Can Ndigbo Survive If Nigeria Implodes?

By Oscar Onwudiwe

It is a fact that is self-evident that our country is plagued with ethnic/cultural prejudice, socio-political instability and religious violence (mental & physical); Whereas it is with scientific objectivity that social scientists AVER that “when diverse people are bond together, they must be given PLENTY OF SLACK to enable them live in harmony and achieve their aspirations”.

And whereas the authors of our 1999 Constitution deliberately gave to Nigeria (a union of diverse people) a code of laws that dictates a unitary system of government; and whereas the people of the South of Nigeria have been clamouring for a change, while their Northern brothers maintain that the status quo is good enough; and whereas the structures of internal colonialism planted in 1953 by the British manipulation of census figures are still sustained to date.

And whereas evidence of system seems to suggest that a small group of very deep and focused planners from the Northwest believe that their survival as a race can only be guaranteed by their dominating and controlling the rest of us. And whereas the people of the Southeast and the Southsouth have sacrificed their blood, sweat, tears, tolerance and spirit of forgiveness to build this country; from the struggle for independence, to compromises of allowing the North form a National Government in the First Republic, to enduring a Pogrom and Genocide and returning to sincerely assist in Nation Building, to giving up their resources for the comfort of the Emperors of Nigeria, etc.

And whereas the sense of justice of the diverse people of this country are yet to be reconciled; Confab after Confab; and whereas it has been proven that to survive in a Babel requires a large dose of emotional intelligence; and whereas that requirement is NOT one of the strong points of the people of the Southeast, (the only people in the world who have more investment in the lands of those who don’t really want them than they have in their God given land); and whereas the smarter people of Nigeria are busy planning and bonding to secure a larger space in the Babel; the people of the Southeast have remained consumed in the service of their private ends while competing with one another rather than seek to develop and protect the land given to them by God.

So, if Nigeria were to implode today, below is how secured the South East is:

I.G of Police – (1) from North West

D.I.Gs – (6) one from each zone

A.I.Gs – North West (11), North Central (5), North East (1), South West (2), South-South (2), South East (NIL)

Commissioners of Police – North West (21) North Central (18) North East (13) South West (17) South-South (10) South East (8)

Note: none of the South East Commissioners have more than 2 years to stay in service. So, by 2016, it will be South East ‘NIL’ if new ones are not appointed.

Now deployment of senior officers to secure the South East:

A.I.G for South East Zone is from North West.

C.P. Abia from North West

A.C. Operations in Abia – North West

C.P. Anambra – North East

His D.C. Operations – North Central

C.P. Ebonyi – North West

His A.C. Operations – South West

C.P. Enugu – North Central

His A.C. Operations – South-South

C.P. Imo – North Central

His A.C. Operations –North West

The list is to show how “wise” the people of the South East are. They would rather fight over an Anambra Bishop being posted to Mbaise or an Mbaise professor being the Vice Chancellor of a university at Awka, ditto for the Nsukka people and the tussle for who becomes the VC of U.N.N. They don’t ask deep questions about what concerns their protection. The South East people are the largest importers of goods but we know those who dominate the top hierarchy of Customs & Excise. A look at Federal Government interventions in the various zones would shock Ndigbo and show them the real meaning of marginalisation.

At the Ahiajioku lecture of 2008 given by the great (late) Professor Chinua Achebe, he asked “what is Imo? What is Anambra? What is Enugu or Ebonyi or Abia? All I know is that we are Ndigbo”. Now, what is Ndigbo? Let us listen to the late erudite and truly Honourable Justice Chukwudifu Oputa JSC viz “Umu Igbo bu Umu-Chukwu” and he buttressed that assertion with “I don’t know of any Igbo child that does not have Chukwu to one of his names. Chukwu is the king they revere. And in return, he has blessed them with abundance of human and material resources.”

Long before Professor Achebe, two quotes from our philosopher king, the Zik of Africa are instructive here: in 1952 while addressing the people of Eastern House of Assembly, Zik said: “It seems we are dealing with people who hate what they don’t understand and whatever they hate, they never want to understand, but it is our duty to continue to strive to be understood. God has put us here to develop this land and we cannot shirk that responsibility”. Then in 1994, Zik’s last public outing at Owerri (Ahiajioku lecture), the great man said: “Ndigbo!! a people much talked about but hardly understood, NOT even by themselves”

Dear Ndigbo, try to reconcile the two quotes from Zik. See the word ‘understand’ then see ‘HATE’. What do Igbos seek today? To be loved by those who can’t understand them or in the alternative, they say “WE WANT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD”. Where? In the words of the late Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1989 in Jos: “THEY WOULD NEVER LOVE YOU, MAKE THEM RESPECT YOU”. But the brilliant Professor George Obiozor said in 2012, “the Igbos would never be respected until they develop their God given land and learn to protect their investments and honour”. My take on all of this is simple. IGNORE YOUR PROPHETS AT YOUR PERIL.

This little contribution of mine is for those who qualify to be called stakeholders in Igboland. I am from Anambra State and clearly do not qualify. I am not a money bag nor a humdrum politician nor an Elder with name recognition but no achievements of the altruistic kind to his name. I shall resist the temptation here to forward my CV on Igbo struggles. I have paid my dues these past 26 years. I have learnt. So, Igbo stakeholders, please for the sake our children, ask deep questions – try as you travel around to understand the people you share this babel with. Arewa reminded us (Ndigbo) that we have over N48 trillion investment in their land. Later our Oduduwa brothers would tell us how much we have in theirs. It would surely be more and we run the risk of losing all IF… Igbo stakeholders should ask how much we have in our God given land. Was our being created from the East a mistake by God? Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos had to ask this same question.

Igbos touch more cash than other tribes (evidenced by last currency change). Do they ask what is the meaning of the Arabic inscription on our National Currency. Are we a secular state or a sharia state? Why was sharia mentioned 73 times in our constitution, Grand Cahdi mentioned 54 times, Islam mentioned 28 times and Moslem mentioned 10 times? Not a word like Christian or Christianity in the same Constitution? These were questions raised by a Yoruba pastor and delegate of CAN to the Confab 2014).

Why are those who don’t want change louder and more confident that it would not happen? Because they are more committed to getting what they want while we are more committed to the pursuit of vain glorious comfort. Zik, (an Igboman) was at the forefront of the struggle for independence of this country from the external colonial masters. While being persecuted for his struggle, he said in court: “We shall continue our struggle for independence with a spirit that knows no defeat, for the sword of truth is our armour”. Can we still find this spirit in Igboland to face what is coming to us? I pray to be wrong. Those who must control us can become the suicide bombers that we can never be. They are ready to kill and die for their beliefs, right or wrong. But can we do the same? Igbo stakeholders should please check Wikipedia to search and read “THE ABUJA DECLARATION 1989”. Thereafter, they should ask historians to tell them what happened to Turkey. How it happened that a people who were 100% Christians for over 1,173 years are today 94% Moslems. Then, they should look at Ebonyi State where the biggest Islamic School has been built and note the fanfare on NTA when 18 Ebonyi state indigenes converted to Islam on 15 November 2013. They are winning while we must all convert to what BH wants or perish for lack of knowledge and courage.

Igbos are endowed with plenty of financial intelligence, it makes them a market dominant race in a capitalist world. It is good but emotional intelligence is the key to divine success. This is because it protects the values that aid and sustain financial intelligence. Put comically, financial intelligence focuses only on ‘give us this day our daily bread’ while emotional intelligence recognises that ‘Man does not live by bread alone’. Philosophers interpret.

If Igbo stakeholders still believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, then they should read His message in Mathew Chapter 7 verses 23 -28.

Why do Igbos claim to be like Jews? I have often wondered why. The Jews as we know today still believe that the life of one Israeli would be paid for with 100 Palestinians. But in Nigeria, to kill any Igbo is the fastest way to either becoming President of Nigeria or be crowned an Emir and nothing happens. JEWS INDEED.

Igbo Ndewooo.

•Onwudiwe esq. can be reached at [email protected]