On Obasanjo, Igbos and Biafra
By
There are few articles in the newspapers these days that have elicited joy as much as your article of Sunday, April 15, 2001 captioned "The President in civil war."
Dele, let me start by expressing my profound gratitude to you on behalf of all Igbo speaking creations of the Almighty for the defence of their integrity and your effort to shield their shame and conceal their cowardice (mine inclusive). You see, from the time Obasanjo became the president of Nigeria, he has continuously shown total contempt and disregard for the Igbo nation. It might be necessary to catalogue a few of such instances.
When the governors of the five south eastern states converged in Enugu shortly after their inauguration to deliberate on matters of mutual interest to their locality, they were sent scampering to all directions by a detachment of I think the army and the police. I had expected, if not a serious verbal assault on the Federal Government, at least a legal action in order to establish if these governors needed special clearance from the Obasanjo led government in order to hold a meeting. My dear brother, Dele, what did we get? Some of our so called governors falling over themselves to explain to his lordship that they meant no harm and that they would behave in future.
We are all witnesses to the debacle in the upper house and the charade perpetuated by the so called Igbo leaders in the Senate, the ease with which Igbos are being dealt with; first Enwerem, then Okadigbo and perhaps now Anyim with the tacit connivance of Igbo senators (over ambitious lot). Why then should Obasanjo spare them? If it is not Anyim and Egwu in Ebonyi State, it is Maduekwe and Orji Kalu in Abia, Offor versus Odera in Anambra, Nwobodo against Nnamani in Enugu or Chikwe and Udenwa in Imo. Haba my brother Dele, how can a house divided against itself stand?
I have said it time without number that the Igbos are architects of their own problems. They are not satisfied to serve under any other Igbo leader but would readily lick the boot of a Hausa Fulani, a Yoruba (now) or any body in power as long as he is not of Igbo stock. Indeed I am ashamed to the extent that I try to tell my non-Igbo friends that I am different. Different because I come from Delta State albeit of Igbo extraction. But the truth is that I am an Igbo. A very proud Igbo and no matter the mess the current crop of Igbo leaders are putting us through, I cannot and will not change my tribe. But pray who will talk to our so called leaders that we need to chart a new course.
However, the short comings on the part of the Igbos does not give Obasanjo the right to malign, vilify and insult the sensibility of Igbos and the intelligence of Nigerians. History will judge the writer who distorts facts harshly and posterity may never forgive him. How can a supposed father (that is what Obasanjo is supposed to be to all Nigerians) incite one child against the other? Besides of what benefit has the oil been to the people of Odi since Biafra as it were, did not have the opportunity to kill everybody and drink the oil? It is arrant nonsense and no sane person will buy that crap from Obasanjo.
Well, a society gets the kind of leadership it deserves. Obasanjo would never have been a local government chairman in Oduduwa State, and since he has an opportunity to do well before God and man, and render a service that is good and true, we shall continue to pray that his path will be directed by God. Since the inception of Obasanjo’s government, the hardship of the common man has increased by at least 100 per cent. Fuel is never available, light has become a luxury, the prices of foodstuff have hit the roof, even under Sani Abacha, the dollar never progressed beyond 85 Naira to one dollar. What do we have now? A near collapse of our currency (are you thinking of the cedi?), security of life and limb is absent. Yet we are told in April 2001, that the price of food will tumble next year for those of us who will survive hunger this year. In government, corruption rules okay. Does this sound like a government with an agenda for the country? Are we still not suffering from military hangover? Can we all honestly claim to be enjoying the dividends of true democracy?
For the Igbos I say: Yes we have leaders, fearless forthright and intelligent, let us stop pulling them down. Let us support them for on Aburi we all still stand. (You may wish to call it resource control). Brother Dele, may God continue to protect you and your type. We need more of you and oh! Thank you.