KWENU: Our Culture, Our Future

Nigerians in America: Do not underestimate native intelligence

Acho Orabuchi

Dallas, Texas

A_Orabuchi@yahoo.com

 Thursday, April 29,  2004

Native intelligence is that which is local and can only be acquired through participatory and active interaction in the home environment. Native intelligence is indigenous to one’s surrounding and is required for one’s survival in his/her immediate environment. Euphemistically, the acquisition of native intelligence is a necessary condition for Nigerians in the Diaspora to be successful in the Nigerian body polity.

Well, on Easter Sunday afternoon, my wife and I were guests of Dr. Austin and Mrs. Ify Uke. It was a very informal gathering. I just wanted to relax and felicitate with friends, after a frenzied six-day period.  On our arrival to the residence of Dr. Uke in Mesquite, Texas, a vibrant attorney, Hon. Commissioner Nnaemeka Odunze and his beautiful wife, who flew in from Houston, were already there. No sooner had we settled down, after the pleasantries, than an intense discussion on Nigerian affairs ensued. We discussed a wide range of issues, including but not limited to the American politics and the clamor for Igbo presidency in 2007. The impromptu parley with the Abia State Commissioner for Petroleum was very enlightening.

Here are the excerpts:

Who is Nnaemeka Odunze?  Share with us your academic and professional background.

I am a simple man from Old-Umuahia in Umuahia South LGA of Abia State.  I am just a village man that was based in the US and has the good fortune to be brought home by his governor to serve his people.

I earned a Bachelors degree in Accounting, MBA in Finance and Doctor of Jurisprudence in Law.  I am a practicing Lawyer and a Certified Public Accountant.  I started my professional career with American General Insurance Company as an Investment Accountant.  I later went on to work for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas as an Auditor. I left Blue Cross for The Methodist Hospital in Houston where I was a Manager for Financial Accounting. While at Methodist, I attended Law School at night and obtained my JD law degree.  I left Methodist to become the Chief Financial Officer and Legal Counsel for StarHealth Ventures, a health care management company.  Later in 1998, I left StarHealth to open my own law firm and CPA firm.  Before my appointment, I was the Managing Partner for the law firm of Odunze, Laz & Anassi, LLP.  I was also the Director for Odunze CPA Group, an accounting outfit.

What are your views on the Igbo Presidency for 2007? Is it realistic based on the scheme of things in Nigeria?

Anything is possible in Nigeria, but I am not sure how realistic it is. The two major political parties in Nigeria appear to have zoned the position of the President to the North.  If this is true, especially for PDP, then it does not appear realistic. APGA seems to be a regional party and may not have enough spread across the country to produce the President.

How would you compare the electoral process in the United States with that of Nigeria?

Even with what happened in Florida during the last US presidential election, nobody in their sane mind will compare the Nigerian electoral process with that of the US.  In US, candidates are elected not assassinated. 

It appears that people in the Diaspora who went to contest for various elective offices in Nigeria have not been generally successful.  What are your views on this matter?

This will continue to be the case until such a time people in Diaspora become realistic about what is obtainable in Nigeria.  Many people in the Diaspora believe that money alone can win elections.  We must acknowledge that folks at home are very smart, well grounded and equally well financed.  You must identify with people at home first before you seek their mandate.  People in the Diaspora cannot win elections when they project the arrogant attitude that they can rule people at home but not be ruled by them.  We must be patient and willing to learn the ropes from those on the ground. That is why I will always remain perpetually grateful to my boss, Orji Uzor Kalu for offering me the unique opportunity to come home to learn and be part of the process.

Why is it that Nigerians abroad have not been successful in the Nigerian body polity?

I am not sure that I fully agree with your statement.  However, many people from the Diaspora that have had opportunities to serve at home in different capacities have exhibited the same arrogance, greed and insensitivity about which we have so much complained.  I believe, to be successful in the Nigerian body polity, one from the Diaspora must humble himself to observe and learn the environment. Your messenger or driver can teach you a few valuable things that can be useful to your survival in that political climate.  Be ready to subordinate yourself to the laid down authority and rules and distinguish yourself by being sensitive, compassionate and humane to the folks at home.  We in the Diaspora must set aside the belief that we are better than the folks at home. The truth is that we are not.  Because of our orientation and exposure to a functional environment, I believe we have a lot to teach them just as we have a lot to learn from them.

What solutions would you proffer?

Do not underestimate the intelligence of politicians at home.

Please elaborate.

As I stated, politicians at home are smart, well grounded and well financed. They understand the political landscape better than we in the Diaspora do and as such have an overwhelming advantage. They possess "native intelligence" derived from being in the system while we possess analytical strength derived from information gathered from the Internet. My solutions are:

1. [Nigerians abroad] should organize [themselves] into a strong and cohesive group and align it with a viable political structure at home. Through that home-based structure, the abroad-based group can present viable candidates for different positions. This will make it easier for foreign-based political aspirants to attract home support because they have a home-based structure as their backbone.

2. We must discourage the current practice where individuals decide by themselves to run for positions, which everybody knows they can't win and invite people [abroad] to contribute money--political fundraising is now competing with wake-keeping as the biggest growth industry in the [Nigerian community abroad]. The group should be the one "bringing out" or selecting a candidate and presenting that candidate to the [community]  and to the home based structure as the its candidate. The group will provide the necessary support needed by that candidate here [abroad] while the home based structure will provide the necessary support to actually win the election.

3. The abroad-based group must consider the financial and family related difficulties that will confront someone who will leave his economic and family base to run for an election at home. This must be part of the support that the group must render for the candidate to have a fighting chance of succeeding. Support is not just having a fundraiser and dropping the person at the airport.

4. Unless we have a strong group that can build itself into a credible and financially viable organization, willing to align itself to a solid structure at home and then take the responsibility of presenting candidates for election, people from Diaspora will continue to fail elections at home.

Right now, the only way people [abroad] can be part of the process is when a political structure at home (e. g Jim Nwobodo's), on its own volition, adopts a candidate from [abroad] and delivers that candidate (e. g Gov. Nnamani) or where a political figure like a Governor (e. g Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu) appoints an individual from [abroad]  (e. g Mr. Odunze) to a position in his administration. Not everybody in the Diaspora will be as lucky as Nnamani and Odunze, but more people can have a realistic chance of winning elections at home if they have "a structure" both at home and abroad behind them.

How long did you live in the United States prior to your appointment as a commissioner in Abia State? What were you doing in the United States?

I was in the United States for twenty years prior to my appointment. I have been practicing law. Also, as a certified public (chartered) accountant, I had my accounting firm in conjunction with my law firm.

What is your current appointment and what are your responsibilities?

I am presently a Commissioner for Petroleum Resources. My primary responsibility is to ensure regular and adequate supply of petroleum products to Abia State at affordable prices. We also develop the petroleum sector in the state by creating a conducive operating environment that will attract more oil drilling and oil servicing companies, and eventually, a refinery. 

What was your first appointment in Abia State and what were your responsibilities?

I was a Commissioner for Public Utilities responsible for ensuring regular supply of running water and provide electrification to deserving areas of the state.

What are your views on the socioeconomic situation in Nigeria, particularly in the Southeast Zone?

I will reduce our problems to three major areas: Lack of electricity, lack of security, and lack of good road network.

If the federal government (NEPA) can solve the acute power shortage, more than half of our problems will be solved.  You need power to provide water and other basic necessities and you need constant power for our industries to operate efficiently so that they can create employment and produce affordable goods.

In addition, without securing the lives and properties of our citizens, development will be difficult.

With no good federal road network in the South East, you can only move people and goods with huge risks and at outrageous costs.  This is not healthy for development.

Your boss is the Executive Governor of Abia State, Governor Orji Uzo Kalu. How would you rate his performance as a governor?

Orji Uzor Kalu has done very well as a Governor. With limited and dwindling federal allocation, he has been able to pay salaries, construct and rehabilitate more roads than any Governor in Nigeria, offer free medical services and free education to secondary school level.  He has placed Abia State on the map and has made the state a household name in Nigeria. 

Are the teachers and workers being paid timely in your state?

They have been paid.  When you talk about payment of salaries, you assume that work has been performed, that there is productivity, and that those salaries have been earned. If you have a situation where 200 people are doing a job that can be comfortably done by 10 people, can you classify that as productivity?  What I believe is that you have a situation where the Governor has decided to keep people that are not necessary in the workforce in order to avoid exacerbating the unemployment situation in the state. He must be commended for paying those people for actually doing nothing.

Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, and Brig Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa have been indirectly engaging in political activities to position themselves for the presidency in 2007. What are your reactions?

Thank God for democracy.  More powers to them.  But it is interesting to note that those who at one point or the other worked so hard to perpetuate military rule now enjoy the freedom of expression that is guaranteed by democracy

The South East governors are calling for Igbo presidency in 2007. Is the governor of Abia State in agreement with the rest of the South East governors on Igbo presidency in 2007?

I have not discussed this subject with my boss.  But you know that Orji Uzor Kalu has always championed the Igbo cause.  I believe that he will support any meaningful proposal that will benefit the Igbo. 

You left your family in the United States. How does your family cope with this arrangement?

It is not easy, but my wife has been very supportive.  We both believe that Governor Orji Uzor Kalu has offered us a rare and unique opportunity to be part of the body polity.  We are very committed to making it work.

What are your valued experiences in the United States you are applying in Nigeria?

Hard work with principle, dedication with honesty, consistency and the dogged belief that things can work in Nigeria just as they do in the USA.