Out of curiosity, 
I joined some web-based information sharing
groups, I also decided to browse through some Nigerian websites including those of notable media houses, in order
to tap into the 'feelings' and 'thinking' of Nigerians. In almost all of these sites, over 85% of the news stories,
articles and editorials revolved around government and politics, and almost all the articles, opinions and editorials
were critical of one aspect of government policy or the other, government officials and stooges were also not spared
in the hatchet job.
It was either the Igbos arguing their case for an Igbo president or the Yorubas complaining about what a huge disappointment
Obasanjo is, the Hausas, though in smaller numbers still tried to make themselves relevant by propagating their
faith and seeking new strategic alliances for 2007, the Ijaws and Niger Delta people on their part despite the
gift or bribe of NDDC and Dokubo Asari do not seem to have found the peace and oil wealth they have been yearning
for. The other ethnic groups lived up to their minority billings and were not well represented in the public opinion
theatre of these websites.one surprising thing though, the Hausas or northern oligarchy as they are known, and
their subjects (the talakawas) were not well represented, are they then having a good time then or do they live
in a different Nigeria from the rest of us?
If we only write about what we think and feel strongly about, then this may disprove the findings of the researchers
that declared Nigerians the
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happiest people on earth, what they should have awarded us was the title of the most politically aware people in
the world. Unless they were only punning and meant for us to see their findings as tongue in cheek.
Our writings show a complete dissatisfaction and disaffection with our government and therefore our conditions,
there is so much negativity, anger and even hatred in our voices, it is almost as if we are loosing our zest for
life and existence, we are letting our government run and ruin our lives
From Aba to Zakibiam, Oturkpo to Kubwa, Umunede to Ajegunle, it is the same feelings, the same voices, the same
anguish, to borrow from Sean McBride's book; it is many voices, one word. We have let our government deny us of
our joy so much and for so long. It is almost as if they get their kicks and highs (just like cocaine junkies)
from our sorrows anytime they read all the venoms and invectives we pour on them. Now we are beginning to turn
these on our selves, it's a dog eat dog world now, a fratricidal process.
It used to be the government (them) against the people (us), now it's the people (us) against the people (us),
As we reach for each other's jugular, they carry on acting out their plots, vilely scripted. There is now so
much disunity in the movement, insults are traded at random, blows and punches thrown in the air, everyone is talking
at the same time, and on top of their voices, no one is listening anymore to what the other person is saying, dialogue
is dead, there is no game plan, no course of action, no co-ordination, we don't even know if that which we have
been asking of them is being done, even in the slightest.
Without knowing it, some of us now have second careers - in - waiting as politicians; we are true descriptions
of man, the political man. We now know so much about government and politics that we can challenge the real politicians
in their own turf, and also out- write degree holders in the discipline in any examinations.
The only difference between the real politicians and us is that we don't loot government treasury nor partake in
the sharing of oil money with them; it is still only 1% of them enjoying over 80% of our oil revenue.
Maybe it is time to let off steam, articulate our cause and loosen up a bit, there must be other things we can
talk and write about, for now. 2007 is around the corner, just 3 years away. I remember 1990, much talked about
and awaited, even Charly Boy Oputa sang about it, we heralded it like Charlie's comet, it came and went, nothing
happened, nothing changed, life went on.
If 2007 comes and goes and we let them carry on, what happens next then? Who has lost and who has failed? Nigeria
is vast and is still a virgin land waiting to be explored. (I did not mean exploited and plundered; only politicians
do that).
IGBO PRESIDENCY: THE BIG PICTURE
This is only an aside; It is my insignificant personal opinion. Who cares and what does it matter anyway?
Some writers and commentators have been celebrating Gowon's recent comment that an Igbo man should be the next
president of Nigeria. This however detracts from the wider issue of the place of Ndigbo in the Nigerian nation,
this I am sure goes beyond a mere and token hoisting of an Igbo man as the president of Nigeria in 2007, if that
happens, that is.
Firstly, experience and recent world events have shown that the position of the president of any country does not
rest solely on the wishes of the greater majority or even the lesser minority, George Bush has been re-elected
for the second term although popular opinion and wishes would have suggested otherwise.
Also the wishes of Ndigbo for an Igbo president definitely would follow the same political process, there won't
be any favours, no sympathies, it's a hardball game and hard knock life, if we want it, we have to go and get it,
and slug it out as always with whoever is up for the challenge, rigging for rigging, etc. tons of money will have
to be spent, blood shed and lands desecrated, welcome to the real world of politics in Nigeria. Ndigbo, are you
ready?
All these talk about zoning and the turn of Ndigbo does not hold water and are just plain political talk, if indeed
the position is zoned to Ndigbo in the party offices of APGA, PDP, AD etc, has it been zoned in the minds of the
electorates? Would an Hausa or Yoruba man in his village polling booth do the same, what about the master strategists
or election riggers, the king makers?
Still assuming that the position is zoned to Ndigbo, so who would be Ndigbo's likely candidates of choice? Some
people may mention Alex ekwueme, I don't think so, the man is a grand dad, a hero in his time and therefore he
should move over. Enter the new breed, the Orji uzor kalus, and the Nnamanis etc, can we trust them? Point the
men out to me from the present pack.
So what is our unique selling point? If i may borrow marketing terms, what is our pedigree? Sentiments, sympathies
and arguments of turn apart, what else can we advance? We are not currently helping our case, there is disunity
in our ranks (a house divided against itself…), there is infighting and accusations of fraud and embezzlement in
Ohaneze, the other Igbo cliques are busy jostling for contracts and positions in government, the election of which
is yet to be contested or won, we have turned Anambra state, once the state of champions into a theatre of blood
and anarchy, it was Aguleri and Umuleri the other time, we maimed and killed with hatred in our minds and joys
on our faces.
Now we are burning the government house, destroying radio and T.V stations and also government cars, disaster beckons,
anarchy looms and Aso rock smiles, but they didn't do this, did they? We are our worst enemy,
our opponents and enemies will be laughing at our greed and stupidity, we cannot keep our house in order, and we
want to rule Nigeria.
The issue once again is not really an Igbo man becoming the president of Nigeria in 2007, it is about what our
fate and future is in Nigeria, our collective survival and well-being, now, in 2007 and beyond, there is no point
having a stooge Igbo president, holding forth for some Hausa hopeful, while at the same time surrounded by enemies,
that will be almost like swimming with sharks, if he or she fails, then that becomes our pedigree and a reason
for our turn to wait another century.
Several other names are now being touted around, Ukiwe, Anyaoku and co. Integrity for whatever it is worth should
count but we are talking about the president of Nigeria here, a reality check would advice otherwise.
In every country and election, the benefit of power of incumbency is never discounted, John Kerry and Bill Clinton
are living witnesses, so what does that mean for Ndigbo? We can not ignore the people that are currently in power,
or those that walk along the corridors of power. Who are they?
For now, it appears that it is the women that are so favoured, Mrs Okonji-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili and co, but these
are not politicians, they are civil servants. Arthur Nzeribe, villainous as he may appear has been on this track
for long, he is not a credible candidate, he has also not said that he wants the job, but Ndigbo should listen
to what he has to say, are we all not after the same trophy? His friend Ibrahim Babangida is warming up, seriously.
If you are in doubt visit his website: http://www.ibrahim-babangida.com/ Atiku is also getting ready, and so is
Abubakar Rimi and Ibrahim Mantu (http://www.ibrahimmantu.com/
These men are not joking, and we are busy talking about zoning.
If only government and life had been fair to Ndigbo, if only fortune had smiled on us more, we wouldn't be at these
crossroads now, just one phrase would have taken care of all these problems: Good governance, it knows no colour,
gender or ethnicity.