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KWENU: Our Culture, Our Future |
Anambra mayhem: Stupidity of self-destruction
ACHO ORABUCHIDallas, Texas
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
The rally in preparation for the Local Government Council elections scheduled on the 18th of December 2004 seemed to have sparked off the recent turmoil in Anambra State. However, the events and actors whose personal interests make the Igbo environment, particularly Anambra State, a pernicious one, are very much in play here. Painfully, there seems to be a grim hope for peace in Anambra State as long as Ngige-Uba feud--the tumor-- persists.
In any case, people, who lack the temerity of shared vision, the virtue of compromise, and adulation of common good, would continually operate and live below their potential. Their best cannot manifest in an un-stimulating environment they have created for themselves; as a result, there would be no collective enrichment. Rather, people would often blame others, but themselves, for their lack of vision and venal behavior. This is the Igbo environment and it is precarious! The background breeds the disturbing phenomenon in Anambra State today without any end in sight. Who do you blame?
What have we, the Igbo, done to take control of our destiny? Dr. Okenwa Nwosu read my mind when he succinctly wrote, “It beats my imagination that Ohanaeze Ndiigbo is undertaking the making of an Igbo Nigerian president while it cannot even broker peace between two feuding brothers in Anambra State. For all I care, the apex Igbo group might as well forget its Igbo presidency project if it cannot step in promptly now to put out the fire that is blazing in Anambra state. Terms of peace must be imposed on Governor Ngige and Chris Uba and whoever violates this understanding shall be disgraced publicly and confronted head-on by the grassroots. PDP obviously has no interest in resolving the ongoing crisis in Anambra state. Rival political parties are currently incapable of snatching power from the ruling party's grip. A non-partisan socio-political entity like the Ohanaeze must then step in now, on behalf of overarching Igbo interest, to bring this escalating vendetta to an end.”
Well, the reactions on the recent Anambra carnage knew no bounds. "Completely atrocious and unacceptable to any living Nigerian," those were the words of the United States-based Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation, which rose from its emergency meeting recently on the raging mayhem in Anambra State. PNF USA voicing the bewilderment of Nigerians in Diaspora at the lukewarm attitude of the President and the Inspector General of Police to the well planned and executed annihilation of government properties, torture and captivity of not only the people of Anambra State, but innocent Nigerians who cross the River Niger and the borders to the state as all borders were completely cordoned off.
Echoing the outrage expressed by Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation USA (PNF USA), Anambra State Association (ASA-USA) said, “With a profound sense of sadness for the implications the ongoing police-abetting, Federal Government-sponsored terrorist acts portend for the future of Nigeria as an ongoing political entity, WE, the members of Anambra State Association in the USA (ASA-USA), and the community of Anambra indigenes in the United States of America, hereby condemn in the strongest of terms, the latest round of police-assisted terrorist acts on Anambra State apparently masterminded by General Olusegun Obasanjo, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the instrumentality of his political protégé, Mr. Chris Uba, and his cohorts.”
Chief Sunday Ejesieme alerted, “The mayhem in Anambra was an attempt by the Aso Rock to take over the reign of the state from Ngige. Unknown to him that PNF USA had taken some measures to avert the emergency rule in Anambra and to fully restore the security details to the governor, Chief Ejesieme beseeched, “Ohanaeze and PNF USA should take a stand on this issue; go to court, if necessary, to challenge the federal government for their failure to maintain law and order.”
Dr. Okenwa Nwosu asserted, “The crisis in Anambra has taken a turn for the worse since the onset of vandalism by competing factions in state's PDP chapter. The scheduled local government council election scheduled next month has, once more, re-ignited the smoldering feud between Governor Ngige and his so-called political godfather, Chris Uba. A clash that reportedly originated at one of the faction's political rally quickly spread to the state capital, Awka and elsewhere where public properties where torched. Based on reports, lives may have been lost in the ensuing mayhem. My contact at Nnewi, blamed the entire rampage on Uba's hordes. Further investigation showed that, indeed, elements from both factions are culpable in triggering and fanning this present inferno.”
Emenike Anigbogu believed that, “Once again Anambra people are under assault by the foot soldiers of god of Aso Rock. In as much as I am not a fan of Ngige, but having been there like other PDP governors and President who trampled on the mandate of Nigerian holloi-polloi, it is absurd and disheartening to hear a personality of your status and education rationalizing the carnages perpetrated on Anambra people by the messengers of Aso Rock as a resultant action of a clash between Ngige and his PDP masters.”
Chris Aniedobe is an Attorney and Counselor at Law in the United State opined, “The current crises in Anambra State is a continuing saga of events that gestated in the 2003 elections, and emerged as a terrible birth in the abduction of the duly sworn Governor of Anambra State by political thugs whose leading object is the control of the Anambra State treasury. Over one year has elapsed since that terrible act of treason – an act openly hostile to a lawfully constituted government, with intent to overthrow the government – and no justice has been served.”
“In conclusion, the causal chain of the recent mayhem ends in Aso rock in a manner that shocks the conscience and makes Aso rock directly culpable in the destruction of lives and properties in Anambra State,” he warned.
In a recently released press statement by PNF USA signed on November 11, 2004 by Mr. Geoffrey Nzeadibe, Ntaional Secretary, PNF USA expressed the views of most Nigerians in the Diaspora on Anambra chaos. Here are the excerpts of the press release:
After a frantic emergency meeting of members of Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation USA (PNF USA), including phone conversation with some reasonable leaders in Nigeria regarding the raging mayhem in Anambra State perpetrated by some sponsored thugs and hoodlums, the Igbo in the Diaspora under the aegis of PNF USA, had no choice other than to lay the total responsibility squarely at the feet of the federal government led by President Olusegun Obasanjo. The actions of these thugs are completely atrocious and unacceptable to any living Nigerian.
The corroborated horrid stories reaching us are beyond chilling. The loss of human lives and destruction of public and private properties could not be tolerated and should be strongly condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians. How could one explain the rationale in burning down all state broadcasting stations? The Nnamdi Azikiwe University buses were burnt to ashes, House of Assembly Members' vehicles destroyed, the River Niger head bridge blocked off for incoming or outgoing vehicles, and tires were set on fire from Nnewi to Enugu Ukwu. When President Olusegun Obasanjo was allegedly contacted about the senseless anarchy in Anambra State, it was reported that, “he claimed that he could not do anything because he was fasting with Moslems who are celebrating Ramada and attending to Darfur crisis.” For the president to allow the anarchy and insecurity to fester—tacitly or explicitly, is putting the nation in a great peril and further tarnishes Nigeria’s global image considerably.
Rising from this emergency meeting, the Igbo in the Diaspora resolved the following:
Ndi Igbo in the Diaspora urgently demand from the federal government to meet without any delay the above resolutions.
On the other hand, Professor Soronnadi Nnaji argued, “I frown each time I read someone blaming Obasanjo and his government on the continuing crisis in Anambra. The blame should fall squarely on the people of Anambra because, whether influenced by outsiders or not, it is the sons and daughters of Anambra that are inflicting this havoc on people and property.”
”The vast majorities of the people are passive and are letting all this craziness go on. But the populace includes "learned" persons with terminal degrees, wealthy persons who made their wealth the old fashion way, traditional leaders, religious leaders, civic leaders, not to mention well meaning sons and daughters living within and outside of the state. No outsider, Igbo or otherwise, can broker the peace if these folks do not come forward to make it happen. This charity must begin at home,” Nnaji stated.
Saliently, this recent scourge of terror that engulfed Anambra has a wider ramification. For the most part, people expressed their visceral anti federal government sentiments with their writing. The reticence of some, however, may be the only engine that is propelling the arrogant attitude of the center. I implore the press to bring to light the excesses of the center; on the press rests the power of democracy. |
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