Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko
63 Leadership is worrying about the welfare, planning the future, carrying the burden and taking care of all the needs of a people, just like you would your family. Leaders give inspiration, direction, succour and protection. They feed and nurture the weak, TOLERATE THE YOUNG, protect the poor, defend the land and take responsibility for the general well-being of the land. They also correct the mistakes of the past and chart a course for the future. Leadership is responsibility. Dr Mike Okpara gave Ndigbo Leadership, Odimegwu-Ojukwu took charge in wartime and led Ndigbo through a devastating war. Ukpabi Asika set the stage for the tolerance and acceptance of certain absurdities of the post civil war Igbo leaders and the abnormal culture of servile disposition that defined the offensive new normal, that angers the younger generation. Colonels Anthony Ochefu, John Atom Kpera and a host of subsequent military administrators who were imposed on Alaigbo didn’t give a hoot about direction Igboland grew. As far as they were concerned, they were only on military duties, with loyalty to the central government.
64 Absurdities such as, Col I D Bisalla, commander of the then 21st armoured brigade, Akpa ukwa Enugu, usually deliberately arriving Enugu stadium late, at an event, after the administrator must have arrived and seated, so as not to partake in the standing ovation traditionally given to Asika, the political head of the East Central State, who should arrive last, according to the demand of official protocol. Everyone notes quietly, but remembers we lost a war recently. These loss of respect and loss of dignity, was to be tolerated and accepted by leaders of the zone unconsciously, until it became standard norm to treat them without respect, deny them their rights and intimidate them into submission. It only got worse with time. These subtle disregard and disrespect, metasaszied into a huge cancer of maltreatment and oppression. The very bases for the anger of the younger generation. They are saying no to these absurdities.
65 Human nature encourages people sitting on your head to continue and even enjoy it, as long as you didn’t complain when they sat on your back. They’d even feign surprise anytime your generation reject the culture of being sat on. Reason: Everybody has so gotten used to sitting on your head, that they can’t imagine life without the luxury and privilege of sitting on your head. They refuse to get off your back even quickly and readily threaten you and prepare the horses and chariots to do all in their power to keep your head down, so they’ll continue the decades-old culture of sitting on your head, they’ve become so used to. They prefer to battle to sustain the status quo, they have become so addicted to. It does not matter to them, that the template and format agreed at independence, assured all of true federalism, regional autonomy and devolution of power. They believe the war gave them the advantage of suppressing and holding you down. They won’t let go. They have perfected the formula and strategy of subduing and intimidating your leaders, to the point that they have almost become compliant and subservient to the power base and the owners of the land. They are determined to keep it that way.
66 Your regional leaders know where the seat of power is located, they also know why they must fall in line and be the good boy. They dare not make any move not even a public statement, without considering how the owners of power will see and feel about the statement. They have accepted and adapted over time, to remain eternally compliant to the whims of the owners of the land, if they hope to be relevant within the system. You must be compliant, and eternally seek the face and the approval of owners of the land. That is the silent code of conduct. Be a good boy and we’ll work with you.
This unfair and unkind post civil war culture that endorses the litany of injustices, that have been subconsciously accepted as the new normal, presents anyone hungry for justice and equity, as a troublemaker maker, miscreant, if you will. Very reason for the agitation.
67 Cornering to themselves, the headship of all the agencies and institutions that controls instruments of coercion, taking total control of the three arms of government, turning other regions as unlookers and spectators, forcing their leaders into silence and compliance, fear of dominance enveloped the land. This is where the behaviour of leaders of my region, became subjects of interest to the younger generation Ndigbo, who helplessness and hopelessness, watched, very fearful of the future. As the youths reacted in uncontrolled anger and began to agitate, then this: THE GREAT MISTAKE OF ALLOWING THE ATTITUDE PROBLEMS OF THE LEADERS OF THE AGITATING YOUTHS, TO BECLOUD THE SENSE OF REASONING OF THE GOVERNMENT, THEREBY HINDERING THE GREAT NEED TO PAINSTAKINGLY AND ACCURATELY DISSECT THE FEARS INSPIRING AND FUELLING THE AGITATION, AND TO CAREFULLY ARTICULATE AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE.
68 This great error, led to both, misdiagnosis of the agitation and misapplcation of strategy of containment. Resulting in totally making a mess of eating boiled eggs. Age old culture of shifting the blame and turning around to seek who to blame, exposed the weakness of regional leaders. Content only on blaming everyone else but themselves for the untidy situation, they unwittingly confirmed to the world that they aren’t in control of the region.
With the just-lifted sit-at-home shutdowns, nobody’s in doubt anymore who’s in charge of the region. Finally, the leaders, for the first time in 22 years ( since the agitation began in 1999), were forced to stand up and raise their voices. Hallelujah.
The task before our leaders today, therefore is, why are the younger generation disappointed with the attitude of Igbo leaders towards the plight of our people over the years? Why? Honestly seeking the answer to this, will quickly and quietly resolve the issues and heal the land.
69 Do our leaders stand up for the truth or do they protect their political careers first? Has there been determined efforts towards the realisation of a seaport, international Airport, railways, power generation and other critical infrastructure for the zone over the years? Are they committed to the inevitable reconstruction of the polity along the lines of true federalism and devolution of power? Why did they keep quiet while the agitation raged for 22 years? Why did they lack the courage before now, to advance the truth that, military option cannot resolve the problem? What are they waiting for to collectively present to the central government, the whole truth: that only an early restructuring of the polity will heal the land?
That they must articulate and develop a regional development agenda, resuscitate and implement previous regional development plans and convince the masses that they truly care about the future of our people.
70 Do they have a blueprint for regional integration? Do they have a compendium of Igbo youths in jail all over the world? What are they waiting for before they vigorously intervene in the crystal meth(mkpuru nmiri) pandemic ravaging our youth? Till date, no state ministry of youth affairs, has waded in to the crystal meth pandemic, clearly the greatest threat facing our youth today. Only town unions and youth associations are commendably confronting the menace. How can they honestly be planning on a President of Igbo extraction for 2023, when over 20 million eligible Igbo voters do not register and vote during elections? How come they don’t know that the most urgent task before Igbo leaders is, pleading with our angry youngsters to register to vote within the next twelve months? How come they don’t realise that with 20 million PVCs, that no President will ever emerge in Nigeria without Ndigbo? Their claim to haven reconciled with the aggrieved youngsters, can only have meaning, if the youths who had since lost interest in Nigerian elections, for years, are truly won over to register and vote.
71 The damage ignoring the youths for so long, wreaked on the psyche of the young folks, demands a thorough and patient reorientation and debriefing. There’s work to be done. It demands patience, tact, endurance, tolerance and wisdom. It is not enough, finally speaking up for the first time. We must go further to earn their trust and confidence, by drawing them close, identify and address their challenges, and show them we truly care. The culture of compliance with the wishes of the owners of Naija, whilst shunning the cries of your people, must be discarded. It created a great wedge between the leaders and the people. The actions of our leaders moving forward, must be dictated and informed by the needs of the people. That is the task before Igbo leaders. That is the only route to harmony peace and progress. Pretending otherwise, will only mean going back to the wrong route that brought us here.
To be CONTINUED.
