It was 
Tuesday morning, The 12th of October 2004 and the second day of the NLC strike in Nigeria,
another slow news day some may say, and therefore a very good day to bury bad news.
I was about completing my morning ritual
of sorting my emails and reading the online edition of the Guardian newspaper to find out how Nigerians are faring
in the strike, especially with the closure of most markets and banks. And there it was, the apologetic article:
“Obasanjo, Ndigbo and
history” (http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/policy_politics/article01)
written by Chimaraoke Nnamani, a governor,
gynaecologist and most recently ‘historian’ and ‘statesman’.
His article reeked of pandering and dalliance,
it sucked of favour currying, of stroking and ego massaging, it is the ultimate spin. A selfish indulgence and
a true stake to the claim of the title of His Master’s Voice; it is also a disappointing betrayal of trust and
confidence of one’s immediate constituency, the dashing of hopes of a people and the sacrifice of the common good
for one man’s selfish aspirations and interests.
His article once again highlights the
true state of affairs in Igboland and the general fate of Ndigbo. It shows the kind of ‘leaders’ Ndigbo are saddled
with; it reminded me of W.B Yeats’ poem cited in the opening pages of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. What more
can Ndigbo say or do? That which they feared most has befallen them, those that should defend them have turned
against them.
Late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola while answering
reporters’ questions concerning what his friend IBB did to him by annulling the June 12 elections replied
thus …with
friends like this, we no longer need enemies. Chimaraoke Nnamani has drawn the line; he has shown on whose side
he is on, his unsheathed and drawn sword is now visible for Ndigbo to see.
How has Chimaraoke Nnamani erred? Firstly
I presume that there must be more pressing issues and matters of importance in Enugu State that should be
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engaging his time and attention, more important than holding court and brief for the president, I am also not
aware that there is any vacancy at Aso Rock for the jobs of any of the President’s special advisers and assistants
on media and information, also the last time I checked, Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu was still the Minister of Information
and National Orientation and the governor I am sure will not be thinking of dispossessing his kinsman of his ministerial job, after all we have always known that the governor has his eyes
set on the position of the Vice president of Nigeria come 2007, this then explains and justifies (?) his actions
and antics.
So the President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
should have been left to defend himself and clarify his position on the Ndigbo issue, he should articulate for
the records all that he has done or not done for Ndigbo including his huge magnanimity and benevolence during the
war to which Ndigbo owe him their lives, a position that the governor has taken in his article, The governor cites
other writers to allude that without Obasanjo Ndigbo would have been wiped off the face of the earth during the
war in a genocidal fashion. What a huge undertaker’s task the governor has chosen for himself and how very disappointed
Aso Rock will be with him for fuelling further the divide between Aso Rock and Ndigbo! His attempt indeed has been
a ‘wishy – washy’ image laundering effort gone awry.
If elections were won in Nigeria based on popularity ratings, I am sure the governor knows what his and his master’s fate will be.
While the governor has a right to exercise his constitutional rights of freedom of expression, it is also worth
mentioning that the office of the governor and of that of any other important government position requires some
form of decorum and etiquette, it demands a braveness and boldness of heart that may not even be found amongst
soldiers, even the Bible cautions that leaders should not take to heart, listen to or react to everything people
say about them, because in doing so they may hear their servants cursing them. Unless the governor wishes to confirm
to us all, the saying that there is no honour among thieves.
The fertile, constructive and progressive
field of public discourse has now been taken to another level by the governor’s article; the stage is now set for
absurdity, lies, half truths, deceptions and also for mockery, mimickery and sycophancy.
What the governor has done confirms what
several writers have written about him concerning his stewardship and motives, he is confirming his place in history
as an agent of destabilisation in Igboland, just like I wrote earlier in Maka Odi Mma Ndi Be Anyi (An article
written in the Igbo Language). (http://magazine.biafranigeriaworld.com/unworah/2004sep26.html)
Cowardice does indeed have many faces,
as a result the governor could not bring himself to mention the name of Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in his article, even
though it was glaring that the governor was referring to the Ikemba in the statement
…because the hapless downtrodden did grasp their precarious and perilous state in which their soon
exiled leadership left them…
How hateful and insensitive can the governor
be? Coming at the heels of pending and yet unresolved differences between the Ikemba and the Nigerian government,
to speak about a man revered by Ndigbo in such unsavoury manner at this point in time in Nigeria (NLC strike, Ojukwu/SSS
saga) speaks volumes of the governor’s reasoning as well as those of his advisers. His remarks are not only disrespectful
but also ill timed as they can inflame the more, already heated tempers.
Considering the fact that the Ikemba resides
in Enugu, the governor’s territory and also the governor having shown whose side he is on, it all adds up then
- all the different conspiracy theories currently making the rounds on the internet as well as in town union and
Umunna meetings, these are indeed dangerous times, both for the Ikemba and Ndigbo.
Whether the governor likes and accepts
it or not, the Ikemba of Nnewi remains a hero in Igboland, he represents the aspirations of the Igbo man in Diaspora
and in Nigeria, I suggest that the governor take out time from his ‘busy’ schedule to visit a couple of the websites
devoted to the Nigerian cause, that will give him a good opportunity to tap into the feelings of the people which
he appears to be so alienated from.
And if I should quote the great statesman,
Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle of Onitsha, a man to whom the governor conveniently referenced in his article
‘Those that do not respect greatness will never live to be great’.
At this time, I believe the governor already
knows what route he is travelling
as well as his place in history? Carrying out a personal vendetta and a campaign against the Ikemba and Ndigbo
will not further his ambitions in any way, this is because there has never been a politician without a constituency.
What a shame that in almost six years
of civilian democracy, this is all the governor can present on behalf of the President as evidence of the Presidents
love for Ndigbo.
…Mr. President directed the building of an ultramodern International Trade Fair Complex, whose completion
has virtually arrived 70 per cent in construction work done so far. He has also awarded the extension of the runway
of the Enugu Airport (now renamed Akanu Ibiam) Airport, Enugu, to facilitate its international status. Although, our government in Enugu built the Augustine Nnamani (Agbani) Campus of the Nigerian Law School…
The governor also wants us all to applaud
the fact that he does get his allocation on time from the president,
…Enugu State has never had to go begging for its allocation at any time in these years. Enugu State has not
had to be humiliated, as such is not part of the constitutional provision, to get its dues in the national coffers…
He is therefore grateful that he has not
been reduced to the weeping governor status, just like the late Chief (Dr) Sam Mbakwe (Dee Sam) during the Shagari
administration.
I can not see how we can applaud this
and count it as evidence of the president’s love for Ndigbo, not releasing allocations when they are do would have
been so obvious and unconstitutional, and isn’t that what the Presidency should be doing in the first instance?
And to count the trade fair complex, the uncompleted Enugu airport runway extension and a few other minor Public
Relations projects as achievements and thus evidence of love really shows that the governor may have dabbled into
the wrong profession, it would have been better if he had remained in medical practice as I am sure UNTH and all
the other death clinics in his state could do with his expertise.
In Enugu State, everyone knows that the
governor is not only vindictive but is also a man who believes so much in vain and self glorification, he named
the Housing Estate he built for the rich to the neglect of the poor masses after himself, The Ebeano Housing Estate
located at the New Haven/Independence layout junction have since been shared out to loyalists and cronies, The
Nigerian Law school in Enugu have also been re-christened after the governor’s father, it is now known as the Augustine
Nnamani campus of the Nigerian Law School, and so are the several other PR projects executed by his administration
to date.
Quoting further from the governor’s article,
he quotes Obasanjo as saying…
"I
did not fight the war for the Igbo to lose their properties in Nigeria’’
He also claims that Obasanjo had advised
Ajie Ukpabi Asika, the then administrator of the East central state
…to
put Ndigbo on the train from Enugu, in 1974, to storm Port Harcourt en masse to reclaim what rightly belonged to
them…
I don’t know in what planet the governor
is living on, I also don’t know what he and his master take Ndigbo for, definitely we are not some bunch or herd
of cattle waiting to be transported by train from Kano to Okigwe, I can not see how he has helped Obasanjo’s cause
with such crude and reckless arguments, considering Obasanjo’s position in government then, if he so much loved
Ndigbo, I am sure he could have used state and government apparatus to prevail on the late ken Saro-Wiwa to surrender
the so called abandoned properties to the rightful owners – Ndigbo.
Having recently attended the meeting of
the National Council of States, I can see the reason why the governor is beaming with smiles and thumping his chest,
he has received his state’s share of the oil windfall, this is indeed a very good and opportune time for him as
elections have to be won in 2007 and we all know how expensive they can be in Nigeria, the governor would have
devoted his write up to telling Ndigbo how much each of the eastern states governors’ got and how they plan to
utilise the windfall for the common good.
I may not have been born during the time
of the Nigeria – Biafra war but I have pieced quite a few things from original and second hand information, mostly
from my father who is still alive and from the numerous war accounts in print, therefore I chose not to comment
further because I can never do it better than those heroes and veterans still alive, whom I am sure will have a
word or two for his excellency.
May true Igbo leaders and statesmen please
stand up.