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Sunday, January 11, 2015

What has the Igbo intelligentsia done for Igbo?





“In the current Nigerian situation what we have is a stalemate – no definite agreement to live together but no agreement to separate. In such a case only a compromise solution is reasonable and realistic. We should not suffocate ourselves in too tight an embrace – since there is not yet total agreement to cling together. The important thing is that in the light of our past and present experiences, an adjustment should be made such that can allow the best in the different communities to come out while keeping the worst in them in adequate check.” - Raph Uwechue

If Soyinka were an Igbo son or daughter, would he stand by as his brethren continue to take the abuses, insults, humiliations, marginalizations, deaths, etc, that Ndi Igbo continue to take in Nigeria because he believed in some imaginary nonsense called ‘one Nigeria’? I don’t think so; all we have to do is look at his involvement in all things Yoruba! But the same cannot be said about our Igbo intelligentsia, from Zik to the present crop of intelligentsia who continue to practice the ‘Politics of Appeasement’ and are ready and continue to sacrifice Igbo on the altar of ‘one Nigeria’.

“According to the statement, "Nigeria's Wole Soyinka, a writer, poet and playwright, has been an outspoken critic of many Nigerian administrations and of political tyrannies worldwide. Much of his writing has focused on what he calls "the oppressive boot and the irrelevance of the colour of the foot that wears it."

The statement continues: "Soyinka's activism came at great personal cost. He was arrested in 1967, during the Nigerian Civil War, and placed in solitary confinement for his attempts at brokering a peace between the warring factions. Released 22 months later, after international attention was drawn to his imprisonment, he left Nigeria in voluntary exile."

THE GUARDIAN
US Showcases Soyinka's Work Against Tyranny

From Laolu Akande New York
Sunday, November 23, 2008

As an intellectual, has Soyinka ever shown disinterest or placed Nigeria above the interest of his Yoruba nation? Did that make him less Nigerian? In fact unlike most Igbo intelligentsia, he understands that beauty begins at home. If the leaders of Hausa-Fulani or any other nation in Nigeria are only interested in their own selfish agenda, which does not even include their own people, why should he sacrifice the interest of the Yoruba nation for a pipe dream!

Why would any Igbo son/daughter point to Wole Soyinka, as an example of an international mouthpiece when there are so-called Igbo heavy weights like Achebe, Pat Utomi, Ralph Uwechue, Emeka Anyaoku, in fact, most of the Igbo intelligentsia, of which there are thousands worldwide and most of them famous Igbo sons/daughters? Is Achebe today not one of the most famous Africans whom even as we write, the fiftieth anniversary of his fictitious work, “Things Fall Apart”, is being celebrated worldwide? The up coming Conference on Igbo Civilization in Ala Igbo has been built around the fiftieth anniversary of this prophetic fictional work, “Things Fall Apart”, a work, by his continuing disinterest in the planned marginalization of Ndi Igbo, can only be interpreted as glorifying and celebrating the demise of Igbo nation. Maazi Achebe will make anyone’s list of at least five Africans whom the world would sit up and listen to, yet the sufferings and marginalization of Igbo continue because Igbo sons and daughters of his caliber cannot see their way around their embrace of ‘one Nigeria’ and their continuing ‘Politics of Appeasement’.

Achebe needs no introduction to any Igbo son/daughter or even to most people around the world! Using Soyinka as an example continue to raise a salient and important dilemma that continue to bedevil most Igbo patriots, Oha Igbo and the friends of Ndi Igbo around the world – with the numerous and unequalled number of famous Igbo sons and daughters around the world, why is it that Igbo is being marginalized out of existence and there is total and complete silence? Why the total disinterest from these so-called heavy weights? Why is the Genocaust (Igbo genocide and holocaust) the only crime against humanity that is not even mentioned when other lesser crimes against humanity are being mentioned? Why is it that even now more than forty years after the Genocaust (Igbo genocide and holocaust), those who planned and carried it out are still free men and women and have not had their day in court? Why is it for the past forty years plus since the end of the Biafra/Nigeria war (1970) the oppressive hand of the Nigerian victors on Ndi Igbo have worsened and yet the silence of these so called giants that are now being forced down the throat of Oha are as deafening as ever and their absent in seeking a resolution to these grievances of Ndi Igbo continue?

Why does the Igbo intelligentsia continue to debate a dead issue even after the complete debunk of Zik’s “One Nigeria” fallacy which has cost Ndi Igbo millions of lives and continue to cost Ndi Igbo millions of lives as we write? What other Nigerians other than the Igbo intelligentsia still embrace the ‘one Nigeria’ nonsense? Has the greatest proponent of ‘One Nigeria’, Obasanjo, not finally exposed this mantra to be nothing but a pipe dream? When he had the chance to implement what he had been preaching and for which he helped engineer the deaths of millions of his so called Nigerian brethren, did he not become the most tribalistic (for a better word) leader than any prior Nigerian leader?

What was the stance of both Pa Awolowo and Sarduana of Sokoto on ‘one Nigeria’?

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the undisputed leader of the Yoruba together with his followers believed that Nigeria was a mere geographical expression. They believed staunchly in protecting the interest of the Yoruba Nation. …

Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sarduana of Sokoto and his followers believed that North should be for Northerners, West for Westerners, East for Easterners and the Federation for us all (where ever the federation is). Almost all the Northern leaders of today are staunch followers of Ahmadu Bello except the few followers of Alhaji Aminu Kano and J.S. Tarka.”

Leadership Series – By Ekwe Nche Research Institute/Organization

Umu Igbo, Nigeria was a stillborn child, it was dead on arrival and even Jesus, Mohammad, or any other saint, and prophet or god cannot resurrect her. If both Pa Awolowo and Alhaji Bello not only predicted the future but also foresaw the future of the British Birthed Abomination Nigeria, why do we still continue to beat a dead horse? Has the impossibility of Feudalism and Ohacracy to exist under the same umbrella not been finally established by the sixty years plus of the colossal failure of the Nigerian experiment? Yet Igbo intelligentsia continues to pitch their tent under an impossiblity – ‘one Nigeria’, to the detriment of Oha Igbo. That Igbo lost at least 3.1 million and counting in the 1966 Genocaust (Igbo genocide and holocaust); that Igbo continue to loose millions of lives in the continuing Genocaust, marginalization, etc; that all federal infrastructure in Igbo land have been allowed to decay and in total disrepair; That Ndi Igbo have become third class citizens in their so-called country; that Igbo has now become a beggar nation; that hundreds of thousands of their brethren have been rendered hopeless and homeless due to no fault of theirs but because of the continuing planned marginalization by the Nigerian task masters is irrelevant to these our brethren, these Pharisees who are more Nigerian than other Nigerians and continue to preach ‘one Nigeria’ to the continuing disadvantage of their Igbo nation. They expect Igbo to recognize and bow before them because they have done well for themselves and their families. The question remains, what have they done for Igbo to deserve any respect?

The shame of it all is not their embrace of ‘one Nigeria’ but their refusal to demand accountability from the Nigerian overlords and force them to live up to Nigerian obligations to part of her citizenry (Ndi Igbo) that it has condemned to a life of complete hopelessness and total misery!

Since Maazi Ralph Uwechue is being proposed as the choice of Anioma for the President general of Ohaneze,

AMBASSADOR Ralph Uwechue was at the weekend nominated by Delta State branch of the pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as their consensus candidate for the president-general of the organisation.”

It is important that some of his views be looked at and that we find out if he still holds these views:

“It is evident that the question of ethnic homogeneity is not vital to the formation of a nation.

What is important is that the different peoples should agree to live together or agree to separate along clearly defined lines. …

In the current Nigerian situation what we have is a stalemate – no definite agreement to live together but no agreement to separate. In such a case only a compromise solution is reasonable and realistic. We should not suffocate ourselves in too tight an embrace – since there is not yet total agreement to cling together. The important thing is that in the light of our past and present experiences, an adjustment should be made such that can allow the best in the different communities to come out while keeping the worst in them in adequate check.”

Reflections on the Nigerian Civil War: Facing the Future
By Raph Uwechue
(published in 1969 & revised in 2004)

Maazi Uwechue, your service to Nigeria has been impeccable, we salute you. Since it is our understanding that the post of president general of Ohaneze is about service to Igbo, need we reminded you about the abominable record of Igbo sons and daughters who in position of power had and continue to allow themselves to be used to subvert the interest of Oha. Since the Nigeria/Biafra war, once these brethren get into office, they forget Oha and merrily join those who are sworn enemies of Oha. As the infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc) were allowed to decay, policies put in place to destroy the economic base of Ala Igbo, the planned refusal of any positive federal presence in Ala Igbo, destruction of the stellar Igbo educational system of Ndi Igbo, yes Maazi, as Igbo continue to be pushed into the dark ages and the accompanying dehumanization of Ndi Igbo, our brethren, our elders, ezes, governors, government officials, etc., including the intelligentsia were in the front sit either cheering on or partaking in the parade of shame, as they sold Igbo to all comers. 

A few examples will suffice. Consider the case of Ndi Igbo who had reached Nigerian glass ceiling and been retired rather than rewarded for their service to their so-called country, Nigeria. An example being Major General Okonkwo:

“France honours former AU mission commander Okonkwo

France has conferred on the former Commander of the African Union (Peacekeeping) Mission in Sudan (AMIS), Nigerian Major General Festus Okechukwu Okonkwo the French National Order of Merit Award with rank of Commander for his contributions to peace in Sudan and Liberia. In a citation read at the ceremony at the French Embassy in Abuja, French ambassador Yves Gandeul said the award recognises Gen. Okonkwo`s "prominent roles" in peacekeeping operations, especially in Liberia, under the Economic Community of West African States peacekeeping force (ECOMOG) between 1994 and 1996, which earned him the nickname `hurricane` for his "outstanding professional and personal qualities". The citation also recognised the Nigerian General`s role during the ECOMIL and UNMIL operations in 2003 and 2004. The first batch of 500 Nigerian troops landed in Darfur, Sudan, in August 2005 amidst protest from the Sudanese government and militias believed to be loyal to it. The Nigerian troops had to fight their way against the Sudanese- backed Janjaweed militia to deploy in the troubled Western region. The AU currently has 7,000 troops in Darfur.”

http://www.geocitie s.com/giselelebl anc1/France. htm

As a member of Obasanjo’s government who had a front row seat, as this exceptional officer was ceremoniously removed out of pure hatred and jealousy by Obasanjo because there was plan in place to promote him to an even more prestigious office since he had been recommended to lead the AU, what was the reaction of the Igbo intelligentsia, especially those in the Obasanjo’s government? I know you all must have mentioned it to them (Igbo elders, governors, leaders and made sure that Igbo intelligentsia were privy to it) that this officer described by the UN as the greatest field commander in Africa since Aguiyi Ironsi was about to be replaced because of his nationality. Of course, you the representatives of Oha gave Obasanjo a piece of your minds, making sure he understood where you stood!

As Obasanjo and other Nigerian leaders before and after him continued the planned marginalization and collective punishment of Ndi Igbo, for sure, you the representatives of Oha were in the forefront of the protest by Ndi Igbo that Nigeria do the right thing. Since Obasanjo refused your pleas, when he tried to force himself on Nigeria for a third term in subversion to the constitution of Nigeria, you, the leaders of Oha, made sure his abominable plan to continue in office and thereby intensify the punishment and humiliation of Oha came to naught. The excellent presentation of Igbo grievances during the Oputa Panel, that I am sure, was supported by you, our leaders was not allowed to be shelved because you our leaders sent representatives to governments around the world, the UN and other international bodies to get Nigeria to live up to the findings of the Oputa Panel. As the oil fields were excised from Ala Igbo and put into non-Igbo states to make sure that Ndi Igbo did not reap the benefits of their natural resources, as Ndi Igbo were being massacred in
Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and other parts of Africa, I know for sure that you, the Igbo leaders and intelligentsia were in the forefront of the drive to put a stop to these abuses.

Maazi, the plight of Ndi Igbo in Nigeria has grown worse since the end of the Biafra/Nigeria war, a war that was forced on Ndi Igbo/Biafra. Maazi, has you views about Nigeria changed since you wrote the above quoted book? The first edition was in 1968 to the present revision, in 2004. If the oppression of Igbo has intensified, will you not agree that it is time that we did a rethink? Do you swear, that since you have seen the light, you will now work for Oha understanding that beauty begins at home? Even if you have not reached the same conclusion as Oha, will you at least follow in the footsteps of other Nigerians who understand that “Nigeria is just a geographical expression” or “believed that North should be for Northerners, West for Westerners, East for Easterners and the Federation for us all (where ever the federation is)”.

If you are not in either camp, then it is important that you refuse this position and continue in service of Nigeria, which is also an honorable position.

The organization, Ohaneze has been a disgrace until the current president general, Maazi Ikedife took office. Finally she has started on the path of honor. Ndi Igbo expect you, if you are the next president general to continue on this positive trend. Igbo will be watching not just Ohaneze but other Igbo organizations.

Chi Ukwu gozie Igbo – ISEEEE!

Maazi Onumonu-Uzoaru.
Member – Committee on Information
Ekwe Nche Research Institute/Organizat ion
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