The 2001 Igbo Summit: What a difference two years make!

KWENU! Our culture, our future

The 2001 Igbo Summit:

What a difference two years make!

M. O. Ené

New Jersey, USA

Sunday, January 19, 2003

IN THE BEGINNING

On Friday, January 19, 2001, Ohanaeze Ndiigbo [www.ohanaeze.org] organized a summit of Igbo leaders from all walks of life at the Presidential Hotel, Enugu. Over 1000 delegates were reportedly in attendance. Not since the pre-May 30, 1967 assembly had so many Igbo heavyweights come together to chart a course of action. This time it was not prompted by a premeditated genocidal wave against the Igbo race in Nigeria; rather, it was to address decades of callous and calculated marginalization of the race. The Summit marked probably the highest point in the leadership of Honorable Justice Ezebuilo Ozobu, then Chairman and now President-General of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo. The Igbo crème de la crème and the not-so-creamy notables were there. Prominent pan-Igbo groups were represented: Aka Ikenga, Enyimba, World Igbo Congress, etc. One very conspicuous absentee: General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the leader of Biafra (1967-1970).

The communiqué was quite comprehensive and impressive. It addressed the desire to produce a Nigerian president of Igbo ethnic extraction in 2003, stated in Item 8 as follows: “That we affirm our unequivocal interest to seek the presidential mandate in the next dispensation.” Signed by Hon. Justice Eze Ozobu, Chairman, Ohanaeze, Prof. Ben Nwabueze Secretary-General, Ohanaeze, and Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Chairman of the Summit of Igbo Leaders, the communiqué concluded: “That in view of the urgency of the issues raised in the communiqué of this maiden Igbo summit, we will reconvene within the year to consider the reports of various committees that have been set up.” A meeting was indeed reconvened to collect reports of various committees, but that was the last we heard of the momentum. The 2003 fever soon took over. Everyone scattered like oil-bean seeds. And many supposedly big masquerades went back to paid parroting.

MANDATE TO SEEK, NOT TO BECOME

Many of those who hailed the Igbo “presidential mandate” now think that all is lost with the second loss of Dr. Alex Ekwueme to President Olusegun Obasanjo. You see such headlines as “Igbo Presidency in tatters”! I doubt that “unequivocal interest” means Dr. Ekwueme or nothing. Yes, he represents all that. I would be thrilled to bits to have him up there; I told him so and wished him well when in early November 2002 I met him at his Enugu abode. But no one said it must be the respected statesman; and, as a matter of fact, “our unequivocal interest to seek the presidential mandate” does not mean ‘divine mandate.’

We can talk about it from here to hell, the fact remains that Igbo politicians have unequivocally affirmed their “interest to seek the presidential mandate” in 2003. Many stepped up to the plate -- from Chief John Nnia Nwodo (Ike Nsukka) to Dr. Alex Ekwueme (Ide Orumba); some were selected, viz: Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (APGA), Senator Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu (NDP); Senator Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo (UNPP), and Dr. Arthur Agwuncha Nwankwo (PDM). If Ndiigbo want, they could field more; there are 30 registered political parties in Nigeria. Ndiigbo are actually spoilt for choice! If this is not an ample expression of “unequivocal interest,” I don’t know what else is.

OF SIGNALS AND SEMANTICS

Since coming back to these shores few days ago, after two visits to Nigeria in four months, many people have asked to know my position on the apparently deafening, Igbo silence over the charade of conventions and the debacle of decisions not made or made. I told a friend that there was no cause for alarm, that Ndiigbo are on course and that they should not take their eyes off the trophy. He said no one would think I was making sense. By the time I was done with the feasible strategies and possible outcomes, he was aahing and oohing. I will spare us the details here. Suffice it to say that Justice Eze Ozobu is at that fork in the road where a definitive decision to take a path must be made. In this case, I am all for “ihe nkwu gbatara” (whatever the palm tree yields)… let’s drink it, even if it means making akpuruachia (local liquor) out of the palm wine. It is a call the Ohanaeze leader must make and urge Ndiigbo to follow.

Not to put too sour a cream on it, but we must agree that something went wrong with “our unequivocal interest,” but it was not a terrible wrong. I don’t blame anyone because I do not have the whole story and, truth be told, the Igbo are rugged republicans; everyone is as good as -- if not better than -- the other. Those who expected all Igbo politicians to roll over for one of their own just like that don’t understand the Igbo psyche. Politics is a game; people play from different perspectives. If you really want to prevail, you play hard to win and to win well. The deconstruction of “our unequivocal interest” will continue…. It is a waste of time though, if you ask me. The wind has revealed the derrière of the fowl. And there are many rotten cavities to point out. But I will spare us the unsightly anatomy.

JUST FOR THE RECORDS

Of all the commentaries so far on the presidency project, none came more from the heart than that of Lady Comfort Obi. She wrote in her piece titled Ndiigbo, how now?: “The truth is that all this while, some of us saw through most of those screaming ‘Igbo Presidency.’ They were not serious. They were looking for cheap publicity. They were not consulting anybody. Nor taking anybody into confidence.” [The Source, January 20, 2003] She was right. There were too many big birds flying solo; and away they flew!

But I disagree that “[t]he truth is that Ndiigbo have finally lost it.” Not by a long shot -- they just didn’t get it together; simply put: akpachaghi ya akpacha! Yes, it was not properly dissected, and there was little consultation. Blame it on leadership if you must, but there is enough blame to go round; after all, it takes followers to make a führer. Besides Anambra’s Governor C. C. Mbadinuju (Oderaa), I have not read another prominent person express explicit loyalty to the leadership of Ozobu. [Read Oderaa: “We have only one Igbo leader who can speak for all Ndiigbo and that is Hon. Justice Eze Ozobu, who is the Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndiigbo by election. When he talks, all Ndiigbo are talking. …. I cannot talk from my own state, running around and saying that I talk for Ndiigbo. You are courting trouble if you do that.”]

OHANAEZE POLITICS, IGBO POLITICS?

In its “Platform Address” at the Igbo Summit, the Political Committee of Ohanaeze presented a compelling documentation of the marginalization of Ndiigbo. Read Committee Chairman, Chief (Dr.) E. C. Iwuanyanwu (mfr):

“One event alone illustrates most graphically the skewed pattern of distribution of economic development in the history of the federation. This is the performance of P.T.F. A computation of the distribution of P.T.F.’s assistance for education, health, food and roads to the zones shows the following:

N.W zone 43.3% N.C zone 17.4%

N.E. zone 15.0% S.W zone 10.6%

S.S zone 8.1% S.E zone 5.6%

Note that S.E and S.S zones are least favoured. Note also that President Obasanjo’s 2001 budget has maintained this trend -- at least as far as S.E is concerned.

Chief Iwuanyanwu concluded: “Mr. Chairman of Summit, a seer once warned about a critical time in the affairs of man -- a time which he can seize and fulfill his destiny or lose and miss his destiny. This summit is convened at such a critical time. We must seize the time and forge ahead. Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe!” Today, Chief Iwuanyanwu, the Ahaejiagamba of his community, is the southeast Campaign Coordinator for the reelection of President Obasanjo. Is there something in the 2002 budget that made the Chief change his mind… something specifically for the Chief to “seize and fulfill his destiny or lose and miss his destiny”? Inquiring minds will like to know.

DASH FOR A FLASH

In A wakeup call for Ndiigbo, Governor Orji Uzor Kalu began with tributes to Igbo heroes. “I am very happy today,” he declared. “So, if you see my face glowing, and my voice ringing, you should understand I am excited.” The governor, who was hosting former President Shehu Shagari, his son, and Alhaji Umaru Dikko, went on to restate the problem (total marginalization of the Igbo of Nigeria), but “[t]he question, which arises therefore, is, if we all know, what are we doing about it?” There was yet another problem:

“Our main problem is that our leaders, yet, those men and women in whom we repose confidence, have failed us. Mrs. Sarah Jibril, a former presidential candidate, put it well in a recent newspaper interview when she accused the Igbo leaders of trading with the votes of their people. It is sad, but true, that some of our leaders lack original conviction, principles and commitment to global Igbo interests. They pursue personal business interests while pretending to represent our people. So the tragic picture of the greedy Igbo politician, who can sell even his birthright for money, has emerged. For how long will our people continue to endure this band of carpetbaggers, who grow rich on the sweat and blood of our people? Never again! Do you hear me very well? :::: Any Igbo man, no matter his position, who refused to work for the interest of the Igbo, is a disgrace. And the spirit of our ancestors shall not protect him. ::: Why is that no Yoruba man or Hausa-Fulani works against the interest of their own people? We are the only one who get carried away by empty appointments and insult our people and race.”

Great speech, many felt good. Kalu followed up and publicly told President Obasanjo to shape up or ship out. Overnight he became a heroic megastar of sorts. But that was many moons ago. At the recently concluded convention of the ruling party, PDP, His Excellency Chief (Dr.) Orji Uzor Kalu (MON) and his Abia State delegates allegedly voted for President Obasanjo, a Yoruba. Other reports said it was not so, that Kalu stayed true to his Summit words. If it is so, fair enough; if not, is there something he foresaw in the 2003 elections that made the Governor change his mind… something specifically for “global Igbo interests”? Inquiring minds will like to know.

KNOW THY BROTHER, KNOW THY BEARING

From an address by Senator (Dr.) Chuba Okadigbo titled “Quo vadis -- Whither Ndigbo? we learn: “We invented the term ‘marginalisation', as it pertains to the neglect and suppression of the East, in 1985. Over the years, it gathered tremendous momentum. Now, marginalisation is constant in the lexicon of Nigerian politics, government, economics and sociology. The cry of marginalisation is now common, from the South-South to the North. :::: If Ndiigbo may rise again, if Ndiigbo may regain their pride of place in Nigeria, if Ndiigbo may again `Show the Light', if Ndiigbo may fulfill what The Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Father of the Nigerian Nation, called their `manifest destiny,' then Ndiigbo must place All Hands on Deck!”

So what is to be done? Dr Okadigbo, the ex-Senate President knew: “To this end, don't just murmur, grumble or complain. Use all your wits. Develop the requisite strategy and tactics. Make the right movements. And don't just cry, scream! :::: Scream about bad roads and bridges. Scream against the underemployment of Ndiigbo in the federal public service. :::: Scream against the minimal employment or deployment of Igbo persons into important offices at the federal level. If they cheat you, your local government, your State or the South-East Zone, scream. When they loot your store, scream. When they gang up to fight you, scream. When they steal your resource, scream. Wherever and whenever they discriminate against you or your kith and kin, complain, complain and then, scream.”

Senator Okadigbo went on to preach power over tradition, religion, money, and the intelligentsia. “Our Lords Spiritual should syndicate and synchronise, and [cease] being what the late K. O. Mbadiwe called ‘repeater stations of the major stations.’” But, in the recently concluded ANPP confusion… sorry “convention,” Dr. Okadigbo broke loose from the line of protesting presidential pretenders to play “repeater station” … or is it “standby generator” or is it “second fiddle” to an avowed Islamist, retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari. Yes, the ex-boss at PTF (Petroleum Trust Fund that Chief Iwuanyanwu had indicted as the greatest offender in Igbo marginalization, a word Okadigbo said Ndiigbo had “invented”! No wonder the likes Mrs. Sarah Jibril find particular prominent politicians of Igbo nation hard to decipher. In this case, does “syndicate and synchronize” also mean “Islamize and shariarize”?

What a difference two years make!

In Charting a new course, a paper presented by Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze on behalf of ENYIMBA at the 2001 Igbo Summit and signed by yours sincerely as the then Chairman of ENYIMBA, we read:

As the end of the first civilian administration in the fourth republic draws closer to a possible uneventful end, politicking for the next elections has started. Among Ndiigbo, a whispering campaign for the presidency has already started. As a people, we need to sit back and reflect. The best options for Ndiigbo should be deduced. ENYIMBA believes that the quixotic quest for presidency at any cost has robbed our people of better choices. We must put everything on the table, eschew personal ambitions, and chart a comprehensive course for the progress of our people. This chart must include analyses of present political permutations, the vigilantism of ethnophobic fanatics, the Sharia issue, the unrelenting killing and destruction of Igbo lives and property, the South-South situation and its many undeclared “civil wars,” etc. Therefore, we either get it right this time or we might as well consider sitting out a term of the all-comers, perennial presidency pursuit to allow us to regroup fully. Meanwhile, we should seriously consider having an Igbocentric political party instead of chasing the crumbs in parties controlled by those who do not have Igbo interest at heart.

Two years after the Summit, General Odumegwu-Ojukwu -- the very conspicuous absentee -- appears to have taken off on the Igbocentric path with Chief Chekwas Okorie-led APGA. It may not lead the Igbo to the Rock soonest, but it is a good path, a hard and harsh but honorable route to travel. There is another path involving yet another absentee general at a bloody summit of yore. This path could also lead Ndiigbo to the center… if they can find it in their hearts to heal the hurt. Of course, there is the path of credible non-generals, since winning is not everything; but, let’s face it: who is kidding whom! These are paths that Justice Eze Ozobu must consider, consult on, choose one, and challenge Ndiigbo to rise and follow him.

Everything else is embellishment.