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| Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by kcjazz(m): 5:18am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Ndigbo in the Fourth Republic By Simon Kolawole If I were an Igboman, I would not find the current political calculations funny at all. Look at the fact: from an enviable height in the First and Second Republics, when Igbos held key positions in government, the reality today is that the highest-ranking Igbo is Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweramadu. And guess what? He is No. 5 in the hierarchy! For an ethnic group that is one of the biggest three, this is not something to cheer. If the last four years did not offer anything noteworthy to them, how can the next four years be different? That, to me, should be the focus of Ndigbo politics ahead of the April polls. Let’s start with the most difficult question: when will an Igbo man or woman become President of Nigeria? The South East Leaders Forum, in a statement issued last Thursday, proposed 2015. Now this is very tricky. A major issue in the polity today is the return of power to the North this year to, as the saying goes, “allow the North complete its eight-year term truncated by Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s death”. Assuming President Goodluck Jonathan wins the presidential election and quits after only one term in 2015, the coming presidential battle then would be between the North and the South-east. It does not promise to be exciting. On paper, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar made the best offer to the South-east before the PDP presidential primary election. He promised to complete the “North’s term” by serving only one term and vacating the seat for an Igbo president in 2015. Under this proposal, an Igbo president could emerge in just four years. That, I would say, was very attractive. It would be, for Ndigbo, a dream come true. Jonathan had nothing solid to offer the South-east. His own VP slot was automatically for the North, while the Senate Presidency was not available. In other words, Jonathan could only offer Ndigbo the status quo: No. 5 position. At the level of making a tantalising offer, therefore, Atiku had an advantage over Jonathan. But for whatever reason, the South-east did not take his offer; of the 446 delegate votes from the zone, only 23 voted for Atiku. The rest chose Jonathan (a friend jocularly told me: “Jonathan is Ebele. We voted for him because he is our son!”) Did the South-east throw away a golden opportunity by not supporting Atiku? The counter argument is that even if the entire South-east had voted for Atiku, Jonathan would still have won. And the zone could have been considered as “opposition” by the president for not supporting his bid. That would have political implications. With the Atiku offer now gone, what next for Ndigbo? There are two options, obviously: to support Jonathan or pitch tent with the opposition. If the alliance talks between ACN and CPC had worked out, Ndigbo could have pushed for the VP slot, hoping that in 2015 or 2019, the chance for No. 1 would finally come. But the opposition parties have behaved typically by failing to reach an agreement. The implication for Ndigbo is that their selling point is now at risk. What’s the selling point? Getting the VP slot with the hope of delivering the South-east votes to the opposition alliance in April. Many Igbo opinion leaders believe that the unenviable position of Ndigbo in national politics today is a product of conspiracy. They argue that Ndigbo are still paying the price for the civil war—that, indeed, there is a deliberate plan to keep them out of power. On the other hand, some argue that Igbo themselves are yet to move away from the war and are always playing the victim instead of tackling the enemies within and taking their rightful place in the scheme of things. I don’t want to be involved in this sort of argument because it is neither here nor there. It is about opinions—everyone has one. I would say, however, that even if there is conspiracy against Ndigbo, it is not beyond redemption. Deft group politicking is a critical antidote. It requires strategic planning. Putting the conspiracy theory aside for now, I would suggest that two key developments have contributed to pushing Ndigbo down the pecking order of national politics: (1) the mainstreaming of the South-west and (2) the rise of the Niger Delta. The failure of Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led South-west to join forces with the centre in the First and Second Republics meant the South-east had an advantage over them. Dr. Azikiwe’s National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) went into coalition with the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) and formed government in the Independence era. In the Second Republic, Azikiwe’s Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) also had an understanding with the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN), while Dr. Alex Ekwueme (an Igbo) was Vice-President to Alhaji Shehu Shagari. It appeared as if it was a matter of time for an Igbo to become president (I still believe if the military had not struck in 1983, Ekwueme was in line to succeed Shagari in 1987—but we would never know). Ironically, Yoruba’s route to “centre politics” was through an unusual source: Bashorun MKO Abiola. Derided for “selling out” because he did not support Awolowo in the Second Republic, Abiola began building bridges across the country. When he eventually had a shot at the presidency in 1993, he won hands down. The annulment of the election created a serious national crisis; the powers that be decided they had to appease the Yoruba by zoning the presidency to them in 1999. The beneficiary? Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, another Yoruba reviled at home for “selling out” because he did not support Awolowo and the Yoruba cause in 1979. With a Southerner occupying the No. 1 position from 1999-2007, it was expected that power would return to the North going by our political mathematics and sociology. The Igbo could neither take the VP slot under Obasanjo nor realistically have a go at the presidency in 2007. It’s a zero-sum game: my gain is your loss. If a Southern zone gets something, other Southern zones are automatically “zoned out” until the next time around. To compound matters, the South-south had become a big political force as a result of militancy in the oil-producing region. The politicians had also established a claim that the zone had never produced the No. 1 citizen, even for one minute. It became a movement. Militants were firing on one side, politicians on the other. Suddenly, Nigeria was no longer seen as a tripod of Hausa-Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba; the Niger Delta had assumed a life of its own, making a somewhat convincing claim to the presidency as the “hewers of stone and fetchers of water” for the country. With the Niger Delta now thrown into the equation, Ndigbo lost the most. They would logically have expected to produce the VP to Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, thereby positioning an Igbo to succeed the Fulani man from Katsina. But the powers that be decided to pacify the South-south by picking an Ijaw man. (Remember, the decision to appease the Yoruba in 1999 also effectively ended Ekwueme’s quest). These two factors—mainstreaming of the South-west and the rise of the Niger Delta—did not favour Ndigbo in any way. However, they could still have got the No. 3 position—Senate Presidency—in 2007, but the nature of Nigeria meant the Middle Belt also needed to be accommodated. So the No. 3 position, held by the South-east from 1999-2007, went to another Northern bloc—the North-central. The least I expected was that the South-east would get the Speaker (No. 4); it went to the South-west instead. The South-east could only get Deputy Senate President, the No. 5 slot. What next then? Ahead of the polls, the South-east leaders need to sit down, strategise and negotiate the zone’s interest with regards to projects and positions, irrespective of who they support. Truly, going forward, they are faced with difficult choices: one, to go with the ruling party and negotiate their interests in concrete terms; two, to pitch tent with the opposition and aim for the VP slot, hoping that power would change hands in April. It’s not an enviable situation, I conclude. http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/ndigbo-in-the-fourth-republic/85573/ |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by EzeUche2(m): 5:20am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Another slap in the face. We Igbos have fallen. A proud people being forced to beg. It is too much for me to stomach. And some of my brothers and sisters are acting like nothing is wrong. Forget smelling smoke, our house is on fire. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by kcjazz(m): 5:29am On Jan 30, 2011 |
@Ezeuche But don't you think we should base whatever negotiations on the path to presidency based on what developments that affects us as a people? |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Kobojunkie: 5:30am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Wow . . . we were discussing this same on another thread earlier today.  |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by EzeUche2(m): 5:33am On Jan 30, 2011 |
kcjazz: Presidency for the Igbos is out of the question. The way things are looking, Igbos wont even see the presidency in 20 years. That is a terrible price to pay. And do you actually think the restive Igbo population would like that? It is like we are being backed into a corner. We all know what happens when an animal is backed into a corner. That is when the creature becomes more dangerous. I believe this is an insult to the Igbo race. How can a major ethnic group be made to suffer such nonsense? Has the Igbo people become weak? What happen to our courage? 1 Like |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by jason123: 5:35am On Jan 30, 2011 |
I, abagworo and mikeansy made this exact analysis about 2 months ago, insisted, we were insulted. Well, Good morning!! Kobojunkie: Exactly!!!! |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Obiagu1(m): 5:37am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Abeg, I don't tire for dis Igbo Presidency thing. It's getting boring every day. Maybe we should focus on other things, when "our" rulers don tire to rule us and don ruin this country finish, maybe they will beg us to bail them out. Those that have stamina, make dem continue. I no fit do it, continue shouting Igbo Presidency till I turn 90 yrs old. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by EzeUche2(m): 5:39am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Obiagu1: Don't you realize our leaders has sold us out? We Igbos are being schemed out of politics. Wake up smell the coffee or tea. The writing is on the dammn wall. How long do we have to suffer these indignities? How long must we be mocked by our enemies? This is starting to piss me off. What the non-Igbo wrote is true! To hell with Ohanaeze! To hell with these fake Igbo leaders! The OLD GUARD needs to be dealt with. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Onlytruth(m): 5:41am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Posted by: EzeUche_
The most important thing to note is that Jonathan is not representing the Ijaw. If he were, MEND would not be threatening to resume bombing of oil installations. I really think that for the first time in a very loooooooooooong time, Ndigbo are actually doing first things first. I am deeply suspicious of all these non-Igbos who write these articles as if the world would end if an Ijaw or any other Eastern minority operates at the center of NO THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT AND WE LOSE NOTHING. These same people would wear masks and accuse us of dominating the Eastern minorities and always recite Eyo Ita issue. Now they are crying that Ijaws are "ahead of Igbo" in national politics. Only a fool would believe that.  But even if so, why is it any of their business? Could they love us more than we love ourselves? Definitely not. I would even want Ndigbo to wait until whenever Jonathan leaves office before attempting the presidency again. Nigeria is not ending tomorrow, and even if it does, we will still have our Eastern brothers to live with. Enuff said. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by kcjazz(m): 5:42am On Jan 30, 2011 |
EzeUche_: The thing is the issue of Niger Delta or June 12 really complicates the issue of presidency. I believe the [path to Igbo presidency will tie into how well the SE develops and I believe that can be achieved if our elders step up and negotiate with guranteed results |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by jason123: 5:45am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Onlytruth: You and your suspicions sha!  |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by EzeUche2(m): 5:49am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Onlytruth: If only this was true. But even the Ijaw have this false bravado now that one of their own is in the top spot. You can even see on Nairaland how the other groups are mocking the Igbo. You put too much trust in GEJ. I know Ijaws are our brother, but now they are even claiming Port Harcourt. Everyday, we the Ndigbo are being mocked. Our people are being slaughtered like lambs in the North. We are being schemed out of the political process. Our region continues to be neglected. I see dark, dark, dark days for the Ndigbo. We need a charismatic leader to lead us to the promise land! |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Obiagu1(m): 5:49am On Jan 30, 2011 |
I'll personally remove Jonathan from GEJ's name and simply call him Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe. He'll probably be the last "Igbo" president my generation will experience. Let me pursue my business and maybe migrate to Cameroon and establish an Igbo clan there.  Before my eyes, Ojukwu grew old and is now sick, yet Biafra is still not near. What else can bother me so much? |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Onlytruth(m): 5:50am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Posted by: jason123
My suspicion is spot on. Why are there people from the west and north who are shouting about Ijaw replacing the Igbo at the central politics? Can a tribe of 8 million replace a tribe of 35 -40 million? NO. So why are people developing headache over this? We are fine with JONATHAN and his Ijaw minority ruling Nigeria! They are Nigerians, are they not? Must Ndigbo lose the presidency because an Ijaw is there? What happened when the North and Yoruba were there? Did they give it to us? You guys must think that we don't see your maneuvers. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by EzeUche2(m): 5:51am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Obiagu1: That is starting to seem like the best thing I have heard in the while. Nigeria is no country for the Igbo. Time for a mass exodus. I will help as many Igbo migrate from our homeland which is conquered territory. No wonder the Igbo diaspora is growing larger each day. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by jason123: 5:53am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Obiagu1: Chai!!! .@ topic and Ezeuche Its really not that serious. The presidency is just for bragging rights, thats all. How does it affect the average man from the president's ethic group? The answer is, it does not.Do not worry!!! |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Obiagu1(m): 5:54am On Jan 30, 2011 |
EzeUche_: . . . and many are refusing to go back home  |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by EzeUche2(m): 5:56am On Jan 30, 2011 |
I am seriously contemplating writing a book called My Struggle.  My main thesis will be the Nigerian Peril. And I will blame Nigeria, the Igbo elite and oil for keeping the Igbos in bondage. I already know my chapters. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by jason123: 5:56am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Onlytruth: maneuvers ke? You must be highly delusional. Okay, keep going with your analysis . At least, if you say I have no say what about abagworo and mikeasy*?? Do they all have no say or are you the smartest igbo man? |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Ibime(m): 5:56am On Jan 30, 2011 |
According to Obahiagbon, what did the Hoi Polloi of the Oduduwa Republic gain from Obasanjo's presidency? You common folk should stop worrying about a couple of positions for some members of the parasitic elite who never filter anything down to you. My kinsman GEJ is President ATM, but I don't see any dividends filtering down to the Ijaw people, now or in the next 8 years, except some friends and family members of his who would have greater access to the National cake. Why should an umu-Igbo sit in his house in jand cheering on the likes of Nnanami, Orji, Odili or any other ingrate? Fa Fa Fa foul! But like Eziachi said, Nigeria is a jungle where the masses hope for one of their tribesmen to have an opportunity to steal a piece of the National Cake whilst cheering helplessly from the sidelines. In the words of the lyrical gymnast Patrick Obahiagbon, why should any reasonable Ndigbo cheer on his kinsman to join the purveyors of necrophilic nepotism and parasitic parapo-ism!!! |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by PhysicsMHD(m): 5:57am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Unfortunate the way things turned out, but this is not so much about marginalizing the Igbo as much as it is other groups asserting themselves. If MKO Abiola hadn't won more or less legitimately, the issue of sidelining Ekwueme for a Yoruba would not even have come up. An Ijaw VP and now president is due solely to ND agitation. No conspiracy there. Perhaps Igbos should agitate in 2015. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Onlytruth(m): 5:57am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Posted by: EzeUche_
I think you need to take a chill pill and relax. If you believe that Ijaw can replace Ndigbo in anything in Nigeria, then you really need to take some time off nairaland. Ijaw is not our problem. Not by a long shot. Secondly, I strongly doubt that ALL Igbo leaders, even down to Ojukwu could be "bought off" by Jonathan. It ain't that way. No one can pocket a nation of 35- 40 million restless Igbo. If we support GEJ, there must be a solid reason. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Obiagu1(m): 5:58am On Jan 30, 2011 |
EzeUche_: I'll definitely get a copy. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by jason123: 5:59am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Ibime: Exactly!!!! |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by kcjazz(m): 6:01am On Jan 30, 2011 |
jason123: Yeah I agree with you, there is the thinking that with Presidency comes the bread but thats not true at least with the current state of Nigeria. I just believe rather than wait for the bread, the elders and people can do much more to harness our resources for development |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by EzeUche2(m): 6:03am On Jan 30, 2011 |
"We Have Met The Enemy and He Is Us" |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Kobojunkie: 6:04am On Jan 30, 2011 |
jason123: Like ordinary street kids sef no know that one. You dey mind all these people wey dey claim say if their own become president na only then their life go complete. Goodluck is president, how has that been working out for his people?? Soon we go hear them cry say na only when someone for dem own mama village become president, na only then dem lives go change . . . ROFLMAO!! |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by jason123: 6:05am On Jan 30, 2011 |
kcjazz: Thank you my brother!!! It's not as bad as people are making it to be. This is just an analysis by some guy. We all know how the political scenery changes quickly. EzeUche_:Relax! |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Kobojunkie: 6:07am On Jan 30, 2011 |
jason123: The part in bold is a LIE. |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by bkbabe97y(m): 6:07am On Jan 30, 2011 |
EzeUche_: You really cant complain, fo*ol! Yall Ibos greedy as all hell! Thugs! Punks! Will sell ur moms for a penny! Seriously, why u think the rest of Nigeria dont take yall seriously? Cause they know once they dangle money in ur face, be it Haitian, Somalian or Afghani Currency, yall are quick to react! When Mr.Jonathan was fighting to be become president after Mr.Yar'Adua's death, guess the only Major tribe that was scheming to make sure he didnt ascend the throne: THE FUXCKING IBOS!!! You really think he's forgotten? When Mr.Jonathan was campaigning to become President, Ojukwu promised all Ibo votes to Gen.IBB!!! You think that has been forgotten! Jealousy and greed has always been the Ibo man's bane, and, until he rectifies that, he's in for a very long and uncomfortable ride! |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Onlytruth(m): 6:07am On Jan 30, 2011 |
[size=16pt]MEND threatens to level oil industry[/size] •They dare not –JTF By UCHE USIM Sunday, January 30, 2011 The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has threatened to destroy the oil industry in protest against the appointment of Mr. Kingsley Kuku as Special Adviser, Niger Delta Affairs, by President Goodluck Jonathan. The group in a statement yesterday did not, however, give any reasons for its opposition to Kuku’s appointment. Kuku, who was named presidential adviser on Wednesday along with three others, replaced Mr. Timi Alaibe, who resigned his appointment to pursue his governorship ambition on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) in Jonathan’s home state – Bayelsa. Kuku, 40, an Ijaw from Ondo State, was a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly and until his appointment was a member of the Federal Government’s Amnesty Committee. MEND warned that its threat should not be taken lightly and urged oil workers not to be deceived by safety assurances from the government as it has demonstrated several its capability to strike anywhere at any time. According to MEND, it will attack land-based offices of oil companies, oil rigs and storage facilities. However, the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Niger Delta has expressed surprise at MEND’s new threat. Its spokesman, Col. Timothy Antigha, in a telephone interview with Sunday Sun, said the agency did not expect MEND to carry out its threat since its members have access to the President and could have taken their grievances to him. His words: “I don’t think that is the way to go. I know they are now mature and won’t go the way of violence again. They won’t follow the old order of recklessness and irresponsibility.” The statement reads: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) views with scum the appointment of a new presidential adviser on the Niger Delta. “The continuous deception of the Nigerian government and international communities of a promise of peace without justice in the Niger Delta is simply a ploy by Goodluck Jonathan to secure the Presidency of Nigeria and continue the plundering of the Niger Delta. “As we have persistently promised, we will shortly embark on an all-out assault on the Nigerian oil industry, bringing upon this industry such mayhem unprecedented in the history of our quest for justice. “In this new chapter, nothing will be spared, from land-based offices to oil platforms and storage facilities. We will bring all these to ground level. “Due to the severity of this onslaught against the oil industry and our desire to prevent loss of lives, the opening attack as promised will be preceded by a warning with guidelines to all oil workers concerning their conduct in the event of an attack. “We warn the oil industry to disregard all attempts by the Nigerian government to mislead it as our previous attacks in the past have proved that the Nigerian government cannot protect them. The fight for the liberation of the Niger Delta has only begun and will not cease until we have reclaimed every inch of land stolen by the western oil companies in collaboration with puppets such as Goodluck Jonathan and other dubious so-called elders of the Niger Delta.” http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/jan/30/national-30-01-2011-001.htm |
| Re: Ndigbo In The Fourth Republic by Kobojunkie: 6:08am On Jan 30, 2011 |
Beaf: |
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