[size=14pt]Mending fences, really?[/size]
People & Politics Aug 23, 2010 Share | By Ochereome Nnanna

WHEN I heard that some Igbo leaders had scheduled a meeting with Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark to negotiate terms for Igbo support of the perceived Goodluck Jonathan presidential ambition, I pinched myself to see whether I was dreaming or awake.

It turned out that I was actually awake because I felt the pinch. I decided to wait to see the meeting come to pass.

Then on Thursday, August 19, news came that a group of Igbo politicians were meeting in Clark’s Asokoro residence in Abuja . The attendees were people you could not, in all honesty, describe as Igbo nonentities.

Among them were Chief Ken Nnamani; Chief S. N. Okeke; Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Dr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Professor ABC Nwosu; Chief Achike Udenwa and Senator Uche Chukwumerije. This was actually a set of Class “A” Igbo politicians, meeting with Clark, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, retired Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga and retired Brigadier General S. E. Oviawe, among others.

The meeting agreed that it had become imperative to “give attention more to the issues that unite the people of the South-South and South East geopolitical zones who live contiguously (sic) than issues that divide us because there is no ocean without debris”.

They also agreed to work together to tackle the problems both sides are facing in the system, schedule a meeting of elders and leaders of both sides in Enugu at a later date and most importantly, work together towards actualising the emergence of Jonathan as the elected president of Nigeria in 2011.

Ordinarily, nobody from that part of the country (least of all yours sincerely) should raise an eyebrow over such a historic meeting, but I am! I am raising an eyebrow, not because this was the first time the leaders of the two geopolitical zones have met since the return of democracy to Nigeria .

In fact, long before the return of democracy, retired Commodore Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe rallied leaders of the East to meet with the West and later, Middle Belt under the platform of the Council for Unity and Understanding (CUU) in the early 1990s.

CUU in May 1994 transformed into the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). The objective of this effort was, in summary, to raise a strong Southern and Middle Belt front to reduce the arrogance of sectional power and banish inequalities within the Nigerian system.

Also in 2000, Ukiwe formed the Council of Eastern States (CES) and invited Ambassador Matthew Mbu, a dependable Zikist of Southern minority extraction to lead it.

The initiative and the laudable objective of re-uniting the peoples of the old Eastern Region towards a common political objective was so well received, particularly among the minorities, that the group transformed into the Council of South East and South-South (COSESS). Meetings were held at Umuahia, Port Harcourt and Uyo.

They were well attended. Some of the leaders of the South-South that attended these meetings were the Amanyanabo of Twon Brass, HRM Alfred Diete Spiff and retired Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, both of them distinguished Ijaw leaders.

Why did that effort collapse? The answer will interest you in the light of unfolding events. The single most important factor that destroyed the move to get the Igbos and their neighbours to put aside their differences and work together, as “there is no ocean without debris” was – you guessed it right – Chief Senator Dr Edwin Kiagbodo Clark!

Together with the likes of the late Marshall Harry, that section of the Ijaw elite held a counter-symposium and announced that the Ijaw were more familiar, and at home, with political alliances with the North. In an interview with me, Marshall said after the Port Harcourt meeting in 2001: “This meeting does not click to me”.

That effort was demonised by Clark’s group who said it was another ploy by the Igbo elite to use the minorities to achieve their presidential ambition, arguing, instead that they wanted a South-South president.

As if their prayers were about to be answered, former Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili embraced the presidential race in 2006 and had almost wrapped up his nomination by the ruling party at Abuja, when President Olusegun Obasanjo suddenly decided to yield to Northern demands that the presidency must return to the North after its stay in the South for eight years.

The greatest obstacle against Odili’s presidential ambition was Chief E. K. Clark, who dubbed him an “Igbo man”. In other words, to Clark , Igbo speaking people of the South-South did not qualify to vie for president on behalf of the region! Funny enough, Clark came to this meeting with South East politicians, including Professor BIC Ijomah from Anioma in Delta State !

Clearly, the only motivation behind Clark ’s emergency “romance” with Igbo politicians is that an Ijaw man, Jonathan, is in the presidency eyeing the presidential race and needing all the support he can get. There is a difference between the Mbu/Ukiwe initiative and that of Clark .

The Mbu/Ukiwe move was visionary and based on strategy and principle. If Clark had embraced it or allowed it to grow, by now Jonathan would simply walk in and cash in. Clark’s motives are suspect to me.

I am not sure he has now purged himself of his political Igbo-phobia. I am not sure, after Jonathan’s political venture he would be there when the Igbo will need a “return visit”. The leopard does not change its spots for any reason.

The Igbo elite who wish to support President Jonathan should simply proceed to do so because it is a good idea. Those who wish to go with the North should also proceed because it is not a bad idea, provided that terms are agreed.

When the time comes the Igbo mainstream will follow the better option. Let no one allow anyone to distract them from pursuing the interests of their people and Nigeria .

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/23/mending-fences-really/

Apt article. This thing is busting everybody's political caps right now.
Two Southern political blocks have somehow found ingenuous and disingenuous ways to repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot. It is painful.

Igboland is being divided on this issue!

However, no real Igbo man would want to talk to Edwin Clark. His name is not even worthy to be mentioned near any Igbo name! 

If Jonathan becomes president, we Igbos can kiss our chances of having the presidency zoned to us in 2015.

EzeUche22:

Igboland is being divided on this issue!

However, no real Igbo man would want to talk to Edwin Clark. Anyone is not even worthy to be mentioned near any Igbo name!

But that is a man the Igbo have a grouse with. Every quarrell is settled by talking.
There is a bigger picture which both sides repeatedly fail to hit; they spend all their energy peeping at each other in suspicion, whereas, there is much more to be gained with cooperation. For example, both sides would gain tremendously from true federalism and real autonomy.
Only kids fight forever. I hope the meetings E.K. Clarke is brokering will bring final closure to these matters; both sides need to freely and honestly pour their grievances out, make up and move on to greater things.

As for the bolded, to the best of my knowledge, there is no fake Igbo man.

One funny issue in this whole bruhaha though, is E.K. Clarke has never been an Easterner, he is from Delta state (formerly part of MidWest state). Lol.

Beaf:

[size=14pt]Mending fences, really?[/size]
People & Politics Aug 23, 2010 Share | By Ochereome Nnanna

WHEN I heard that some Igbo leaders had scheduled a meeting with Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark to negotiate terms for Igbo support of the perceived Goodluck Jonathan presidential ambition, I pinched myself to see whether I was dreaming or awake.

It turned out that I was actually awake because I felt the pinch. I decided to wait to see the meeting come to pass.

Then on Thursday, August 19, news came that a group of Igbo politicians were meeting in Clark’s Asokoro residence in Abuja . The attendees were people you could not, in all honesty, describe as Igbo nonentities.

Among them were Chief Ken Nnamani; Chief S. N. Okeke; Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Dr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Professor ABC Nwosu; Chief Achike Udenwa and Senator Uche Chukwumerije. This was actually a set of Class “A” Igbo politicians, meeting with Clark, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, retired Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga and retired Brigadier General S. E. Oviawe, among others.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/08/23/mending-fences-really/

Ochereome Nnanna mixed up the personalities that visited Clarke with those that visited the North for alliance.

The bolded persons visited the north not Clarke.
This thing is racking up our brains in the south east. I'm optimistic we'll settle for one option soon.

I thank God that south east governors are still handling it excellently. We need their leadership on this.

South/East, S/South alliance: Count us out, say Igbo leaders
, Obaji alleges threat to her life over meeting
From FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, Abuja
Monday, August 23, 2010



Goodluck Jonathan
Photo: Sun News Publishing
More Stories on This Section
Prominent Igbo leaders under the aegis of the South-East Forum have dissociated themselves from a reported alliance forged between the South-East and the South-South geo-political zones on Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential ambition in 2011. The merger was purportedly forged during a meeting held at the Abuja home of Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark.

In a position paper signed by the group led by Chief Simon Okeke, former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Dr. Ken Nnamani, Chief Jim Nwobodo, Senator Ben Obi, Sen Uche Chukwumerije, Dr. Sam Egwu and Dr. Udenta O. Udenta among others, the[b] Igbo leaders denied ever attending such meeting and that at no time were they in agreement with any zone that a particular candiadte will be supported in the 2011 election.[/b]


Indeed, one of the partcipants at the meeting, Prof. Chinwe Obaji, former Minister of Education described the report of the alliance as untrue because the meeting only looked into ways of improving the relationship between the two zones and how to tackle any impediment to fostering good and smooth relationship.

She said moments after she gave the correct version of what transpired at the meeting, she had been receiving threat calls [/b]said; that “neither threats nor undue coercion will change my stand on the fact that the South-East deserve a shot at the presidency in 2015.” The leaders of the South-East Forum said on no account would the geo-political zone’s aspiration for the 2015 presidency be traded off and the report that those who met with Chief Clark to the effect that the Ndigbo had decided to work with the South-South for the emergence of President Jonathan as President in 2011[b] was a blantant lie.


Jolted by the report of the alliance in which their names were mentioned as participants in the meeting and signed a communiqué, the leaders of the forum, who met with Northern political leaders on August 10 in Abuja and signed an agreement to work towards the emergence of a non-Igbo President in 2011 and subsequently, the realization of an Igbo President of Nigeria in 2015, expressed dismay at the purported meeting with Chief Clark.

Reacting to the said alliance the Secretary of the South- East Forum, Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu said, ‘’We wish to place on public record, that none of the above-named leaders of the South-East Forum attended the meeting. The South-East Forum was unaware of such a meeting and was not part of its deliberations and resolutions’’
He added that ‘’we totally dissociate ourselves from the communique issued at the said meeting,” while urging the public, particularly the Ndigbo, to disregard the reported alliance.

The group also assured the generality of Ndigbo that the South-East Forum was firmly committed to the resolutions reached at the meeting with Northern political leaders Forum on Tuesday, August 10, 2010, “that the two groups believe in zoning and rotation of power principle as the best safeguard for our democracy, peace, unity and national stability, “That the two groups will work staunchly for the realization of a Northern President in 2011, and that both groups will also work assiduously for the realization of an Igbo President in 2015.

Professor Obaji who was visibly angry at the report said “it was unfortunate that some of the positions we took did not go down well with notable leaders from the South-South who then telephoned me the next day threatening me.
She told Daily Sun that she attended the meeting having be permitted by the Forum leaders and that she made her point known that the regions leaders should from to time dialogue “especially on frosty issues that tend to didvide us and make attempt to find solutions to these issues.

“I told the meeting that any discussion which does not address the genuine concerns and aspirations of the South-East zone may only be one-sided and could be shortlived. “It will be most unfair to me for anyone to invite me to a meeting of this nature and expect me not to represent the interest of the South-East zone as I know them, such an act could be tantamount to a silent betrayal of my people.

“Neither threat nor undue coercuion will change my stand on the fact that the South East deserve a shot at the presidency come 2015. This position is just equitable, fair and irrevocable and the kind of threat I ahve received is totally ill-motivated and counter prioductive.” Others who had disclaimed the purported alliance, included Hon. Dubem Onyia, Dr. Ezekiel Izugwu, Dr. Achike Udenwa, Prof. ABC Nwosu, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, sen. Fidelis okoro, Chief Ken Emechebe etc.

I knew many people were reading Ezeuche's article on Alaigbo.

me self they vex too. how can you mend fence when I said $100 million to buy 120,000 laptop, while you people still want to go and buy it for $450 million. Imagine if this money is your , are you going to throw it away.  you are about to throw away $350 million.  I build computers too. The extra $350 million  would be able to  buy computer for more than 40,000 schools in Nigeria. That is 10 computer for each secondary school in nigeria.
Do what I say me too they vex, no be only igbo people dey vex.
beaf I dey vex o.

If Jonathan is a good politician, why doesn't he get somebody other than Clark to deal with Igbos. All you need to end Clark's meeting with any Igbo group is simply to copy and paste any one of his previous venomous speeches against Ndigbo.

Oh, bye the way, it's not important to remind us that he's not an easterner when he claims to be leader of Ijaws in the east too.

naijaking1:

If Jonathan is a good politician, why doesn't he get somebody other than Clark to deal with Igbos. All you need to end Clark's meeting with any Igbo group is simply to copy and paste any one of his previous venomous speeches against Ndigbo.

Oh, bye the way, it's not important to remind us that he's not an easterner when he claims to be leader of Ijaws in the east too.

It wasn't a reminder, just an observation; because so many other ethnic groups outside the Igbo and the Ijo are getting caught in a battle that has only brought bloodshed and under development to both sides. I mentioned it, because there are several twists and turns, e.g. Clarke born in Ughelli and grew up speaking Urhobo and zero Ijo. His dad had to send him to Kiagbodo, his village to learn his own language.
Clarke is therefore, a very natural bridge between the Ijo, Isoko and Urhobo, who also have very strong alliances with the Anioma Igbo, the Itsekiri and Edo. The Ijo in turn share relations with the Ogoni, Ibibio, Efik etc. The relations between Igbo and Ijo is the weak point; this crisis has assumed the dimensions of a political monstrosity, we need to calm it down somehow.

The South West has always made strong overtures to us, but we see more value in balancing our relations between East and West. In fact, we share several natural kinships and borders with both the Ijo and the Igbo; so we naturally gravitate in that direction.

As I understand it, the matter between E.K. Clark and Odili is not something ethnic, in fact Clark had a powerful delegation of Anioma Igbo on his delegation when he berated Odili as not representing the South South. No the matter is much deeper and personal, it is about control of force in the ND (MEND vs Dokubo Asari's NDPVF). This following link offers essential reading (even though not accurate) http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20090313_nigerias_mend_odili_asari_and_ndpvf

^^^
But you agree that Clark is not the one lead any type of peace effort with any meaningful Igbo delegation. He's just too incidiary! It like asking Adaka Boro, Ken Saro Wiwa, Diette Spiff to lead a peace delegation to Igboland after they have boast of killing, sabotaging, and dealing with Igbos for many years, and as a way of co-operating with the Hausa/Fulani.
It's simply too painful, and many Igbos know that, unfortunately Clark is not the one running, it's somebody whose middle name is Ebele.

^
The tribal hatred is on both sides of the fence between Ijo and Igbo. There will no doubt be some people the Ijo would rather not talk to as well, but when peace is being made, such considerations must be put away if both sides are sincere. It is the enemies that have to make up, so we will expect those Ijo's dread from the Igbo side and those Igbo's dread on the Ijo side to be present. It is important for the future political voice of both regions.
It is a deadly serious matter that is much bigger than just the Igbo and the Ijo.

^^^
Good point

EzeUche22:

Igboland is being divided on this issue!

However, no real Igbo man would want to talk to Edwin Clark. His name is not even worthy to be mentioned near any Igbo name! 

If Jonathan becomes president, we Igbos can kiss our chances of having the presidency zoned to us in 2015.

True, you guys can just forget 2015 if Jonathan becomes President next year.

ziddy:

True, you guys can just forget 2015 if Jonathan becomes President next year.

Surprising that nobody understands too that 2015 dream of Igbos is very unlikely even if Jonathan does not become president.

The truth is that if jonathan loses on the strength of Igbos voting for a northerner, they can as well forget the SS votes come 2015. And that is if IBB or any other northerner leaves after a single term. VERY VERY UNLIKELY.

Yorubas will hardly align with the Igbos, at best they will be indifferent. The best bet for th SS and SE now is to bond together and put some pressure on other regions. Anything short will be a lose-lose for all.

na_so:

Surprising that nobody understands too that 2015 dream of Igbos is very unlikely even if Jonathan does not become president.

The truth is that if jonathan loses on the strength of Igbos voting for a northerner, they can as well forget the SS votes come 2015. And that is if IBB or any other northerner leaves after a single term. VERY VERY UNLIKELY.

Yorubas will hardly align with the Igbos, at best they will be indifferent. The best bet for th SS and SE now is to bond together and put some pressure on other regions. Anything short will be a lose-lose for all.

Right on the money!!!
That's the reason to remove any inflammatory personality from both the SS and SE side before any meaningful talk can start. You see, strategically a loose for GEJ would be a loss for all eastern Nigerians, however, the earlier Ijaw people stopped boasting about how they co-operated with Hausa people to kill and defeat Igbos the better.

naijaking1:

Right on the money!!!
That's the reason to remove any inflammatory personality from both the SS and SE side before any meaningful talk can start. You see, strategically a loose for GEJ would be a loss for all eastern Nigerians, however, the earlier Ijaw people stopped boasting about how they co-operated with Hausa people to kill and defeat Igbos the better.

Yet these same Ijaws are being blown out of their creeks by the JTF. They deserve what they get.

naijaking1:

Right on the money!!!
That's the reason to remove any inflammatory personality from both the SS and SE side before any meaningful talk can start. You see, strategically a loose for GEJ would be a loss for all eastern Nigerians, however, the earlier Ijaw people stopped boasting about how they co-operated with Hausa people to kill and defeat Igbos the better.

That foolishness came from a tiny faction that was acting outside of the mainstream. Each time the mainstream Ijo or other SS group mentions North - South cooperation, it is purely about voting patterns.

EzeUche22:

Yet these same Ijaws are being blown out of their creeks by the JTF. They deserve what they get.

wow