Igbos speak with forked tongues
by
"A group without a leader is a mob"- Anonymous
One of my favourite characters on television in the 1960s in the U.S. was the Indian Chief in several Western (cowboy) films. His favourite response to duplicitous statements by the whiteman was "Paleface (i.e. white man) speaks with forked tongues". Igbos of the South-Eastern zone of Nigeria and the Diaspora have been meeting in the U.S. and lately at Enugu, for what was billed as a summit but which should most aptly have been called a jamboree. Judging from the outcome of the Enugu gab-fest, the distinguished participants might as well have stayed home, as the Eze Ndigbo, Chief Emeka Ojukwu did, for the obvious reason and another reason not so apparent. The obvious one is the absence of leadership; the other not clear to the talk-drunk participants themselves, was the absence of a clear agenda.
Now, it is simple folk wisdom that if you don’t know where you are going, any road will lead you there. Right now, Ndigbo is not totally bereft of destination. Not at all, some Igbos want the Presidency, but even their ways are "drunkard ways". "A drunkard knows he had a house, but how to get there puts him in a dither" (Geoffrey Chaucer 1342 - 1400). Nothing has been more distressing than to watch one of the greatest "nations" in Africa turning itself into a pawn on the chessboard of national politics for lack of a focused leadership. By the standards of a facet people faced with the greatest challenge of self-affirmation and self-esteem, the Enugu Summit was a disaster and its aftermath portends the greatest danger to Ndigbo.
One speaker after another thumbed his chest about the republican nature of the Igbos; which is true enough, except that liberty has been allowed to degenerate into a near state of anarchy. Ndigbo does not speak with one voice on anything important to their people; neither on the Presidency in 2003, nor on marginalisation, confederation, sovereign national conference, resource control or appointments to high office. And until they do, nothing much will happen except more disaster.
If South-East misses the presidency in 2003, the post crosses to the North in 2007 for eight solid years until 2015, when Ndigbo will have to slug it out with the South-South. Most of those making duplicitous statements at Enugu will be six feet under. Even the "Yuppie Governors" will be 60 plus by then. And if Igbo miss 2015.
Honestly, I feel sorry for the Igbo people, this great people deserve better leaders than "errand boys" (apologies to Governor Kalu), who can only define their existence in terms of belonging to "Yar-Adua group", or "youth for IBB or Abacha" never Ekwueme or Nwachukwu group; always appendages to the North. Haven’t they heard, "those who follow the footsteps of others can never lead".
Nothing illustrates this point better than the fracticidal war of words now engulfing the South-East. I was in the middle of this essay when the morning papers came in and there was Chief Ojo Maduekwe predicting doom for Governor Orji Kalu’s second, term while unleashing a verbal volley on the young governor who had dared to spearhead the effort to gain the presidency for Igbos in 2003. That attack on Kalu coming from somebody else might have been shrugged off as another demonstration of Igbo republicanism, if Ojo Maduekwe has not acquired the reputation of AGIP (Any Government in Power), like the late Sam Ikoku.
Ojo, it must be remembered stood for June 12, in 1993, when it appeared viable, sat on it when it appeared doomed; went to CONFAB and pretended that he was part of an honest transition programme; joined UNCP and participated in the phantom 2 million man- march organized by another Igbo called Daniel Kanu idling Nigerians that Abacha was the only man who could rule Nigeria. Now it is Obasanjo, do or die! Ah Ojo! As far as memory can serve anybody, Ojo Maduekwe has never championed the cause of an Igbo man or woman for the Presidency and apparently he never will, as long as his interests are served by the holders of transient power. Yet, Ojo is regarded as an Igbo leader.
The question is: How can a people expect to be taken seriously when half of them harangue their oppressors, and the other half heckle those who stand up against oppression? The face-off which Ojo and Kalu symbolize reminds me of the dichotomy established during the days of slavery; which might still be continuing in Nigeria. There were field slaves (read most Igbos) and house slaves (read those now in the corridors of power at Aso Rock and the PDP party hierarchy).
Revolutionaries, almost always arise from the ranks of the field slaves; the house slaves receiving preferential treatment from the masters frequently are not only wedded to the status quo, they invariably defend the slave masters and fight against their own emancipation. Apartheid South Africa presented another example of this "house slave" mentality. As the Mandelas and Mbekis were staking their lives for freedom, the bulk of the South African forces opposing them was made up of fellow black South Africans.
Another example where Igbos appear confused is the issue of federal roads in Igboland which has, in my opinion, been over flogged. Even here, there is no consensus except that the roads are bad; while there is widespread disagreement on where to lay the blame. Invariably, a person’s response to the question: "who is at fault?" is conditioned by where he stands. If he is or hopes to be in government through appointments controlled by Obasanjo, then the federal government stands exonerated. Otherwise, Obasanjo is a villain. Such sharp dichotomy is not only divisive of the Igbo cause; it appears to non-Igbos as unprincipled. Something cannot be good or bad depending on whether you are a minister or NNPC director or not. Surely, Igbos realize that a people living without enduring principles is doomed to fail in the inter group contest which a federation like Nigeria represents. The Igbo people have become their own worst enemies, and will remain so until they evolve shared principles around which they can build a consensus. Till today, no Igbo Minister has resigned in protest on account of the marginalization; they deny it!
Meanwhile, time, which is neutral but merciless, is not on the side of the Igbos. If they miss 2003, and if Obasanjo clinches a second term, the next time the Igbos can vie for the presidency is 2015. They should think about that. Even 2015 is not guaranteed.
Much ado about roads
Marginalisation of Igbos has, unfortunately, for Igbos lately been reduced to bad roads and appointments by the federal government which were considered inequitable. I agree with appointments. But when, either out of ignorance or mischief, or both ,Igbo commentators accuse Obasanjo of favouring the South-West with respect to roads, I think they practice the Goebellian Big Lie.
I challenge any Igbo person to point to one federal road newly constructed or rehabilitated since May 29, 1999, in the South-West.
Calling all NGOs
Will the directors or members of all NGOs in Nigeria send their names and addresses to me. There is an urgent national assignment involved.
Mr. Shobowale wrote in from Lagos