Ever since President Buhari won the 2015 Presidential elections he was
destined to win having labored in 2003, 2007, 2011 and then 2015 a very
vast preponderance of South South and South East indigenes have
descended on the President, pouring invectives, calling him names,
abusing his person and his exalted office, preaching hate, and ethnic
divisions. I have followed this dangerous trend over a year now and it
is not abetting. It is growing like wild fire everyday. In recent times
the South-South people whose son lost the election have moved on except
the criminal avengers who are fighting for their pockets only and
destroying their environment.
I have seen spirited and genuine efforts being made by the leaders of
South-South to bring peace to the Niger Delta and I heartily commend
them for this. It is in their own interest. But in the South East our
people have refused to move on. In diaspora, in Nigeria, in schools, in
the markets, on the streets, in Churches, in Town Meetings etc Igbo
have refused to move on. Every move the President makes to rebuild and
reposition the country is abused, castigated and ethnic meaning read
into it. The dangerous trend has become so embarrassing that one is
compelled to speak out. While leaders of South-South have made
interventions to make way for harmony and peaceful co-existence, Igbo
leaders have maintained a deafening silence but this silence is no
longer golden. Ethnic bigotry and hate speeches our people both at home
and abroad dish out everyday endanger our people living in all parts of
Nigeria. President Buhari belongs to a section of Nigeria and must not
run away with the thinking that his people will be happy and clap for
us when we malign and abuse one of their own.
No ethnic group in Nigeria moves and settles in any part of the country
like the Igbo. They settle and do business in almost every part of the
country, and when we throw stones to other Nigerians we endanger their
lives and their businesses. The worst sets of Igbo guilty of this
dangerous trend are those living outside the country. While some of
them are engaged into meaningful employment, many of them are
unemployed. They have become economic refugees and cultural savages.
They have formed an association of hate preachers and wailing bigots.
They have through actions and deeds created millions of enemies for
Ndigbo in Nigeria while they waste their precious gift of time abroad
doing nothing.
Last week the Vice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo was in Afe Babalola University Ekiti State as Guest Speaker
during the University’s Convocation ceremony. In the cause of his
speech, he told his capacity audience the Niger Delta Avengers are not
freedom fighters but those fighting for their pockets only. I saw the
story on facebook and other sites on the internet. The one on Facebook
caught my attention because of nearly 400 reactions as at the time I
read it. I took mental note of the reactions and the names attached to
it. 95% are Igbo names and they abused and called the Vice President
unprintable names for speaking the truth. This is a shame. Ignorance
should not be a virtue. Ignorance is a disease. Foolishness is a
tragedy. This is ignorance stupid. This is mental darkness. A roaring
lion kills no game. It is only a river that wants to get dried up that
forgets its source. A Chinese proverb tells me that “He who blames
others has a long way to go on his journey. He who blames himself is
half way there. He who blames no one has arrived”
Now, it is time for the Igbo to move on and join other Nigerians to
begin the process of rebuilding Nigeria. I want Igbo Governors, elected
Senators, elder statesmen, House of Reps Members, House of Assembly
members, political leaders, traditional rulers, Igbo intellectuals,
professionals, market leaders, town union leaders, village heads etc to
rise up to defend the integrity and honour of Igbo race. Are these
ignorant ones who preach hate speaking for us? Are they representing
us? Are they our brightest and bests? Are those asking for Biafra and
using it as business venture speaking for all of us? Have we taken a
look at the situation in South Sudan today? Shall we continue to sleep
pretending that all is well? Can we be honest enough to see the real
danger ahead? For how long will our leaders continue to be silent on
these weighty issues? Can elders continue to sleep while the kids wear
snakes as necklaces? Can the young teach tradition to the old? Who will
bell the cat in Igboland? Who will call the ignorant kids to order?
Did the Yoruba go to war when June 12 1993 Presidential Election won by
their illustrious son Chief MKO Abiola was annulled on June 23rd 1993
on a sheet of paper by IBB? Did Yoruba go to war when Abiola’s wife
Alhaja Kudirat Abiola was murdered in Lagos in the morning of Jun 4
1996? Did Yoruba go to war when the winner of that historic election
was poisoned on July 7 1998? Did Yoruba go to war when those who killed
Abiola imposed Obasanjo on them as President in 1999? Did Yoruba accept
Chief Ernest Shonekan when IBB made him to head the interim government
in 1993? Yoruba rejected OBJ and Shonekan because this unique race has
never been slaves to public office and yet they have remained number
one in Nigeria in almost everything. This is wisdom and strategic
thinking at work.
Those of us who have lived in Yoruba land for years should not only
learn how to wear Aso Ebi, eat Ewedu soup or dance Owambe, music. We
should also make efforts learn other unique things from them like
sharing property to both male and female children, religious tolerance,
ethnic tolerance, transferring legacies from generation to generation.
Do you know that APC National leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s wife
is a Christian? Do you know that former Governor Fashola’s wife is a
Christian? We can learn a lot from Yoruba. Yoruba too can learn from
Igbo in areas of thinking home, business enterprise, self-help,
apprenticeship, town Union meetings, August meetings etc.
A Yoruba woman, a Pastor Mrs Eunice Olawale Elisha of the Redeemed
Christian Church of God old NEPA Road Phase 4 Kubwa, Abuja was killed
by unknown persons on Saturday morning of July 9 2016 while preaching
the gospel around 5.30am. I have followed the reactions on the internet
and Yoruba do not behave like the Igbo. They have been speaking but not
preaching hate. They have called for the culprits to be fished out,
prosecuted and punished. If Mrs Eunice Elisha had been an Igbo hell
would have been let loose. There would have been abuses and abuses. But
Yoruba are not Igbo. This is civilization. This is strategic thinking.
I hope our people can learn from this. Civility is not a sign of
weakness. He who fights and run away lives to fight another day.
To have ears is not to listen, to listen is not to hear, to hear is not
to understand, to understand is not to put to practice. I know that
writing this may not get me many friends among the Igbo but it always
get me the right ones.
Case Rested!
Joe igbokwe
Lagos