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By Elliot Ugochukwu Uko
It has finally become absolutely necessary to sound a note of warning to a certain political platform from the South East, deliberately driving ethnic irredentism to a ridiculous level in the social media, to retrace their steps immediately, as their so-called “smart game” of manipulating a despicable and embarrassing narrative of ethnic warfare in order to present their preferred candidate as an angel from heaven by disparaging other candidates from other regions, has become not only exceedingly toxic, but dangerous enough to seal the future of Ndigbo.
The cross-ethnic and intra-ethnic abuses, blackmail, disrespect, attacks and hatred, displayed online, have become deadly and unacceptable.
Having a free reign between 2022 and 2023, as prelude to the last elections, these social media warriors and urchins, have taken their warfare several notches higher this time by turning Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp groups and tiktok, as platforms of ethnic hatred, blindly struggling to outdo each other in foul language and provocative adjectives in their mad bid to impress their paymasters.
The overview is simple: The Igbo seems to be at war with both northerners and south westerners.
The frightening language of bitterness and hatred spewed out on these social media space, are far away from reality. Thankfully, reality is different.
Reality is: That Ndigbo are neither at war with the Hausa/Fulani, nor with the great Yoruba Nation. The horde of unschooled, ignorant and easily manipulated, emotional large army of young people, abusing, insulting and attacking both the leaders and people of the West and the North, do not represent Ndigbo. It usually gets worse every election season.
The wrong impression that Ndigbo hate both the Hausa and the Yoruba is untrue and very dangerous pattern of thought.
The suggestion that Ndigbo are desperate for political power in order to lord it over others, is also untrue.
What is sadly true is that certain desperados are inspiring, equipping and misleading thousands of e-rats to intimidate politicians, people and leaders of other regions, using the social media.
This army of social media e-rats does not represent mainstream Ndigbo, nor do they speak for Ndigbo.
The political platform manipulating them, does not see the damage their activities are doing to future relationships between Ndigbo and others. They may be pretending they cannot see it today, as their desire is all about next elections.
The truth is: The section of the country you abuse, insult, and attack everyday in the social media today will not support you politically tomorrow. Everyone you insult believes you resent and despise him. Nobody will empower anybody who hates him to become president tomorrow. We will pay a price tomorrow, when we’ll need their support.
We must desist from abusing and insulting compatriots from other regions.
For the avoidance of doubt, millions of Ndigbo admire and respect Atiku, and will campaign and vote for him. Millions of Ndigbo also support Tinubu, and will campaign and vote for him.
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There are also millions of Ndigbo who will campaign and vote for other candidates from other regions running for office in January 2027 elections in several other political parties.
The idea that Ndigbo will lynch anyone supporting non Igbo candidates from other regions is idiotic, undemocratic and grossly incorrect.
The attempt by this mob to paint anyone rooting for candidates outside Igbo land as traitors and saboteurs is evil and crude.
Those who paint their preferred candidate as saint, angel and messiah from heaven, while using the social media to present other candidates from other regions, as satanic, unacceptable and unqualified, are setting a very dangerous precedent for which Ndigbo will be paid back in their own coins in due course.
There are no perfect, divine beings amongst the political class. No one is cleaner or purer than others amongst them.
Ndigbo as a people, have nothing but deep respect for all the presidential candidates running for office and assure them that they have freedom to campaign anywhere in Igbo land.
We reject attempts to create divisions and dichotomy. Ndigbo welcome all of them with open arms and great respect. The political platform funding, manipulating indoctrinating and brainwashing these unemployed online e-rats, abusing and insulting compatriots, are hereby warned to resist henceforth, from creating unnecessary problems for Ndigbo.
Deceiving young people by turning them against other leaders and presenting oneself as the only qualified candidate, is ignoble and unholy.
Moreover, it would backfire against our people in the near future. If other regions also choose to campaign and vote for only their own people, will we ever stand a chance?
Nigerians should please note that the clique or cabal behind this online warfare does not represent Ndigbo. They are a small fraction of the people, who are desperate for political power and unfortunately assume that destroying the reputation, name and standing of other candidates from other regions will give them certain electoral advantages.
We also condemn the deliberate baiting and attacks on Ndigbo, cleverly designed to elicit similar response, so Ndigbo can be presented as uncouth, hateful, disrespectful and reprehensible.
This ungodly format and strategy of provocation does not call for unity and mutual respect.
The pretence by politicians across the divide that they do not know that this ethnic online warfare which they discreetly inspire, could lead to the road to Rwanda, is surprising. May common sense prevail!
Elliot Ugochukwu Uko is the Founder of Igbo Youth Movement (IYM)
