Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko
The uncontrolled, insatiable and quite unreasonable desire by a certain cabal to shut out everybody outside their clique, in the decision-making process within the Igbo sociocultural organization, their strong trust in their alliance with the central government and their deep resentment of any suggestion from activists, established suspicion and distrust between the old and the young in Igboland.
The widening gap religiously dug by the elders, also created over time, a certain mindset of shielding themselves from any criticism, they also subverted and undermined young bold activists, whose guts they deeply despise.
They always gave the impression they had something to hide.
In time, protecting their interests, became more important to them over articulating and promoting group interests. This development instituted distrust, over time, something that eventually led to divisions and a gulf between the elders and the younger generation.
Post civil war leadership in Igboland grew from a not easily definable structure. Every individual of means and influence, saw himself as Igbo leader. Connection to the centre, seemed the defining factor.
That confusing format, was established during the military era.
Certain prominent Igbo technocrats and top civil servants such as Jerome Udorji, Moses Udebiuwa and co, exerted some measure of presence and influence, enough to get the attention of Dodan barracks.
Dr Pius Okigbo, Prof Ben Nwabueze, Dr Sylvester Ugoh at Scoup agencies and Igwe Mathias Ugochukwu of Umunze, in association with certain first republic ministers, representing several varying interests groups, also battled for influence and relevance using their connections and past links within government to achieve a measure of relevance during the, Gowon, Murtala and Obasanjo regimes.
Other desperate influence peddlers such as JSPC Nwokolo, manipulated relationships with certain Northern leaders, to throw around their weight as influential Igbo leaders. The parameters for emerging influential Igbo man, was regrettably reduced to one’s ability to get things done during the military era. In other words, if you “lent” your niece to a powerful General in government, you may become automatically qualified for government contracts and access to Dodan barracks and move up the social ladder quickly.
A few new mansions, membership of people’s club and one or two chieftaincy titles, and boom you have arrived as a great Igbo leader. Sad but true.
The four years interegnum of democracy, between 1979 and 1983, didn’t remarkably alter the new queer formula of Igbo leadership recruitment process. The only remarkable development of the Shagari era, was the strange fact that the entire Igbo elite club abandoned Zik’s NPP and preferred accommodation in the NPN, in pursuit of patronage from the central government.
Ninety nine percent of Ndigbo stood with Zik’s NPP, ninety nine percent of the elite club stood with the NPN. That is where they began to isolate themselves from the masses. They didn’t care. They placed pursuit of pecuniary interest and accommodation at the centre, over and above identifying with their people. They have not changed their mindset till date. Connection with the central government matter more to them than connection with the masses.
They left Zik with only Sam Mbakwe and Jim Nwobodo, they abused and mocked the great Zik from sun up to sun down. One described his legitimate complaints as the “rantings of an ant”, others sponsored a most embarrassing TV ad shaming him as “Zik nnaa, zuokwanu ike”.
Trumpet newspaper, printed in Ibadan, but distributed only in Igboland, was dedicated to hounding the great Zik and the NPP government of old Anambra state out of the way. Igbo politicians who abused Zik to no end then, were in their 30s and 40s, today they are in their 70s and 80s and they lament that Nnamdi does not respect elders.
The military regimes of Buhari, IBB, Abacha and Abdusalam, saw Igbo leaders continue from where they stopped earlier.
Connection to Aso rock defined Igbo leadership. One well known businessman told a crowd at Awka in the 1990s, that wether they voted for or not, wether they like it or not, that a certain lady he was backing would emerge Anambra Governor, because General Abacha had decreed so.
Igbo leaders who decided the faith of Ndigbo weren’t dedicated credible men who fought for the group interest of their people, no, Igbo leaders were folks who had access to and kissed up to Northern leader in charge of Nigeria, willing to and actually did only what theses Northern masters wanted, and were deliberately empowered and recognised as Igbo leaders, by the masters of Naija.
That doesn’t mean in anyway that there weren’t upright and sincere leaders. There are, they couldn’t do much.
There are committed and upright Igbo politicians, but they aren’t in the majority. The selection process is designed to favour the compradors. Truth is bitter.
The Abacha era confirmed the meddlesomeness from outside that defined the humiliating condition of the Igbo in contemporary Nigeria.
The Abacha era, anti-military agitation, showed that Yoruba elders can place group interest over self interest.
At that time, the entire Yoruba nation were lined up behind Chief Abraham Adesanya and NADECO, battling General Abacha in the quest to restore Abiola’s annulled mandate. The elders were in front carrying along their youths.
In Igboland the reverse was the case. The younger generation have been struggling to regain their lost dignity and the elders not only distanced from them, but labelled them miscreants.
Important decisions were taken without input from the younger generation. Nobody cared about their pain, their frustrations and their welfare. They are unimportant.
The bigger tragedy was, the fact that nobody saw anything wrong with that. Rather, everyone was jostling and hustling for a piece of the action from unitary, unjust Nigeria. The future and destiny of the Igbo race seemed doomed. There was no help from anywhere. No hope in sight.
Advent of the current dispensation in 1999, ushered in another era of same old system, but this time acted by new initiates. Bizarre electoral process manipulated by acolytes of the central government, threw up a new political class, loyal to themselves and their political careers.
In no time, everyone lost interest in the system, except for the beneficiaries.
The suffocating unitary structure with its attendant sociopolitical crises, completed the total loss of faith in the system that eventually woke up the stubborn political class to the unpleasant reality of the precarious situation of the country.
The activists who inspired awareness seminars for youths sensitization for years and the agitators who could no longer swallow the absurdities in the land, commitedly pressed on for change. Of course they were called names, but only their activism could bring about change. Change of any kind. Then the indolent and ambivalent silent majority finally woke up. The conspiratorial cabal finally realised that the people have risen.
And they are now struggling to begin to do the right things they would have done years ago: Identify with the pain of the hapless masses.
But they are angry with folks they perceive as catalysts for change.
Yes, they blackmail and hunt the activists and agitators who pushed and pushed for positive change. Some one will have to be punished for the positive change coming to the land. No problem. It has always been that way all through history. The anger of the oppressor will always seek to devour those who inspired the change.
Finally, the arrogant and very difficult politicos, who for decades pretended they didn’t know the meaning of restructuring, suddenly began to press for constitutional amendments.
The long mistreated people of Igboland, who were treated as if they didn’t matter, want their self respect. They want equal treatment. They want justice. They can no longer accept endless humiliation.
Their hope is for a new better tomorrow. They don’t want to live in the world packaged for them by the unforgiving victors of the civil war. They desire equal treatment.
Facing the truth and articulating an awareness campaign that will lead to positive change, was very risky business.
The situation was heart rending and very pathetic. Any body bold enough to properly analyse and articulate the problem and also “crazy” enough to embark on an altruistic attempt to redefine and redress the damage, will be honest to himself that he is embarking on a very sensitive and dangerous mission.
The political hustlers, feasting on the future of the Igbo race, for too long, will not believe it will ever be possible to redefine the addictive format they have become so used to over the years.
First, they’ll ignore and mock. Next, they’ll oppose and fight. They’ll blackmail, attack and then declare war to continue their old ways. When it becomes clear that they’ve lost the battle because the masses have become woke and that they lost the control and even the respect of the masses, then and only then will they reluctantly begin to do all the right things they would have done years ago.
But they’ll never forgive the activists and the agitators who changed the template.
They demarket, degrade and blackmail the heck the activists who inspired the change of template. That is the nature of man. It couldn’t have been any other way. Some one will be blackmailed. Some one will carry the blame. The important thing is that positive change is inevitable.
All hands should be on deck to heal the land now.
Running away from the truth will not save the situation. Only the truth will heal the land. Only justice and equity will enthrone peace, harmony and progress.
Nobody is angry with anybody.
Today, the Igbo political class who have dogded the reality of the angst in their region, no longer have a choice over the matter. They must get involved.
They must present the truth to the world. They must present the injustices in the land, that inspired the agitation and stand up to defend their people.
They cannot avoid the truth. They can’t run away from the truth anymore. There’s nowhere to run to. They have unwittingly ran into a cul de sac. It is time to redefine and redesign Naija. The people are awake now.
Time isn’t on anybody’s side. This is my story.
My TESTIMONY.
To be CONTINUED.
