The Igbos need to start appreciating their strength and what they have, in order to leverage those better in Nigeria or wherever they find themselves, which is now everywhere. The Igbo used be a landlocked Equatorial Rain Forest tribe, with warlords and intractable inter communal conflicts, among other good social and economic redeeming group qualities. That is how the White man found them and testified to by no other than Professor Chinua Achebe, in the highly critically acclaimed epoch novel:Things Fall Apart. Compare that to where they are now despite all odds placed in their tracks: from this landlocked rain forest locale to a very thriving world wide Diaspora, all in a little over100 years. This is no mean accomplishment and part of it is easily accreditable to their civil war experience and being handed the short end of the stick in Nigeria, since then. Somebody mentioned Germany supporting Biafra? Nothing could be more contradictory. Avoiding war or supporting one is enshrined in the German Constitution, after the debacle foisted on Germans as a result of the nationalistic excesses of the Third Reich. The easiest way to lose election in Germany, is advocating Germany that would assert itself, outside its borders. Germany could have reasserted itself on global scale since then, but just like Japan, they chose not to, leaving war mongering to the conquering former USSR, US and the UK, which social and economic fabric is continually being eroded by their self imposed status of Policemen of world, since WWII. USSR of course, imploded under the weight of Super Power Status. Germany and Japan continue to prosper with social and economic policies that make their people one of the happiest in the world, while their conquerors straddle themselves with the burden of imperialism. The Igbo should not give up on what they believe is their right in a country they are supposedly held hostage, but should also emulate other nations and people, with similar history, the Jews included, in handling their internal affairs. Being part of Nigeria does not take away the innate attributes of being Igbo. Though, under a quasi-confederation, the Igbo was at his best, before the war and under Nigeria. That is the magic that needs to be reinvented and is more sorely missing than not producing a president yet. What did the rest do with their opportunities;earned or otherwise? The Southwest is what it is today due to Awo and to UPN, when their people were in opposition. They were enhanced during their stint of sharing the bed with the Hausa/Fulani, just like every other group, except the Igbo. Most of the gains have evaporated in most of Nigeria, leaving unmaintained dilapidated and elephant projects, that were never supposed to be in those places, to begin with, like some airports and refinery, in the North. The Yoruba Southwest is resilient because of the good psychological foundation their leaders laid for them. The Igbo and to some extent, the North lost theirs. Igbos need to regain group cohesion and love for the common good. This was the psychology that propelled the Igbo out its former myriad of little Rain Forest Nation States, where every village existed without regard to its other tiny neighbor, to a true integrated nation, in a little more than 100 years! The experience of the Igbo in Nigeria, is not all gloom and doom. It has some silver lining and for the religious, the hand of God. The Igbo is always the next in population, after the indigenes, in any state in Nigeria. Estimated population in Lagos State alone is over 40%, the largest concentration of the Igbo, outside the Southeast zone. Beyond the shores of Nigeria, a very viable Diaspora has developed, with a second generation Igbos that are holding their own in all spheres of endeavors in the US and Canada. There is a vibrant Igbo Diaspora, even in the cold Helsinki, Finland to which the all important Nokia phones are natives. It can boast of blond and blue eyed Igbo children. What of China, Libya, Japan and Korea? A popular saying in Nigeria is its condition that make crayfish bend. In the case of the Igbo in Nigeria, these hazardous conditions, are not without long term benefits for the Igbo and Nigeria. The blond hair and blue eye Igbo kid in Helsinki will one day work for Nokia as a Finish citizen, from who no industry secret, would be hidden from. Like the Chinese, Jews(Israel), Koreans who were developed by their Diaspora, these benefits are lurking there, to be harvested pretty soon, by Nigeria. Their recent history of persecution has made the Igbo less insular and less discriminatory of where to call home in large numbers:Togo, Benin Republic, South Africa, Ghana, Botswana, Swaziland, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, the Cameroons. Just name it, the ubiquitous Igbo is there! Its something to celebrate and not to anguish over. In history, the predator goes before the prey and the latter is forced into fast adaptation, in other to survive! Let me end with this story. A certain blue blood Fulani was once Nigerian Ambassador to the US. In one of his rare question and answer sessions with Nigerians at an embassy social event, a certain Igbo stood up, ranted and raved about the Igbo experience in Nigeria and how they were denied admission through quota system and other Affirmative Action programs, for which Nigeria was notorious for instituting only in the areas they believed Igbos had advantages. The well known brilliant academic, veritable administrator and politician turned diplomat, asked the Hausa/Fulani in the audience to stand up. They could be counted with the fingers found on one hand. Same went to most other Nigerians of other ethnic extractions. When it came to the turn of the Igbos, they were over 90% of the audience. The ambassador concluded by telling the obviously aggrieved Igbo in the audience, that the make up of the audience clearly showed that whatever discriminatory policies they were accused of perpetrating on the Igbos did not work. In fact, it failed woefully in the face of what the Igbo has accomplished in the US and all over the world, where they were forced into the status of economic refugees, by policies against them at home. Igbos must lift themselves out of self pity in Nigeria;acknowledge and celebrate their accomplishments worldwide and work hard in reviving all those innate abilities that let them flourish in Nigeria of the 60s in academia, business, industry, sport, the military, the police, federal civil service, etc. The Igbo must not drop his guard and succumb to corruption, because everyone else around him is doing it. I refuse to continue to subscribe to persecution mentality/complex the Igbo has exhibited since 1970 or languish in self pity. No matter what is thrown to them by other groups, the Igbo has done well as individuals, regardless. He is far his own worse enemy, when it comes to his group interest. The group eternal vigilance and protection mantra need to be regained. It is more sorely needed in Nigeria and the Igbo Diaspora, than the Nigerian Presidency.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 15:16:41 +0000
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