When Nigerians speak of ‘geo political zone’, and I emphasize the term geo political, there has been an attempt by some, perhaps ignorantly, or as I suspect with malicious intent to equate geo political zones with ethnicity or in some cases religion.

The equation happens subtly, and I can perhaps prove to you that you have taken the bait. For example, when we say south west, without even putting the suffix ‘geo political zone’, the notion is that you must be Yoruba, and the Yoruba ethnic group can only be found in the carved out states that make up this geo political zone consequently, they do not exist outside of this imaginary creation.

Also when we say south east, again without putting the suffix ‘geo political zone’, the assumption of many is that you must be Igbo, and Igbos can only be found in the carved out states that make up this geo political zone, consequently, there are no Igbos outside of this imaginary creation.

Lastly, for emphasis, when we say south south, the assumption of many is that this is one homogenous ethnic group, all domiciled in the Niger delta, or perhaps a group largely made up of riverine dwellers, and most importantly devoid of any Igbo presence.

Lately, I have seen in some publications, a subtle substitution of the word ‘zone’ for ‘region’, in other words, attributing a substance to the term ‘geo political’ which restricts it’s people to an area by land. Unfortunately, politicians and supposed intelligent folks have adopted this term without understanding the subtle implication. Whatever the case may be, it does not change the prefix ‘geo political’, and as such can never be synonymous with ethnicity, no matter how anybody tries to twist it. Needless to say, using these two terms interchangeably when context is not clear should be discouraged.

Make no mistake, in Nigeria, context is clear. Post the Nigeria civil war, the ‘victors’ came up with a vicious way to dismember a certain people they perceived to be troublesome. They balkanized them into various carved up states, and in most cases compelled them to deny their ethnicity if they wished to survive. To further cement the balkanization, they came up with the geo political gimmick (which ironically, has no constitutional backing), and now effort is in overdrive to give it an ethnic connotation.

Lately, I watched a talk show on a popular Nigerian local television station, where the former deputy senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu was a guest. The host kept making reference to the term ‘south easterners’ in reference to the Igbo nation. I was dumb founded that the guest didn’t correct this narrative considering its subtle implications. With all due respect, I am not a ‘south easterner’, in the Nigeria context of attempting to give flesh to the geo political zone debacle, relating it to ethnicity. I am proudly Igbo, and that should suffice for description.

Also, fairly recently, Mr. Chike Ogeah of Oshimili-Aniocha, a former commissioner of information in Delta state, was a guest on another Nigerian local television programme. The host, a rabid Igbophobe, kept trying to paint a picture of a divided Igbo nation, attempting to ascribe tags of division, to which Mr. Chike rightly shut him down with facts that the Igbo nation cannot be divided by artificial constructs.
Every arsenal has been deployed to propagate this narrative, hoping it sticks. Further south, it is parroted by certain groups who shamelessly feasted on the spoils of their brethren, and for them, the truth would mean acknowledging guilt, and initiating restitution.

I have attached a map of Nigeria, illustrating the geo political zones and state make up. I have also superimposed a compass on this map using the federal capital territory Abuja as the center point.
Looking at this map, it immediately becomes visible to an honest mind, the difficulty in continuing to use the current descriptions from a geographical perspective. You could argue that the FCT is not the true center of area, in which case I humbly ask you to shift the compass as you wish. If you move the compass to the right or left, you would be in further trouble trying to justify the anomaly.

Some have made the argument that the geopolitical zones are not ‘entirely’ based on geographical location, but rather states with similar ethnic groups and/or common political history. I wonder how they can continue to maintain this argument while staring at the attached map. What similar ethnic grouping or political history does an ethnicity in Kwara state have to do with one in Benue state? Or an ethnicity in Edo state have to do with one in Akwa Ibom state?

If we attempt to force fit things, the only correct zone that perhaps coincide with the geopolitical descriptions, ethnic groupings, and common political history would appear to be the south west (if we ignore the Edo, Kogi and Kwara anomaly). Every other representation is a grave travesty of justice, an insult to intelligent minds, and people of conscience, should desist from making reference to the current geopolitical descriptions, especially in relation to ethnicity.

Nigerians of conscience have made the case, and rightly so, to jettison the 1999 constitution, as it was imposed under a military dictatorship, with no input from the various stake holders that make up the union. In like manner, I would expect them to make the case to jettison the current geo political zone farce which was similarly imposed under another military dictatorship. A people cannot be expected to abide by something a man was constrained to sign most likely staring down the barrel of a gun. Sensible people should not insist on cementing something which was created without general consensus. The injustice engraved in our foundations is the bane of all our problems.

We see the clamor to return looted artefacts, including artefacts that were perhaps purchased, but under dubious circumstances. The argument many put forward, including by the federal government of Nigeria, to support this stand, is that these artefacts belong in their ancestral homes, and rightly so. We seem to only parrot this cry for justice, fairness, and equity when it involves outsiders (especially Europeans), but don’t apply the same standards to ourselves. It smirks of hypocrisy if you ask me.

I am of the Igbo ethnic stock, so I will speak directly to every Igbo man and woman out there, in whatever geo political zone you find yourself. We cannot be oblivious to the fact that we are at the receiving end of a vicious campaign to dilute our identity. We should learn to speak the truth to ourselves. We should not act ignorant of the divide and conquer nature of Nigeria politics, especially post civil war. The war is over, at least the physical war. It has been over for about 50 years. However, as with the European slave trade, the after shocks are still being felt, not in the physical, but in the mind. We should shake off these shackles that still hold down our minds. We should as a duty break down these artificial walls of division. We should desist from using these adopted terminologies that cement the divide policies, and there is no greater one that I can thing of than using the geo political zone tag to describe your ethnicity. Furthermore, we should cease using prefixes when referring to Igbos outside the Igbo heartland, such as ‘Delta Igbos’, ‘Benue Igbos’, etc. I don’t hear anyone being referred to as ‘Ondo Ijaw’, ‘Kwara Yoruba’, ‘Sokoto Hausa’, etc. As Mr Chike Ogeah said during his interview, “there is nothing like mainstream Igbo, we’re all Igbos”. This ignorance has cost us much as a people, and must stop.

To those who have fits of rage whenever the Igbo issue is raised, let me attempt to speak to you. What makes each of us human is our ability to reason, and to be conscientious. I know that you feel Nigeria as is currently configured works for you. However, you cannot ignore the cost of maintaining the status quo, and the accompanying atrocities committed in your name (Nigeria) to maintain the current configuration. Your country men and women are brutalized and killed daily for requesting a fair deal, and you have not risen up to demand that this evil not be perpetuated in your name.

Conscientious Europeans held their government to account during the slave trade era, and forced their governments to put an end to the wicked practice of slavery, even thought they were beneficiaries of the system. They insisted that the evil would not be perpetuated in their name.
Recently, we were privileged to witness ‘George Floyd protests’ in Europe and around the world over an injustice that took place in the United States of America. These protesters understand the simple concept of do unto others as you would want other to do unto you. You don’t have to be a person of faith for this truth to speak to your conscience. If my neighbors house is on fire and I sit back, its only a matter of time before the flames reach my own house.

The current situation (in Nigeria) may favor you, your ethnic group, your clan, etc., but does it favor the generality of humanity? Ask yourself, has your situation been better by hampering the growth and development of others through stifling policies? Does having one viable functioning port in Lagos serving the whole country favor the recipient state, with its associated traffic buildups? Is it just to continually insist that people (both young and aged) make perilous journeys from their villages to Lagos, or Abuja for a visa interview, only because the government of Nigeria doesn’t believe the people of the east deserve a diplomatic presence where these applications can easily be made, and have frustrated every attempt by countries to do so, these countries knowing that a large proportion of the visa applications are made by people of eastern origin? Even in smaller countries, diplomatic consulates are scattered across the various regions to enable people easily access embassy services. Is it fair that a child with an Igbo name (Efik, Ibibio, etc. included) is twice more likely to be denied admission due to the evil of catchment area, and not due to grades? Can you explain to that child why they cannot go to university in a city they have grown up all their life because they have an Igbo name?

You cannot continue to express hate towards a people who have not stolen from anyone, nor taken anything they have not paid for, in many cases more than double its market value. The Igbo mantra which is enshrined in a folk song says “live and let live”. It is for this reason you will find the Igbo in every corner of the world, living peacefully with his host community, contributing immensely to the development of the land that has favored him.

We probably can excuse this behavior in the generation of the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and perhaps 70’s. However, it is heart breaking to see it perpetuated in the generation of the 80’s upward, and among people with whom I went to unity schools and called friends. It shows me that there is very little hope for the future if we continue in the current trajectory. Around the world young people are driving innovation and change, pulling down draconian customs, redefining value systems, etc. Ours should not be different.

When I observe the conflicts plaguing the African continent, most of which can be easily resolved by applying fairness, equity and justice, I ask myself, Is the African man truly incapable of sitting around a table to solve a problem, and not bequeath it to the next generation?

Many of us have been fortunate to live in developed societies around the world; in the United states of America, Europe, and even Dubai. When in these countries, we expect to be treated fairly and decently. We buy property, and when for some reason we’re told we don’t belong, or someone carelessly uses the phrase “Go back to Africa”, we cry out “racism”. How can we suddenly develop a consciousness of what is evil out there when we’re at the receiving end, but not here in Nigeria where we’re at the dishing end?

And so I end where I started – the geo political zone debacle. If we’re serious about making Nigeria work as a federation, we need to unfreeze and genuinely resolve the many frozen conflicts that exist. Start by righting the wrongs, and standing on the side of justice and equity. Speak the truth and don’t attempt to bend history to suit selfish interests. Our greatest asset as a country is our ethnic make up. Let ethnicities who share similar heritage congregate (something Europe learned after centuries of endless wars). In other words, let unity begin from bottom and work its way up, that way the bonds/alliances formed will be organic, and not artificial Don’t attempt to balkanize or subjugate ethnicities for selfish purposes. The Igbo spirit especially cannot be subjugated. Allow people to aspire. Eradicate the state of origin mandates that place artificial barriers for people to excel and make it difficult for institutions to attract the best minds. If these are done, I have no doubt that the nation born out of this will be a beacon of hope. There will always be work to be done, but we would at least be on the right path.