Every body “knows” that the Igbos don’t have a leader. Igbo enwe Eze. I
think this is a myth.
Igbos have proven, time after time, that this is not a reality. The
problem is that other cultures in Nigeria wish to impose their indices of
leadership on ndi Igbo.
The Igbo people have a distinct flavour of leadership. Unlike what obtains
in many other tribes in Nigeria, ours is NOT hierarchical. It is firmly
rooted on merit!!!
It does not imply that all the leaders in Igbo land are products of merit.
Many men and women were imposed on hapless Igbos, as leaders. Or rather
boss. But we never could accept them as leaders. Despite how often they
parade or parrot their Igbo leadership “credentials”. This is because Ndi
Igbo have a cosmic understanding of their type of leadership.
Any person who will lead Ndi Igbo in any field of endeavour, must first
distinguish himself above all peers in that field. No matter how high a
person is placed on a pedestal in Igbo land, it can never translate to
true, unstinting, vernacular, cosmological leadership of the Igbo masses;
except she or he be enormously distinguished in that field of leadership.
This is who we are. And this is what is often mistaken as a Leaderless
polity. Some examples:
ZIK. Ndi Igbo followed the Owelle of Onitsha, in Politics, for over 4
decades!!! From the late 1940s to mid 1980s, Nnamdi Azikiwe was the
quintessential Igbo leader in Politics. He regularly commanded undiluted
majority in Igbo land and Igbo enclaves across Nigeria. Even when Ndi Igbo
knew he had little chance of clinching the presidency, they followed him.
We knew he was the most consummate politician of his time. And for all his
ambivalence, we also knew he was Igbo. His parties NCNC and NPP in the 60s
and 80s won Igbo land, fair and square. In the 2nd republic, he was the
last entrant into the political race. Yet he swept the Igbo heartland, the
current 5 states.
Igbos followed Zik. Provided the field was politics!
Ndi Igbo followed Ojukwu!! We stood with him all through the Civil strife.
He represented the Igbo emancipation. He was congruent about Igbo freedom.
He never hesitated to speak or fight, for igbos. He was also a soldier.
Igbos understands that a freedom fighter must speak and act the rhetorics
of freedom fighting! In this, Ojukwu was heads, shoulders and waist above
his peers. There was no hesitation. No double take. No doubt. No
appeasement. No compromise. No hold barred. This is the essence of
emancipation struggle. He embodied it. And Ndi Igbo knew. We followed him.
For good or ill. We followed. Because he was congruent in that struggle,
over the years.
Ralph Uwazuruike failed this test. He couldn’t rise above his peers. He
was not congruent. A freedom fighter does not follow the middle ground. He
must hug the peripheries otherwise he would just be seen as an attention
seeker. Uwazuruike’s rhetorics was not fiery enough. His method was too
mainstream. So igbos couldn’t take him serious enough. He failed to lead
in that area.
But Nnamdi Kanu learnt. He is hugging the periphery. His rhetorics
resonates with his struggle. He is making rasping progress in building
momentum! Many Igbo youths now look up to him. He is gradually gaining
credibility, in the area of Igbo emancipation. This is a reality. I like
to deal in realities, whether palatable or not. Nigeria has an option of
changing or IPOB will continue to grow.
But for Ndi Igbo, Ojukwu was not a political leader. Zik towered above him
in Politics. But Ojukwu was the greatest Igbo leader. In the sense that he
embodied the Igbo struggle.
So Ndi Igbo has an advanced concept of leadership. And it is based on
crystal clear merit!!!
KANU Nwankwo can lead us in matters relating to soccer. But if he wants to
transfer that to politics, we will give him several sits. This is the Igbo
way.
Chukwuma Soludo can lead us in economic rebuilding of Igbo land. But if he
wants to lead the IPOB, anyi enye ya oche.
Fr Mbaka can tell us the way to heaven. Show us the faith that heals. But
if he wants to tell us who to vote for, we smile and pass.
This is the Igbo way of leadership.
In Nigerian politics, as of today, no Igbo politician has risen heads and
shoulder above his peers. Many of them rose to visibility by wading
through the innocent blood of fellow igbos. We know. Many were foisted on
us by ndi ugwu. We know.
When that Igbo leader who has distinguished himself in Politics, has risen
above his peers by merit, has resonance with Ndi igbo; appears, Ndi Igbo
will know.
And we will follow. Ndi Igbo nwelu Eze. But it is not the type you find in
other cultures.
