Igbonekwu Ogazimora
No sane man can deny the fact that the gruesome murder of the Northern pregnant woman and her children, just like all the other senseless murders, was too bad to even ponder.
The Anambra State Government had quickly made an offer of N10m to any information that would lead to the arrest of the gang that carried out the odious job.
Security sources say they are making progress.
But these are besides the point now.
What is at issue is the online media drive to incite the North into reprisal killing of Igbos in the Northern cities and villages.
The promoters, mostly driven by ego and thirst for blood of the innocent want a return to the old northern practice of mass killings, the like of which we had in 1966, and which actually led to the Nigeria – Biafra war. Never mind that till date, some elements still claim that the Igbo caused the war.
Of course, it has been long these fellows had been working at the possibilities of another pogrom on the Igbo, largely out of envy and devilish political gains.
What appeared to hamper them was that most of the northerners have now had a taste of the character deformity of herdsmen whose masters always promoted the various pogroms.
So, in effect, they would not have the backing of the other northerners to so act.
But this cold blooded murder of this family appears to provide some impetus for them. They were another ordinary northerners.
By the way, what could have been the reason for the murder of the family?
It couldn’t have been anything relating to the sit at home because according to reports, they were killed at home.
It couldn’t have been in scoring any political point since any harm to such a lowly family of commoners offered nothing to the Biafra struggles.
And it couldn’t have been that they were a threat of any sort.
Of course, we all know that the enforcers of sit at home since the cancellation of the exercise by IPOB were largely by criminals and some bizarre humans, mostly addicted to drugs, who also practice cannibalism.
This again is besides the point.
So, what will northerners achieve with a reprisal and another pogrom?
Two outcomes stand out:
They certainly will succeed in killing hundreds or even thousands, because Ndigbo, in their unquestioning belief in Nigeria are domiciled up north in good number.
They will also have billion Naira worth of property to destroy, not necessarily as part of the reprisal but unhealthy envy always associated with people who see the presence of fellow country men as favours done to the sojourner.
There will be consequences or wouldn’t there be? IPOB sensitisation and mobilisation had recorded historic successes, no thanks to perfidy of State governments and leadership persons. These leaders and governments have displayed the most ignoble act of neglect of safety of the society and and foundation of good order by looking out for only themselves.
Of course, other common Nigerians have not fared better but the case of the Igbo rests on its republican nature and wide spread of self actualisation possibilities. They are expectedly complaining more.
Consequently, three trends will follow any renewed pogrom on the Igbo.
1. It will result in instant exodus from the North, the build up of chilling accounts of the exiles, and recounting of losses (human and material).
2. It will play into the hands of IPOB’s political department, if there is anything like that, and massive propaganda will take the nails right to the right or wrong points, and we would head to another point of no return.
Typical northern irridentists can boast that as the Gowon regime defeated the former Biafra, the present Nigeria establish will defeat this present clamour.
But here is where they will miss or mix the points. Nigeria of 2022 is not Nigeria of 1966. A discussant once argued, “in 1966, less than 1,000 Igbos lived abroad and less than 300 was able to contribute to the struggle. Today, they are in millions and can contribute hugely in material, diplomacy and knowhow. So,’ he argued, “never think that the outcome would be the same.”
This is also besides the point.
The point is that then, Nigeria would be fighting a second civil war, modern technology will force a different scenario.
If indeed anybody is to blame for the ongoing killings, it is the Federal Government which has ceded power of governance and dominance to non-State actors. You cannot eat your cake and have it. You have misgoverned, losing every bit of trust of the people. Your operatives have embezzled security funds, leaving security operatives standing on the road just to extort, rob and murder.
Better give it a good thought before you embark on another of your reprisals.
