Open Letter To Ndigbo

BY JOE IGBOKWE
Sept 12, 2014


When has Igbo become so ethically compromised that they do must defend even thieves from Igboland? Are these Igbo not aware that such fight, like in the case of Stella Oduah not only ridicules the Igbo but belittles them before others? What happens to the sanctimonious resolve of our fore fathers never to get involved in war of blame?

At the risk of being tagged once again as anti-Igbo by rabid, commissioned slave traders who see Ndigbo as easy wares to be marketed to their political masters, I write this open letter to my people.

At the huge risk of being called names by my brothers and sisters, I boldly write this piece to my people. I have been called names in the past for speaking out and I may be wrong but please forgive me. I write because I know that a story that must be told never forgives silence. I write despite all odds because I know that when a writer is silent he or she is lying. I write because I want things to be done differently, because I know that the greatest part of hell will be reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of great moral crisis. I write knowing fully well that I am not the best God ever created and therefore mine cannot be the last word. Two incidents involving Mrs. Stella Oduah, who was removed as a Minister for corruption, and General Ihejirika, who just retired from the Nigerian Army necessitated this open letter.


Mrs. Stella Oduah was removed as a Minister of Aviation for issues bordering on corruption. She was accused of financial recklessness.
 
When the lid was blown open, our people went to town to defend Mrs Stella Oduah. All Igbo organizations went to town with the chorus "LEAVE STELLA ODUAH ALONE". The shouts came from our people all over the world and it was loud enough and at best, deafening. When Mrs. Stella Oduah was eventually eased out by the presidency, one thought our people will learn the lesson but not Igbo. Our leaders went to town with a project to honour Mrs. Stella Oduah and others with awards in Lagos. In preparation for the ceremony one of the leaders spoke to the press. Hear him “we are honouring our own Mrs. Stella Oduah to show the world that even when Nigeria mocks our brightest and best for doing a good job at the Aviation Industry, we must tell the world that we love and celebrate our own.” She was given an instant title of Ada Igbo. As I write this, billboards are at strategic locations in Igboland, celebrating her as ADA IGBO.
 
Now enter General Ihejirika, the former Chief of Army Staff.

General Ihejirika just retired from the Army after serving for more than three decades. General Ihejirika is now eyeing the governorship seat in Abia State on the platform of PDP just few months after pulling out of the Nigerian Army.

But just recently an Australian peace negotiator, Stephen Davis, who was allegedly contracted by the federal government and who spent four months in Nigeria negotiating with Boko Haram to get the kidnapped Chibok girls out, told the world that the former Governor of Borno State Ali Modu Sheriff and Ihejirika have hands in sponsoring Boko Haram. The moment Stephen Davis' statement hit the Nigerian public space, hell was let loose once again. Our people went to town with the usual mantra: "LEAVE IHEJIRIKA ALONE". Almost all the Igbo organizations have issued press statements suggesting that General Ihejirika is now being persecuted for staking his life to fight Boko Haram for Nigeria. Again the noise was so loud and deafening.

According to our people Ihejirika is being persecuted because he is Igbo. Even Igbo World Assembly (IWA) in far away United States was not left out in the drama. In the social media it is Igbo and other Nigerians.
 
Now the questions are: do we need to defend Mrs. Stella Oduah and General Ihejirika? Are they not old enough or competent enough to defend themselves? Were our people with them when they were serving? Can we swear we know them very well to continue this noise? Do we really know the character of these persons? Why this prebendal politics? If we continue to defend our tribes only, who will then defend Nigeria? Who is working for Nigeria if I may ask? Is it not bad behaviour for Igbo to continue to defend what they know nothing about? Are we not making ourselves objects of ridicule in the eyes of other Nigerians? When we pour invectives on other Nigerians or people who are different from us are we not endangering the lives and businesses of Ndigbo scattered all over Nigerians?
 
Have we forgotten that our people are the most mobile in Nigeria? Do we know how other Nigerians rate us in this predictable primitive defense? Do we consider the feelings of other Nigerians? What signals are we sending out with this improper behaviour? Don’t we have men and women who will say enough is enough in this madness of defending the indefensible?  

We know Igbo history, philosophy and sociology, when did it tolerate blind and unquestionable defence of someone who might have compromised his or herself while in office? When has Igbo become so ethically compromised that they do must defend even thieves from Igboland? Are these Igbo not aware that such fight, like in the case of Stella Oduah not only ridicules the Igbo but belittles them before others? What happens to the sanctimonious resolve of our fore fathers never to get involved in war of blame?
 
When Professor Grace Grange, IG Tafa Balogun, and Speaker Patricia Etteh, were removed for corruption, did the Yoruba resort to this kind of blackmail? What is the North saying about Ali Modu Sherrif, the former Governor of Borno State implicated in Boko Haram insurgency with Ihejirika? These are just few cases I wanted to mention for emphasis.
 
To the best of my knowledge I do not think our people are playing better politics in Nigeria now. I do not think the way we are going now will help us politically. I do not think other Nigerians will trust us if we continue this way. I have slim hope that other Nigerians will take serious in matters of Nigerian politics. I am not led to believe that we are getting it right, rather I think we are going the wrong way.
 
For emphasis, Ihejirika may be guilty or not but it is his to prove. I am not saying he is guilty for I do not know the details. He doesn’t need all the cahoots of persuaders now striving to show their support for him to do so. In every sane society, security is a complicated issue and every person within that society, even the president, is a suspect until proven otherwise. The best for Ihejirika is to step out and put a solid defence and shame his accusers. If he believes he will get the mob to extricate him, he is making a mistake and getting himself indicted by history and that is far more dangerous for him.
 
I suggest that Igbo should stop creating enemies for itself in Nigeria. I suggest that Igbo should rise above ethnic preoccupation to help move Nigeria forward. If we are still one Nigeria, Igbo should consider the feelings of other Nigerians. This defeatism attitude must give way to politics of ideas. This persecution complex must stop. This leadership complex must seize to exist.
 


Joe Igbokwe.
Lagos



http://saharareporters.com/2014/09/12/open-letter-ndigbo-joe-igbokwe

See her wowor face! What goes around comes around. I think Nigerians (from other parts of Nigeria) should just endure this tribalist government of GEJ until we have a more sensible government for all Nigerians.

^ ^ ^

surely,i am tired of politics of ethnicity and religion.

Sealeddeal: surely,i am tired of politics of ethnicity and religion.

FYI;

This is an article by an igbo guy.

To think that this writer works for one of the most corrup individual in Nigeria's history in the person of Ahmed Bola Tinubu who has converted lagos state to his personal property and has shamlessly looted the coffers of the state!!! This igbokwe dude is a hypocrite, traitor per excellence and a disgrace to the igbo race

lacasa:

FYI;

This is an article by an igbo guy.

Joe Yorubakwe is Igbo?
Don't make me laugh!!

Joe, you are my older brother,and I love you, but don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again,ever.

Now the questions are: do we need to defend Mrs. Stella Oduah and General Ihejirika? Are they not old enough or competent enough to defend themselves? Were our people with them when they were serving? Can we swear we know them very well to continue this noise? Do we really know the character of these persons? Why this prebendal politics? If we continue to defend our tribes only, who will then defend Nigeria? Who is working for Nigeria if I may ask? Is it not bad behaviour for Igbo to continue to defend what they know nothing about? Are we not making ourselves objects of ridicule in the eyes of other Nigerians? When we pour invectives on other Nigerians or people who are different from us are we not endangering the lives and businesses of Ndigbo scattered all over Nigerians?

Words on Marble!!!

Chubhie: Joe, you are my older brother,and I love you, but don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again,ever.

Michael to Freddo in Las Vegas over the Moe Greene deal..

What a piece!!!!
This man just earned my everlasting respect!!

Collynzo17:
Joe Yorubakwe is Igbo?
Don't make me laugh!!

Una dey deny him now

Medicine after fucking death, everyone defend ur tribesman till this sh*t collapses

Odikwa very serious!

lacasa:


Una dey deny him now

Tell me when he has ever been accepted as Igbo, he even admitted it himself. Read the first paragraph

So, because we didn't work with Ihejirika, igbos should fold their hands and watch others try to pull him down.
Like we are blind when he was terrorizing BH and successfully moved them to sambisa before his retirement.
Igbokwe, its called onye aghana nwanne ya.
It would have been selfish and careless of us to let such evil happen

Collynzo17:
Tell me when he has ever been accepted as Igbo, he even admitted it himself. Read the first paragraph

If hee is not igbo then, what is he?

nanospy007: See her wowor face! What goes around comes around. I think Nigerians (from other parts of Nigeria) should just endure this tribalist government of GEJ until we have a more sensible government for all Nigerians.

Her wowo face? But she has achieved more than your dad n mom put together?

What u do expect from tunubu house boy? The so called is a sellout n need to be skinned alive.

Its unfortunate we have very few Ibos like Joe Ibokwe, Nigeria would have been a better place.

omenka: What a piece!!!!
This man just earned my everlasting respect!!

ME TOO

lacasa:

If hee is not igbo then, what is he?

Yoruba in the past, now and always.

DikeOha882: Her wowo face? But she has achieved more than your dad n mom put together?

...through Theft of public funds. Regardless, check the. Below out.

omenka: Michael to Freddo in Las Vegas over the Moe Greene deal..

In this things of ours, once it becomes a case of Us Vs Them, all perceived differences are put aside to form a united front against an enemy after which the family business gets taken care off and punishments melted out to those found wanting-like joe and Freddo treatment given. It is my belief that Don Omenka would not readily give your luca to the northerns baying for his head.

TribalEAST: ...through Theft of public funds. Regardless, check the. Below out.

coming from a poverty stricken mufus, u should be ashamed of your self for not knowing that she is a major player in petroleum downstream sector.

Collynzo17:
Yoruba in the past, now and always.

Then he must be a pretty brave and truth speaking 'yoruba'.


Wish the Igbos were more like this 'yoruba' fellow.

Perhaps if the North had not threatened to drag Ihejirika to the ICC for fighting boko haram we wouldnt defended him against Davis revealation.

Chubhie: In this things of ours, once it becomes a case of Us Vs Them, all perceived differences are put aside to form a united front against an enemy after which the family business gets taken care off and punishments melted out to those found wanting-like joe and Freddo treatment given. It is my belief that Don Omenka would not readily give your luca to the northerns baying for his head.

In This Thing of Ours, an honest enemy always proves a greater "ally" than a brother who could rat you out over a nickel. So said my Consigliare

Evergreen123: So, because we didn't work with Ihejirika, igbos should fold their hands and watch others try to pull him down.
Like we are blind when he was terrorizing BH and successfully moved them to sambisa before his retirement.
Igbokwe, its called onye aghana nwanne ya.
It would have been selfish and careless of us to let such evil happen

Who are the others that want to pull him down? Why do you guys always see others as your enemies? Why do you always claim victims?

Heeding the advice of this writer would help increase your civilty and make you a better person.

Why is nothing being said about the internal affairs minister and heads of immigration who supervised the killing of hundred through a scam employment process?
Why is nothing being said about the Current chief of army staff and the Yoruba chief of Air staff who is contributing nothing to the fight against boko haram? When Ihejirika was in office, it was all about him even though he was doing a good job of decimating the terrorists, things have got hundred times worse since he left but people no longer look at the military chiefs for blame because none is Igbo.
What about the current Yoruba NySC DG who is scamming prospective corp members through an N4000 card for printing a piece of paper through a Yoruba owned company?
Why is nothing being said about this grave wickedness on our Youths? Because the perpetrators aren't Igbos?
Yet they want us to sit down and fold our hands when great sons and daughters of our land and presecuted for no reason other than their tribe.
It won't happen until the hypocrisy is dropped.

APContherun: Perhaps if the North had not threatened to drag Ihejirika to the ICC for fighting boko haram we wouldnt defended him against Davis revealation.

Just like the North also threaten to take Stella ICC abi? My friend, this mob support Ibos give to their corrupt elites is doing a lot of harm to the Ibo tribe.

You should once in a while tow the line of reason and not ethnic chauvinism.

When Professor Grace Grange, IG Tafa Balogun, and Speaker Patricia Etteh, were removed for corruption, did the Yoruba resort to this kind of blackmail? What is the North saying about Ali Modu Sherrif, the former Governor of Borno State implicated in Boko Haram insurgency with Ihejirika?

.Bull's eye!!!