Once again electioneering campaigns and fever has gripped the country into a frenzy of over zealousness for elected official to re-elect themselves through the use of executive incumbency power. While this has become the discernible pattern ever since independence, Nigerians are yet to show the world they could conduct elections without resorting to rancor and acrimony.

I am disappointed at the last week defeat of an executive bill to the federal house of representative to put a stop to political violence. What ever the reason that they majority had against peaceful violence is left to conjecture and smack of political mediocrity.

Before I digress and get myself into a new sphere of diatribe, I want to applaud those who introduced the bill anyway and the foresight of those who also introduced the children protection right bill that was cruelly defeated on the same callous and lame excuse of not recognizing the diversity and religious differences of the country.

While other ethnic groups are closing ranks and trying to project viable candidates for the next election, the Igbos have in the most unexplainable fashion been used to destabilize their ranks and hierarchy. Some UnIgbo school of thought have promoted to eminence the now unacceptable euro-non-Igbos meaning of the Igbos been an a cephalous cum "lawless society" which translate into the modern day definition of Igbos has no leadership.

While not wanting to take my readers on a refresher course on pre-colonial rule history, the assertion of Igbos having no leaders (Kings) as comparable to the great kingdoms was a justification used to pacify the Igbo people for colonial benefits. The Igbos has always been fired by the desire to be free, and they do this by protecting their liberty at all cost.

Prior to the May 1999 election, there was an understanding and vocalization for rotational presidency and this manifested in the all the parties conceding the spot for the Yoruba ethnic group as a compensation for the misdeed of June 12^th.There was not a dearth of potential candidates around the country, Even the candidature of Alex Ekwueme was dimmed to make this understanding work.

No aspiring candidature for presidency has seen more negativity than Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu declaration, there was so much editorials and Igbos were used to rubbish his chances .One prominent excuse has been his civil war role, an episode that happened nearly four decades ago, why have Nigerians not asked those who fought on the federal side with much hatred and venom against the eastern if they have changed their views and anyamiri perspectives?

Shamefully, it is the Igbos that is used to ruin the chances of their fellow Igbos. While not endorsing Ojukwu’s candidature here, my view is let him be judged for what he is and represent on the same standard of fairness given to all Nigerian.

The Igbos as a group, apart from being an egalitarian, have contributed to their own nemesis, and have fallen to the more advanced intrigues and ploy of other ethnic group in the power play equation in Nigerian politics. They have shown a penchant to deviate from their age long belief of being their brothers keeper in national politics. Aspiring and potential leaders are ruin by pseudo-Igbo groups’ teleguided by mischievous external anti-Igbo interest.

The misleading theory is been propagated of how selfish albeit stupid the well renowned Igbo icon Late Nnamdi Azikiwe was. This group for believing in one Nigeria faults him!!! At a time when it was in the best interest to do so.

There are very many qualified, resourceful and capable Igbo political leadership class, but with the present trend, not many would fit the perimeter of national stature if this mudsling and witch hunting of one another don’t stop. The first victim was ex- senate president Chuba Okadigbo, his crime? Alleged political insubordination to late zik. Why on earth will another ethnic group avenge the alleged insult to the Igbo prophet, the Igbos should have been bold enough to say (JERU-ZIK) from the biblical jeroboam "let zik (baal)(fight for themselves) whoever contend shall be put to death. Next was the turn of Chief Enwerem who fell by the wayside courtesy of the same Igbo induced plot and once again, I hear and read that there is a strong urge to drag Alex Ekwueme into the same race he once ran and lost on some controversial political geometric.

At this point the rhetorical question is, has the issues which led to Ekwueme losing the Jos primaries suddenly disappeared overnight, is he no more republican? Is he no more a laid back veepee, or is he been drafted tobe disgraced at the last minute to diminish the Igbo chances? Let Ekwueme heed to the advice of our elders" who the gods wants to kill, the first make foolish "Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.

In the same vein, some pseudo-Igbo sponsored groups have started another political incorrect moves to drag the present governor of Abia state into the race as the Igbo most viable choice to contest the presidency.

Once again, with the dirty washing of their linen in public and the national animosity between Uzor Kanu and Ojo Maduekwe are all indices for failure and dented political resume needed for clear-cut victory. The philosophical of the Igbos saying holds true here that" who the people wants to eliminate, they make chief" Orji uzor kanu should be mindful of this pitfall.

I have been clamoring and still do, that the best alternative, which will boost the chances of Ndigbo, is for them to project and groom those leaders with clean track record of public service. While not trying to endorse the candidature of any one here, it suffice to say here that the likes of Ogbonnaya Onu, John Nwodo Jnr, Emeka Anyaokwu, Arthur Mbanefo, Pius Ayim, okwesilieze Nwodo, the list is endless should be encouraged. Let whoever emerges be the best and flawless candidate that Ndigbo can be proud of.

There is the need for the Igbos to close ranks, whatever happened to the popular Ahiajoku lecture, which provided a forum to expose our culture and peoples. The reality with our federal structure is that ethnicity plays vital role in leadership and contest for political power. Late chief Awolowo likened it to charity begins at home. Ethnicity is not yet an expired product given the context of our political arrangement, it is just clothed in different shades like diversity, and this singular factor had thwarted any attempt at discussing the national question.

The Igbos should not wait for a leader like the biblical Israel waited for Moses to come down from the mountain. They should cultivate the ones they have and build confidence in them instead of projecting mediocre leaders who are good enough to become viable vice presidents. This is the time to play the center role politics and be actively involved with it too. There is the need to produce a sellable candidate and produce an array of well-packaged leadership roll call list. Even in the microcosm world Igbos congress organization in the United States, leaders acrimony, scandal and all pettiness has become associated with producing stable leadership. Ndigbo what seems to be the problem to all this?

Time and tide waits for no one. While other ethnic nationalities are busy protecting and projecting their interest, the Ndigbo are busy destroying the toils of our fore fathers. It is about time to take a critical reflection and wake up from their slumber and do not live on hope. Success is achieved only through hard work and not through luck or grace.

Peace to you all.

Ritchie Ejiofor

Nov 2002