Ndi Igbo. We know how to jinx a good thing. Perhaps, it is our seeming indomitability, boisterousness and Thanos-will that seduce us to think everyone must believe in what we believe in and must act and think in consonance with our disposition. Anyone who does not support us or share in our sentiments is an enemy deserving the guillotine. How did we evolve illiberally?

We were not always this philistine, intolerant, angry, minatory and hateful. Our fathers were peaceful people who lived through a brutal war, yet held out a hand of brotherhood to other Nigerians. Some have lived and died in the north and in other parts of Nigeria outside the south-east since the civil war. They were accommodating of divergent views, temperate in utterance, graceful and measured in actions.

The Igbo young today, particularly those who take up residence on social media, are quick-tempered, oafish and ready to maul anyone who holds a plural view. They are unthinking, rash and uncritical. It must be their way or the highway to hell. What a retrogressive evolutionary trajectory! How did a critical mass of the Igbo young become so narrow-minded and uncultivated?

Maybe these ones do not know that to be Igbo is to be liberal; it is to be egalitarian; it is to be expansive; it is to be accommodating of all views and people; it is to be critical and circumspect, questioning everything and believing nothing until there is proof. And most importantly, to be Igbo is to not deify any earthling or make any human a god.

Since Peter Obi, former Anambra governor, declared his intention to run for president, a horde of internet contagion has been attacking anyone who does not show support for him. His supporters have been the most intemperate. Wielding virtual cudgels, they bludgeon anyone who refuses to acknowledge Peter Obi as a better presidential candidate. They empty their bowels of invective, hate and threats against anyone who points out the obvious political weaknesses of the former Anambra governor.

Peter Obi’s political network is abysmally limited. As I have always said, he is the creation of an internet fad and does not matter to the hoi polloi. But he is a decent man with the potential of a progressive president. If only wishes were horses, Peter Obi would ride them to the presidency. Sadly, they are not.

Only Igbo votes cannot make Peter Obi president. He needs first the votes of PDP delegates from across the states. And if by some twist of kismet, he becomes the PDP presidential candidate, he needs the votes of all Nigerians, particularly the north. His supporters are perhaps too self-absorbed or utterly ignorant to understand that belching ethnic slurs against other Nigerians on the internet because they are not so taken in by him is actually demarketing his candidature.

This is not how to win popular support in a country like Nigeria with a very diverse population. Instead of pulling moderates and the undecided to the umbrella of Peter Obi, his supporters are setting them apart and even turning the minds of those who are sympathetic to Obi’s candidature.

Who would want a Peter Obi presidency where his supporters are rabid, caustic, bigoted and hateful? It is becoming obvious that some of Peter Obi’s supporters may be from the same gene-pool as those who promoted south-east secession. It is the same non-strategy – hate, anger and more hate.

Peter Obi’s supporters may think they are aggressively promoting him, but they have only succeeded in reducing him to an ethnic champion. How unpropitious that a good product should be so jinxed.

It appears the south-east is in dire need of a messiah; so, any person that fate throws up is summarily crowned as a lodestar to lead the Igbo out of eight years of wandering. But we must realise that we are the messiah we seek. It is our collective action that matters.

Peter Obi is a gentleman, peace-loving, soft-spoken, refined, expansive and cerebral. I know he will not support the hate his supporters trade on social media. In fact, what his supporters do is antithetical to what he stands for. I think it is wise he addresses the mobilisers of his campaign on social media to put some decorum and decency to their crusade for him. He needs Nigerians to be president.

By Fredrick Nwabufo; Nwabufo aka Mr OneNigeria is a writer and journalist.

Mooh247:




All I know is you can't plant Cocoyam and want to harvest Apple


The last time Olusegun Obasanjo a Yoruba man helped Jonathan an Ogbia man from the creeks to power and Ibos hijacked the Government, bellow is 2011 thread that shows what they truly think of us Yoruba

https://www.nairaland.com/745731/yoruba-marginalization-elders-met-jonathan

Their grandfathers hated Awolowo for no reason, their fathers hated Abiola for no reason , now it's Tinubu's turn to be hated

They are trying to decieve gullible Nigerians with Peter Obi a fruad that couldn't develop Anambra and we are here to checkmate every single lies they told using verified reports and statistics

Everyone can access Anambras GDP growth rate, their Infrastructural deficit

.

Mooh247:




All I know is you can't plant Cocoyam and want to harvest Apple


The last time Olusegun Obasanjo a Yoruba man helped Jonathan an Ogbia man from the creeks to power and Ibos hijacked the Government, bellow is 2011 thread that shows what they truly think of us Yoruba

https://www.nairaland.com/745731/yoruba-marginalization-elders-met-jonathan

Their grandfathers hated Awolowo for no reason, their fathers hated Abiola for no reason , now it's Tinubu's turn to be hated

They are trying to decieve gullible Nigerians with Peter Obi a fruad that couldn't develop Anambra and we are here to checkmate every single lies they told using verified reports and statistics

Everyone can access Anambras GDP growth rate, their Infrastructural deficit

.

Dshocker:


If you don't something tangible to say,just rest abeg

Mooh247:



How is it your business are you the owner of Nairaland or I don't have freedom of speech because you are but hurt

Dshocker:


Rest naaa

Mooh247:


My comment pain you Abi

Get used to it

Dshocker:


Your generation will keep suffering,unless you do the right thing...

JavaScript90:
This article is pure trash. The owner is simply begging Nigerians to give paid tinubu Media urchins the opportunity to deceive Nigerians with their lies like they did in 2015 so as to repackage another collosal failure and impose on Nigerians in 2023.

It will NOT happen! Mr Frederick, enjoy your brown envelope in peace

seunfly:
Instead of simply campaigning for their candidates, they spills hates on other ethnic groups, insult others and condemned others as if Peter, his supporters and his ethnic group alone can vote him to become president.

You need to rally others around your candidates, u need to build bridges and u need to market him properly to others.


I was in a bus in suleja on Monday and one guy kept insulting every other political aspirants, he even insulted suleja local government chairman and senator representing Niger east senatorial district. In the end he started praising Peter Obi as the only Saint in Nigeria.

How foolish can someone be, u are living in somebody's town, condemned their leaders and praised your own yet he expected them to accept him with that silly tactics.