The Igbo delight in the feeling that they are universally hated in
Nigeria. We dwell on the hatred of other ethnic groups of Nigeria for
us, and make our endless list of Igbo haters. The longer the litany of
our inexhaustible haters, the better we feel; it gives us psychological
satisfaction because it panders to our self-deceit and provides us
culprits for our blame game. No Nigerian ethnic group is totally devoted
to hate and none is totally consumed by love. All of them have the
capacity to hate and love. In their hate, greed and violence, every
major ethnic group of Nigeria, Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo, have
contributed to the problems of Nigeria. So, when we, the Igbo, blame
other Nigerians for hating us, but refuse to acknowledge that we have
also, at different times, acted out in hatred for others, we are lying
to ourselves.
When, on January 15th 1966, four Igbo majors and one Yoruba major, in a
coup attempt, murdered the innocent in cold blood, the two most
important northern Nigeria political leaders (Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa
Belewa) and the four highest ranking northern army officers, it was an
act of love by an Igbo-dominated group of coup plotters. But, when in
reprisal to the lop-sided killings in the coup and the obvious Igbo
insensitivity to the sensibilities of the aggrieved northerners,
northerners killed Aguiyi Ironsi, hunted down Igbo soldiers and
mass-murdered Igbo civilians, it was an act of hate by murderous
“vandals” driven by their implacable hatred for the Igbo. At the end of
the civil war, the Nigerian government, in its hatred for the Igbo and
planned extermination of the Igbo race, released many Biafran prisoners,
both soldiers and civilians. But the Biafrans had no prisoner to release
because, in their saintliness, godliness and unconditional love for all,
they had killed every Nigerian soldier they captured. What nonsense? How
can a people be lying, so brazenly, to themselves?
For our own good, we must stop lying to ourselves. The worst thing
anyone can ever do to himself is to lie to himself. It is our lying to
ourselves and its attendant self-deceit, self-pity and culture of
victimhood that is holding us down in Nigerian politics. It make us
nostalgic for that suicidal escapade, Biafra; fuels the neo-Biafran
insanity; makes us believe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)
nonsense that the Igbo are enslaved in Nigeria; and makes relevant that
confused confusionist that is disturbing the peace of Nigeria and
endangering Igbo lives, Nnamdi Kanu. It has been said that, “madness is
doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different
result”. Our self-deceit, blame game and victimhood approach to Nigerian
politics have, for so long, undermined our progress in Nigeria politics.
It is high time we snapped out of this debilitating mindset.
Most of the times, a man’s problems are not caused by his relatives,
neighbors, friends, and even, enemies, but himself. Therefore, progress
and success in any sphere of human endeavor usually demand that the
individual cast a critical eye on himself and have the courage to tell
himself the truth: that he has caused his own problems. Those that lack
the courage and gumption to do these refuse to take responsibilities for
their actions; they blame their blunders and failures on others. Taking
responsibility for your actions is unpleasant but most helpful. On the
other hand, blaming others for your problems is gratifying but most
destructive.
By the time of the 2019 presidential election, it was obvious that the
Mohammadu Buhari presidency was detrimental to the Igbo. He had already
dramatized his anti-Igbo bias in his political appointments. For
example, no Igbo made the list of his thirty eight appointees to head
the different Nigerian security agencies. Secondly, his administration’s
tacit support for the murderous binges of Fulani herdsmen has left a
trail of death, destruction, pains and sorrow across parts of Nigeria,
including the Igbo states. In their periodic blood-spattered sorties
into Igbo land, the killer herdsmen raped women; killed men, women,
children and even babies; and ravaged and pillaged communities.
Therefore, the Igbo should have labored assiduously for the electoral
defeat of President Buhari. Paradoxically, the majority of Igbo
governors campaigned for the re-election of President Buhari.
The opposing presidential ticket, Atiku Abubakar/Peter Obi, provided a
refreshing alternative to Buharism and its attendant obscurantism,
nepotism and blunders. Its victory would have brought an end to
Buhari-emboldened Fulani irredentism and its associated herdsmen
butchery of the innocent in Igbo land. In addition, it would have made
Peter Obi the vice president, and positioned him for the presidency in
the very near future. Perplexingly, Igbo governors rallied against the
Atiku/Obi presidential ticket. These are a few examples of how we, the
Igbo, cause our own problems and bungle up our political opportunities,
and, in our self-deceit, blame them on the Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani and
other “Igbo haters”.
Was it not supremely ironic that the governors of a people that have
been victims of the killings of killer herdsmen campaigned for the
re-election of a president that is supportive of the herdsmen’s
bloodshed? Was it not tremendously contradictory that despite our
long-running cries of marginalization, Igbo governors worked against the
possible emergence of an Igbo vice president? To shoot ourselves in the
foot and blame “Igbo haters” for it is self-deceit. To lament the
murderousness and criminality of Fulani herdsmen in Igbo land and the
dwindling political lot of the Igbo in Nigeria, but campaign for a
president that supports the herdsmen and undermines the political
significance of Ndi Igbo is political schizophrenia.
Tochukwu Ezukanma writes from Lagos, Nigeria
maciln18@yahoo.com
0803 529 2908