KWENU: Our Culture, Our Future

Diaspora Political Rescue Mission

EZEJIOFO SUNNY UDEH, Ph. D.

espatfame@aol.com

Enugu, Nigeria.

                                                                                                                                January 4, 2011

Precisely September 4^th, 2010, after two and half decades (Quarter century) of sojourn in United States, my flight remarkably touched down on the tarmac of homeland to launch the genesis of the expected exodus of reverse brain drain I had preached about in my series titled Pathway Home for Diaspora Igbo.  http://www.kwenu.com/publications/udeh/2007/brain_drain.htm

Armed with well crafted pledge to serve free of charge, proposals of ten bills to be presented to the National Assembly in the first year, I was at home and comfortable amidst my Udi-Ezeagu people listening to them, seeking their blessings and canvassing for their support in my quest to represent them in the Federal House of Representatives in Abuja.

Three months into the game, the race impressed amazing educational experience upon me about Nigerian politics and campaigns, but most of all, it provided me a keen insight into the rut of deprivation and neglect in Nigeria.  As I hit the pavements, I met thousands of ordinary folks and elite and learned things about our present day Ndiigbo and Nigerians that are shocking, surprising, and humbling.  Although, the race is just beginning, the experience thus far, has reinforced the enormous task awaiting us.

Based on this background, I call for a rising urgency to reshape our Nigerian ship teetering on the brink.  I urge the Diaspora Nigerians to embark on overt collective actions and tackle the work of righting the numerous wrongs perpetrated on our people for many years of inept leadership and misrule of ‘democrazy’ on the guise of democracy.  As wards of the much-touted brain drain, the Diasporas stand the opportunity to seize this moment of hope in 2011 to enthrone effective leadership on our only known fatherland Nigeria to facilitate the repatriation of our brains drained for many years for economic problems created by our own peers.

In so doing, I recommend we anchor our efforts on providing effective leadership that displays mental alertness, impeccable honesty and doses of integrity that are conspicuously lacking in the governance of Nigeria today especially in the National Assembly where members gobble as much as $1.8 million per annum in a country with a paltry per capita income of $2,600.  I advocate a leadership style that espouses competence, good character and penchant for charity.  In addition, I advance a leadership that inspires and motivates especially the ordinarily people who have suffered electoral abuses and economic neglect reassuring them with comprehensive programs and proposals outlining what leadership intends to use governmental resources to do for them.  Most importantly, I encourage the need for all to focus on achieving collective benefits as opposed to selfish pursuit, which had been the bane of the so-called democracy of since 1999.

Moreover, you can agree with me that Nigeria needs a humble leader who is not just effective, but who possesses individualized consideration and attentive to the economic growth needs of fellow citizens and the country as a whole.  My kind of leader must exhibit enormous intellectual sagacity through widely promotion of innovation and propagation of creativity as well as provide inspirational motivation by giving meaning to the causes and challenges ahead.  Above all, this leader must comfortably display idealized influence by being corrupt-free, ethical, and moral in all dealings.

For Nigeria to really turnaround, I believe we have to search for this crop of leadership in the Diaspora where leadership and professional successes are not encumbered by overly dependent on corrupt government handouts rather on hard work and self-efforts.  The Diaspora-bred leadership and the corrupt-free few on the ground would provide credible and effective leadership, characterized by complete lack of greed, and coupled with a fierce resolve to do what is best and necessary for the progress of our people and country Nigeria as a whole.  In so doing, we build the solid foundation necessary to reverse the political and economic misfortune dragging our people through years of retrogression.

To conclude, my experience indicates that the best starting point is for Diasporas to step into the political and power arena and start making waves for sustainable democracy guided by insistence on free and fair election.  We cannot really make any impact operating from outside.  We have to be in it to make it happen.  Through overt activism, the Diasporas should join the rising chorus for a free and fair election in 2011 as we educate our Western Union beneficiaries to register and cast their votes for the best and brightest characterized by Diaspora candidates.  Above all, we should encourage and support our fellow Diasporas who are risking all to partake in the political rescue mission of Nigeria as we donate to their campaign and make calls to Nigeria on their behalf.  Together we can build a better and stronger Nigeria.  

Dr. Ezejiofo Sunny Udeh, an aspirant for a seat in the Federal House of Representatives, Udi-Ezeagu Federal Constituency, writes from Enugu, Nigeria. Support my campaign at www.sunnyudeh.info .