders like Alhaji Shehu Shagari, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, et al, flew into Igboland, begging for forgiveness and in the process symbolically signing new political agreements. Shortly, thereafter, some Igbo leaders like youthful Governor Uzor Kalu, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, et al, also left for the core North, cementing these ties. Suddenly, northern emirs and Ulamas started preaching understanding and tolerance, especially as it concerns the Igbos. Suddenly, too, ethnic rivalries between the OPC and the Arewa stated flaring up. I must quickly add that going by press reports, the Arewas co-planned the Lagos inter-tribal inferno with the Yorubas. Again, we suddenly started seeing the likes of Ghali Na-Abba, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, etc., flying to the east and collecting chieftaincy titles. We also started seeing Governor Uzor Kalu attending obscure political meetings in Kano and Minna, respectively. And the bang: Na - Abba, Kalu, etc have composed a new song; "Obasanjo should forget about a second term."

The pertinent questions are: is Ndigbo behind the likes of Governor Uzor Kalu? Is Uzor Kalu himself out for personal aggrandisement or is he indeed serious with this new found love? What has become of the much - hailed meeting of the South Eastern Governors? What is the political agenda of the South - East come year 2003? These and other incidental questions will be addressed in this piece. The first two questions will be answered together, while the rest will be addressed disjunctively.

It is indeed very difficult to answer "yes" or "no" to the question whether Ndigbo are actually behind Governor Uzor Kalu or whether this young Governor is indeed out for personal gains, going by the outcome of the recently concluded Igbo summit in Enugu. Governor Kalu gained prominence among his colleagues due largely to his immediate reaction to the killing of Igbos in the North particularly during the February 2000 Sharia - induced riots. He also championedthe meeting of the South - Eastern governors. This meeting is presently, at least in the public glare, a thing of the past. Also, the strong position of Governor Uzor Kalu to the effect that there will be retaliation if one Igbo is killed in the core North is gradually giving way to rapid and rabid rapprochement. I am not against this new understanding but it smacks, I firmly submit, of egocentric leadership and lack of fixated principle on the part of Governor Kalu. Governor Kalu has not again opened his mouth to condemn the fundamental human rights infringement of the Igbos in the Sharia North after the initial hullabaloo.

Governor Uzor Kalu is again quick at loudly criticising the Obasanjo-led PDP government to which he also belongs. He goes further to threaten that he will seize the toll gates on the Port Harcourt - Enugu expressway if nothing is done to remedy the stae of the highway. While I am not against constructive criticism, I also hereby join the teaming public opinion that if not for personal score, Governor Kalu ought to have been much more diplomatic in his approach. Now, having regard to the long history and reality of the marginalisation of the Igbos, the likes of Governor Kalu will no doubt assume the positions of local champions in a campaign that seeks more for personal advantage than of community merit. Otherwise, between the core north (Governor Kalu's new 'friends') and President Obasanjo, who is more guilty of marginalisation of the Igbos? Is it the person that will kill you at the slightest opportunity or the one that will throw his weight behind Abia joining the prestigious NNDC (Niger Delta Development Commission)? Let Governor Uzor Kalu and his co-travellers remember that even at the height of the much-touted political animosity between the Great Zik of Africa and Chief Awo, the former's NCNC still won handsomely in the West in a pre-independence electoral exercise. Can the East boast of such a feat in the North? Again, successive governments, over the years, refused to do something about ex-Biafran warlords; it is this same Obasanjo government that has decided to re-introduce them into the scheme of things. 

All easterners should also remember the uproar from the 'North' that greeted and continue to greet the romance between General Obasanjo and the late Major Nzeogwu's family. I remember very well that during Obasanjo's second - coming as a civilian Head of State, the core North cried wolf when Obasanjo visited Major Nzeogwu's mother and called the late Kaduna Nzeogwu "my brother." In the thinking of the core North, Nzeogwu and all his supporters, dead or alive, are enemies. All these facts and many more are known to Governor Kalu and his supporters, yet for egoistic reasons, they are painting Obasanjo black and devilish. I therefore, have a strong and irresistible feeling that Governor Uzor Kalu is not and should not be seen as truly representing Ndigbo interest. He should not also be seen as being serious with core Northerners, because the interest he is protecting is personal rather than communal, hence can easily change with circumstances.

The next question is, what has become of the meeting of the Southern governors to which Governor Uzor Kalu was (or has been) a notable gladiator? Put more appropriately, is Governor Kalu's position in tandem with the rest of the governors of the south? Or even of the south-east? The answer is most assuredly an emphatic no. Ask Governor Lam Adesina (of a different political party - the AD) and he will tell you Obasanjo is trying. But if you think Governor Adesina will be tribally - inclined and, therefore, biased, ask Governor Lucky Igbenidion or even Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State and both will agree with Governor Adesina. Let me remind the South - Easterners that some of us who are geographically close to the Hausa/Fulani were most happy when we learnt of the Southern - Governors' meeting. This is a noble idea that should not be allowed to die. The first political marriage in this country was between the Igbos and the Yorubas. This was consummated in 1923, soon after the colonial government promulgated the Clifford's constitution of 1922. This political alliance gave birth to the formation of the Nigerian National Democratic Party NNDP which had Herbert Macaulay (a Yoruba) as the leader while Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the Secretary - General. This alliance was sustained for 22 solid years until 1944 when Dr. Azikiwe formed the NCNC, What these two great leaders joined together should, therefore, not be put asunder by not well informed leaders of today. The joy and hope of some of us is this: a strong and united southern Nigeria which will necessarily be a balancing factor in Nigeria's political calculation. The meeting of the Southern governors and the ideals that necessitated its being summoned should, therefore, not be allowed to fly into the winds.

Finally, I will ask: what is the political agenda of the South - East come year 2003? I am specific on year 2003 because I strongly perceive that there will be a fierce battle for the soul of Nigeria then. In doing this, I will do a brevi manu resume of some hard historical facts that will open wide the eyes of the Ndigbo in trying to find a sound political footing come year 2003. As shown above, the Igbos have experimented, at one part or the other, some form of political alliances with both the north and the South West. In addition thereto, I will straight away implore the south - east to reject the Greek - gift being dangled by Alhaji Wada Nas that instead of General Olusegun Obasanjo, it is either the South-South or the South - East that will produce the president of Nigeria come 2003. I will also be quick to remind or inform Ndigbo of what the core north did to the Late Chief J.S. Tarka and Moshood Abiola in 1979, 1983 and 1993, respectively.

Even during the pre-colonial period, the East never had any meaningful alliance with the North. As at 1943, the only acceptable trade union for Nigeria was the Central Nigeria Trade Union Congress (CNTUC). It was this body that organised the 1945 general strike. However, in 1949, Northerners accused the congress of over-affiliation with the Zik - led N.C.N.C. Needless to recount the press war that ensued between the Gaskiya Tafi Kwabo and The Pilot. Even the events of 1966 - 1970 and 1979 - 1983 should be able to adequately enlighten the Ndigbo. A roll call of the officers and persons that were killed in the January 1966 putsch will indicate that it was not only Northerners that were killed, yet the revenge that followed in July 1966 against the Aguyi-Ironsi government and the subsequent civil war pointedly showed greater ethno - political hatred than seen on the surface level. Officers and people like Chief Festus Okotie - Eboh, Brigadier S.A. Ademulegun, Col. S.A. Shodeinde, Chief S.L. Akintola etc. were killed by the Major C.K. Nzeogwu - led coupists. What then made it an ethnically - inspired coup as to make the north 'revenge'? Even the so called NPN/NPP alliance in 1979 - 1983 was nothing but a hoax, as the Shagari - led government was always using an Ndigbo, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, to rain abuses on the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe. Where then was this alliance?

This is a solemn call to Ndigbo to calculate well before leaping. Year 2003 should be a political watershed for them. It is not supposed to be a year of ashawo political alliance. It is supposed to be a year of sound political reasoning. There should be no room for spiteful political thinking. Greek gifts should be rejected out rightly, as they will be retrieved at the eleventh hour. "Ghana must go" politics must also vehemently be jettisoned. The best style, at least for now, is the adoption of the Alex Ekweme or Pius Anyim tactic, which is subtle but firm and principled politicking. 

Any step to the contrary will wreck havoc, not just for Ndigbo, but for the whole country. Ndigbo, be wise now before it is too late.


Mr. Hon is a Port Harcourt based legal practitioner.