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• Why separatist agitations persist in South East
The Founder, Igbo Youth Movement (IYM), Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu Uko, has said that the separatist agitators in the South East desire justice and fairness, equality and equity, and a country where all are equal, and where no man is oppressed.
He warned that restructuring the polity has become a necessity.
In an interview with VINCENT KALU, the Secretary of Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), praised President Bola Tinubu for his courageous economic reforms, which he doubted any other presidential candidate in the last election could have embarked on.
He also noted that Tinubu will be in real trouble if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fields former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2027
How do you assess the economic and political situation in the country?
Everybody knows this isn’t the best of times, Nigeria is sick, the rot and decay began years ago.
It got worse since 2015. President Buhari simply took Nigeria backwards. The economic and political issues chocking our country are worsened by the unitary structure bequeathed to us by unelected soldiers who designed both the 1979 and the 1999 constitutions.
The emergent political class inspired the predatory leadership culture that brought us where we are. Sleaze and impunity almost destroyed this beautiful country.
Only sincerely returning to true federalism and devolution of powers will save Nigeria now.
Restructuring the polity has become a necessity. Delay is unhelpful. From the frightening unemployment, to the runaway inflation, to the insurgency in the North East and unprovoked banditry in the North West, it is all the outcome of the over-concentration of powers at the centre. The insecurity all over the country and the agitation in the South East, all point to the great need to urgently review our journey so far.
Apportioning blame to the current leadership of the land or playing politics with our decades-old morass occasioned by the self-centeredness of past leaders, won’t solve our problems. We need to tell ourselves the truth: Nigeria needs a new constitution anchored on true federalism, unicameral legislature, devolution of powers, regional autonomy and a return to parliamentary system of government.
All the problems eating up the land flow from the inadequacies of the unitary structure. We have deceived ourselves for so long. All the reports of past National Conferences should be revisited and an assembly of patriotic Nigerians brought together to draw a new people’s constitution anchored on a level playing field for all, justice, equity and fairness. From here, we get a new template that would grant every section a sense of belonging, and watch Nigeria explode positively; our economy grow, mind-boggling corruption contained and agitations fizzled out. A great beautiful Nigeria would emerge once Nigeria is restructured.
President Tinubu assured all in France recently that these painful reforms will lead to better days. Do you agree with him?
I am not an economist, and I’m not an expert in managing and rebuilding sick countries, but I have not seen a courageous leader, who boldly embarked on such giant strides as petroleum subsidy removal, unified currency exchange regime, electricity tariff and other reforms without thinking it through. These were things, past presidents were afraid to try.
I doubt if any of the other 2023 presidential candidates would have been courageous enough to face the truth and take the bull by the horn as he has done, not minding the attendant unpopularity that would come with such bold but painful reforms.
He is not my idol, but I respect him for the courage to embark on these painful reforms.
It is in the interest of the country that he succeeds. I pray he succeeds. I also pray Nigeria triumphs over this very trying period. I also plead with President Tinubu to remember that his time in office will be judged by history. He must not fail to restructure Nigeria.
The South East has gradually turned into something else. Why won’t this agitation that started since 1999 stop?
The agitation was sadly misread and mishandled by regional leaders who were so scared that all they wanted to do was stay so far away from the agitators in order to prove to the central authorities that they weren’t sympathetic to the agitation. They so distanced themselves from the crisis, allowing people with a feudal mindset, who had only one desire: to crush the agitation. This has brought us to where we are today.
The agencies of government thought they would crush the agitation within months. They didn’t know about the never-say-die spirit of Ndigbo. They knew nothing about the pain, humiliation and fear of the future that inspired and drove the agitation.
The strategy of containment they have been applying since 1999 simply has to be reviewed. It is obvious that mistakes were made on all sides.
The root cause of the anger that drives the agitation should be identified and addressed. Therein lies the road map to resolution and closure. Had the authorities sought to identify the root cause of the anger powering the agitation early on, we will not be where we are today.
The agitators made their own mistakes. The land is suffering today, because the strategy of containment hasn’t worked in 25 years.
The agitation began in September 1999 in Lagos with Ralph Uwazurike’s less than 100 young men. It grew to a few thousands and overboard steadily.
Just look at the situation today. The delay in identifying exactly what inspired young people to join in, attend meetings and willfully pay weekly dues, brought us where we are today.
Had the authorities sought, identified and promptly addressed the issues that made the agitators believe that they were better off in another country, their fears would have been assuaged. It is the failure to reassure them that Nigeria can and will be fair and just to all that is still keeping the agitation alive. They need reassurance that their region, and their children will be fairly treated, and that they are not second class citizens.
Another reason the agitation has lasted so long from Ralph to Nnamdi, is because people who hope to use the frustrations, anger and bitterness of the agitators to drive their personal political agenda, discreetly manipulate these emotions as fuel and energy that power their own political dreams.
For them, if the agitation is resolved today, they will have nothing to power their political dreams. Another reason is that regional leaders do not realise that it is principally their duty actually to resolve the issues. They may ask for help from the central authorities only when they are over whelmed. From day one, soldiers were drafted at Aba the day Ralph lifted Biafran flag and escaped on a bike 25 years ago. Since then, regional leaders became spectators whilst the federal government battled the agitators.
Former Biafran Head of State drew them close to know their plans and monitor their activities. But other Igbo leaders were scared to even speak with them. They should have been invited, engaged and their grievances identified and promptly addressed. Running away from them, hasn’t solved the problem.
Over a decade ago, about June 2014, some of the agitators hung a Biafran flag at Enugu Government House. A few days later, the same faction tried playing a pre-recorded audio announcing Biafra at the early hours news bulletin of the Enugu State Broadcasting Radio station.
Alarmed and worried, I sought permission from the elderly constitutional lawyer, leader of the Igbo Leaders of Thought, to bring all the leadership of every agitating group to the next meeting of the ILT, to hear from their grievances and carry them along moving forward, so they don’t go off the track.
He agreed and I brought them all to the next ILT meeting at Enugu, but regrettably some of the leaders strongly opposed engaging with the agitators. The chairman of the meeting, the Obi of Onitsha, a good man, was forced to ask me to take them out.
I wept that night, Igbo leaders present at that meeting didn’t understand that engaging with the agitators regularly will establish a relationship that will protect our region.
Again, immediately after the 2019 elections, I pleaded with the Director General of the South East Governors Forum Prof. Simon Ortuanya, to kindly beg the Governor’s Forum to set up a committee with members drawn from each state to engage Nnamdi Kanu without delay in search of a meeting point, since the 2017 peace attempt has been destroyed. He promised to do that. But regrettably, he probably couldn’t win them over to that very important step that would have saved the South East Region.
The tenacity of the agitators, the gullibility of the masses, and the strategy of containment, all brought us where we are today. Fear of being marked as friend of the agitators, led many to remain ambivalent in order to stay out of trouble. The blackmail and attack anyone who ventured to speak up suffered, forced many to hide under the bed.
Dr Alex Ekwueme tried his best to bring sanity, Nnamdi met over a dozen very reputable and highly respected Igbo leaders that I arranged to speak with him. The search for a non-kinetic meeting point was sadly discouraged by people who preferred crushing the agitation without ever engaging with the agitators.
Regrettably, that strategy hasn’t worked in 25 years.
I plead that the very sources of anger of agitators be identified and addressed. The narrative that the Igbo are desperate for political power to lord it over others is patently false. The agitators aren’t agitating for that. Rather they want justice and fairness; equality and equity. They desire a country where all are equal, where no man is oppressed. They want to see true federalism, devolution of powers and level playing field for all.
Can resolution and closure be attained?
Of course, if the root cause of the agitation is identified and addressed. Both Columbia’s FARC and the Philippines Islamic agitators bought in to the peace deal, because their fears and grievances were addressed.
By sustaining the agitation for 25 years, a quarter of a century, the agitators have proven to the world that they aren’t vagrants, miscreants, criminals and terrorists, as labelled. They are aggrieved youngsters, who believe they are mistreated and disrespected, who crave justice and equity. Their parents and grandparents fought and lost a war that ended almost 55 years ago. They believe they should be treated fairly. They want to see railway services in their region, international airport and functional seaport in their region. Container terminal, dry port, and export processing zone, in their region. They want to feel like full citizens. They want to be sure that their children won’t suffer the humiliation they suffered for losing a war that ended since 1970. It is not true that they are agitating because they want to seize Aso Rock Villa. Nothing could be farther from the truth. They don’t care where the next President will come from.
They want to see a restructured Nigeria, so they’ll develop their region. They know that deserved infrastructure has been denied their region since 1970. They are crying for justice and equity.
How do you think 2027 elections will play out? Do you think President Tinubu stands a chance to be re-elected?
Sorry, I have no interest in politicians and their elections. I concentrate my decades-old activism on fundamental issues holding down this great country. Politicians come and go. The country remains. Correcting our structural defects remains the most important thing. But, of course, elections are very important milestones in our country’s development.
But, I think Atiku could be a strong candidate against Tinubu in 2027. Aside Atiku, there’s no other real threat. Unless, of course, if the PDP fields Goodluck Jonathan. If that happens, Tinubu will be in real trouble.
Nigerians from the six regions will greatly mobilise behind Jonathan. They know him. They know he is a good man. Moreover he’ll do only one term. Jonathan is the greatest threat to Tinubu for 2027. That is if the PDP is wise enough to convince him and draft him. His humble disposition has earned him respect. He endured the insults and vilification without ever fighting back. Even those who attacked him regret fighting him. It will be like a hurricane. Jonathan is the only threat to Tinubu’s 2027 re-election.
