WHY IGBOS ARE ANGRY WITH NIGERIA By Collins Onuegbu My friends who are not from the East of Nigeria where Igbos come from often ask me why there is so much anger in the East and among Igbos. Some wonder why, despite the famed Igbo” wealth’ and enterprise all over Nigeria, the people still complain that Nigeria is unfair to them. Some insinuate that the anger comes from the loss of the 2015 election by Jonathan who the Igbos heavily backed.

And why is it that the current generation of Igbos are so angry as to contemplate carrying arms against the country? With lots are following Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB with his secessionist message. Those not following may despise his antics and rhetoric but are sympathetic to his underlying message? And what is that message? That Igbos don’t feel wanted in Nigeria. That decades of official marginalization and discrimination should be stopped or they would be ready to take their chances in a new nation.

First, for those who think this is all about Jonathan and Buhari. It is not. Igbos were disappointed that Jonathan did not win. But those whose candidates lose elections lick their wounds. It is allowed. It happens when your candidate loses election. Why did the Igbos invest so much emotions in Jonathan, a non-Igbo Ijaw? It was more because of the fear of their experience in the past 50 years. Nigeria has placed an embargo on any Igbo man becoming Nigerian president. Jonathan was the next best thing. Other parts of Nigeria have supported their sons to the presidency. Some have bombed Nigeria into submission to get their son to Aso Rock. Igbos have little capacity to blackmail Nigeria to the presidency. They chose Jonathan as their “Igbo” . But that’s not to say that they are angry enough because he lost to contemplate going to war on his behalf. Jonathan was not really the model of a President you would go to war for. And his Ijaw people have accepted his loss. So?

Igbo anger has been building up in Nigeria since I was a kid in the 70s. As kids, we made choices in our school years based on the narrative of the Igbo place in Nigeria. We knew of the glass ceiling against Igbos before we were out of puberty. After the civil war, despite the “No winner, no vanquished” program, Nigeria placed glass ceilings and no-go areas for Igbos. The war reconstruction program was observed more in the breach. There was the “abandoned” property program that was introduced to drive a wedge between components of the former South-East Nigeria. While the country was too embarrassed to put the discrimination program down in an official gazette, it was there for anyone who cared to look. It was evident in the Igbo police officer who stayed in one position while less qualifies juniors progressed to become his bosses. It was evident when no Igbo qualified to become the Inspector General of Police, or leader any division in the armed forces. It was there when ‘ sensitive” or ‘lucrative “ positions were shared in Nigeria and Igbos were conspicuously absent. It was there when Igbos were only fit enough to be made Minister of Information until Obasanjo came to power. And even recently, it was there when Buhari appointed 47 people to man the critical roles in his government and no one from the South east was there. Any time there is a federal appointment in Nigeria, its usually the east that shouts. It was there from Buhari first term to his second term and anyone in-between.

The Igbo elite called it marginalization. Other Nigerians countered by saying no part of Nigeria was getting enough. Marginalization was universal. But they forgot something. The Igbo cry of marginalization was official policy. It was expected. It was programmed. And occasionally, key government officials let it slip that Igbos should not complain. After all, they fought a war with Nigeria. Talk about No Victor, No Vanquished. There was a Victor alright. And they were reminded of that at every turn. Every appointment. Every national project. Nigeria was only pretending. Igbos were licking their wounds and complaining and the rest of Nigeria was too busy to notice.

Go to the South-East today. Since the 70s and the oil boom. Nigeria has invested in commercial industries across the country. None has been sited in the South east. None. Refineries, Steel Plants, Cement Firms. Any Industry. The South East was systematically de-industrialized. Even when it was the best location for any industry, there was always a reason why it should not be sited there. What this means was that any Igbo man that wanted to work in a commercial federal establishment had to leave the east. Add this to the indigenization policy of the early 70s that pushed the Igbos out of private companies. It meant that international companies also avoided expansion into the south east. The Nigerian Breweries, the Dunlop and other such firms sited their plants outside the East and only set up distribution centers to sell in the region. This is one of the main reasons the exodus of Igbos from the zone accelerated after the war and continues to this day despite the hostility they face in certain parts of Nigeria. And why most became traders and commercial business men. Because access to organized work either in the government, government commercial institutions and even commercial institutions were limited.

The only industrial enterprise in the east are built by easterners; Nnewi, Aba, Onitsha. These are Igbo indigenous industrial cities.

This has been the practice since the end of the war.

In addition to this, the Federal Government has systematically made it difficult for Easterners to do commercial business even in the East. The Federal Roads in the East are some of the worst in Nigeria. The Eastern Sea ports have been made ineffective. It was a war to get the Enugu Airport upgraded to an International Airport. The former Finance Minister shed tears on the day the first International Flight landed in Enugu. Yes, Okonjo Iwealla cried! Recently, it was only the South East that was conspicuously missing in the New Railway Plan of the Federal Government. Nigeria has 6 regions. And one was missing in a national railway plan. Incidentally, Igbos who reside here are the most itinerant in the country and would benefit most from a national transport plan. Even our President changed the plan to include his village but a zone of the country was not included.

When you go to the east, despite the lack of federal presence, the presence of police all over the east tells a story. They mount road blocks and make it difficult to have commercial activity. Recently, Customs has joined. And lastly the army. It is an occupied territory. They extort money. They intimate. They recently have started killing.

Nigeria has made the east unlivable. Purposely. Carefully.

I am often in conversations where people accuse the east of being clannish. That while we are welcome in all parts of Nigeria, outsiders cannot come to the East. My question is: why would you come to the east? To do what? There is no business to do in the east. Nigeria has ensured that. Why would someone from the South West of Nigeria go to the East to invest? No one would prevent you. But it hardly makes commercial sense. Nigeria has ensured that. Those from the North are there in droves. Igbos love to celebrate with cows. And the cattlemen go there to sell their cattle. No one molests them. In my village and most villages in the East, they live unmolested. But those are the only people who can find commercial reason to be there!

So those who wonder why Igbos are angry, wonder no more. While most would not dare carry arms against Nigeria, don’t under estimate the level of disconnection and anger especially among the younger generation. Nigeria is made of nations that came together to form a country. No nation will like to be in perpetual servitude. That Nnamdi Kanu’s supporters starred down army tanks with sticks is a sign that the next generation will be ready to fight bare hands if necessary to stop Nigeria treating the Igbo nation as second-class citizens. There will be fiercer and angrier Kanus in our immediate future if Nigeria does not officially stop the “vanquished “program against the Igbos who fought the civil war. You cannot preach unity and indivisibility of the country on TV and all your actions point at discriminating against the components of the country. It is as dangerous as it is foolhardy. Let those who preach unity walk the talk and stop open discrimination of their countrymen. History has shown that you cannot decree peace. You cannot decree unity. You cannot force any group to belong to a country by force, it may work for a time. But never sustainable.

Nigeria has a lot to look forward to as a united country. It also has enough for the regions and nations that make up the country. Our diversity is a blessing. Our failure to reach our potential is caused mostly by the internal contradictions and the inability to build a fair country that can bring out the best out of her component regions. Those who shout most about loving Nigeria today are mostly those its current unfair structure favor. But Nigeria will continue being as strong as its weakest link. And the weak links are all there to see. The East is one of the weakest links. Until it stops being a weak link, Nigeria cannot truly make progress.

how can I waist my time reading all that....

when I'm pretty sure that buhari will not see it

Only the matured minds will understand but the indomie generation will come with insults.

For those asking how igbos are being marginalised, hope you have read through insightful piece. This is the obvious truth. The only national thing i see in the south east are the non igbo police officers, customs, army and other uniformed men. They estort, intimidate, maim and kill igbo youths daily. One nigeria my foot.

Kingdollar28:
how can I waist my time reading all that....

when I'm pretty sure that buhari will not see it

Its waste not waist.

OP said:

It was evident when no Igbo qualified to become the Inspector General of Police, or leader any division in the armed forces. It was there when ‘ sensitive” or ‘lucrative “ positions were shared in Nigeria and Igbos were conspicuously absent. It was there when Igbos were only fit enough to be made Minister of Information until Obasanjo came to power. And even recently, it was there when Buhari appointed 47 people to man the critical roles in his government and no one from the South east was there..

These are lies....

How can you say Igbos were only fit to be made Minister of Information until Obasanjo came to power? Ebitu Ukiwe was Vice President under Babangida. Alex Ekwueme was Vice President in Shagari's administration. Rear Admiral Alison Madueke was Chief of Naval Staff in Abacha's govt. And can you show us this list of "47 people" appointed by Buhari which excluded Igbos. His did you arrive at the number 47? Are these the only people he appointed, and how do you define 'critical'?

You people are just an insincere lot. God forbid I read the entire trash but from the little I perused, you made mention of police presence making commercial activity almost impossible. This is a joke. Na only for east checkpoints roadblock dey?

You say that there is no business to do in the east that is why easterners can move out to other parts and almost nobody loves to the east and that that is marginalisation. Are you for real? Tell us what business there is to do in Bauchi or Osun or Ondo. Come on. Stop with this silly persecution complex already. Damn.

What's my own.. I have made up my mind. You can not threaten me all the time.. Kill nnamdi KANU. Hydra headed people spring up. You guys don't know what it means to be in the east. When everything must be connected to Lagos and abuja.. The level of waste along Benin Onitsha road.

Timbuktuo:
You people are just an insincere lot. God forbid I read the entire trash bit from the little I perused, you made mention of police presence making commercial activity almost impossible. This is a joke. Na only for east checkpoints roadblock dey?

You say that there is no business to do in the east that is why easterners can move out to other parts and almost nobody loves to the east and that that is marginalisation. Are you for real? Tell us what business there is to do in Bauchi or Osun or Ondo. Come on. Stop with this silly persecution complex already. Damn.

Exactly. If anything, the East is the busiest part of Nigeria, in terms of commercial activity, after Lagos! The business in Onitsha alone is more than the entire northern Nigeria. He talks of "federal commercial establishments" being built everywhere except the East. Which federal commercial establishment is in Sokoto, or Borno, or Katsina, or Bauchi, or Kwara, or Edo? Where?

Rossikki:


Exactly. If anything, the East is the busiest part of Nigeria, in terms of commercial activity, after Lagos! The business in Onitsha alone is more than the entire northern Nigeria. He talks of "federal commercial establishments" being built everywhere except the East. Which federal commercial establishment is in Sokoto, or Borno, or Katsina, or Bauchi, or Kwara, or Edo? Where?

Seriously, I cannot understand this mass self-delusion. It is painful because I am half-igbo. I mean what the fûck. I have travelled to about 15 states in Nigeria and I can say categorically that the south are doing better than the north in every index of human welfare yet northerners have held power more than the south. We shouldn't let ourselves be deceived by selfish people who only gain from illogical rhetoric.

Politics is class warfare not ethnic skirmishes. I hope our eastern brothers learn.

prodigy24:
What's my own.. I have made up my mind. You can not threaten me all the time.. Kill nnamdi KANU. Hydra headed people spring up. You guys don't know what it means to be in the east. When everything must be connected to Lagos and abuja.. The level of waste along Benin Onitsha road.

Why haven't eastern governors made the east heaven? Did we not have a truly federal constitution? Pray, tell, who is responsible for remixing our constitution such that it is now centralised? You think people in Osun want to come to Lagos or people in Kogi? Wake up, man.

No matter how many Nnamdi Kanus spring up, it should be clear to you by now that Biafra will only be achieved by war and bloodshed. Even Jonathan jailed Biafra agitators, and that is the meek Jonathan o.

You can either choose to live in Fantasyland or face reality and address issues where they should be addressed.

Igbo angry with Nigeria?
Who said so? How did they arrive at that conclusion.

Iam Igbo and I support Buhari he hasn't put a foot wrong 99% of time.

He is however surrounded corrupt people both in APC and in his kitchen cabinet.

I am Igbo and I am not angry this impression is falsely created by anti Buhari media.

Rossikki:
OP said:



These are lies....

How can you say Igbos were only fit to be made Minister of Information until Obasanjo came to power? Ebitu Ukiwe was Vice President under Babangida. Alex Ekwueme was Vice President in Shagari's administration. Rear Admiral Alison Madueke was Chief of Naval Staff in Abacha's govt. And can you show us this list of "47 people" appointed by Buhari which excluded Igbos. His did you arrive at the number 47? Are these the only people he appointed, and how do you define 'critical'?

Sometimes we quote on a particuar contempt without using our head.must igbos travel distance to Lagos or abuja int airport before jetting out for their bizness trip.when u know that they are the highest travellers.Must the igbos go to apapa wharf to clear their goods and transload the goods to a truck before moving it down to the east for marketing,when u clearly know that there are closer ocean terminal like calabar port,warri port and onne port that's not even functioning.igbos are really sideline to benefit from this settings.FOR me,and my southeasterners,Leave our brothers southsouth and west to keep supporting APC lies.come 2019,we not gonna vote for anybody Sodat notherners will vote for their brother buhari to win.cos we ain't voting PDP again.all na the same(quote author=Timbuktuo post=60678619]You people are just an insincere lot. God forbid I read the entire trash but from the little I perused, you made mention of police presence making commercial activity almost impossible. This is a joke. Na only for east checkpoints roadblock dey?

You say that there is no business to do in the east that is why easterners can move out to other parts and almost nobody loves to the east and that that is marginalisation. Are you for real? Tell us what business there is to do in Bauchi or Osun or Ondo. Come on. Stop with this silly persecution complex already. Damn.[/quote]

vital:
Sometimes we quote on a particuar contempt without using our head.must igbos travel distance to Lagos or abuja int airport before jetting out for their bizness trip.when u know that they are the highest travellers.Must the igbos go to apapa wharf to clear their goods and transload the goods to a truck before moving it down to the east for marketing,when u clearly know that there are closer ocean terminal like calabar port,warri port and onne port that's not even functioning.igbos are really sideline to benefit from this settings.FOR me,and my southeasterners,Leave our brothers southsouth and west to keep supporting APC lies.come 2019,we not gonna vote for anybody Sodat notherners will vote for their brother buhari to win.cos we ain't voting PDP again.all na the same(quote author=Timbuktuo post=60678619]You people are just an insincere lot. God forbid I read the entire trash but from the little I perused, you made mention of police presence making commercial activity almost impossible. This is a joke. Na only for east checkpoints roadblock dey?

You say that there is no business to do in the east that is why easterners can move out to other parts and almost nobody loves to the east and that that is marginalisation. Are you for real? Tell us what business there is to do in Bauchi or Osun or Ondo. Come on. Stop with this silly persecution complex already. Damn.

The twin issues of a seaport and airport easily accessible to Igbos have been dealt with on this forum repeatedly. I will advise you to use your own head and find out why things are the way they are.

Dealt with what?bring your facts

Timbuktuo:


The twin issues of a seaport and airport easily accessible to Igbos have been dealt with on this forum repeatedly. I will advise you to use your own head and find out why things are the way they are.

SuperStriker: That while we are welcome in all parts of Nigeria, outsiders cannot come to the East.

Easterners are very tribalistic. The SS is most detribalized section of Nigeria. (the don't hold grudges) You can see it with continuous willingness of the militants to compromise for peace

The best easterners to hang around with are:

1. those whose "sisters or brothers" married into/to other parts of Nigeria.
2. easterners who where not raised in the east.
3. easterners raised in the east but had forward thinking parents who did not feed them the good ol' anthem "awusa hate us".



The rest would justify the evil they do to you based on "your not my brother" or "you are not a christian - funniest"

The Northerner (either geo-political zone) never approaches any issue thinking the deal wont be fair - the easterner wont approach any issue if he can't get 3 times more than you.

The Westerner is always happy to negotiate, like the northerner expects some level of decorum during association. The easterner barely observes protocol except to his kind, even then only when it's clear you are more powerful than he is.

People do not go to the east because they never get what the bargain for. It's like a JJC going to computer village for the first time. You will always loose. Now with IPOB things will only get worse.

The government will give you more but it will always taste like gravel in your mouth because other will believe you do not deserve it. After all you are all renegades.