War against Ndigbo

Suddenly, it is as if the Igbo are no longer of any worth and significance in the Nigerian venture. They have been branded the villains of the Nigeria state and from what many had thought was a wicked political joke, the negative profiling is gaining ground and even going far beyond. Their homestead has successfully been turned into a war zone, with armed marauders roaming the space without fear, inflicting harm of various kinds. They are called unknown gunmen. 

The Igbo have become preys to be hunted like animals in the country. Before, it was marginalization expressed in the forms of infrastructural denials, shutting out of key public offices at the national level and pegging the bar Igbo in public service could attain before they move away on retirement. It has since gone beyond this to include near non-participation in the commanding heights of power and authority at the federal level. This trend got to a near crescendo under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration where no Igbo was considered good enough to earn the President’s trust to get appointed as one of the service chiefs.

Yet, so many security sweep operations were undertaken in the South East region during which many young persons were killed. The thinking has been a South East representation in the security command circle would have helped to put matters in clearer perspectives and the carnage some of the security operations turned out to be would have perhaps been far better handled, to the benefit of the country. Those operations designed to enhance security and bring peace ended in most cases on sour notes compounding the problem of a general climate of insecurity. The graph of trust deficit went down, leaving behind deep anger. Anger and resentment still pervade the minds of most people of the region even now. 

Recent events have only gone further to confirm the fear of a veiled war declared against Ndigbo. In February through March, in Lagos State, general elections that ordinarily should be a free process for all citizens to go to the poll to make their choices for who receives their trust to lead became opportunity for those who have planned the fresh assaults to act out their scripts. We all saw “selective attacks” targeted primarily on Igbo voters. They were told never to venture out or face terrific consequences. Those who did were beaten to a pulp. Blood flowed.

Nobody said rescue. None said this should not be. There were no condemnations of any kind. Nearly all publicly exposed persons from the area and across the country kept mute as if the development wasn›t dastardly, barbaric, inhumane and a potent threat to the unity and harmonious cohabitation among the diverse ethic components of our country. It was shocking to see the state government turn a blind eye. It was to be. The federal government said nothing, neither did it see need to take practical measures to protect the lives of citizens as well as openly show its displeasure. The silence spoke volumes. It has remained very instructive, especially to those who know how governments in other countries in time past became complicit in genocidal acts against sections of a country.

Hitler pretended to be working for greater good of the German nation, when he surreptitiously initiated the extermination of the Jews, who at the time had become integrated as part of the whole. This funny demonic attitude didn›t cease with the Hitler era. It is a political strategy that has been deployed in more recent times and still being imitated till today. Liberia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Rwanda draw our attention to instances where governments make so much fuss about national insecurity while the leaders fought conflicts of ethnic supremacy. The war between Russia and the rest of the white world is a conflict of ethnic extermination and supremacy. Only few get this point. This is why those closing their eyes, ears and minds to the developing events in the country must stop to ponder. It is crawling on a most dangerous path. 

The challenge of the Nigerian situation is lazy attitude to serious problems of the country. We don›t have ability for the rigours associated with deep reasoning and thinking. Serious developments appear to us as objects of jokes. One consequence from this attitude is the penchant to address issues from the superficial level. When it is not that we leave the issue to pester, believing that time would settle matters. Whether for good or bad it is nobody’s business.

The current insecurity in the South East is not an outcome of internal contradictions. Never! This position may appear shocking and so deserves explanation. The South East region that is homestead of Ndigbo has remained very peaceful since the Civil War ended on a very sad note for them about 53 years ago. This has been inspite of the fact there has never been any serious attempt to recreate infrastructure in the entire region. Incumbent Vice President Kassim Shetima is on record to have said very recently, when he was governor of Bornu State that the region has worst road network in the country. This was after alleged killing of Northerners in Aba sometime ago. 

The area has earned the label of the most peaceful region for so long not withstanding that we all know economic well-being of people is the chief driver of peace and stability. If the economy is healthy the people would be happy and peaceful. It is not a veiled truth that the South East region has been stripped by deliberate acts of state policy of all things that could make for economic buoyancy. Like we already observed, the roads are bad, the worst of federal roads are found in the area, railway system is dead and buried long time ago, anyone can calculate what this could mean for a people neck deep into farming and commerce, electricity supply is epileptic, no special funding to assist a group long known for their ingenuity in terms of their inventiveness. They have been left to swim and survive the tide or sink and get finally drowned. 

Economic suffocation we have been told by scholars would always unsettle any equibrium in a place but in the case of the South East, the people out of uncanny resolve never allowed the time tested theory to reproduce itself in their territory. The people amazingly took their destiny in their own hands. It would surprise to note that only in the South East can historians find the record of a people building up an entire airport from start to finish by communal efforts. Not government imput except supervision. It is elementary to teach that economic opportunities tower above every other factor in the motivation for emigration.

The move in droves by Ndigbo to other lands outside their natural environment is not precipitated by land space neither is it driven by profit motives or love for foreign lands as many erroneously think. No! It is the outcome of severe economic squeeze by the Nigerian state. Actions many think have become national policy. Igbo land has remained peaceful despite the pressure.

Now the once peaceful setting has lost her innocence. The kind of violence never imagined is taking place in the region and everyone is surprised, especially given that Igbo hardly inflict harm on one another in the nature we have seen in recent months. What is the cause. Many don’t know. Their puzzle of the development is not helped by surface reporting by the formal media. Truth is that it is a contrived crisis, designed to make the Igbo bow to the control and influence of external forces. Religion and supremacy push are strong factors in the malfeasance. We would explain. It is no secret that a group had long muted an alliance with the Yoruba West and incitement of the nearby minorities which would create a New Nigeria resting on two pillars; it will rubbish the high population positioning of the Igbos and achieve the political isolation of Ndigbo if not permanently at least for a very long time.

The test run was with Abiola on a Muslim/Muslim ticket, it fell through but was aborted by the the military top establishment who were very certain if they could have control over an Abiola who was not only very liberal in disposition but had a good reach to world centres of power. The fear caused Abiola the Presidency he won clean and clear. Obasanjo was a place holder they knew had no political deep root. Every game Obasanjo played including introduction of a sick northern President and thereafter Jonathan from the southern minority, the oligarchy could tolerate because they were certain when push turned to shove Obasanjo and his group will carve in.

It happened with the public threat of monkey, baboon and blood. Jonathan now at loggerhead with his mentor beat tactical retreat and surrender. Bandits and insurgents didn’t just happen, it was a well designed tool to achieve a predetermined political end. A former governor has thrown far more light on this. Now, those who used insurgency as a tool are calling for amnesty but they lost their voice while one of them was in power for all of eight years.

President Buhari expended the scope of this cabals far more than any our presidents from the hegemonic region had done. During his tenure the Igbo got the rough side of power. Apart from abuses and negative profiling, they were exempted or far removed from the inner circle of power. It didn’t end with this; their young men were killed in the most horrendous manner. The killing of people hasn’t abated. The good thing in all this is that the Igbo can say who is at the centre of it all. What was hidden is beginning to come to the surface. Asari Dukubo in recent days has told us mercenaries are hired and sent across places to do evil.

When the Igbo independence looked difficult to break, enemies of Ndigbo changed tactics, they needed a political hold from behind. In Imo State a candidate that came fourth was catapaulted, through the Supreme Court, to the governorship seat. From Ebonyi State, a governor who had his mandate on another platform was lured to jump ship, under the guise of pursuit of his tribe’s common good. He wanted his Igbo tribe to produce the next president in 2023, yet he was not in reckoning beyond leaning from one to another in full public glare. He led the demolition of his people.

Leaked tape of a supposed conversation between two chieftains of the ruling party was clear on Igbo political exclusion and destruction of their businesses. It is happening. During President Buhari tenure, Ohanaeze the umbrella union of the Igbo severally called for a political solution. The then president turned deaf ear to all the appeals. When there is agitation, dialogue and consensus are never ruled out. 

The question is why is the case as it applies to South East so different? Why is the area so militarised, far more than areas infested by terrorism? Inside the answers would be found sustainable solutions for sustainable peace in the South East. By the way, courts of competent jurisdiction have discharged Nnamdi Kanu. He ought to have been released accordingly. Those responsible for setting South East on fire can stop the fire fight if they want. Truth is they desire total surrender and submission, anything less won’t suffice. So, the killing will continue for a while. What then should Igbo do? This will be subject of another intervention on this space.