When it comes to politics, it is difficult to find any ethnic group that is usually as divided against itself like the Igbo of South east Nigeria.
This unfortunate fact has proven true since the time of the great Zik all through the five Senate Presidents (need we name them?) of the second republic, right down to the current cut throat no-Paddy-for-jungle rat race for the 2023 Presidency.
Amid the scullduggery of meanderings in Nigeria’s usual political arena with tired and near-grave nonagerians, bare faced crooks and criminals with too much money who only just managed to stay one step ahead of the law and prison, the race this time features a Korean-faced young man with a tiny voice who goes by the unlikely story-book name Peter Obi. An Igbo, Peter hails from the south east region and is indeed, a former Governor of Anambra State, in a region which all fair minded persons agree is the only region yet to produce a President for the country since the nation, under Sani Abacha, constitutionally recognized six geographical zones among which the Presidency would rotate for fairness and equity. It was logical… and so simple, yes? No.
As so often happens in Nigeria’s more-you-look society, ‘dem start magic’ (apologies ‘Abami Eda’ Fela Anikulapo Kuti.)
As, would be expected, the first salvo of attack came from Peter’s own kinsman – Rev. Fr. Mbaka of Adoration Ministries, a Priest, no less! Peter cannot be Nigeria’s President because, according to the clergyman, he was ‘too stingy’ with money! And before you could say ‘gini kwanu?’ other high profile politicians like Hope Uzodinma, Governor of Imo State, Ekweremadu, a former deputy Senate President and a host of other nd’Igbo were in the very vanguard of opposition to Peter’s Presidential quest! On all social media outlets, nd’Igbo chimed in with the most trenchant condemnations of the man and sundry reasons why he cannot be President. Soon, even IPOD weighed in, disowning Peter as a non member who did not have the interest of Biafra at heart.
And all this in spite of the man’s exemplary record as former Governor. But the people of Nigeria, especially the young and socio-economically traumatized youth across the regions, started paying attention. For Peter Obi spoke the language the common man understood and wanted to hear; he railed against the injustices in the system that have held millions of Nigerian youth helpless. He prophesied against old politicians who continue to hold and loot the country out of its resources that could be otherwise used to provide a better life and future for Nigerian youth. He inspires hope in millions with his message that Nigeria can be better. For the youth, it is becoming increasingly easier to believe him, for his performance as Anambra State Governor stand him out as a prudent manager of resources who left billions of naira in the coffers of the State government for his successor after developing it’s infrastructure to a very appreciable level.
His choice of Vice Presidential candidate is also prodigious, picking a young well known senator from the far northern State of Kano in the 46 year old Baba Datti Ahmed.
As Nigerians across-the-board continue to hail this young Ony’Igbo, it baffles many why the Igbo population worldwide are yet to overwhelmingly declare and mobilize it’s considerable resources behind him to claim a presidency which it so richly deserves. This against the background that Yoruba group Afenifere, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum and the Middle Belt Forum and Ohanaeze had called on political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the South-East.
Afenifere’s leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, recently endorsed the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, adding that the South-East deserves a shot at the Presidency based on equity and the need to unite the country.
He said, “The North has no right to come back again after eight years, just as I am opposed to (Bola) Tinubu. It is not the right of the South-West to come and claim the Presidency (again) if we want peace in Nigeria. If we want equity, justice; we want to be united, we are talking of rotation, we are talking of federal character.
“It has gone to the North, now to the South. Should it come to the South to the region that has had it with former President Olusegun Obasanjo for eight years, with (Prof) Yemi Osinbajo in eight years as Vice-President? The South-South has had it with (former president) Jonathan. Is the South-East not part of Nigeria to have that equity?”
As for Ohanaeze, beyond its lip service, the so-called Igbo apex socio-cultural body has done virtually nothing towards projecting the cause of its only son, a credible, forward thinking young man in the 2023 Presidential race.
Ohanaeze rather tamely explained that it “had yet to endorse any candidate because such a decision that would affect the Igbo, as a democratic ethnic group, ought to be taken in consultation with Igbo interest groups”.
Its spokesperson, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, said, “Ohanaeze’s modus operandi is clearly different from that of Afenifere. You know the Igbo are a very democratic set of people, so, we usually call a meeting of a wider Igbo assemblage and we look at the issue so that when we take a decision and an endorsement, it will be seen to be carrying everyone along.
“That is why we have not endorsed any (candidate) even when we know where we are going. We must call a meeting of all Igbo interest groups and we look at everything so that if we say something, it will carry the weight of the whole Igbo assemblage.”
Which makes one wonder if, even with only one of its sons contesting, the Igbo nation is waiting untill after the 2023 elections before it will summon the all important ‘assemblage’.
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