Obi Nwakanma
An Igbo president of the federation of Nigeria should not, and will not be the basis of social justice for the Igbo. Indeed, the Igbo as the president of Nigeria in the current era is not likely to solve the problems of Nigeria. The problem of Nigeria is not just because the Igbo have been prevented from being president in Nigeria since 1970, it is because the basis for citizenship; for social justice; for equity; for the fundamental human rights of the Igbo, as well indeed as other Nigerians have been terribly abridged by the ruling mafia that took over the affairs of the nation.
Social justice for the Igbo, without social justice for the Hausa, the Ijaw, the Yoruba, the Ejegham, the Tiv, the Fulani, the Berom, the Jarawa, etc, will not create social or national security or prosperity. In sum, I think that the Igbo will be satisfied, not merely with a figurehead president, whose only likely benefit will be to construct a few macadamized road, chiefly the one with which to drive into his village with long security convoys who would drive his kinsmen off the streets; make a few more, handful Igbo billionanires who woluld send a few more of their children to schools in Switzerland and America, and cut personal deals that will serve little purpose for the collective or wider economic and political fortune of the Igbo. Besides, the cabal may give you Orji Uzo Kalu - he is afterall, Igbo - whose heart beats in the north; his body in Lagos, while his legs, like "Esu-elegba" are at the crossroads, and the shorter in Igbo land.
The Igbo need jobs for their people; good education and healthcare facilities; places of leisure and entretainment; well-built cities and adequate housing, including equal public housing; access to clean water and a clean environment; cheap credits to create new enterprises; access to contracts, and a lifting of the glass ceiling that makes it impossible for them to aspire to the height of their professional capabilities. The Igbo want the end of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity or religion. The Igbo, above all, want to free their energy towards creating a great national economic and technological mirracle, that will utilize the skilled, strategic human resources of the nation towards building its national defence capability; its national reserach capability; its national food and health security; its national infrastructural capability etc. It does not have to take an Igbo as president of Nigeria to achieve this, but the Igbo will work with any president that accords them their rights and their due regard within the federation of Nigeria.
The Igbo of course do not mind being president on the basis of talent, skill, excellence, and integrity. They will not fare very well under any quota presidency. An Igbo produced as president under this circumstance will be as poor as the structures that produced him/her. So, for the presidency of Nigeria, thanks but no thanks. The alternative of course is the re-ordering of Nigeria under the six confederal structures to be governed under a charter of confederation in which we "pull apart a little" tgo reduce the pressure of contact. Although this might be the second best option, it might prove to be Nigeria's saving grace. Perhaps after operating for fifty years, it might yield to a greater federal union under a new charter by a new generation. We must all consider this.
The Ex-Biafran warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, has identified the relegation of visionary and strategic thinking to the background as one of the factors that have weakened the Igbo nation.
Dim Ojukwu made this assertion yesterday while presenting a key note address at the conference of South East elders and leaders, held at the Concorde Hotel, Owerri, Imo State capital.
According to him, in the past, the best political leaders had always been men of vision, who were straight thinkers.
He stressed that these leaders were often not rich, but were courageous and the very best thinkers with robust political strategy coupled with sagacity.
"Cowardice, which was never a quality of our ancestors, is now celebrated in Igbo land".
He said lack of personal and group courage among the Igbo to assert themselves did not augur well, charging the people to develop the courage to defend their rights anywhere in the country and respect the rights of other citizens.
The ex-warlord stated that politics is not and should not be about self-neglect, such that the Igbo have become unwilling investors in Igbo land.
He said perhaps, the Igbo’s massive investments outside their states have emasculated them from asserting their citizenship rights as Nigerians.
He reasoned that they probably seek to preserve their investments through their meekness.
He advised the Igbo to nurture and strengthen internal unity, coupled with cohesion, so as to remain relevant in the emerging national political structure.
Dim Ojukwu expressed sadness that despite their gift and population spread, the Igbo seem to have become the weakest link in the national political chain.
What grieved him further, he explained, is the fact that Igbo are assigned minor responsibilities in the Nigerian enterprise.
Dim Ojukwu charged Igbo to march forward without fear, but with a commitment to assert ourselves fully in the building of a nation that works for all and not for some of its citizens.
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