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Igwe Gerald Obunadike Mbamalu, Eze Oranyelu 1, Eze Ojoto the 111 in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State has called on the two major political parties in Nigeria – the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone their 2023 Presidential ticket to the South-East for equity and justice.
The Royal father debunked the recent claims in some quarters that the Igbo sponsored the invasion of the palace of Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos during the EndSars protest. He described Malami’s statement as untrue aimed at pitting Igbo against the Yoruba.
The business mogul-turned royal father condemned in strong terms the recent massacre of some traditional rulers in Imo State by gunmen and wondered why the killers should descend on traditional rulers who according to him have no constitutional roles.
In an interview with DICKSON OKAFOR, the traditional ruler expressed doubts over allegation that the killings in the South-East are carried out by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He said Igbos cannot kill their fellow Igbo without reasonable reason.
What is the real cause of worsening security situation in the country especially in the South-East with gunmen killing people including security agents?
First and foremost, you will agree with me that security of life and property is responsibility of government. However, the situation in Nigeria was not as bad as it is now. The question is what went wrong? The people welcomed the All Progressives Congress (APC) with high hope and expectations. I mean Nigerians supported APC overwhelmingly because of its change mantra. No government apart from the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) during the June 12, 1993 Presidential election got such tremendous support. Unfortunately, most Nigerians have yet to feel the impact of the positive change this government promised them. Yes, the APC-led government tried to create jobs through its social investment programme, but till now many youths in some parts of the country have not benefited. These aggrieved youths in Nigeria irrespective of tribes, religion and political affiliation.
They are angry because in terms of security, they are jobless and the best way they can express their disappointment and anger is by making trouble. I have never seen this level of hunger in Nigeria like we have it today except during the Nigerian civil war. Poverty level is so high and frightening and that is the major cause of insecurity.
Another cause of insecurity and agitation is injustice and as long as unemployment, exchange and inflation rate continue to soar high and if this continue there won’t be peace in the nation. As you can see, cost of living is increasingly embarrassing to common Nigerians and the take home pay of few employed ones can’t take them home from their bus/stop. So, with all these imbalances in the polity, do you expect the people to be peaceful? For instance, why did the authors of the 1999 Constitution as amended enshrine the principle of Federal Character in our ground norm? It is for equity and justice to take place and except government at all levels embrace justice and equal right, peace and unity will remain scarce commodities in Nigeria.
Our people say you cannot beat a child and ask him not to cry. To put it straight, Igbos are marginalized and that is the reason for the agitation for Biafra. The earlier the government takes note of the imbalance in the system, the better for all of us. I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to correct these imbalances especially in his appointment mechanism within the remaining two years of his administration and try to zone the Presidency to the South-East in 2023.
But people have said that the South-East can’t be demanding a separate nation and also President of Nigeria. IPOB has been accused of championing the killings in the South-East with full compliance to its sit-at-home order in the area hence it seems like the governors in the South-East have lost control of the people?
The truth is that there is no concrete evidence to show that IPOB through its security arm are responsible for the killings in the South-East. Since there is no proof, I won’t agree with such view. The reason there is full compliance to the sit-at-home order by IPOB is because like you rightly observed governors in the South-East can no longer control the people. The governors and the representatives of the people in the state and National Assembly have lost control of the people and the only person they listen to now is Nnamdi Kanu. Therefore, in as much as I’m not in support of any act to divide the country, I disagree with government over declaration of IPOB as a terrorist group. It was after several calls and agitation that government recently declared bandits in North as terrorists.
Minster of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed recently said IPOB was declared a terrorist group because of its separatist agitation and cannot be compared to bandits. Do you share the same view?
The United Nations Charter recognises self determination as part of fundamental human rights of a people and such persons or group cannot be labelled terrorist groups. What I expect government to do is to correct the imbalances in the polity and implement the principle of Federal Character to the fullest. I assure you tension will be doused, but treating separatists as terrorists is not the best. As it is right now, whether we like it or not the only person youths in the South-East trust and listen to, is Nnamdi Kanu and such a person cannot be ignored. He is telling them what they want to hear. What is that thing he is telling them? That the governors and politicians in the region have failed and that is why the governors cannot ask the people to act otherwise.
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Don’t forget that the governors have made several attempts to make the people disobey the sit-at-home order, but all their efforts to regain the confidence of the people have so far proved abortive. The popular view right now is that government is not sincere because government was quick to declare IPOB a terrorist group, but it took her time by foot dragging to declare bandits a terrorist group because prominent persons in the north such as governors El Rufai of Kaduna State and his Katsina State counterpart, Bello Masari including the National Assembly members had called on President Buhari to declare bandits as a terrorist group.
Like I said earlier, I believe in one indivisible Nigeria where justice and equity reigns. On the statement by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, he is economical with the truth. For instance, if you go to Spain, there is a separatist group there and they are not declared a terrorist group, even in England and others. To me, it is time the two main political parties, APC and PDP zoned their presidential tickets to the South-East. Government should also dialogue with IPOB so that we can find a lasting solution to the agitation.
What do you think will happen to Kanu eventually?
Let’s wait until he is proven guilty, but one fact we cannot deny is that Nnamdi Kanu has further united Igbo not because Ndigbo want to secede, but because he has further drawn the attention of the Federal government to the underdevelopment in the South-East since after the civil war in 1970. Don’t forget that the then Head of state, Gen Yakubu Gowon announce the 3R, at the end of the war which is Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction. Unfortunately, none of these promises has been fulfilled. The South-East has remained the way it was after the war except for individual and community efforts. So, whether you jail Kanu or not, Igbos will continue to ask for equity and justice.
If actually IPOB is fighting for the interest of Igbo, why are they killing innocent Igbos, security agents and traditional rulers?
That is why Ndigbo are insisting that those killing our people or the so-called “unknown gunmen” are not IPOB. And IPOB has said they are not behind the killings in Igbo land. Therefore, I call on government to constitute a panel to investigate and unravel those behind the killings in Igbo land.
My major concern is, why are the unknown gunmen descending on traditional rulers? Are we part of the government? We don’t have constitutional roles and we are not supposed to be partisan because we are fathers to all our subjects. So, why are we being killed? Even the 13 per cent of the state allocation approved by the constitution to be given to traditional rulers every month are not given to us by the governors in the South-East. I have in different fora advocated for traditional rulers to be assigned constitutional role as this will empower us more to secure our communities. But in a situation whereby traditional rulers have no powers to enforce the law and the resources to secure our communities, it means that we are nothing but toothless bulldogs. I condemn the recent killing of traditional rulers in Imo State.
What do you make of the recent statement by the Minster of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubabar Malami where he accused IPOB of sponsoring the attack on the palace of Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu during the EndSars protest?
I’m disappointed at the Minster of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubabar Malami for making such inciting statement. Such a sensitive and unfounded statement shouldn’t have proceeded from the mouth of someone occupying such high and sensitive position in the country. If not for the fact that Yoruba who are our hosts in Lagos knew those who invaded the Oba’s palace there would have been problem between Igbo and Yoruba not only in Lagos, but throughout the country. I thank God that our Southwest brothers and sisters know the truth and decided to ignore Malami. If it is in other clan, Malami would have been sacked for trying to incite a particular tribe against other tribe.
To me, Malami’s statement is hate speech and should not be taken lightly by the Federal Government. Don’t forget that it was a mere hate speech like this that led to civil war in Rwanda that claimed millions of lives. How can Igbo sponsor an attack against Oba of Lagos? His Royal Highness, Oba Rilwan Akiolu who is like a father not only to the Yorubas, but also to Igbos in Lagos. Igbo constitute 80 per cent of non indigenes in Lagos State. However, Igbo will continue to support the APC led government in spite of security challenges faced by this government. I pray that God will give our President Muhammadu Buhari wisdom and strength to continue with the good work he’s doing especially the Second Niger Bridge that is nearing completion.
Before the just conclude Anambra State governorship election some of your colleagues under aegis, Anambra North and South Traditional Rulers Forum endorsed the Governor-elect and the ncandidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prof. Chukuwma Soludo, but you mentioned that traditional rulers ought not to be partisan?
Like I said earlier, we traditional rulers are not supposed to be partisan even though some of us are, but that does not make it right. Selecting one candidate out of all the candidates by the Anambra North and South Traditional Rulers Forum can be likened to a father who decided to show love to one of his children above others.
Remember that was the reason Joseph was sold by his brothers. To me, the people of Anambra had decided who will govern them in the next four years. Whoever wins, they are all our children and subjects. So, we must allow the electorate to decide who govern them. The only role traditional rulers should play during electioneering is to give the candidates royal blessing which is the duty we owe our children as fathers.
