KWENU: Our Culture, Our Future

"The efficacy of a Nigerian presidency of Igbo extraction in 2007”

Thursday, December 8, 2005

"The  efficacy of a Nigerian Presidency of Igbo Extraction in 2007: What Manner of Presidency?” was the title of a dazzling plenary address Professor Dennis Odionyenfe Balogu, delivered on the occasion of Pan Igbo Political Conference organized recently in Dallas by Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation USA, Inc. (PNF USA). The excerpts:

When the Chairman of Pan NdiIgbo Foundation, Dr. Iheanacho Orabuchi called on a telephone to ask me to participate in this conference as a plenary speaker, my mind drifted to history. It was in 1951, about the same time of the celebrated “cross carpet” episode in the Western House of Assembly that denied Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe the opportunity of heading the Government Business in Western Nigeria, Zik had gone to Umuahia, my hometown for a campaign tour and to review Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara’s party performance in Bende Division. In company of Zik was the energetic and fiery revolutionary leader for African freedom, Mazi Mbonu Ojike. Zik was said to have exercised extraordinary courtesy in asking Dr. Okpara about his future plans in hopes that he would contest the coming election as an NCNC candidate. Dr. Okpara made it clear to Zik that he was interested in pursuing a postgraduate studies in medicine and after which he would come back to practice medicine at home. “But before Zik had time to offer an opinion, Mbonu Ojike cut in to settle the matter, more or less by the way of an injunction: “The boss (Zik) says you will contest (the election) and so you will.” No further discussion transpired on the matter. M. I. Okpara did contest the election.

Today, NdiIgbo still need, but lack leaders that have clear mission and vision, and can be trusted like Nnamdi Azikiwe, leaders that would be as dedicated and selfless as Mbonu Ojike and Michael Okpara. We need leaders that would call (on us) and NdiIgbo would come running because of the trust vested in them.

If you can review the history of the contribution of NdiIgbo in Nigeria, you will notice that our contribution surpasses that of any other tribe. If you can realize that at a very young age (in 1925) one of the most prominent African Freedom Fighter, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe had already traveled to the US to acquire an education in order to win freedom for Nigeria and the rest of Africa. If you would realize that in 1929, when our men have been subdued and defeated by the excessive brutality of the Colonial Masters our own women fought the Colonial Masters to prevent taxing women. Many of these women were the first to pay the supreme price for Nigeria’s freedom. That single act of courage, stamina and determination brought a sense of understanding in the minds of the brutal colonial masters and kept them on notice that Nigeria will be free someday. If you realize that the courage of these women encouraged NdiIgbo men to fight for freedom; if you realize that the same people, NdiIgbo, who have fought for this freedom have not held executive office in Nigeria except for the intermittent administrative aberration of General Aguiyi-Ironsi; if you can realize all these and know that NdiIgbo have a wide cadre of qualified men and women to lead Nigeria.

Mr. Chairman, I am here today to tell you that NdiIgbo will and can be president of Nigeria, come 2007. Paraphrasing one of America’s foremost presidents, John F. Kennedy, I say to you today that NdiIgbo will be President of Nigeria but not if? NdiIgbo will be president of Nigeria but not when? NdiIgbo will be president but not why, or what or which or was. NdiIgbo will be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, period; NdiIgbo will be president period. I know that the almighty God has granted it. When we become the President of Nigeria, contrary to the wishes of Nigeria’s detractors, Nigeria would have been a true Federation where the rights of all people are respected and there will be implemented. Nigeria would be a country where the Fulani Cattle Farmers would have adequate pasture land and the Jalingo have adequate crop land, were the people of the Niger Delta would participate actively in deciding the exploitation of minerals from their land and are still able to enjoy a meal of fresh; where the waters of the south would no longer be polluted, erosion problems become history, and the ever increasing desertification in the North is reversed.

I look forward to a Presidency that will usher in new ideas, new hopes for the future and peace among our people and tolerance for our enriched diversity in ethnicity and religion. We are asking for a future where our children will no longer go to bed without food. We are asking for a future where all sorts of corrupt practices are stamped out and all citizens feel safe where ever they may be. We are, today, asking for a president whose physical and mental traits signify unity; a president that will adopt for our future generals the hope that an Hausa man or Hausa woman will not be identified as a Northerner but a Nigerian, we ask for a country where a Yoruba will not be identified as a Westerner nor Igbo man identified as an Easterner but a Nigerian. Everyday, I dream for that day when a Nigerian child can dream to be President of Nigeria — not because he or she comes from the majority ethnic group but because he or she is a Nigerian. It will not matter whether he comes from the majority or minority ethnic groups. It will not matter whether he is a Yoruba or Igbo, It will not matter whether he/she is a Bini or Nupe, Ibibio, Ijaw, Fulani — all that will matter is that he/she is a NIGERIAN.

So, when NdiIgbo are asking be President of Nigeria, we would and should ask: But what manner of President can accomplish all these to make Nigeria a better country for all of us? For NdiIgbo, there may be three options of being a president and it will depend on the expected outcome:

(1) We can be President without substance in 2007. This can be accomplished any time with strong and vicious agitation. A president with an Igbo name say, Okoro, Okoronkwo or Okorafor but functions contrary to Igbo development and aspirations; a president that may not be able to deliver the desires and wishes of Ndi Igbo and other Nigerian; or a president that will be a ceremonial president in actions and deed. Under this presidency our collective goals would be marginally affected. Development in Igboland would be to say the least, marginal.

(2) Any President with the substance: This is a President with full support of NdiIgbo with full commitment to rectify completely the inadequacies in infrastructure, education, economic and social aspects of the lives of NdiIgbo. If we strategically plan for this, we are very likely to achieve this in 2007.

(3) A substantive President of Igbo extraction. This is very attainable. NdiIgbo must adopt new strategies; make friends with major and minor ethnic groups. In the past, Igbo were friends with the Yoruba – they voted Zik to be the leader of government business in western Nigeria in 1951 before the carpet crossing organized by Chief Awolowo. Igbo have had good relations with the North – NCNC formed coalition government with the NPC for two consecutive terms. And we have to settle some internal problems with our own brothers in the Eastern Region – the Ijaw, the Ibibio, the Efik, and Ogoja. We need to have a roundtable discussions with our own and fellow Easterners. We must work hard to regain our name, Eastern Nigeria as a working and collaborative unit and do away with these South-East and South-South names with all their stigmatization.

In the interim, there are pressing issues that will have a very great ramification with regards to depressing further the plight of NdiIgbo and others that live away from their state of origin. It is also, very important in perpetuating political marginaization of NdiIgbo in Nigeria’s future political dispensation. Everybody here knows that there are more Igbo living outside their states of origin than any other groups in Nigeria. We know that these people who I call the “new minorities” have no right in their new states of residency. The new minorities are Hausa, Yoruba, Ijaw, Ibibio, Nupe, Fulani, Igbo and others that live outside their states of origin. We must do something to identify these citizens and accord them the rights as full citizens of Nigeria. A benevolent and caring nation is judged by the way they treat the minorities, the poor, down trodden and voiceless in their mists. It is our duty as NdiIgbo to advocate for the rights of these Nigerians whose only crime is that they are poor and want to live in states where they could use their God-given talents to survive and feed their children. The insensitivity to the plight of the poor should and ought to be stamped out in our society.

But in retrospect, it is possible that they are not Fulani’s. A recent newspaper article claimed that Al-Qaeda has infiltrated Nigeria. Hence, it is important that a system of identifying peoples is put in place. That is why I support, unequivocally, Dr. Acho Orabuchi’s drive to have Nigerians identified in the forms of ethnicity and religion during this coming census. What good it is for us to count people without knowing what we are counting. Recent statistical claims by both religious bodies and ethnic activists appear to be unrealistic and they need to be accredited by an unbiased census figure. So, it is important that we know and who is and what is being counted so that the decision makers could use the data in planning for the future of Nigeria. How can we adequately provide nomadic education if we do not know how many nomads exist and their states of residency? How can we adequately provide facilities for religious pilgrimages if we do not know the base number of those that would likely participate and major areas of their residency? How can we provide adequately, medical and healthcare facilities, schools, roads, safe water sources if we do not know the number of people to cater and their demography?

So, what manner of Presidency for Igbo when Igbo are counted as Hausa and vis-à-vis, and Fulani are counted as Yoruba and vis-à-vis and disenfranchised. We must recognize the existence of the new minorities by counting and identifying them for what they are and who they are. What manner of presidency for Igbo when Igbo and other citizens, so counted (new minority Igbo) are denied representation in their states and local governments of residency, and national representation. What manner of presidency are are we asking for Igbo when taxes paid by Igbo business and other new minorities are used to develop state recreations, healthcare centers and maintain schools that are denied to Igbo women and children, and other minorities.

The aspirations of the NdiIgbo to become the president of Nigeria have both the psychological and substantive benefits. While Igbo must sustain in their fight to rip the psychological benefits, the substantive benefits must not be allowed to elude NdiIgbo in 2007. Hence, campaigning for presidency should be viewed strategically. The choice would revolve on ensuring that the 2007 election produce a fair president that would work to redress the product of several years of unfair military government policies that were unfriendly and marginalized NdiIgbo.