The Buhari Victory and A New Vision For Igbo Politics
~ By Eze Festus Odimegwu, CON.
All credible independent polls predict a Buhari victory. Some with more winning margins than others, but all gave APC victory in four of our six zones with major inroads in the other two zones. This is expected given the demographics of our polity, the incompetence and profligate corrupt culture of the PDP-led Jonathan administration that has generated an overwhelming desire for change in Nigeria. So nothing has changed since the contrived six weeks postponement of the 14th February elections. March 28th, the liberation day for Nigerians, the date for all to stand up and march for Buhari, is only hours away and is being awaited with hope, voting zeal and fearless determination of Nigerians to reclaim Nigeria and determine their fate.
PDP-led re-election team for the Jonathan Presidency has continued to take Nigerians for granted as indicated by the following:
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) at a political rally.
Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) with Governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State in Aba, where Buhari was honored by the Igbos with the title of Ogbuagu 1 (Lion Killer) of Aba, Abia State.
All credible independent polls predict a Buhari victory. Some with more winning margins than others, but all gave APC victory in four of our six zones with major inroads in the other two zones. This is expected given the demographics of our polity, the incompetence and profligate corrupt culture of the PDP-led Jonathan administration that has generated an overwhelming desire for change in Nigeria. So nothing has changed since the contrived six weeks postponement of the 14th February elections. March 28th, the liberation day for Nigerians, the date for all to stand up and march for Buhari, is only hours away and is being awaited with hope, voting zeal and fearless determination of Nigerians to reclaim Nigeria and determine their fate.
PDP-led re-election team for the Jonathan Presidency has continued to take Nigerians for granted as indicated by the following:
PDP-led re-election team for the Jonathan Presidency has continued to take Nigerians for granted as indicated by the following:
1. Non-existent emergency transformation claims are being made.
As a seasoned technocrat and professional manager, it is clear to me that there is no evidence anywhere of a dramatic quantum leap in the living standard of Nigerians. The economy now lie prostrate with unaccounted N30 trillion and missing $20 billion. The national currency is massively devalued like our national image and reputation, FDIs have completely dried up, capital market in continued decline and Nigerians severely divided along primordial lines by the rampaging ruling clique. Unemployment continues to increase amidst massive infrastructural deficits that discourage investments and make the situation even more hopeless. The economy is certainly not serving the interests of majority of Nigerians and need change for inclusiveness, to go from consumption to production, from rent-seeking to value addition, from mono-product to diversified knowledge based economy and from guesswork-based pretended coordination to data-based development strategy, plans and professional management.
2. The fight against Boko Haram is orchestrated for re-election
Propaganda. Why the security of Nigerians and our territorial integrity should be politicised. Is nothing scared any more? Why should a national institution like our Military be deployed as pawns on the chess board of politics, insulting all retired Generals in addition and engaging the Military to levels that raise concerns about coups or election rigging. If the Jonathan administration now plays games with the sacred role of our C-in-C, they should first tell Nigerians who to hold responsible for thousands of Nigerians killed, millions displaced and violated and the kidnapped and desecrated innocent Chibok Virgin Angels that are still not returned home!!! It is grossly irresponsible to subject the security of Nigerians and the fight against insurgency to mere politics of desperate looting cabals.
3. The Jonathan administration and its delinquent re-election campaign organisation are busy deploying hate campaign documentaries and unheard of before divisive commercials, all in an attempt to win re-election. How can a party win by destroying? If APC leaders are corrupt as charged but not prosecuted since till this election period, is it not evidence of incompetence and condoning corruption of the Jonathan administration as generally known. If APC that is not at the Federal level steal that much, what about the rampaging PDP looting machine? Nigerians are not fools. That is why they need change, to bring to governance, the incorruptible General Buhari and the far-sighted owl-eyed political strategist, the Jagaban of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. At times like this, it is important to call a spade a spade, to tell the truth and shame the devil.
4. The PDP-led Jonathan government are going round making unintelligent promises they cannot keep while heavily throwing dollars to the South West monarchs, militant groups everywhere and exposing the revered office of Nigerian Presidency to be pointed at with the walking sticks of some local small chiefs. The picture was an eye sour. Has desperation no limit. Should Nigerians be ruled by force? Where is decency? It is very clear to the discerning that a Nigerian President from a tiny minority group cannot implement the recommendations of the National conference that needs a broad national consensus among the major ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to even contemplate. To promise execution otherwise is a brainless joke. CBN regulatory agency should hold the Presidency responsible for dollarizing the economy. And the military should start their clamp down on trouble makers from the Presidency that has funded and primed the ethnic militias. Even government is not above the law. Enough of the nonsense impunity.
5. For the past five years and even within the injury political time of desperation for re-election votes the President Goodluck Jonathan administration continues to treat the Igbo with utter contempt and ignominy. Pray tell me why this administration has not done anything for Ndigbo for their massive support? Absolutely nothing. The peak of this evil treatment is the refusal by President Goodluck Jonathan to allow the deployment of the over $500m private investment by Geometric Electricity Company of the renowned Professor Barth Nnaji, the designer of the Power Road map in Nigeria to energize Aba, the industrial city of Ndigbo. Why President Jonathan is incompetent to the level that he cannot concede Aba to completed Geometric power project and give Enugu Disco to the Emeka Offor Consortium. Is it a brainer to resolve this contrived impasse, to subject southeast to perpetual darkness, than to bring these two prominent Igbo sons and their companies to agreement in the overall interest of industrialisation in the South East and acclaimed Ndigbo enterprising spirit? What has the Jonathan administration done for the Igbo Nation to warrant further support? Nothing. The Southeast has the least federal government projects out of the six zones in Nigeria. The statistics are there. No true Igbo person will vote for Jonathan in 2015. Anyone who does is not Igbo bu Igbo. Ndigbo come in grades: there are outcasts who do not represent real Igbo values and principles and they are the nwafos, the never ruled!. Every Igbo will classify himself or herself. A word is enough for the Igbo.
6. The PDP campaign wants Nigerians to believe that General Buhari is not a good man based on his religion. This is dangerous. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that it is not those that call my Father that will enter the Kingdom of God but those that do the will of God. It is by their fruits that we shall know them! General Buhari is more Christian than all the thieving people who call themselves Christians (or Muslims)! No one can follow God in any religion and be committing evil the way these people do. They use the name of God in vain. Steal in the name of God. And the judgement against them will be in the deepest and hottest part of hell. A good Christian, like a good Muslim must have the honesty, integrity and the moral uprightness of General Buhari. All good Christians must vote for him based on his ethical records, personal example and incorruptible integrity. Nigeria is lucky to have the type of Buhari good people, unaffected by primitive acquisition by all means possible.
7. Finally, during the contrived six weeks delay, the PDP-led Jonathan government has continued to ruin the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations. Niger, Chad and Cameroun are now the guarantors of our national sovereignty, defeating boko haram on Nigeria soil for us. The international community prefers to deal with these smaller nations than touch Nigeria with a long pole. Any sensible person will then be wondering if we are still talking about the giant of Africa, the real Nigeria. Yes, we are. And that shows that leadership is everything and that PDP has lost it and still do not get it despite all the propaganda and throwing of money at everything. Some Nigerians cannot be bought. Nigeria has many Buhari, many Tinubu, many Awujale and many Eze Odimegwu. Certain people cannot just be bought. They know who they are and where they are coming from and what is honourable. Men who fear no humans convinced of God’s injunction that only the truth sets us free.
In summary therefore, the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan is an impossible sale as far as honest Nigerians, that wish Nigeria well, are concerned. The administration is a total failure and there is no basis to even begin to think of re-electing the President nor his PDP that has taken Nigerians for granted for a long time now. His eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan recently stated that people are generally disenchanted with the state of affairs in Nigeria today. He is not partisan, like me and he should know.
His eminence, Olubunmi Cardinal Okogie has said that President Jonathan does not merit re-election. Father Ejike Mbaka has delivered the revelation of the Holy Spirit that President Jonathan should be voted out. As a catholic, these are my spiritual leaders and I completely agree with them. The Catholic church has established the culture of the church guiding its parishioners to vote for candidates of good moral uprightness that enables the realisation of the seven themes of the Catholic social teaching that enhances the human dignity, promote the family, protect human rights through good governance, work for common good of the ordinary people, ensure the right to work and the right of workers, achieve solidarity with the poor, vulnerable and the common people as a protection of God’s creation: human, physical and the environment. All Christians abide by these teachings as they all were fathered by the Holy Catholic Church and to that extent only General Buhari is qualified to be voted for by true followers of Christ. By their fruits, we will truly know them: General Buhari is honest. PDP government is corrupt and indifferent to the problems of Nigerians. One is of God. The other is not. The difference is clear and the choice simple. All to vote for change.
The opposition APC and its flag bearer, on the other hand, have continued to show restraint in the face of provocative hate campaigns and fanatical attempts to blackmail its leaders. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has shown exemplary courage and determination in providing total support to the APC best-in-class primary-election elected candidate, despite vicious, belated and re-election-driven allegations and even childish threats of arrest. General Buhari continues to carry himself presidentially, confident that change is required. He therefore remains focused and has clearly articulated his covenant with the Nigerian people. Above all, he has rightly declined to be drawn into unnecessary debates, or any unstatemanly acts. It is clear to all that he is a man of principles and incorruptible integrity.
INEC has done very well to insist on its Chairman, PVC and ECR usages in pursuit of credible, free and fair elections, as the only recipe to avoid violence and to secure post-election peaceful atmosphere for meaningful development. Let the self-appointed leaders of Nigeria not mess with this. It is possible for heavens to fall, like it has in some Arab nations and other countries in history. Nigerians should not be taken for granted further. The atmosphere is charged even if latent. There is need to take good counsel and the buck stops with President Jonathan.
The purpose of this intervention is to evaluate the three emerging political scenarios, given the strategic imperatives that are being stacked up and to shine light on them for the benefit of Nigerians. Will also outline a new vision for Igbo Politics; why Ndigbo should vote for General Buhari and why Nigeria needs Ndigbo, if it must develop, starting from the Buhari Presidency.
The Pessimistic Scenario, The Chaos or Anarchy scenario, envisions a desperation-base suicidal mission by the ruling PDP, in the hope that the heavens will not fall! This scenario, with election scuttling or abortion at any point favourable to the PDP-led Jonathan administration can be precipitated with last minute replacement of Jega with a rogue INEC chairman or induced violence with compromised ethnic militias, labour leaders and a readily available array of uneducated and jobless youths. Mayhem will then be unleashed on the Nigerian people with the partisan IG of police and his men protecting the miscreants. Retired army men, who may have written the scripts, may then guide their surrogates in government, participants already in delaying the election process, to intervene and take power in the ‘interest’ of the unity of Nigeria and then form an interim or the so-called unity government. The whole reason for this contraption is the mortal fear of General Buhari, driven by already expressed fears of going to prison and review of past evil deeds of many. These conspiring rouges are united in their evil desire to stop the envisaged Buhari landslide and mandate. This pessimistic scenario can play out before, during or immediately after the elections, if exit polls support a Buhari victory and effective incapacitation of rigging plans.
The good news is that the response to this evil, if it rears its ugly head, will never be under the control of the planners despite the strategic architecture being put in place to support it. Their nemesis is the fact that the desire for change, for General Buhari and APC is deep and is a mass movement beyond party affiliations. This plot, if affected, could lend itself to inadvertently fulfil the prophecy of Nigeria’s disintegration in 2015. Or balkanisation into war zones under various war lords and ethnic militias. The scenario is real, given emerging tendencies and primodial horizon of the players. What is required to avoid it is to drop all thoughts and plans for this and let the will of the people prevail. The Jonathan administration should not destroy the only claim they may have as a legacy, of leaving behind, an improved electoral process. Character is determined in the furnace of real challenges and not in comfort zones!
The Realistic or Status quo Scenario, The Stealing Continuity scenario, envisions PDP using its incumbency to retain power by all means possible. It can unleash the huge resources and assets at its disposal, covering the executive and legislative arms, at Federal and State levels with illegally appropriated LGA funds also and their ubiquitous rigging machinery for re-election of its candidates, particularly the President at all cost. They can do this with continued shameless impunity and then ask APC to go to court if not happy. That scenario can play out from many fronts: pre-election, PDP is throwing money to buy support, corrupt the system and intimidate opposition. Attempts at Jega, PVC and ECR are in these realms. The recent order by the IG of police that people should vote and go home belongs here. Insistence on using and corrupting the military and the 14th February election postponement before all belong here. Rumours of using technology to jam the SCR to create room to vote without the use of the SCR but with incident or default form usage are the greatest rigging threat that must be watched closely. This Professor Maurice Iwu electronic voting and anti-rigging innovation is being implemented wrongly by allowing the use of incident or default forms in place of SCRs only!!! APC should work hard to counter all these and has done well in directing their supporters to vote and stay behind to protect their votes.
This is not the time to listen to a partisan IG of police. Professor Jega looks like a good man from a distance but he is not street-smart, like most university professors and given his past records, like announcing the South East and South South election results in 2011, that gave 99% turn out in some states, instead of cancelling the results for re-run. Like his buying the contrived dummy of postponing the 14th February elections. And due to this, Jega may just sit in the office in Abuja and announce useless results sent in by corrupted field RECs as Donald Duke educated Nigerians a long time ago. So APC should send operational experts to assist Jega set up a control room that will get independent results from all polling booths, LGA and States nationwide with which to crosscheck what his RECs report back. APC should also have an effective system to independently monitor the elections and mark the RECs bumper to bumper. The percentage of voting with incident forms without the SCRs should be tracked and controlled as this is the last chance for rigging by PDP given the assets as its disposal. Cases of jammed SCRs should also be tracked and controlled. Experts must be on stand bye to scrabble the jammers and make them in-effective. Given the missing $20bn and mis-managed N30 trillion, the amount of war chest, that is available to PDP for mischief, is horrendous and APC should in addition, screen their own party agents to all polling booths, collection centres etc carefully. They must be like Ceasar’s wife: above board, trusted and with a supervisory, control and ongoing operational audit teams in place.
Being a mass movement, APC should not have a problem doing this, with clear instructions to their agents to collect the money given, as it is our money, and to still do the right things and file the right reports. At the level of Nigerians, all should stand up to be counted as the future of the country depends on this election. Then during the election proper, if it holds, the plans should be faithfully implemented, supervised and controlled towards planned objectives of credible, free and fair election to be realised. APC should have other plans to respond to election violation or scuttling beyond the courts, ICC and Security Council. Blind impunity can never be cured by legal means only. No one dialogue with the deaf, dumb and blind and hope for good operational results. The law of Moses most times work better in Nigeria. Enough must be enough and APC and its Presidential candidate must refuse to be blackmailed or intimidated. A man must live fully till dead and death should be only once and not people dying every day from unjust fear. Life of service is worth living and dying for and a clear message, of go to hell, for all that want to ruin Nigeria, will be appropriate.
The Optimistic Scenario, The Overwhelming Desired Change Scenario, is envisioned to usher in the Golden Era of nation building! An era of zero tolerance for corruption and safe cities and villages with prosperity for all. This scenario only needs the execution of a credible, free and fair election that allows the will of the people to prevail. That affects one man one vote counts desire. This will surely put General Buhari in office to start the work of building Nigeria into a great nation. To change Nigeria from consumption to production, from looting rogues to patriotic elites, from uncoordinated economy to big ideas data-based digital economy and from an unjust society to an egalitarian society built on truth, justice, equity and fairness, on rule of Law with a people-based constitution. Responsible politics of service will then be enthroned for service to Nigeria and all Nigerians.
This intervention also seeks to propose a new vision for Igbo politics and politics in Nigeria generally. It is sanitising and elevating to engage in thought experiments at times particularly within historical context for issues involved here. How would Nigeria and Nigerians have being if Britain conducted an accurate census and election in Nigeria and handed over to Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as Prime Minister? Zik was arguably the most educated and nationalist of the founding fathers. What would Nigeria have become if there were no coups in 1966 and if Britain played a better role of avoiding the Nigeria-Biafra war and if the Aburi Accord was respected? What would have being the welfare standards in Nigeria today if the Obasanjo military administration handed over to Chief Obafemi Awolowo as President? Awo was a good and disciplined manager of men and resources. How would Nigeria have being if the Shagari Administration was not disrupted and Shagari handed over to Dr. Alex Ekwueme in 1987? Ekwueme is learned and competent. What type of Nigeria would be in place now if the Babangida military junta handed over to Abiola? Abiola was people-oriented and would have been a compassionate president. What type of Nigeria would we have today if the Obasanjo civilian administration handed over to Alhaji Shehu Musa Yaradua with Dr. Peter Odili as Vice President and President today? These are legitimate questions. Decision points were Nigeria seemed to have selected the wrong option.
Britain and all the actors that diverted the course of history from a better course to the mess we have today should resolve to help Nigeria heal and start making progress than mostly remain bent on destroying Nigeria. It is in the light of this that I always welcome any state of the nation comments and strong views on Nigeria from OBJ. Silence is connivance and is not golden. Other former leaders must speak up. The problems are too big for behind the scene whispers. And certainly not prayers alone as these rogues are not of God, and are not willing to do God’s will. Nigerians should resist any one or group that still want to impose evil outcomes on Nigeria that is only good for their selfish interests. A life without struggle is bound to be lived unfulfilled and in slavery. Nigerians must rise up to liberate themselves from evil con men that parade our nations as leaders.
And a review of the diversions from noble historical courses seem to have a key issue, one key issue, still unaddressed till today, as the cross that has kept Nigeria down. A fundamental issue that will not allow Nigeria to realize its greatness unless addressed and that key issue is the Fear of the Igbo in Nigeria and the official unwritten state policy to exclude Ndigbo from Nigeria’s Political Leadership. Nigeria will go nowhere and will continue to falter until put on a just and competitive pedestrian for all without discrimination (against the Igbo). This obnoxious policy was instituted by the British and sustained under their guidance by the Caliphate and there is need for a new vision of politics now to go beyond it for the greater glory of Nigeria and all Nigerians.
Why can Nigeria not develop until the Igbo are fully integrated into Nigeria on equal footing with other ethnic nationalities? Why has Nigeria always turned in a fraudulent census data after each charade? The answer is simple: because the Igbo are the major ethnic nationality in Nigeria. If we take the current fraudulent census figure of Nigeria that is quoted without basis as 170 million people and correct it downwards to 153 million for areas of census data inflation, the Igbo will be about 50 million of this population! Yes, about 33% of the National population will be Ndigbo as in the five states of current South East, the about 15% average in the other seven adjoining states where the Igbo were deliberately cut off to and motivated to even say that they are not Igbo (while the Fulani that sustains this, grafted their minority self to Hausa, to generate a significant population of the mixed ethnic nationalities of Hausa-Fulani) and about 10% average in all other regions of Nigeria (and the reason successive federal governments have refused to include state of origin and religion in census questionnaires). If anyone says that this is not true, let us then execute an accurate and reliable biometric census in Nigeria. It is over-due and Nigeria cannot develop without accurate data. But the key question also is how can Nigeria marginalise its majority ethnic nationality and hope to develop? Who can develop Nigeria without 33% of its population? And develop it for who? No country can develop without engaging the creative energies of 33% of its people particularly when these are their first eleven ethnic nationalities! Any one again who argues with this should look at our history and national statistics.
Who are the Igbo, Ndigbo? Who are these people called Ndi Gbo (People of Ancient of Days!). C U Acholonu established through extensive study of Igbo mythology and oral folklore traditions backed by linguistic and ancient stone & cave symbols that Ndigbo are Ndi Gbo, the original seed people of ancient of days, the root race of all mankind. Archaeologist FN Anozie of the Nsukka school unearthed and dated traces of these root people, the autochthons that originated in the central area of the Okigwe – Orlu – Awka axis, about 500,000 – 1,600,000 BC, as the direct descendants of Homo Erectus, the direct ancestors of Homo Sapiens. They have always being in their current location. They did not come from anywhere else. They are Ndi Gbo, Ndigbo, Igbo. And from here they spread across to other parts of Nigeria, Africa and later to Egypt, Greece and throughout the world as the original seed people of mankind. This has being validated by further archaeological and literary research and authenticated by DNA mitochondrial studies in the ‘out of Africa’ model as also celebrated by Okigbo in his poems.
The Igbo already had very civilised culture before contact with the outside world with a very comprehensive world view, belief system and governance framework that maintained good conducts, peace and societal progress based on truth, justice, equity and fairness. The revered Chinua Achebe celebrated this in his seminal literary work, ‘Things fall apart’. The Igbo are of high culture from ancient times. They believed in One God (Chukwu or Chi Ukwu: Alpha and Omega) that also has three persons in one God (Holy Trinity) with the transcendental God, the Creator in heaven (Chineke), The God in man, Christs as (Personal Chi of enlightened god-men, Ndi Nze na Uzo or Ndi Ichie – men of virtuous living and instruments of God’s will on earth, in the body of Christ as Christianity may have it) and the immanent God in Nature, God in Infinite Universe, the Holy Spirit, represented in the Virgin Mother Earth Goddess, Ala and its powers translated through the ‘Ofo’. The celebration of the power of God, through Iji Ofo na Ogu, Truth and Justice, in all affairs of Ndigbo, through the rituals of Kolanut, Oji, the symbol of divine invocation and communion, uniting all children of Light under one love worked for ancient Igbo societies more than what is seen today, where people carry the Bible and Koran and still commit atrocities without consequences.
The Igbo believe in themselves, na onye kwe chi ya ekwe (the man is the maker of his fate and environment). Every Onye Igbo is a king and queen and governance is through democracy of philosopher-kings, Ndi Ichie na Ndi Nze na Ozo. These authentic ancient leaders of the Igbo were god-men who observed the unwritten divine laws of impeccability (Ofo na Ogu) encapsulating ethical rules that are strictly observed or violated with severe consequencies (Ezi Okwu daa ala, egwuputaghi ya, ala agaghi adi mma – until the truth that is buried is resurrected, the world will know no peace!). These just leaders can invoke the forces of Mother Nature with the sacred staff of authority, Ofo that only responds if truth and justice is observed. These leaders were righteous, forthright and bold, practicing Ogu bu ike (right is might), Ome ihe jide ofo (do only just things) and idi nso, iji ogo (personal holiness ethics). This is the cultural background of Ndigbo and not the container mercantile idea that are propagated by Igbo detractors. It is this cultural background that makes the Igbo the least corrupt and irresponsible of all the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. This is what gives them their spiritual strength. If the new religions, like Christianity, adopted the Igbo culture fully and just added and subtracted aspects here and there, both Christianity and Islam would have been better for it. Christianity would have had a better and effective influence on the conduct of its adherants and not have the current trend where people even steal in God’s name. How can Nigeria develop without leveraging Ndigbo with their deep cultural foundation and a culture that believes in hardwork, creativity and the divinity of humanity (onye kwe chi ya ekwe!). Men that can give expression to the spirit of God in them. Instruments of the Will of God. In God’s own image. Men with absolute faith and capacity therefrom.
The modern Onye Igbo is honest, enterprising, forthright, adventurous and fearless. They are not afraid to take risks, are competitive and believe in themselves. Nigeria can only continue to marginalize them at its own peril.
The Igbo too are the best Nigerians. They live in every corner and community in Nigeria. They invest heavily in the whole country. Have 90% literacy including Igbo men and women, boys and girls. Are captains in most sectors of human endeavours. Have more children in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions than any other ethnic nationality. Produce more graduates. Are great travellers all over the world, where they excel. Ndigbo are the blessing that Nigeria need to tap into if it is to progress. Nigeria should not be afraid that Buhari will stop stealing and turn Nigerian around from consumption to production. Nigeria needs that to clear the locusts and create the environment for all prepared people of Nigeria to add value to Nigeria. Ndigbo will excel in this value adding environment for the benefit of all Nigerians. And to complement productive ventures, the proposed restructuring should implant a revenue allocation that matches internally generated revenue as 50% and school enrolment as 50%. Let the glorious era be the era of hardwork, productive work and no longer period of continued looting, greed and excessive consumption.
So what should the Igbo do about their politics? What is the only route to the development of Nigeria?
How can Ndigbo and other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria find accommodation, achieve convergence, ka egbe bere ugo bere!! The Igbo should seek a sustainable and permanent political alliance with the Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani other main ethnic nationalities to ensure permanent and sustainable political stability, based on numbers and quantifiable interest in the progress and development of Nigeria, carrying along willing minority groups for a greater Nigeria and Nigerians that Igbo-Yoruba-Hausa/Fulani already ensures. APC provides this unique historic opportunity. Ndigbo should vote for APC and its Presidential candidate, General Buhari to win the 2015 elections and massively join APC as a party. General Buhari has the ethical behaviour that is consistent with Igbo ethical background. Most Igbo are also Catholics and it is consistent with Catholic tradition to ask Catholics to vote for virtuous candidates that can build an equitable society, as already mentioned. The papal nuncio, cardinals, bishops and also catholic priests in Nigeria, like the adorable Father Ejike Mbaka, should guide their parishioners to vote right. Given catholic ecumenical movement, Catholics should also vote against candidates that want to divide the country by hate religious campaigns. We are all God’s children. The Catholic Church must help guide the Igbo that their political misrepresentations have sold out.
The Igbo should repair this after the elections under the APC platform, as proposed. APC should learn from the undemocratic internal policies of PDP and ensure that they have a continued internal process that will continue to sieve out criminals and enthrone professionals for good governance at all levels. This is Tinubu’s greatest strength and gift to APC. APC and its Government at all levels should also ensure that Truth, Justice and Equity are the basis of our national life and enshrined in our constitution for sustainable unity, peace and progress. A party and government of the majority ethnic nationalities in Nigeria should also ensure greater common good, which ultimately is already composed by Igbo-Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani, with willing others. It is the Igbo-Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani that will lose more if Nigeria is destroyed. It is therefore in their mutual interest, to stop the destructive rivalry between themselves and embrace a new Vision of Majority Rule of major stakeholders to abort the current reality of tail wagging the dog. This Rule of the Big 3, will continue the nationalistic legacy that the Great Zik of Africa left for Ndigbo and for Nigeria to have peace for development. The Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani should evolve a Vision of One for All and All for One to secure Nigeria and to start the urgent task of nation building that has being aborted since 1960 due to the false and suspicion-engineered foundations. The current leaders in Nigeria should know better, given experience with realities to date and as a sign of progress and acquired wisdom. The happenings under the Jonathan Presidency have shown the futility of acrimonious and divide and rule relations between the major ethnic nationalities of Igbo-Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani. Let APC be built into a Progressive Mega Party of the major ethnic nationalities in Nigeria with willing minority groups. Its government will be for the common good, already the majority nationalities with willing others and subsequently all Nigerians.
INEC has done very well to insist on its Chairman, PVC and ECR usages in pursuit of credible, free and fair elections, as the only recipe to avoid violence and to secure post-election peaceful atmosphere for meaningful development. Let the self-appointed leaders of Nigeria not mess with this. It is possible for heavens to fall, like it has in some Arab nations and other countries in history. Nigerians should not be taken for granted further. The atmosphere is charged even if latent. There is need to take good counsel and the buck stops with President Jonathan.
The purpose of this intervention is to evaluate the three emerging political scenarios, given the strategic imperatives that are being stacked up and to shine light on them for the benefit of Nigerians. Will also outline a new vision for Igbo Politics; why Ndigbo should vote for General Buhari and why Nigeria needs Ndigbo, if it must develop, starting from the Buhari Presidency.
The Pessimistic Scenario, The Chaos or Anarchy scenario, envisions a desperation-base suicidal mission by the ruling PDP, in the hope that the heavens will not fall! This scenario, with election scuttling or abortion at any point favourable to the PDP-led Jonathan administration can be precipitated with last minute replacement of Jega with a rogue INEC chairman or induced violence with compromised ethnic militias, labour leaders and a readily available array of uneducated and jobless youths. Mayhem will then be unleashed on the Nigerian people with the partisan IG of police and his men protecting the miscreants. Retired army men, who may have written the scripts, may then guide their surrogates in government, participants already in delaying the election process, to intervene and take power in the ‘interest’ of the unity of Nigeria and then form an interim or the so-called unity government. The whole reason for this contraption is the mortal fear of General Buhari, driven by already expressed fears of going to prison and review of past evil deeds of many. These conspiring rouges are united in their evil desire to stop the envisaged Buhari landslide and mandate. This pessimistic scenario can play out before, during or immediately after the elections, if exit polls support a Buhari victory and effective incapacitation of rigging plans.
The good news is that the response to this evil, if it rears its ugly head, will never be under the control of the planners despite the strategic architecture being put in place to support it. Their nemesis is the fact that the desire for change, for General Buhari and APC is deep and is a mass movement beyond party affiliations. This plot, if affected, could lend itself to inadvertently fulfil the prophecy of Nigeria’s disintegration in 2015. Or balkanisation into war zones under various war lords and ethnic militias. The scenario is real, given emerging tendencies and primodial horizon of the players. What is required to avoid it is to drop all thoughts and plans for this and let the will of the people prevail. The Jonathan administration should not destroy the only claim they may have as a legacy, of leaving behind, an improved electoral process. Character is determined in the furnace of real challenges and not in comfort zones!
The Realistic or Status quo Scenario, The Stealing Continuity scenario, envisions PDP using its incumbency to retain power by all means possible. It can unleash the huge resources and assets at its disposal, covering the executive and legislative arms, at Federal and State levels with illegally appropriated LGA funds also and their ubiquitous rigging machinery for re-election of its candidates, particularly the President at all cost. They can do this with continued shameless impunity and then ask APC to go to court if not happy. That scenario can play out from many fronts: pre-election, PDP is throwing money to buy support, corrupt the system and intimidate opposition. Attempts at Jega, PVC and ECR are in these realms. The recent order by the IG of police that people should vote and go home belongs here. Insistence on using and corrupting the military and the 14th February election postponement before all belong here. Rumours of using technology to jam the SCR to create room to vote without the use of the SCR but with incident or default form usage are the greatest rigging threat that must be watched closely. This Professor Maurice Iwu electronic voting and anti-rigging innovation is being implemented wrongly by allowing the use of incident or default forms in place of SCRs only!!! APC should work hard to counter all these and has done well in directing their supporters to vote and stay behind to protect their votes.
This is not the time to listen to a partisan IG of police. Professor Jega looks like a good man from a distance but he is not street-smart, like most university professors and given his past records, like announcing the South East and South South election results in 2011, that gave 99% turn out in some states, instead of cancelling the results for re-run. Like his buying the contrived dummy of postponing the 14th February elections. And due to this, Jega may just sit in the office in Abuja and announce useless results sent in by corrupted field RECs as Donald Duke educated Nigerians a long time ago. So APC should send operational experts to assist Jega set up a control room that will get independent results from all polling booths, LGA and States nationwide with which to crosscheck what his RECs report back. APC should also have an effective system to independently monitor the elections and mark the RECs bumper to bumper. The percentage of voting with incident forms without the SCRs should be tracked and controlled as this is the last chance for rigging by PDP given the assets as its disposal. Cases of jammed SCRs should also be tracked and controlled. Experts must be on stand bye to scrabble the jammers and make them in-effective. Given the missing $20bn and mis-managed N30 trillion, the amount of war chest, that is available to PDP for mischief, is horrendous and APC should in addition, screen their own party agents to all polling booths, collection centres etc carefully. They must be like Ceasar’s wife: above board, trusted and with a supervisory, control and ongoing operational audit teams in place.
Being a mass movement, APC should not have a problem doing this, with clear instructions to their agents to collect the money given, as it is our money, and to still do the right things and file the right reports. At the level of Nigerians, all should stand up to be counted as the future of the country depends on this election. Then during the election proper, if it holds, the plans should be faithfully implemented, supervised and controlled towards planned objectives of credible, free and fair election to be realised. APC should have other plans to respond to election violation or scuttling beyond the courts, ICC and Security Council. Blind impunity can never be cured by legal means only. No one dialogue with the deaf, dumb and blind and hope for good operational results. The law of Moses most times work better in Nigeria. Enough must be enough and APC and its Presidential candidate must refuse to be blackmailed or intimidated. A man must live fully till dead and death should be only once and not people dying every day from unjust fear. Life of service is worth living and dying for and a clear message, of go to hell, for all that want to ruin Nigeria, will be appropriate.
The Optimistic Scenario, The Overwhelming Desired Change Scenario, is envisioned to usher in the Golden Era of nation building! An era of zero tolerance for corruption and safe cities and villages with prosperity for all. This scenario only needs the execution of a credible, free and fair election that allows the will of the people to prevail. That affects one man one vote counts desire. This will surely put General Buhari in office to start the work of building Nigeria into a great nation. To change Nigeria from consumption to production, from looting rogues to patriotic elites, from uncoordinated economy to big ideas data-based digital economy and from an unjust society to an egalitarian society built on truth, justice, equity and fairness, on rule of Law with a people-based constitution. Responsible politics of service will then be enthroned for service to Nigeria and all Nigerians.
This intervention also seeks to propose a new vision for Igbo politics and politics in Nigeria generally. It is sanitising and elevating to engage in thought experiments at times particularly within historical context for issues involved here. How would Nigeria and Nigerians have being if Britain conducted an accurate census and election in Nigeria and handed over to Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as Prime Minister? Zik was arguably the most educated and nationalist of the founding fathers. What would Nigeria have become if there were no coups in 1966 and if Britain played a better role of avoiding the Nigeria-Biafra war and if the Aburi Accord was respected? What would have being the welfare standards in Nigeria today if the Obasanjo military administration handed over to Chief Obafemi Awolowo as President? Awo was a good and disciplined manager of men and resources. How would Nigeria have being if the Shagari Administration was not disrupted and Shagari handed over to Dr. Alex Ekwueme in 1987? Ekwueme is learned and competent. What type of Nigeria would be in place now if the Babangida military junta handed over to Abiola? Abiola was people-oriented and would have been a compassionate president. What type of Nigeria would we have today if the Obasanjo civilian administration handed over to Alhaji Shehu Musa Yaradua with Dr. Peter Odili as Vice President and President today? These are legitimate questions. Decision points were Nigeria seemed to have selected the wrong option.
Britain and all the actors that diverted the course of history from a better course to the mess we have today should resolve to help Nigeria heal and start making progress than mostly remain bent on destroying Nigeria. It is in the light of this that I always welcome any state of the nation comments and strong views on Nigeria from OBJ. Silence is connivance and is not golden. Other former leaders must speak up. The problems are too big for behind the scene whispers. And certainly not prayers alone as these rogues are not of God, and are not willing to do God’s will. Nigerians should resist any one or group that still want to impose evil outcomes on Nigeria that is only good for their selfish interests. A life without struggle is bound to be lived unfulfilled and in slavery. Nigerians must rise up to liberate themselves from evil con men that parade our nations as leaders.
And a review of the diversions from noble historical courses seem to have a key issue, one key issue, still unaddressed till today, as the cross that has kept Nigeria down. A fundamental issue that will not allow Nigeria to realize its greatness unless addressed and that key issue is the Fear of the Igbo in Nigeria and the official unwritten state policy to exclude Ndigbo from Nigeria’s Political Leadership. Nigeria will go nowhere and will continue to falter until put on a just and competitive pedestrian for all without discrimination (against the Igbo). This obnoxious policy was instituted by the British and sustained under their guidance by the Caliphate and there is need for a new vision of politics now to go beyond it for the greater glory of Nigeria and all Nigerians.
Why can Nigeria not develop until the Igbo are fully integrated into Nigeria on equal footing with other ethnic nationalities? Why has Nigeria always turned in a fraudulent census data after each charade? The answer is simple: because the Igbo are the major ethnic nationality in Nigeria. If we take the current fraudulent census figure of Nigeria that is quoted without basis as 170 million people and correct it downwards to 153 million for areas of census data inflation, the Igbo will be about 50 million of this population! Yes, about 33% of the National population will be Ndigbo as in the five states of current South East, the about 15% average in the other seven adjoining states where the Igbo were deliberately cut off to and motivated to even say that they are not Igbo (while the Fulani that sustains this, grafted their minority self to Hausa, to generate a significant population of the mixed ethnic nationalities of Hausa-Fulani) and about 10% average in all other regions of Nigeria (and the reason successive federal governments have refused to include state of origin and religion in census questionnaires). If anyone says that this is not true, let us then execute an accurate and reliable biometric census in Nigeria. It is over-due and Nigeria cannot develop without accurate data. But the key question also is how can Nigeria marginalise its majority ethnic nationality and hope to develop? Who can develop Nigeria without 33% of its population? And develop it for who? No country can develop without engaging the creative energies of 33% of its people particularly when these are their first eleven ethnic nationalities! Any one again who argues with this should look at our history and national statistics.
Who are the Igbo, Ndigbo? Who are these people called Ndi Gbo (People of Ancient of Days!). C U Acholonu established through extensive study of Igbo mythology and oral folklore traditions backed by linguistic and ancient stone & cave symbols that Ndigbo are Ndi Gbo, the original seed people of ancient of days, the root race of all mankind. Archaeologist FN Anozie of the Nsukka school unearthed and dated traces of these root people, the autochthons that originated in the central area of the Okigwe – Orlu – Awka axis, about 500,000 – 1,600,000 BC, as the direct descendants of Homo Erectus, the direct ancestors of Homo Sapiens. They have always being in their current location. They did not come from anywhere else. They are Ndi Gbo, Ndigbo, Igbo. And from here they spread across to other parts of Nigeria, Africa and later to Egypt, Greece and throughout the world as the original seed people of mankind. This has being validated by further archaeological and literary research and authenticated by DNA mitochondrial studies in the ‘out of Africa’ model as also celebrated by Okigbo in his poems.
The Igbo already had very civilised culture before contact with the outside world with a very comprehensive world view, belief system and governance framework that maintained good conducts, peace and societal progress based on truth, justice, equity and fairness. The revered Chinua Achebe celebrated this in his seminal literary work, ‘Things fall apart’. The Igbo are of high culture from ancient times. They believed in One God (Chukwu or Chi Ukwu: Alpha and Omega) that also has three persons in one God (Holy Trinity) with the transcendental God, the Creator in heaven (Chineke), The God in man, Christs as (Personal Chi of enlightened god-men, Ndi Nze na Uzo or Ndi Ichie – men of virtuous living and instruments of God’s will on earth, in the body of Christ as Christianity may have it) and the immanent God in Nature, God in Infinite Universe, the Holy Spirit, represented in the Virgin Mother Earth Goddess, Ala and its powers translated through the ‘Ofo’. The celebration of the power of God, through Iji Ofo na Ogu, Truth and Justice, in all affairs of Ndigbo, through the rituals of Kolanut, Oji, the symbol of divine invocation and communion, uniting all children of Light under one love worked for ancient Igbo societies more than what is seen today, where people carry the Bible and Koran and still commit atrocities without consequences.
The Igbo believe in themselves, na onye kwe chi ya ekwe (the man is the maker of his fate and environment). Every Onye Igbo is a king and queen and governance is through democracy of philosopher-kings, Ndi Ichie na Ndi Nze na Ozo. These authentic ancient leaders of the Igbo were god-men who observed the unwritten divine laws of impeccability (Ofo na Ogu) encapsulating ethical rules that are strictly observed or violated with severe consequencies (Ezi Okwu daa ala, egwuputaghi ya, ala agaghi adi mma – until the truth that is buried is resurrected, the world will know no peace!). These just leaders can invoke the forces of Mother Nature with the sacred staff of authority, Ofo that only responds if truth and justice is observed. These leaders were righteous, forthright and bold, practicing Ogu bu ike (right is might), Ome ihe jide ofo (do only just things) and idi nso, iji ogo (personal holiness ethics). This is the cultural background of Ndigbo and not the container mercantile idea that are propagated by Igbo detractors. It is this cultural background that makes the Igbo the least corrupt and irresponsible of all the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. This is what gives them their spiritual strength. If the new religions, like Christianity, adopted the Igbo culture fully and just added and subtracted aspects here and there, both Christianity and Islam would have been better for it. Christianity would have had a better and effective influence on the conduct of its adherants and not have the current trend where people even steal in God’s name. How can Nigeria develop without leveraging Ndigbo with their deep cultural foundation and a culture that believes in hardwork, creativity and the divinity of humanity (onye kwe chi ya ekwe!). Men that can give expression to the spirit of God in them. Instruments of the Will of God. In God’s own image. Men with absolute faith and capacity therefrom.
The modern Onye Igbo is honest, enterprising, forthright, adventurous and fearless. They are not afraid to take risks, are competitive and believe in themselves. Nigeria can only continue to marginalize them at its own peril.
The Igbo too are the best Nigerians. They live in every corner and community in Nigeria. They invest heavily in the whole country. Have 90% literacy including Igbo men and women, boys and girls. Are captains in most sectors of human endeavours. Have more children in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions than any other ethnic nationality. Produce more graduates. Are great travellers all over the world, where they excel. Ndigbo are the blessing that Nigeria need to tap into if it is to progress. Nigeria should not be afraid that Buhari will stop stealing and turn Nigerian around from consumption to production. Nigeria needs that to clear the locusts and create the environment for all prepared people of Nigeria to add value to Nigeria. Ndigbo will excel in this value adding environment for the benefit of all Nigerians. And to complement productive ventures, the proposed restructuring should implant a revenue allocation that matches internally generated revenue as 50% and school enrolment as 50%. Let the glorious era be the era of hardwork, productive work and no longer period of continued looting, greed and excessive consumption.
So what should the Igbo do about their politics? What is the only route to the development of Nigeria?
How can Ndigbo and other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria find accommodation, achieve convergence, ka egbe bere ugo bere!! The Igbo should seek a sustainable and permanent political alliance with the Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani other main ethnic nationalities to ensure permanent and sustainable political stability, based on numbers and quantifiable interest in the progress and development of Nigeria, carrying along willing minority groups for a greater Nigeria and Nigerians that Igbo-Yoruba-Hausa/Fulani already ensures. APC provides this unique historic opportunity. Ndigbo should vote for APC and its Presidential candidate, General Buhari to win the 2015 elections and massively join APC as a party. General Buhari has the ethical behaviour that is consistent with Igbo ethical background. Most Igbo are also Catholics and it is consistent with Catholic tradition to ask Catholics to vote for virtuous candidates that can build an equitable society, as already mentioned. The papal nuncio, cardinals, bishops and also catholic priests in Nigeria, like the adorable Father Ejike Mbaka, should guide their parishioners to vote right. Given catholic ecumenical movement, Catholics should also vote against candidates that want to divide the country by hate religious campaigns. We are all God’s children. The Catholic Church must help guide the Igbo that their political misrepresentations have sold out.
The Igbo should repair this after the elections under the APC platform, as proposed. APC should learn from the undemocratic internal policies of PDP and ensure that they have a continued internal process that will continue to sieve out criminals and enthrone professionals for good governance at all levels. This is Tinubu’s greatest strength and gift to APC. APC and its Government at all levels should also ensure that Truth, Justice and Equity are the basis of our national life and enshrined in our constitution for sustainable unity, peace and progress. A party and government of the majority ethnic nationalities in Nigeria should also ensure greater common good, which ultimately is already composed by Igbo-Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani, with willing others. It is the Igbo-Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani that will lose more if Nigeria is destroyed. It is therefore in their mutual interest, to stop the destructive rivalry between themselves and embrace a new Vision of Majority Rule of major stakeholders to abort the current reality of tail wagging the dog. This Rule of the Big 3, will continue the nationalistic legacy that the Great Zik of Africa left for Ndigbo and for Nigeria to have peace for development. The Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani should evolve a Vision of One for All and All for One to secure Nigeria and to start the urgent task of nation building that has being aborted since 1960 due to the false and suspicion-engineered foundations. The current leaders in Nigeria should know better, given experience with realities to date and as a sign of progress and acquired wisdom. The happenings under the Jonathan Presidency have shown the futility of acrimonious and divide and rule relations between the major ethnic nationalities of Igbo-Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani. Let APC be built into a Progressive Mega Party of the major ethnic nationalities in Nigeria with willing minority groups. Its government will be for the common good, already the majority nationalities with willing others and subsequently all Nigerians.
Outline of Greater Nigeria Strategic Architecture for Greater Nigerians
(Common Good)
Vision: Nigeria as a great power and first world.
Mission: Realise in 20 years with a new people-based federal constitution under the Mega Progressive and Disciplined APC party.
Objective: i. Welfare and security of Nigerians as the main matrice for development: millennium development goals-oriented.
ii. $20,000 per capita income (2035)
iii. Emphasise Agriculture, Industrialisation and Service led productive ventures with relevant infrastructure and priorities diversifying the economy from mono-product based multi-product knowledge based consumption to production.
Strategy: - Drive with APC – a party anchored by Igbo-Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani Brotherhood with willing others for Stability, Social Justice, Progress and Sustainability.
Governance
Structure: - True federalism
- In-built healthy regional autonomy and competitions.
Systems: Put in place strong legal systems, leaderships and enhanced
institutions:
i. For zero tolerance of kidnapping and insurgency
ii. For zero tolerance of impunity and corruption
iii. For massive job creation and productive management of the economy
iv. For constitutional restructuring and social justice
v. For leveraging the creative energies of all Nigerians
vi. For enhanced brotherhood and unity of Igbo-Yoruba and
Hausa-Fulani and all willing minority groups.
vii. For evolving a modern state with cross-sectoral synergies
People: - Brightest and the best to serve Nigeria and all Nigerians.
- No federal character (under the applied concept of One for ALL and All for One).
But first things first: Let all vote for APC, to start the sustainable political, economic and social reforms that Nigeria urgently needs.
Our population must be made our greatest assets and not our liabilities as currently holding due to poor leadership vision and non-existent National Development plans therefrom.
Motto: Truth, Justice, Equity for Unity, Peace and Progress.
Pledge: Our fate is in our hands. May God bless our creativity and hardwork.
NOTE: Since we do not want corruption to kill Nigeria, we must recover all stolen National Assets and institute Capital punishment against corruption. Uncivilised greed and impunity need total and final solutions. We should ignore all protests to this from persons and nations that benefit from our misery. Remember that the taker and the keeper are both equally guilty. We should cut off diplomatic relations with any nation that harbours corrupt Nigerian loots without returning them. Enough of rhetoric. Time for strategic clear-eyed actions and economic diplomacy. Serious issues need serious actions.
Long live Igbo-Yoruba-Hausa/Fulani Brotherhood !
Long live all Nigerians !!
Long live Nigeria, Our Only HomeLand !!!
~ Eze Festus Odimegwu, CON, HRM OKAA Chairman FS Group, Former Chairman NPC, Former MD/CEO Nigeria Breweries Plc. 27th March, 2015.
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