By Olukoya Adekanle
 Published
October 1st, 2008
I read a piece from one Erasmus Uche Ikedilo on
marginalization of the Igbos and I really feel sorry for the
perceived grievances from this region. Much as I appreciate
the fact that the Igbos are marginalized in country, I do not
agree with Uche on his generalization that a whole tribe
like the Yorubas are behind their problems in the East.I am
a Yoruba man and have been in the East for more than half a
period of my entire life with my tertitiary institution and
national service in the East.He left the leprosy on the body
of the Region and started treating the guinea worm infection
which is not obviously a way of treating the terminal
ailment. The Igbos are one of the very resourceful tribes in
Africa; very hardworking and creative with a good attitude to
life but they have been unable to produce a common front
before and after independence because everybody wants to
lead; nobody ever wanted to support his brother to be a
leader. Remember the politicking in the era of Sir
Mbanefo, Mbonu Ojike, Sir Mike Okpara, K.O. Mbadiwe who were
not only respected in Eastern Nigeria but Pan Nigeria.We
should not also forget the rancor between the late Professor
Chuba Okadigbo and the Great Zik of Africa.I hope Uche
remembered Eyo Ita and his political sagacity and what led
to his ouster as the head of government in the East before
Independence. Major Nzeogwu would have taken over then If he
was not frustrated by Ojukwu when he was the commander of
the Battalion in Kano.I hope Uche has not forgotten that
Col.Nwawo was given the mandate to arrest the young major
because Ojukwu had the fear of the unknown and because
Nzeogwu was not a "pure" Ibo.The tribe blew up that
opportunity and alas it got into the hands of an Hausa
Easterner who was too laid back to consolidate on the
"gains" of the coup.I find it very insulting to the Yoruba
race in the face of this generalization. Remember the late
Adeniran Ogunsanya and late Chief Bode Thomas as well as the
great Ibadan politician, Sir Adegoke Adelabu were never
Awo's men. They were on the side of the Great Zik.
Let us stop wiping up tribal sentiments. They will only make
us drift apart. The problems in the East at the moment is
that literacy level is still very low. Promising Ibo chaps
who are supposed to be in school are wasting away in
Onitsha, Aba, Nnewi etc in the name of learning one trade or
the other.After graduation and without money to start
up,they take to such heinous crimes as robbery, rituals
killing, militancy, political
thugs, bunkering, cultism, kidnapping and all that. They find it
very difficult to come to terms with the present
challenges at their low level of education. What are the
Ibos in diaspora doing about this. One would have expected
the group to carry out enlightenment programmes that will
free them from this ignorance rather than coming home every
December to show off your wealth and face elimination by
these youths.Orji Uzor Kalu used to earn the respect of
Nigerians if not for any thing but for standing up against
the tyranny of the Obasanjo's government but back home
Abians are suffering. There is no good road for instance in
any part of Aba of which 90% is state road.What would have
happened if he became a President of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.The only credible governor from the East that I can
die for is Chris Ngige because he stole my heart away by his
laudable achievements within a very brief period..EFCC
visited him and found nothing. This is not the same for
other governors.Dubious governors from the East visit the
United States and Europe to flout their ill-gotten wealth
and parties are thrown for them.You celebrate mediocrity and
high level corruption. The ruling party used Igbos to
truncate the ambitions of Chief Alex Ekwueme and Honourable
Ken Nnamani who are respected figures in the East.Till
tomorrow,a Professor Nwabueze can not represent the East
because money bags and high level politicking among his
brothers will frustrate whatever ambitions he has. Look
at the late Sam Mbakwe and Jim Nwobodo of the second
republic, I have not seen any governor in the
East that achieved what these men achieved between
1979-1983. The facts are there for everyone to see.
 Olukoya Adekanle
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