Oluwole Osagie-Jacobs.
 Published
December, 4th, 2009
This article is a dispassionate examination
of the plight of Ndigbo in contemporary Nigeria. A
considerable number of the past writings on this subject had
to a large extent danced around the truth. Most of them were
authored by Igbos who viewed the Igbo tribe from the mindset
of a people whose aspirations are being repressed by the
Nigerian state. These writings bereft of independent
assessment, glossed over the shortcomings of the Igbo tribe
and saw a victorious people who have successfully risen up
to the challenges of a debilitating environment. This
sentiment is often expressed through lectures such as that
of the Ohaneze Ndigbo (a pan Igbo organisation), Ahiajoku
and that of Igbo intellectuals in diaspora with a root in
the United States of America. This viewpoint and others in
the same kindred forecloses the review of Ndigbo’s
achievements vis-à-vis its enormous potentials.
True to expectation, this year’s Ahiajoku lecture ended with
the usual self adulation. “We are the greatest.” “Nobody can
kill the Igbo spirit.” “Many Nigerian tribes including the
Efik, Yoruba and Edo originated from Igbo land.” I should
have thought the first thing to do is to win the trust and
weld together subgroups like the Onitshas, Ikwerres and
Delta Ibos who say they do not belong to Ndigbo before
telling others where they came from. There was, however, the
honest acceptance that the Igbo language is a dying
language. Yes, since Bishop Ajayi Crowther wrote the first
Igbo language primer in 1857 no significant effort had been
made to preserve the language.
Many non Igbo writers like me who had in the past attempted
to comment on Ndigbo only caressed the heart of the matter
and ran away for the fear of being accused of exalting our
tribe over the Igbo tribe. Two writers from the Igbo stock,
Messrs Pini Jason and Joe Igbokwe who were bold to tell
Ndigbo self evident truth, have received snide remarks
bordering on lack of patriotism and betrayal.
Shakespeare was apt when he posited that no one could see
himself except by reflection. I have opted to be Ndigbo
mirror while taking responsibility for all my comments and
at the same time open myself up for all manner of criticism
and abuse. It is pertinent to mention that I chose first to
write on Ndigbo because of all the ethnic groups that
constitute the Nigerian nation it is the only one whose
plight is subject to immediate redemption.
If one should examine the enormous potentials with which God
endowed the Igbos vis-à-vis their placement in contemporary
socio-political dispensation, it would not be out of place
to describe them as a people adrift. This diminishing status
is caused by nothing other than the absence of leadership
and consensus. This deficiency has been difficult to remedy
over the years because the Igbos are now deeply enmeshed in
the money chase. The result is that honour, integrity and
undiluted Christianity for which the Igbos were known have
been compromised.
The Igbo tribe is as unique as its history. Of all the
tribes in Nigeria, it is this tribe that is most difficult
to place in terms of origin. Some of my Igbo friends for
want of an authentic historical record believe they are Jews
in diaspora. I often call their attention to their black
skin and the fact that they would be the only Jews who left
Israel without Judaism. Prof. A. E. Afigbo, writing on Igbo
language and culture said, “….like any group of people, they
are anxious to discover their origin and reconstruct how
they came to be how they are….” Whereas in the absence of
written history or credible oral records people find
recourse in hanging their early history on myths or legends,
in respect to the Igbos this is an exemption. It is,
therefore, difficult to construct the contemporary Igbo man
from his past. Thanks to the archaeological excavations of
Prof. Thurstan Shaw at Igbo-Ukwu in 1959 and the scholarly
works of Prof. A. E Afigbo, at least we now know that a
civilisation had existed in this part of Nigeria for over a
thousand years.
There is no doubt in my mind that of all the people
inhabiting the Nigerian space, Igbos are the most versatile.
In terms of hard work, endurance, zeal and tenacity of
purpose they stand alone. It may appear untrue but it is a
fact that the Yorubas had a secondary school 60 years before
the Igbos and a University graduate 40 years ahead of them.
This did not, however, hinder the Igbos from squaring up
shoulder to shoulder with the Yorubas in the intellectual
war against colonialism in the early part of the last
century. Igbo elites like, Alvan Ikoku, Nnamdi Azikiwe ,
Akanu Ibiam, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Mbonu Ojike, Nwafor Orizu,
Michael Okpara, Jaja Nwachuku to mention a few were heroes
of this struggle. In the early admissions to the University
of Ibadan (1948-1960), Igbos had a respectable
representation. They produced the first indigenous
Vice-Chancellor of this University and in the year 1963
amongst its staff were five Igbo Professors, (Dike,
Onwumechili, Modebe, Anene and Edozien) while the Yorubas
had four, (Lambo, Ajayi, Oluwasanmi and Idowu).
I had a jolt of Igbo industry in the year 1975 at the
National Secondary Quiz Competition finals held in Benin
–City in 1975. The final was between Edo College, Benin-City
and Fishers College, Umuahia (The name by which Government
College, Umuahia was then known). Edo College, which for
many years had the best record in the competition, was
defeated with the score of 25 to 23. Some of us, young boys,
barely a year out of secondary school who had come to wish
Edo College victory had to be contented with the trophy for
the best individual performance.
We proceeded to discuss the speed with which the Igbos
reversed the adversity arising from the civil war. The
genocide against the Igbos in northern Nigeria and the so
called war to keep Nigeria one is one of the most vicious
inhumanity of man to man since Cain slew Abel. The Igbos
came out of it with almost nothing to start a new life.
Amazingly, they turned adversity to prosperity within two
years. This courage and zeal to excel was replicated in
other aspects of human endeavour even in sports. Had
goalkeeper Amusa Adisa of WNDC football club, Ibadan not
parried Godwin Achebe’s penalty in the final of the 1971
Challenge Cup, it is highly probable that Rangers
International FC, Enugu would have won the cup. This was
just a year after the war! The most significant and visible
feat was in the area of economic recovery. It did not take
the Igbos three years after the war to reclaim the
leadership of commerce in Nigeria which had been their
preserve since after the First World War.
A cursory look at the socio-political arrangement in Nigeria
today would reveal that the Igbo tribe is at the lowest rung
of the ladder. In terms of the sharing of the commonwealth,
provision of infrastructure and the location of government
projects, they suffer the worst discrimination. Contrary to
popular belief, nobody has marginalized the Igbos; it is
Igbos who marginalized themselves. While it is possible to
discriminate against a dynamic people, they can never be
marginalised.
Had the Igbos closed their eyes to the antics of the
Nigerian state and harnessed their God given talents in the
areas of commerce and technology, their story would have
been different. If this is done, it would not take them up
to 20 years to be dictating the commercial and technological
pace of the whole Africa. All other things including
political power of which they had been a poor player would
be added. Alas! They lack the cohesion as well as the
governance to actualise this ideal.
It is common knowledge that through the inventive genius of
some volunteer Igbo scientists and engineers, Biafra was
able to fabricate many war equipment including missiles,
rockets, bombs and tanks. It is most interesting to note
that this group with very limited resources at its disposal
was able to build a mini refinery to extract petrol,
kerosene and aviation gas from crude oil. Immediately after
the war, there was a bold initiative to consolidate on the
amazing technological feats displayed by Biafra during the
hostilities. Consequently, two giant technological complexes
were conceived and built in Aba and Umuahia through the
assistance of the government of Czechoslovakia, a former
republic in Central Europe. This was accomplished in 1977.
Each complex occupies a land area of 2,500 sq.mtrs and
contains foundry and machine shop equipment. They are so
varied and massive that the suppliers had to provide two 30
tons German built Krup Cranes for their installation. Some
of the machines and equipment stocked are Lathe Machines,
Milling Machines, Shaping Machines, Pantographs and
Cylindrical Grinders etc. Their present value would run into
billions of Naira.
These machines if put into good use could revolutionize
productivity not only in the Igbo states but Nigeria as a
whole. They are still being covered with tarpaulin and
allowed to rot away as at the time of writing this piece.
Those who had been to the “Technological Village” in Aba
where these tools of progress had been covered for thirty
years were astonished at this glaring case of insanity. Why
the past governments with oversight function over these
technological facilities have failed to put them into use
remains a mystery. Ndigbo’s undoing is its failure to
consolidate on those endeavours in which it has a
comparative advantage. Nigerians are given to running away
from things that would task the intellect. They have
nurtured a society where the longest route to wealth is hard
work. Unfortunately, Igbo’s are gradually joining other
Nigerians in the vain pursuit of luxury and gaiety without
work.
Why Ndigbo has failed to evolve a leadership that would be
responsive to its aspirations is a living puzzle. Whenever
my Igbo friends flaunt their individualism, I do not fail to
tell them that it is a bad trait not worth celebrating. A
philosophy that does not lead to beneficial results is of no
value. Of all the tribes in Nigeria the Igbo is the most
uncoordinated. It is so bad that at the level of the family
meeting a young boy can interject an elderly man with a
“Shut up!” You don’t blame him; he may be expecting a
consignment of ten containers of goods from overseas.
Kingship is now determined by money rather than pedigree.
Every thing including interpersonal relationship is
denominated in money.
The Igbo has mutilated the sacred virtue of honour in the
field of politics. There is no discernible guiding
philosophy in terms of political choice. People outside
their tribe now determine who should rule them. Whereas one
can safely say that the Yoruba and the Hausa would vote for
people who would defend their interest, it is a different
story with the Igbo. The Igbo has been consistent in voting
for his enemy. The Igbos voted for Chief Obasanjo more than
anyone else during his last reign. They also voted for
prominent Igbo men who fought against Biafra during the
civil war. Some of them have found their way into the
national assembly courtesy of Igbo votes. Why on earth
should they vote as Senator an Igbo man who sold arms to
Nigeria during the civil war? In this genre of political
behaviour the past has no bearing with the present. It is
like the Markov Chain in Mathematics (a process without
memory) where the future development of each event is
independent of all historical events.
While Chief Obasanjo on many occasions travelled down to
Ogun and Oyo states to resolve political disputes during his
last reign of terror, he caused mayhem to be unleashed on
Anambra State. Policemen under his cover looked the other
way when properties worth about 2 billion naira were being
burnt down. During the eight years of his rule, this state
knew no peace. It is interesting to note that those who gave
credibility to his government through diligent and faithful
service, were people like Okonjo-Iweala, Ezekwesili,
Akunyuli, Soludo who incidentally are Igbos. He hunted down
and disgraced by way of a national broadcast an Igbo
Minister who collected bribe of 20 million naira but refused
to sanction his cousin, a former Director in public service,
who stole 400 million naira! Also, his lawyer friend and
tribesman who was paid 250 million naira for registering a
company and “other services” is still above the law.
During his rule, the scrap of iron, dead rats and human
skulls without grey matter in Okija shrine were elevated to
a powerful deity. The registers of devotees of the shrine
removed from the shrine by the State Security Service are
still in the custody of Aso Rock. It is the only shrine in
Nigeria whose devotees were hitherto recognised as cultists
by our courts. This is one of the two grounds for which the
Abia state governor had his election overturned at the
tribunal. Thank God that the Court of Appeal which restored
his mandate has corrected this notion. I do know that Chief
Obasanjo is aware that the least shrine in his Abeokuta and
my Benin-City are more powerful than the Okija shrine. In
fact, in these two cities the Okija shrine is a church.
When will the Igbos decide to make it impossible for people
to insult their sensibilities? The pan Igbo organisation,
the Ohaneze Ndigbo, has never agreed on any single issue.
Sometimes they disagree on when to meet, where to meet, who
to obey and who not to obey. It is an assembly for brickbat,
accusations and counter accusations. The consequence of lack
of consensus was played out at the last PDP convention where
twenty six Igbo candidates stood on the podium seeking to be
elected Chairman of the party. Six hours before this time,
the Chairman had been known by all others! Not too long ago,
more than forty Igbo candidates in the PDP signified
interest in the Anambra governorship race.
It is pertinent to mention that moving en masse to the party
in power had done nobody any good. Since the second republic
till date, Lagos State had been ruled by opposition parties.
Yet, it has enjoyed better governance and dividends of
democracy than any other state in Nigeria.
Diplomacy is an indispensable tool in leadership. It is
required to win the support of people and carry them along.
The cunning Yoruba man who we may find difficult to trust
has this in good quantum. In the matter of the June 12
mandate, they fought the government to a standstill without
using a gun. They achieved the presidential seat with Chief
Shonekan and Chief Obasanjo in quick succession. When people
say the Yorubas are cowards I tell them they are cowards
that win wars. Isn’t it said that discretion is the better
part of valour? General T.Y Danjuma rtd in a recent
interview recounted how during the war Chief Obasanjo
against the advice of field commanders deftly moved his
troop behind the one he (Danjuma) was commanding and caught
Biafran troops off guard. He admitted that it was this move
that put an end to the war. Yet, General Danjuma Rtd still
calls Chief Obasanjo a coward. In warfare, I think a
soldier’s bravery should be measured by the number of people
conquered rather than the number butchered. The “coward” Ota
farmer was able to rub our noses on the ground for eight
years and could still determine alone whether the presidency
should remain in the South or go to the North. One good
legacy from his reign of terror is that it raised regional
consciousness now making it almost impossible for a region
to monopolise the leadership of Nigeria again. Within three
years, deploying the right doses of treachery and
cunningness, he neutralised the firm grip of the core north
on Nigeria’s leadership.
It is no surprise that Yorubas are the ones behind the mega
churches of African origin. High wire diplomacy and
genuflection are required to hold on to such large
congregations. Name them; Living Faith Church, The Redeemed
Church of God, Deeper Life Bible Church, Mountain of Fire
and Miracles, Mathew Ashimolowo’s Kingsway International
Christian Centre (the largest church in Western Europe),
Christ Apostolic Church, Cherubim and Seraphim Church,
Celestial Church of Christ etc, are headed by Yorubas. Why
not the Igbos? They lack the necessary ingredients of
leadership like, patience and diplomacy. It would surprise
many that the first congregation that became the Living
Faith Church was put together in Kaduna by an Igbo woman.
This woman lost out due to lack of patience and diplomacy.
The kernel of this article is to encourage Ndigbo to have a
rethink and work towards regeneration and a rebirth. The
Igbos should consolidate their efforts in areas of human
endeavour where they have the greatest comparative
advantage. They should build their future on their enormous
God given skills. In doing this, attention should be given
only to things that are noble. A rabid pursuit of commerce
sometimes without consideration for human lives will lead
nowhere. The rare talents the Igbos possess were given by
God to enable them lead the world. That should be the
portion of a people among who emerged the enduring work of
genius, “Things Fall Apart”.
Mr. Oluwole Osagie-Jacobs
|
