[size=14pt]Ndigbo’s already have a leader(Messer’s Ojukwu ), and he has instructed everyone of you without mincing words that all her sons and daughter should dance to the unsavoury melody from the magician and flutist from Minna.

This is an unshakeable fatwa that should be adhered to, why some of you are playing dumb I don’t understand.[/size]

mikeansy:

This is a very patronizing and condescending article.

I really have no clue what the writer is getting at. Nigeria is the only country where people can somehow suggest that by promoting fraternisation along factional ethnic lines you can also promote the overall interest of a united country.

The same group of people who lecture us about not being patriotic Nigerians also turn around to lecture us on how we dont stick together based on our ethnic group. It is really amazing!!!!!!

I really have no clue what the writer means by the Igbos not having leaders. We have close to 300 ethnic groups in Nigeria, can the writer list all of these ethnic groups and who he thinks are their leaders are? Or let me make it easier, compare the Igbos to the 2 other larger ethnic groups; identify their leaders and tell us if there are no such equivalents in Igboland?

Talking about Northerners not criticising IBB, Maitama Sule recently advised him and Buhari to go and rest. The last time I checked Sule is not a name in Imo State. Ribadu still decribes IBB and Abacha as the biggest thieves in this country and in one of his presentations he suggested that the money stolen by this two men alone equates what was used to rebuild europe after world war 2. You know why Ribadu and Sule can think for themselves?  It is because they are educated, enlightened and have seen through the myths and lies that dominate Northern politics.

So instead of wasting your time asking Ndigbo to go backwards by beggining to accept every thrash from politicians merely because  they are Igbos,  I think you should spend more time seeking more education for some of our brothers in the North so that they can begin to make their own individual decisions not those handed down from warrant chiefs, Emirs or Imams.

You will think after 50years of failure the country will want to change course but no not in Nigeria. Rather someone is advocating more of the very kind of politics that has held the country hostage.

We have a President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, we have Politicians of Igbo ethnicity, we have Business leaders, Bankers, Opinion leaders, sports people, what kind of leaders is he talking about? Oh because we have not recently elected an Igbo President? Nobody should worry too much about that. That is no measure of success of a tribe. Poverty has not been eradicated from Yorubaland because of OBJ and by the time Jonathan leaves office their will still be poor people in Ijawland like everywhere else. So why the noise?

Good contribution

006

That notwithstanding, the article was not talking about a leader in the mode of a king or an overall head rather was talking about a leader(s) that we, Ndigbo, will for once listen to. (Truth is bitter sometimes, you know). He summed up what he meant with “the Igbo seem to be suffering from Germanic Complex”. Let 2011 Presidential election come, the 3 major ethnic groups will have so many candidates from their ethnicities, but just one of them will garner 80-90% of their votes. In the case of Igbos, if any candidate manages to get 50% of Igbos’ vote, then know that the person is in the mode of Ikemba Nnewi or greater.

In our own perfect world, ours is the best because I should be able to contest even with my own brother for a position because we are different individuals and have different dreams and aspiration; but in Nigerian context, we’ll always turn out losers. Let’s take what happened in 2003 for instance, Alliance for Democracy (AD) did not present a candidate to pave the way for OBJ, and the rest is history.

You want to talk about OBJ and the SouthWest in 2003, what about OBJ and the SouthWest in 1999? It is easier to present a united front when you control the machinery of power and in a country like Nigeria where everything flows from the office of the President what happened in 2003 says more about the enormity of the power wielded by the President than the ability of Yoruba to coalesce around a common cause. Yoruba never liked OBJ, they did not like him in 2003, they did not like him in 1999 and they still do not like him now.

Talking about the Igbos not voting along tribal lines in a unanimous way. I think that is something to be proud of and if anything we should be challenging everyone else in Nigeria to live up to this kind of purism. If every Nigerian voted based on what they think is better for them and their family and the country at large instead of what they were told to do by the Imam, Oba or chief . . . .Nigeria willl be better for it.

You seemed to be more concerned about the issue of criticism; but I’ll tell you it was just a handful of northerners that openly criticised IBB or Abacha. Look at the way the Northerners coalesced during Yar’dua’s saga. Replace Yar’dua with an Igbo man, his fate would have been concluded with his own people before attacks from outside come. Nigeria is not a perfect world!

Nigeria is not a perfect world but we have to continue to call for a match towards perfection. The wife of the President holding the country hostage and standing the constitution of the country on its head using the helpless body of her husband is a very shameful act and I am proud to say that if Yar'adua was an Igbo man all who thought his actions are wrong will speak up!!!! We stand for fairness and justice and most importantly people speak out for what they believe in in the SouthEast.

You seem to suggest this quality is a bad thing, it is not. It is something I am proud of and if all Nigerians can emulate this behaviour Nigeria would have been better for it. So instead of reverting to a game we will never win, it is better to stick to a game which guarantees fairness for all.

Look at Nigeria now and tell me how many political positions Ndigbo hold. Truly “the mighty has fallen and the light is dimming”. Believe it or not, we need a leader(s) in any form, mode, or nature that’ll bring us back to who we once was so that this country can move forward once again.

The number 5 citizen of Nigeria which is the Deputy Senate President is Igbo. The IG of Police is Igbo, The CDS is Igbo.
We have Igbos heading Ministries, Businesses, etc.

Do you know what is also victory for Ndigbo? Jonathan and David Mark. They are ethnic minority Nigerians and we have fought all our life to have an egalitarian Nigeria fair to all. So if we have a Nigeria where everyone has a voice then we should be happy.

006

Nigeria has 300 ethnic groups.

The kind of mentality you have with all due respect ignores the numbers and mathematics of politics. Whether via rigging or free and fair elections 100% Igbo vote will not guarantee anybody getting elected; But an Igbo vote for specific candidates will continue to justify Anti-Igbo votes and attitudes. In a scenario like that we will simply continue to come short. So we have to reconstruct our political Narative to be broad enough to include other non-Igbo speakers who want the same things we want in terms of freedom and opportunities for all.

There is a reason folks like Al-Sharpton, Rev Jesse Jackson failed where Barack Obama succeeded.

(We are not bound to win, but we are bound to let what light we have shine through - Barack Obama).

Over emphasis on electing a President of Igbo extraction may be contributing to why we have not elected one. Take the back seat, watch politics from behind the scenes and learn how it is played. But our emphasis should be on how we can give more Nigerians opportunities, support owners of small businesses on how to take their business to the next level. That way more Igbos will be successful. We don't have to elect a President of Igbo extraction to make progress as a people.

Democracy is a game of numbers. If Nigeria chooses to Judge its citizens from different ethnic groups differently then thats a stigma for Nigeria to bear. I do not think we should loose sleep over that. But the reason I am very hopeful is that the lies and innuendoes that sustains the ugly politics that thrives in Nigeria simply can not survive the digital age. It survived an age when it was easy to control the media and spin everything spinnable but these days those lies are buckling under their own weight. Its a matter of time. Just chill.

Talking about having a recognised leader. In Soludo we have a man who is conscious of our history but yet broadminded and have the clear head to point the way forward for Ndigbo. He stood up to be counted but people used lies from CBN to drag him down. Those lies were even more fierce from non-Igbos who had no stake in Anambra politics. So we have leaders and we will get there, we just need to have a nose for sensing a great leader when one comes around and act strategically.

@ mikeansy

It’s interesting that you tackled every paragraph in my response except this:

006:

Let me remind you that you failed to comment on any of the 5 reasons he gave why an Igbo has yet to be elected the executive president of Nigeria or the unspoken game play of the North and the West to keep us away from the hot seat. You rather zeroed in on a part of the article that is less consequential.

You recognized that the #5 citizen of Nigeria, the Deputy Senate President, is Igbo. What does it tell you? We started with #s 1, 2, 3, now 5, and next 10. Mister, the light is diming and it’s actually diming as the author pointed out. The next step for them is to declassify Igbo as a major ethnic group and you’ll still be here preaching gospel. Nigeria is not a perfect world and you should see it as that and wakeup before it is too late.

Talking about the 1999 election, I’ll like to remind you that that election was Yoruba vs Yoruba, so there was nothing at stake. It was either the one they love wins or the one they hate wins but when it was between the one they hate vs someone else, you know the outcome, don’t you? If an Igbo doesn’t carry 80-90% of his/her constituency and wait for swing votes elsewhere to favour him, then you can be rest assured that an Igbo presidency won’t happen in your generation.

mikeansy:

You seem to suggest this quality is a bad thing, it is not. It is something I am proud of and if all Nigerians can emulate this behaviour Nigeria would have been better for it. So instead of reverting to a game we will never win, it is better to stick to a game which guarantees fairness for all.

I never suggested that this quality is a bad thing. Remember where I said: “In our own perfect world, ours is the best because . . .”; but this is not Biafra, it is Nigeria! Play their game until you get there, then right all the anomalies and set up necessary durable institutions that will ensure that the process is no longer violated and wipe out that subtle message, as the author stated: “their subtle message to other minority groups: the Igbo, as a group, are not to be trusted!”

If you read all of my previous post you will see that I tackled it.

we can not decide for others how to vote, and 100% of Igbo vote alone will not get anyone elected. So no need to loose sleep over the Presidency.

There are 300 ethnic groups in Nigeria not 10, number 5 in 300 is not bad at all. The Yorubas have number 4, the Idomas have number 3, the Ijaws have number 1. Before Jonathan Goodluck the highest Ijaw man in Nigeria was CDS Owoye Azazzi, before that may be Edwin Clark who was Minister for Information. They did not die.
we have had number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and whatever number in a country of 300 ethnic groups. So we are doing just fine.

Yes we are competitive which is a good thing but political office is about votes not just about how competitive you wanna be. Why you don't want to realize this fact is amazing.


you talk about playing the Nigerian game, but you have failed to understand the game. Play which game and what game will get you there? Anti-Igbo snetiments is the most unifying factor in Nigeria politics and you say you want to play their game. Play what game? A game that may guarantee you 100% Igbo vote but perhaps 20 - 30% of the total Nigerian votes does not sound like a winning strategy to me.

I have no interest in going in circles. If you think Biafra is ur utopia. Quit Canada, come back home and fight for it.

Bros 006,

I think you should allow Mikeansy to continue in his self delusion about Igbo fate in Nigeria. He is an Obasanjo boy. What does that tell you? For him to quip that number 5 position is good for Ndigbo in Nigeria says it all. He is apparently scared that other tribes are ganging up against Ndigbo, but he wants us to keep our heads firmly inside the sand! Until one day, we will wake up to find that we've lost everything.

To support your position, I have no doubt in my mind that Ndigbo can get all they really need in Nigeria if they vote in block and enmasse for ONE party, especially a party they control like APGA. All we need to do is vote and ensure that ALL Igbo governors, state houses of assembly, federal reps and senators are all APGA. If we can achieve that, sit back and watch as we get everything we want in Nigeria. PDP is the biggest trap against Ndigbo.

To Mikeansy, I don't know about you, but I am not comfortable with being number 5 in Nigeria because of two solid reasons:

1) Ndigbo are arguably the single biggest tribe in Nigeria, if you doubt me, ask your godfather Obasanjo why he rejected tribal demographics in the last census forms.

2) We are the most hardworking and enterprising tribe in Nigeria. We are like the engine of the train called Nigeria. To ask us to accept fifth position is to argue for the engine of a train to be placed fifth in the coach line.
That would be ludicrous wouldn't you say?

Onlytruth

what is the basis of your statistics?

Have you conducted a credible census in Nigeria before?

The world is not all about you all the time, this is why people fail. If you can realise this you will know how to rationalize issues.

You have made noise for 30years and got nothing out of it. May be it is time to be a little pragmatic and think of what works.

This kind of noise all the time by folks like you is why people have difficulties finding political allies. While we kept on being very narrow minded and thinking the world must revolve around us, others reached out to others. Your kind of politics may work if Nigeria is 98% Igbo. But that is obviously not the case. So why some of you simply can not just chill and learn to tweak your arguments to represent a broader view is beyond me.

@ 006,
I don't know what APGA leadership is doing now, do you have latest on them? That party was more aggressive during the Chekwas Okorie chairmanship era. I don't know why Victor Umeh is not as aggressive in marketing APGA in the south east as Okorie. APGA remains our surest way of attaining our goals either in Nigeria or out of Nigeria. If we unite under that party, we can defeat all plots against Ndigbo in Nigeria. PDP is a trap. We can support Jonathan (if he plays ball) next year by not fielding a presidential candidate for APGA, but we must not vote for any other party for other offices.  

mikeansy:

Onlytruth

what is the basis of your statistics?

Have you conducted a credible census in Nigeria before?

The world is not all about you all the time, this is why people fail. If you can realise this you will know how to rationalize issues.

God bless you.

mikeansy:

Onlytruth

what is the basis of your statistics?

Have you conducted a credible census in Nigeria before?

The world is not all about you all the time, this is why people fail. If you can realise this you will know how to rationalize issues.

You have made noise for 30years and got nothing out of it. May be it is time to be a little pragmatic and think of what works.

I wish your boss OBJ allowed us to find out! He was scared of that, so he killed it.

I happen to be in a profession that gather and manage statistics (won't say more than that), and I know that Ndigbo are arguably the single largest tribe in Nigeria.

In any case, I wish we conduct a credible census which allows for collection of such vital information. Or is tribe not a vital information? People die in Nigeria yearly because of tribe. All developed countries collect such information.

Primitive Nigeria still refuse to collect it.

Onlytruth:

I wish your boss OBJ allowed us to find out! He was scared of that, so he killed it.

I happen to be in a profession that gather and manage statistics (won't say more than that), and I know that Ndigbo are arguably the single largest tribe in Nigeria.

In any case, I wish we conduct a credible census which allows for collection of such vital information. Or is tribe not a vital information? People die in Nigeria yearly because of tribe. All developed countries collect such information.

Primitive Nigeria still refuse to collect it.

I hope so too. But right now your conclusions are based on assumptions and I can only hope you understand the limits of your postulations.

So, the world is not all about me, but democracy the world over is based on population. Go to South Africa and tell a Zulu, or a Xhosa that he would be number 5 in the leadership hierarchy of the country and see what you get.

Why is Nigeria different in the most crucial index of development. Any wonder why nothing works.  

The Yoruba has a large population in Nigeria. I think they are at par with Ndigbo. Not too sure about the Hausa-Fulani. If only the Hausa, I think they are a little bit less than the other two.

mikeansy:

I hope so too. But right now your conclusions are based on assumptions and I can only hope you understand the limits of your postulations.

My conclusions are not based on assumptions, they are based on common sense. In Nigeria, Ndigbo are the largest tribe after the indigenes of every state in Nigeria. I guess we are having this argument because we would never know since Obasanjo stopped it! What was he afraid of? Remember that Ohanaeze Ndigbo made a strong case for inclusion of tribal information in the census forms. Why did Obasanjo refuse?

Andre Uweh:

The Yoruba has a large population in Nigeria. I think they are at par with Ndigbo. Not too sure about the Hausa-Fulani. If only the Hausa, I think they are a little bit less than the other two.

So if the Igbo are at par with the Yoruba for instance (two of the largest tribes) why are the Yoruba occupying the third position while Ndigbo are occupying the 5th? The simple answer is: PDP led by Obasanjo, Mikeansy's godfather.

Let me say this again: Igbo cosmopolitanism personified by the likes of Mikeansy is the biggest threat to the survival of Ndigbo in Nigeria.

Open your eyes brothers.

Let's stick to APGA.

Nelson Mandela was not a Zulu and neither was Thabo Mbeki and they were once number 1, before Zuma.
Even though Zulus are the undisputed majority.

Your claims to Igbos being the majority in Nigeria are simply not supported by records because there are no records as at yet. May be you should start by calling for a more credible census.

I am no less Igbo than you are, I do not wish the Igbos any lesser fortunes than you do. All I say is that some of you guys should chill and sense the world around you.

Do you know why Alex Samond did not stand for Prime Minister of UK even though he was the leader of SNP? He still believes in achieving an independent scotland.

You come here make a lot of noise about Ojukwu without being able to read his body language. Ojukwu stood for elections for President of Nigeria. That tells me Ojukwu has moved on, why can't you? The natural ingenuity of Igbos will take care of Igbos and so there is no need for all this noise by folks like you. You are just making life dificult for Igbo politicians by some of the crap you guys type here. I wish you can understand this.

Sabella O. Abidde:

The Igbo nation had attributes most other Nigerian nationalities can only dream of; and are what most other nations were not. The Igbo made Nigeria better. Any wonder then that the Igbo can do without Nigeria ; but Nigeria and her myriad nationalities cannot do without the Igbo? Take the Igbo out of the Nigeria equation, and Nigeria will be gasping for air. How did a people this intelligent, this savvy, and this contributive got shut out of the corridor of federal power and continually being deprived the chance to attain the highest seat of Nigeria ’s political power?

MINT!

Umu Igbo kwenu!

ROFLMAO!!! @Onlytruth

mikeansy:

[b]Nelson Mandela was not a Zulu and neither was Thabo Mbeki [/b]and they were once number 1, before Zuma.
Even though Zulus are the undisputed majority.

Your claims to Igbos being the majority in Nigeria are simply not supported by records because there are no records as at yet. May be you should start by calling for a more credible census.

I am no less Igbo than you are, I do not wish the Igbos any lesser fortunes than you do. All I say is that some of you guys should chill and sense the world around you.

Do you know why Alex Samond did not stand for Prime Minister of UK even though he was the leader of SNP? He still believes in achieving an independent scotland.

You come here make a lot of noise about Ojukwu without being able to read his body language. Ojukwu stood for elections for President of Nigeria. That tells me Ojukwu has moved on, why can't you? The natural ingenuity of Igbos will take of Igbos and so there is no need for all this noise by folks like you. You are just making life dificult for Igbo politicians by some of the crap you guys type here. I wish you can understand this.

Exactly! They are both XHOSA. Do you know what Xhosas are known for in South Africa? Apart from being the second single largest tribe, they are like Ndigbo. They are the hardest working and most enterprising black South Africans. So, why are they leading South Africa, while you are here apologizing on behalf of the oppressors of your people? Shameless goons.

[b]m[/b]Umu Igbo kwenu

haha

SEFAGO:

haha

Typical Yoruba fool!

Exactly! They are both XHOSA. Do you know what Xhosas are known for in South Africa? Apart from being the second single largest tribe, they are like Ndigbo. They are the hardest working and most enterprising black South Africans.

, delusion

mikeansy:

The number 5 citizen of Nigeria which is the Deputy Senate President is Igbo. The IG of Police is Igbo, The CDS is Igbo.
We have Igbos heading Ministries, Businesses, etc.

Do you know what is also victory for Ndigbo? Jonathan and David Mark. They are ethnic minority Nigerians and we have fought all our life to have an egalitarian Nigeria fair to all. So if we have a Nigeria where everyone has a voice then we should be happy.

Jonathan yes but the other just like,theophilus danjuma and yakubu gowon are no friend of igbos but murderers who took part in the genocide that lead to  death of millions.i pray God forgive them.so please jonathan is on a different level.

Cohomology:

Typical Yoruba fool!

hehehe

Abagworo:


Jonathan yes but the other just like,theophilus danjuma and yakubu gowon are no friend of igbos but murderers who took part in the genocide that lead to death of millions.i pray God forgive them.so please jonathan is on a different level.

Is that really the main point here? The fact is they are both IBOS regardless of where on personal ruler you would like to place each.

^^^^^

What I tell you about the spelling of IGBO you wench.

Stop talking about Igbo issues if you cannot spell our name right.

did you notice I did not care when cohomology mentioned Yoruba.

please try and emulate your superiors