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Perhaps nothing has afflicted the Igbo psyche more than the victim mentality accentuated of late by wonky, devious mercantilists. Of course, it is not unfounded because the Igbo have indeed been targets of hateful opprobrium by envious neighbours.
My contention, however, is that the Igbo too have allowed these distractions to distract them from the divinely ordained journey to destiny, which no power can abort but themselves.
I had cause to travel to the East from my base last week and had a first-hand experience of all the awful tales we are served on a daily basis that have made the people exiles from their homes. One could rightly argue that the few days I spent at home were not enough to actually grasp the perilous situation of things. They may be right but I could deduce that things are not as horrific as portrayed.
I noticed the roadblocks and checkpoints, especially on the pretentious roads on the eastern flank. Ironically, there was less security presence along the dreaded Benin Ore road where the woods are thick and menacing, the acclaimed hideouts of the killer herdsmen, kidnappers and bandits. Strangely, the eastern axis was brimful with all manner of security personnel, as if the people were under siege.
More significantly, I observed that rather than look out for the terrorists they were supposedly hunting, the security men were only busy securing their wallets, as the checkpoints mounted on unsightly, crater-filled roads, had been turned into some bustling ATM points where vehicles drop their ‘tithe’. This was brazenly done as if it had an official seal.
Those in doubt should do a subtle surveillance by, at least, taking a trip along Mbaise-Owerri road, among others.
Nevertheless, it is such adverse conditions that make the Igbo thrive. Nothing can cage the Igbo for whom there is no mission impossible. One may consult General Yakubu Gowon and confirm if his pernicious twenty pounds policy whittled the Igbo. Never!
That is why I am appalled by the awkward state of things that has manipulated us into selling and killing one another.
So, it may not be exactly correct to say the Fulani herdsmen are after Igbo land. I say so because I know it can never happen without Igbo collaboration. I also don’t believe that the Yoruba hate the Igbo because Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is pitched against Peter Obi in the presidential election of 2023. I say so because the Igbo have lived in Lagos longer than the Asiwaju and Peter Obi, if at all, and there is no way this contest would hurt a long established history if the Igbo comport themselves well.
One definite truth is that no matter where the pendulum swings, Tinubu must get some Igbo votes. I also know so many Yoruba that are diehard ‘Obidients’. The earlier we understand that this election is not about Yoruba and Igbo, the better for us.
In case you do not know, the seeming animosity between the Igbo and Yoruba is induced by a common enemy who benefits from the division and laughing at our stupidity.
Beyond the election, if 2023 really happens, the Igbo should concern themselves more with how to better their lot in a perilous country like Nigeria. Restructuring the country is much more appealing than whatever the election holds. The saying goes that whoever dies after his enemy predicted it, dies a shameful death. May the Igbo not die a shameful death; Amen.
So, what to do?
Firstly, the Igbo must fish out the rogue politicians among them, selling their people for a pittance in order to feather their leaking political nests. They are principally the ones feeding the people with hogwash to divert attention from their perfidy.
There is a need to receive their posturing with circumspection because the more we believe their mantra, the more they advance. While structureless Obi has created his own structure among the mass of frustrated angry, ‘idle’ youths, these turncoats have made structure of falsehood and leading the people astray.
As much as Igbophobia is real, some Igbo renegades have much to do with it by trading with the collective destiny of their kinsmen.
The Igbo also need to urgently ascertain the true identity of those that have scorched the land, making it a killing field.
I do not share the notion though that all of the attacks were carried out by the Independent People of Biafra and its military wing, Eastern Security Network, IPOB/ESN. I have no sympathies for them though because they brought this upon themselves by taking a wrong route to Biafra. Now, enemies have capitalised on it and are hiding under their leaking roof to cause mayhem. Other amorphous groupings, including political foot soldiers, must be investigated.
These criminal elements and their sponsors did not drop from the sky. Therefore, the traditional rulers and president generals of the various communities should deploy active intelligence to fish out the bad eggs in our midst.
We must not be enamoured by the fear of external enemies whereas what is eating us up is within us. The Igbo must look out for one another.
While not discouraging their republican and national dispositions, they must realise that times have changed. They should listen to their leaders.
Unfortunately, who, where are the leaders; the Ikemba Ojukwus, Sam Mbakwes, Akanu Ibiams, Michael Okparas, etc; did they all die? It is the absence of leadership that threw up the likes of Nnamdi Kanu but he flunked the opportunity to excel by antagonsing everybody and becoming a supreme leader. Before him was Chief Ralph Uwazurike, who, admittedly is not a saint, but achieved quite a lot, using his Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB.
If nothing else, he reignited the fire of Igbo nationalism. Unfortunately, he was shot down at his peak, causing him to almost leave the stage. Now Ndigbo have married two husbands, they can decide which husband is better.
But seriously, where are our Ezes? Where is Ohanaeze? Or is it ‘oha ana eze’? Where are the Igbo governors? Do they also get allocations from the centre like other states? Where do the allocations go?
These are the basic questions we must ask instead of breaking our heads over Tinubu versus Obi. We cannot localise a national contest for the country’s presidency to a tribal affair between the Igbo and the Yoruba. Anyone flying this flag is an enemy.
I sum this up with this post from a friend:
A friend told me a STORY of how her mother asked her to quickly fry eggs for her about 10pm. She said she told her mother she was very tired and pleaded with her to allow her fry it in the morning. The mother insisted on eating the egg that night but the lady prevailed and the mother kept quiet over the matter and went to sleep. At dawn, the lady went into the kitchen and fried a few eggs, well garnished and with fresh fish. She knocked on her mother’s door to serve her the omelet with hot tea but there was no answer. She forced the door open and tried to wake the mother up to eat her egg, but the mother was dead. She screamed! She shook her! She shouted but the woman was unresponsive. She wept sore, as she recollected how her mother begged her to fry egg for her. The haunting memory remained with her for a long time and she always felt she was the cause of her mother’s death.
How sad!
Interestingly, there are many things that cannot be delayed. You do not delay going to the loo when the pressure comes or you mess up yourself. No expectant mother can delay the baby from popping out of the womb when its time is due unless she doesn’t mind giving birth at the ‘street maternity’ or market place. Of course, you don’t tell Mr. Death to wait once your time is up.
So, to Ndigbo I ask: Have you ever eaten or feel like eating an omelet? Fry it now!!! There is no more time for individual proclivities; the time to bond is NOW! Again, apply some brake on these ungainly offshore conglomerates and build ala Igbo NOW. Don’t defer to tomorrow what you must do today; tomorrow may never come.
