On Mark Zuckerberg, Innoson and Nigeria’s Hard Choice

By James Eze (eziokwubundu@gmail.com)

The word “frenzy,” finally took a life and worked the streets of Nigeria this week when Mark Zuckerberg visited Lagos. With about fifteen million Facebook users in the country, Zuckerberg’s visit was bound to cause a tremor among Nigeria’s internet-savvy youths. And of course it did. And the ripples are still here with us long after he has departed.

I was one of the many facebook users who felt elated by Mark’s visit. By all means, we should give it up to Zuckerberg. I have a high regard for genius. I realized that since I am not one, the least that I can do is to appreciate a genius when I see one. I had read up a bit about Zuckerberg before he visited. While researching for a talk to some youths a couple of months ago, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Mark Zuckerberg was only twenty when he gave us facebook. That, to me, is something outstanding. Not just because facebook is my favourite social media platform but because I have always believed that genius is a gift that belongs to all humanity and should be nurtured and applauded. It is one thing that breaks racial barriers and makes religious and ideological divisions seem infantile. You could detest someone but it is difficult not to accept their genius.

And that is probably where my private puzzle begins. I am puzzled that fate has wrought a cruel mischief on Nigeria. I am excited at the uncanny coincidence of Mark Zuckerberg visiting Nigeria in the very week when Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Limited announced the eventual shutdown of its plant in Nnewi. I said to myself, how cruel can fate be? At a time Nigerians were rushing out to the streets to celebrate Zuckerberg, their own rising star was taking a hard fall from the firmament. And sincerely, for what reason? Now, let’s go there!
As a country, Nigeria has always shut her eyes to what stares her hard in the face – the unresolved question of what to do with the Igbo genius. Well, for those who might want to examine my comment with ethnic binoculars, I am glad that I have since declared that though I am Igbo I am not a genius. So, let me breath joor! The fact before me says that Nigeria has not given the Igbo genius the chance to flower. Not in the past forty years or more. And that is really sad!

I mean, how do you explain that? How do you explain that after the scientific brilliance that stampeded the advanced world to gang up and crush Biafra, peace-time Nigeria has marched on for all of forty six years without asking where the sparkle came from? How do you explain that Nigeria’s successive regimes have failed to acknowledge the promise of Biafra – the momentous inventions, the creative ferment of military hardware and their gritty deployment during the thirty months of anomie? How do you easily explain that the spill over of that sizzling creativity which overwhelmed Nigeria and the entire West Africa when the war ended with an assortment of domestic products generally referred to as “Igbo-made” was allowed to peter out under the scorching sun of brutal economic policies that were primarily intended to knock the breath out of an already emasculated people? I don’t know how anyone can explain that to me, quite frankly.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not naïve. At least I know that in a multi-ethnic society like our own, it might sound provocative to declare the genius of one group and not acknowledge the gifts their compatriots carry. Well, Nigeria is a land of diverse gifts. We all know our strengths and weaknesses. We also know our comparative advantages. But only the Igbo and some of their South South brothers have fought a nail-biting war of survival in our history. So, only them, as far as we know, have shown their inventive side with regards to military hardware, agricultural production, oil refinery and other key areas that saw the manifestation of astonishing ingenuity in a most uncomfortable season. And this is a fact. Unfortunately, other groups in Nigeria have yet to be forced to the wall and fight back and possibly respond with the same range of ingenuity.

Again, don’t get me wrong. This article is not about the Igbo and other ethnic groups. It is about the Igbo and what Nigeria has lost by ignoring their gifts. For Nigeria has made war on herself and turned herself into a prisoner of war for forty six long years. Every great nation finally comes to that bend in the river, that hissing rupture that launches it into a whole new orbit. Biafra was Nigeria’s brightest chance to redeem black Africa from the shame of scientific underachievement. But unbridled ethnic bigotry teamed up with infantile triumphalism to snuff out that possibility when the guns went silent. If you doubt me, take a trip to Umuahi and see the remnants of Igbo ingenuity at the War Museum. And while there, do remember to visit the Ojukwu Bunker located a couple of kilometers away and tell me why Nigeria shouldn’t be kicking herself for willful self-immolation. Former presidential spokesman, Reno Omokri, wrote brilliantly about this a few weeks ago but we blessed him with our silence. And why not? Didn’t the Igbo support Jonathan, his boss?

So, while we all bask in the afterglow of Mark Zuckerberg’s visit, we should remind ourselves that Innoson, the only indigenous auto manufacturing plant in West Africa has just shut down. And many more will follow. We should also remind ourselves that Mark Zuckerberg would not have become the darling of the world if his genius had been stifled by America the way Nigeria has killed Innoson and several other brilliant spots of ingenuity among us.

I know that one day my fellow compatriots will raise their voices with me in asking Nigeria WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE IGBO GENUIS?
Ka Chineke nye anyi ife anyi n’acho!
http://www.thenationslight.com/2016/12/wow-james-eze-mark-zuckerberg-and.html?m=1
cc: lalasticlala, seun

The Igbo genius?

Innoson down??
I doubt.