The constitutional rights of Ndigbo in Lagos, Abuja or just about anywhere else does not in any way depend on Igbo contribution, 10, 30 or 60% towards the physical development of these metropolis. Hence harping ceaselessly on these percentages drags otherwise busy individuals into unnecessary disputes and arguments with our host communities which may find a reason to dispute such figures. The same applies to the regular exercise of estimating whether or not Ndigbo constitute 42 or is it 45% of the population of Lagos. The reaction of our hosts is often irrational, but we cannot stop them from feeling scared. Many of them would not take land at Ohanku in Ngwaland, even for free. Meanwhile the talk is that Ndigbo will not sell land to other Nigerians, which is not true. We have all learnt to live with this campaign of disinformation. We are adventurous. That are not.
It is amazing that the leading lights of Igboland somehow believe that the exodus of Igbo intellect, brain and business acumen has anything to do with Ndigbo not loving their homestead. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real cause has been the lack of business opportunities which in itself has been a result of longstanding deliberate political policy of those who strangely claim that there was "No Victor, No Vanquished " in January 1970. That is and remains a huge lie. I have worked in the East, and would never have relocated to Lagos decades ago but for the tug of the preponderance of business opportunities. Yes, I love Lagos, warts and all, but would most probably never have left the Enugu-Onitsha axis if things were different.
Lack of electrical power, abandoned road infrastructure, the dismissal of the concept of the 2nd Niger Bridge and the East-West Railway are all factors that led to the decades old abandonment of the East. While I would not recommend a total recourse to a well-earned persecution complex, it would do Ndigbo no good not to recognize those external factors that led to this current situation being decried by Ohaneze, Ndigbo Lagos, etc. To say that Ndigbo are their own worst enemies is not true. It is a huge lie.
For example, but for the exodus of our brightest and the best from Igboland, the multibillion Naira investments, school fees and businesses related to the education industry, in which our people excel, would have made an unimaginable economic impact on Igboland. Understandably we take our children along wherever we go together with teachers. Then we build schools in "foreign lands" to help bridge the gap in classroom availability. Note that this last observation is not an original of mine. Unfortunately, I cannot immediately recall who put it together.
As Ohaneze and all such Igbo socio-cultural organisations meet to put minds together, I recommend that the emphasis should no longer be on who has the loftiest sounding title, the tallest red cap, widest cow skin fan or the most intimidating Armada limousine. Each individual, in the privacy of his home, should interrogate himself thus: "Who among Ndigbo within my span of influence or control, better educated, brighter than me, can I recommend, to take my place in this coveted position for which I am currently hustling."
The problems confronting Ndigbo now go beyond ordering of goods, clearing and forwarding, ownership and renting of warehouse space and the typical wholesale and retail trade. We are experts here already. Who and who can discuss electrical power going forward 30years? Anyone? You cannot depend on Chief Emeka Offor who has enough on his plate, to do this for our people. This is my pet subject. I have never kept my views to myself. Meanwhile no one, and I mean no one, has ever asked me for any clarification. Jamborees of all the "Onwanetiloras" in the South-East, who actually shine on no one, will not get us nearer to the promised land. It is not unlikely that a good half of their deliberations is taken over by the dispute over who gets to break the kolanut.
What a pity!
This a master piece no doubt. The facts laid bare are incontrovertible. The struggle of Ohaneze as presently constituted is about ego. I dont see the leadership taking us out of where we are. With or without them we will continue to make progress .
ReplyDeleteHas the leadership of Ohaneze, for example, ever considered it necessary to ask the governments of the Eastern states to patronize INNOSON MOTORS a bit more, by tasking the company with requests for specific products and designs?
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