By Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko
The truth has always been a scarce commodity all through history, in every clime, and every era. People in leadership positions do not accept the truth that seems incompatible with their mindset. They not only find it inconvenient to work with that truth that seems to flow contrary to their worldview, but they also set out to rubbish it, discredit it, subvert, undermine and pervert it.
In some cases, they go all out to crush and silence the truth by recruiting all manner of people to assist them to twist, alter and resist the truth, by all means. And even attack the truth bearer.
The disquiet in South-East Nigeria, the agitation for secession and the obvious lack of faith in the country and the leadership of the country, especially the resentment towards the Nigerian state, now clear to all, confirm to the world, that the centre can no longer hold. The nation is drifting.
The sit-at-home order and counter-order and the continued observance of the same every Monday, points to the fact, that the anger towards the Nigerian state, runs deeper than the state is willing to admit.
That the state is unwilling to convene a national conference to address the situation from the root, once and for all, suggests that the state hopes to resolve the issues by themselves, one way or another.
That those of us, who plead for restraint and collective search for resolution, are seen as irritants and busybodies, suggests that Government believes she has all the solution. And will prefer folks like me to shut up, as Government is on top of the situation.
Failure to shut up and join the Siddon look club may land us in trouble, as Government isn’t ready to listen to, let alone, incorporate suggestions and advice from outside Government. The attitude is: WE IN GOVERNMENT ARE OMNISCIENT, WE DON’T NEED ANYONE’S SUGGESTIONS WHATSOEVER.
Therein lies the problem.
Checklist: Since Nnamdi was arrested in Lagos six years ago and his followers began protesting for his release, Government’s response brought us where we are today, yet the Government hasn’t seen the need for a change of strategy. The strategy of killing the agitators at Onitsha bridge in December 2015, killing them at Port Harcourt, in January 2016, at Nkpor in May 2016, and at a school compound in Aba in June 2016, has not crushed, crippled, silenced or paralyze the agitation.
The decision never to invite them for talks, never to engage them and not to listen to, collate or address their grievances ever, ever, has not resolved the agitation in any way.
The narrative of accusing them of all manner of verifiable and unverifiable crime, proscribing them and tagging them as terrorists group, years before they eventually established ESN, did not crush the agitation.
The refusal to set up a team that will sit with them, listen to their grievances and advise Government on the way forward, hasn’t in any way quietened the agitation.
The military actions, Python dance 1-3, did not resolve the matter, instead, the agitation grew deeper, stronger and bigger.
The preference for kinetic strategy has been proven inadequate and unsuitable.
From 1999 when Ralph established MASSOB, to Nnamdi’s emergence as the arrowhead of the agitation today, the agitators have grown bolder, more audacious and more popular with the masses of the region, who identify openly with the agitators by complying with every sit-at-home order from the agitators.
I have tried all I could to present the facts as I know it, in the hope that the truth might be of some help to the authorities.
Just to refresh our memories:
1 The agitation is older than Ralph’s MASSOB. He was just the first to invite the media to his efforts and announced his group publicly. He found out while working with Igbo youths in the 1990s ( he used to mobilize Igbo youths to welcome Dim Ojukwu at the airport), that majority of Igbo youths were thoroughly fed up with the structure of Nigeria, and the political and social condition of Ndigbo in Nigeria. He discovered that the Igbo younger generation lamented day and night over their plight in unitary Nigeria and are unwilling to pass over same conditions to their own children. He saw that the younger generation Ndigbo are only too willing to join in, assist, help and even contribute resources towards any venture that promises a life of dignity as opposed to their condition in unitary Nigeria. He saw that out of frustration, that they are only too eager to follow anyone who promises a better deal.
2 The agitation grew and thrived for over a decade before Ralph met Nnamdi in London and muted the idea of a radio station. The broadcasts were to greatly grow the followership and the dynamics of the agitation. The promise of a fair, just and egalitarian society remain the recruiting attraction that draws converts and grows the agitation.
3 The issues that inspired the agitation has never been addressed. There has not been any effort or attempt to identify, collate and address the root of the agitation. The refusal to acknowledge and address the injustices in the land continues to strengthen the agitation.
4 Aside from disagreement with the style and methods of the agitators, everyone agrees that the Igbo aren’t treated right and that justice and equity is the antidote to disenchantment and discontent. Even the elite, the elders, the leadership and the political class, who do not agree with the agitators, all know in their hearts that injustices and dichotomy in the land is the fuel driving the agitation.
5 The structure of the country isn’t helping the search for peace and progress. The nepotism and impunity in the land isn’t helpful in any way. The pretence that all is well with the country, except for some trouble makers who say they are tired of Nigeria, hasn’t stopped the agitation for 22 years. Isn’t likely to solve the problem any time soon.
6 Pretence that the brigandage of the Fulani herdsmen isn’t adding pepper to the wound, and that the exclusion of some people in Government doesn’t matter, are sincerely part of the fuel driving the agitation. Lethal force, prescription and terrorism tag hasn’t solved the problem either.
7 The continuous refusal to reconstruct the polity into a truly federal democracy, by devolving power to the federating units, thereby reducing the load on the centre, continues to increase the frustrations in the land.
8 The political, economic and social issues plaguing the land, are open testimony that the unitary 1999 constitution isn’t working. The anger, hunger, insecurity, and fear ruling the land today, demands introspection from our leaders. Fighting insurgency and seccessionists at the same time, all because we stubbornly refuse to restructure the polity, isn’t the proper way to go.
The truth maybe inconvenient to some people, but the truth remains the truth.
TO BE CONTINUED.
