By Stanley Anozie
The emergence of any nation-state ought to happen via a well thought-out socio-political framework or blueprint—call it a social contract. This social contract—like a moral contract— must define and determine the quality of leadership and followership for a sustainable nation-state. In our contemporary world, it is important that a conference on the nature of governance, leadership and followership in Biafra be fully articulated to avoid the same structural problems prevalent in Nigeria (If one argues that Nigeria is a contraption or a badly conceived medley of nation-states, and not a negotiated federation).
In light of lack of a socio-political framework, the current articulation and drive for Biafra is so puerile. The real political values for a nation-state have not been candidly addressed. As a possible emerging nation-state, the people leading the agenda must have a clear concept of their socio-political plans that should include the form of leadership, of democracy (participatory, representative, etc), and the political-economy to be practiced.
These forms of leadership and political economy ought to be advanced through a culture of political values- of honesty, integrity, credibility, political belongingness (justice and recognition), relational accountability, transparency, etc as genuine ‘force vitale’ for any good Idea of Biafra.
In recent years, I have had opportunities to involve some Southeasterners in my educational projects and initiatives. The impressions I get from most (not all) of my Igbo co-workers are people willing to intimidate, extort, cheat, kill a good leadership educational project that should positively impact on the lives of their loved ones and the economy of their communities. It seems rare to find people with a good understanding and convincing commitment for political virtues or values—admirable in nation building and successful citizens’ co-existence. How can Biafra as a nation-state succeed if most people in our Igbo communities are averse to rule of law and are interested in extorting unsuspecting co-citizens and organizations provided to serve them, especially educational empowerment institutes? Do we have the ‘citizen mind’ or ‘citizen culture’ required for genuine nation building, or the patriotic culture for socio-political excellence?
Following the recent sit-at-home order from some quarters, I wondered the purpose of such order in a region terribly impacted by recession, impoverished by inadequate management of financial resources and human resources. I understand that much of the order was obeyed by people out of fear. How can one live in fear of attack and intimidation by aggressive youthful brigade in an emerging nation-state like Biafra? Issues like these must be central in the discourse about Biafra’s exit from Nigeria. Does it mean that Biafra and the minorities in the new Biafra will go through the same déjà vu conditions they are working so hard to overcome (in terms of the argument about Southeastern/Igbo marginalization in Nigeria? Will any Igbo man or woman be marginalized or intimidated or made to live in fear because of his/her divergent socio-political views? This is why the socio-political values of an emerging nation-state must be articulated, reviewed, and the process of implementation discussed for our common good in an enduring democracy. It is not to have a nation-state, but to be REALLY READY for a nation-state. Anything other than these essential structures for socio-political values will continue to push Southeastern/Igbos into the direction of much disturbing video paradigms on YouTube, sadly depicting for the most part anger, insult and hatred for other people, and not much about socio-political wisdom and integrity.
Sadly so, the recent video-clips of sit-at-home day events, as noticed on YouTube are very disturbing. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pzZJvFnrO0 (dirty streets and peaceful demonstrations, these are not streets in Buhari’s Abuja or in the North of Nigeria). Young people ‘joyfully’ and ‘peacefully’ demonstrating in an environment covered with litter and dirty erosion water. I wish the ‘order’ was rather about cleaning Biafra-land, not merely to sit-down at home, or dance along the highways, or sing in our streets without plans for teaching socio-political excellences or values for Biafra’s socio-political gravitas. I consider these video-clips as concrete indications of failure and highly probable lack of quality political competence and socio-political credibility. In an interview granted by one of our Igbo Movie Veterans-Pete Edochie, for him, the Southeastern youth and governors could organize an event that will encourage socio-cultural synergy for the development of the Southeast (I extend his views to quintessential socio-political values). These are the kind of discourses we need to have for advancing a nation-state. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJRqR2GHPT0 (Pete Edochie, on a United Igbo).
Further on the kind of discourses, may I call our attention to the idea of local government system, do we have local government elections or merely local government appointees—transition committees (TC)–who are at the mercy of the governors in the Southeast? (Just to focus on our region). Local government system could have been an excellent way of bringing quality leadership, development to our people, and provision of jobs to our youth and engagement of all on civic engagement. Political virtues/values are great if our people at the grassroots are involved and have a clear vision of what civic engagement is all about. Lack of these basic socio-political values or virtues seems to propel the quasi “militancy” in our youth demonstrating for Biafra (without due considerations of the real socio-political demands for an accountable democracy). The Idea of Biafra cannot adequately be transmitted by quasi-militancy, aggressive war chants and mere alliance to Christianity (the young people chanting Christian songs and some dressing-up as Jews—i.e., Igbo Jews). Of course, any Igbo person could practice any form of religions he/she chooses but these are not, in the truest sense, infallible agencies for political integrity and credibility. So far, the quasi-political drama has rather been an effort to align oneself to sentiments associated with European Christian Colonialist utopia (which is in opposition to true political liberation and against any form of human equity). Political liberation are accomplished through socio-political values of Freedom, Liberty, Equity, Relational Accountability, Citizen Accountability, Transparency, Pointed Leadership, Political Wisdom, Practical Wisdom, Mutual Recognition and Respect, etc. The Idea of Biafra is not accomplished through internet war-fare by YouTube warriors or through disrespectful comments like “Nigeria is a ZOO”! The guidance of political/practical wisdom and insightful intelligence are inevitable for any viable nation-state.
We could politically liberate our people from any form of marginalization (real or assumed) if we collaborate at the regional, state, local government, ward, and community levels. We could determine our political future by rejecting any agency of corruption in the form of disrespect for the rule of law, drug cartelism (get rich quick, wealth competitions in the region), public service nepotism, dishonesty, and other forms of endemic corrupt practices in the Southeast. For instance, some of our Southeastern (Igbo) chemists sell fake drugs/medications to Southeastern families and their children. I consider this as one of many self-inflicted injustices and self-genocide and self-marginalization. Same applies to all forms of substandard goods people in the Southeast sell to their own people. These are not crimes perpetuated against people of the Southeast by the Southwest, South-south or by the North, or by President Buhari.
The agitation for Biafra has really picked up during Buhari/Osinbajo’s APC presidency. But why at this time when we have elected two credible and well-respected personalities to be at the helm of affairs in a country whose image had already been battered before the last elections. Nigeria’s economy was heading for recession and obvious economic and security crises (part of the reasons why Buhari/Osinbajo’s presidency became a necessity). Why is Nigeria now angrily referred to as a Zoo? Is it merely a coincidence? Why were there no significant demands for self-determination in the Southeast during Goodluck EBELE AZIKIWE Jonathan’s presidency? Why was Nigeria not referred to as a Zoo during EBELE AZIKIWE’s presidency? Again, why now after the election of this best team of political option—gentlemen of integrity: Buhari and Osinbajo? We need to give them the opportunity to lead us and we need to constructively challenge them by being politically honest and credible about our agitations for re-structuring.
What is ultimately important is that a re-structured Nigeria is a possibility. We could all (South, North, East, and West) get there by advancing a credible political attitude, political belongingness, sustained by genuine political values/virtues (Freedom, Equity, Justice, Relational Accountability, etc), and communicated through a culture of civic engagement or citizen mind or citizen culture.
The avant-garde of the current Idea of Biafra need(s) to re-structure its orientations and directions to avoid repeating the crux of current Nigerian political situation (that inevitably defines our socio-economic crisis if political integrity determines economic excellence). I hope that ‘Igbo people’ from Ukwa-East (Abia State), Abakaliki (Ebonyi State), or any part of the present Igboland will not cry out against marginalization in the new emerging Biafra. For a new nation-state to be democratically sustainable, it must be politically credible, with diets of practical wisdom and excellences, without any form of intimidations against the human rights/dignity of her possible citizenry. These are the values (framework) the current Idea of Biafra must respect and focus on taking care of; not just singing songs, and not merely sitting-at-home!