₦airaland Forum

lomprico:
What language does, shagari, buhari, yaardua, abdulsalami, ibb speak?

This morning asked some Hausa friend of mine - who is Hausa? His response should explain why Hausa is this widely spoken and associated with the language shagari, buhari, yaardua, abdulsalami, ibb spoke. I was shocked to know Murtala Mohammed is actually Auchi from Edo State. Here is the answer from my Hausa friend-
"Morning sir, Hausa man is an original inhabitants of Kano, Jigawa, katsina, sokoto, part of kebbi,Zamfara, and Kaduna States. They are also a minority in others States of the North.
Hausa tribe has received and accept other ethnics and nationality. Those Nationalities were accepted and assimilated into Hausa land hausas. But they have their distinct identity and languages. Most of these Nationals speak Hausa as lingua franca, but they have their own languages which an Hausa man does not speaks or understand unless he learns it."
We have Obasanjo who stopped the teaching of History as a subject in our schools to blame for the ignorance of our common identities and heritage that pervades the land. I still don't understand why he did that.

Nairalanders let's have some healthy debate on this matter. Healthy debate takes the heat out of a heated polity as Nigeria presently is due to IPOB moves. It also helps misdirected folks see better in a manner that has dignity intact.

• Please Read What Former Chief of Army Staff, RTD MAJOR GENERAL IHEJIRIKA Wrote On His FACEBOOK Wall:

FOOLISH IS NOT IGBO!!!
For 6 years our own occupied the offices of Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker, SGF, Minister of Finance /Coordinating Minister of the Nigerian Economy, Ministers of Health, Aviation, Labour, Petroleum (by Marriage), Chief of Army Staff etc. yet nobody complained that the Igbos got too much of the Federal Power rations neither did your highly placed brethren improve your lot in terms of development!
Other ethnic groups watched carefully and played their politics towards national relevance while we the Igbos got carried away and played politics of the pocket where semi-illiterate money bags charted the cause for us!

Those who have access to Aso Rock and got fat contracts sustained the lies to hoodwink both Aso Rock gods and the Igbos. In blind response devoid of any logical reasonings the Igbos put all their fragile eggs in one basket that had lost form and shape to protect them.

As the results of those fatal errors set in the same money miss roads are now fanning the ambers of secession as their next meal ticket bargaining chip while the teaming youth they lure with money and lies risk losing everything including their lives for nothing in the end.

Compare the Igbo TAN money bags and/or failed politicians to the likes of Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola who are hardly seen or heard playing partisan talk less of ethno-religious politics!

Imagine Dangote gathering the leaders of Northerners in Lagos and imposing political party or candidate in Lagos State politics on them. Such is near impossible!
The Igbos have allowed derogatory pocket politics to puncture their natural nobility as a people!

With men of honour and class like Ebitu Ukaiwe, Emeka Anyaoku, Ndubisi Kanu, Ben Nwabueze and others, the Igbos should have no business listening to the likes of Ifeanyi Uba (Capital Oil), Chris Uba etc. any time they talk politics!

Foolish is not IGBO!!!

Copied.
[9/14, 8:51 PM] ‪+234 806 291 6213‬: Okeke Godwin Iyke wrote:

Ike Ekweremmadu from Enugu State is the Chairman of constitutional amendment committee for the past 10 years till date yet he couldn't lobby his members to include Referendum in the constitution.

Emeka Ihedioha from Imo State was the Co-Chairman of constitutional amendment committee yet he couldn't lobby his members to include Referendum.

Morons making excuses for them will foolishly tell you that Hausa-Fulani did not support them yet:

Ihedioha manipulated his ruling party PDP and conspired with opposition ACN to become deputy speaker to Hausa man

Ike Ekweremmadu manipulated the ruling APC and conspired with some northerners to become the Deputy Senate President.

Maybe Ndigbo know how to lobby Hausa Fulani when it comes to personal and selfish interest but will label them unapproachable when it comes to our collective interest.

Solution to your problem is within you. Keep blaming every other tribes for your problems and exonerate the crooks you elected to represent you.

Go and study how to lobby in a democracy and stop glorifying idiocy through senseless utterances

Okokobioko is your anchor man
Stay tuned
[9/14, 8:51 PM] ‪+234 806 291 6213‬: The claims that Igbos are enslaved and marginalised in Nigeria is a big lie. The person with the sole right to import kiwi polish into Nigeria is an igbo man based in Onitsha. He is the sole importer of kiwi shoe polish the whole Nigeria uses. The sole importer of Bama mayonnaise into Nigeria from the U.S. is Peter Obi. The whole Nigeria use Bama mayonnaise. Orji Uzor Kalu imports more than 40 products into Nigeria. Cosmas Maduka has the sole dealership for BMW in Nigeria. He also has Ford Motors dealership and is also the sole dealer of certain medical equipment. Igbos solely own over 70% of imported products used by all Nigerians imported through the ports of their choice. None of those ports exist in igboland.

In the civil service, Imo state is the highest with more than 5,000 civil servants. Zamfara doesn't have up to 900. Most houses in Abuja are owned by igbos including estates and hotels. Bolingo hotel, Rockview hotels are some of the five star hotels in Abuja owned by Igbos and countless other 3 star hotels. Igbos have more stake in the Centenary city Abuja than other 5 geopolitical zones. Igbos dominate all the building materials market in Abuja. The land area owned by Igbos outside the South East is more than the 29,500sqkm of the entire landmass of the east. What more can Nigeria and Nigerians who are not Igbos do? It's only an ungrateful greedy person who worship money and materialism with no respect for other people that will want to have it all.

Mfon Offiong

OmoManU:
But unfortunately, if Igbo's succeeded in seceding, they won't b with the oil and any sea.

"Welcome the landlocked state of Biafra"

Ntor for them

Not true. Oguta has crude oil. Botswana survives without direct access to the sea. Meanwhile Onitsha dredging has been in the works. #spreadlovenothatred

Amazing this wasn't burnt last time we heard of a fire outbreak at his palace!

*??; HAS AN HAUSA MAN RULED NIGERIA?*

Nigeria got its independence in 1960 which is 57 years now.

*Let's look at the records of rulership:*

The longest serving President in Nigeria is a Northern Christian minority: Yakubu Gowon for 9 years. He's Ngas by tribe from Plateau North Central Nigeria.

Followed by IBB, a Nupe man from Niger State, another minority tribe from North Central. He ruled for 8 years.

A Kano raised Kanuri man from Borno: Sani Abacha ruled for 5 years. Kanuri is another minority from North East of Nigeria.

Tafawa Balewa was Prime Minister (along with Azikwe as President) for 6 years: Balewa is a Northern minority from Balewa village in North East Nigeria.

Murtala Mohammed of Auchi parents (Edo state - South south of Nigeria) but born in kano ruled for a year before he was assassinated.

Shehu Shagari, a Fulani man from Sokoto, (core North) ruled for 4 years.

Shehu Yar'adua, a Fulani man from Katsina (core north) ruled for 2 years.

Abdulsalam, a Gwari minority from Niger state, (North Central) ruled for 1 year.

Muhammadu Buhari ruled for 22 months (1st time) and now in his 3rd year (2nd time).

Obasanjo, a Yoruba man from South West ruled for 3 and half years. Same Obasanjo again ruled for another 8 years.

Ernest Shonekan, a Yoruba man from South West ruled for 6 months.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (Ijaw man), a minority from South South ruled for 6 years.

Aguiyi Ironsi ruled for 7 months (guess from where?) Abia State.

Now, if you check through the whole record, an Hausa man has never ruled Nigeria.

*True and facts are these: 2 Fulani presidents, (Buhari - Yaradua - and Buhari again) have ruled for 10 years to date.*

*Yorubas 12 years*

*Ngas, for 9 years*

*Nupe for 8 years*

*Ijaw for 6 years*

*Gwari for 1 year*

*Kanuri for 5 years*

*Ironsi : 7 months*
*Igbos zero month (if we say Ironsi is not an igbo man)* Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe was also President for 6-years.

And if you look at the 57 years rule:

*Muslim rule for 29.5 years*

*Christian rule for 27.5 years* if you add Zik's Presidency of 6-years, Christians had ruled for 33.5 years!.

But I keep wondering why some Nigerians keep crying: "Hausa - Muslim Born to rule"

Most of us are very economical with the truth. The years Obasanjo spent in power is more than what the whole Fulanis spent even if Buhari finishes this tenure.

And here is a shocker: the Hausas are actually a majority tribe in terms of population, spread, land mass etc. Imagine if they begin to look at issues from tribal perspective and begin to emotionally blackmail us all with cries of marginalization which factually is true.

But the poor Hausa man is not. For one way, he understands that we all have been marginalized. Our war should be against the class marginalization: *The rich versus the poor*

For it is the same thing that a poor man from Nupe, or the poor man from Efik, Igala, Kanuri, Fulani etc suffers that the poor Hausa man suffers likewise the poor Igbo man. That class disparity ought to be our war. Not the hate resulting from lies that an Hausa man have ruled us for all of our 57 years when infact the true tally is zero.

We are better together. Yes we have grievances, but blackmail, lies, propaganda won't solve them for us. Only the truth can and will.

*The Hausas are the ones marginalized in Nigeria*

#copied.

For the UNESCO, “marginalization occurs when people are systematically excluded from meaningful participation in economic, social, political, cultural and other forms of human activity in their communities and thus are denied the opportunity to fulfil themselves as human beings.”

http://www.cerebraluppercuts.com/2017/09/20/ako-nuche-buhari-ipob-slithering-python-open-letter-ndi-igbo/

Ninethmare:
Nwanna do the needful
You will recieve a chieftaincy title

He is a well-trained, emotionally balanced and thoroughbred professional who has built a career with something worthwhile to live for.

attackgat:
Then you better look at the state of Nigeria and tell which of them was so competent that we have a disaster of a country

"id·i·ot
ˈidēət/Submit
nouninformal
a stupid person.
synonyms: fool, ass, halfwit, dunce, dolt, ignoramus, cretin, slowpoke, slowpoke, simpleton; More
MEDICINEarchaic
a mentally handicapped person."[/color][color=#990000]


May I suggest to you that not ALL fit your description.

attackgat:
Okorocha is still talking about the useless seat of President of Nigeria that has done nothing but produce one incompetent idiot or the other since 1966 till date, while people are talking about their independence.

To say that ALL previous Nigerian Presidents till date are incompetent idiots speak volumes about who you are!

One is in the hope that opinions of this sort will prevail over voices of secession and save Ndigbo from more distrust than it already has for a label. The hate-spiced and race-superiority laced argument for self-determination puts the career of Ndigbo in the Defence Forces, politicians, traders et al in jeopardy. Take it or leave it the typical Igbo person now has do more to prove his loyalty to Nigeria than folks from other ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria. We are back in 1970 and this is sad to say! Rochas and Ekweremadu spoke up a little too late! Damage control is it now. Ndigbo does not deserve this minus. Not at all! #thumbdownnnamdikanu

AnonymousIP:
@VIVIANGIST

The need for peaceful coexistence by all tribes in Nigeria was Wednesday reinforced when Arewa youths in Anambra State signed a peace pact with the Igbo Peace Movement in Awka the capital of the state.

The two youth bodies while signing the pact expressed their unwavering commitment to peace and unity of Nigeria.
In the pact signed at a press conference the two youth bodies also expressed their commitment to an indissoluble Nigeria and urged other youths to emulate them to keep the nation one.

In a communique signed by the President of Arewa Youths in the state, Alhaji Bello Maigari and the leader of Igbo Peace Movement, Ambassador Divine Onyekachi, they stated their resolve to ensure that Nigeria was not plunged into another civil crisis.

They stressed that though there might be valid reasons for agitations in the country by some sections, such agitations must be done through proper procedures.

According to the youths: “Peace and unity of the country are paramount and should supersede every other interest. Nigeria’s strength is in the nation’s unity in diversity and only convergence of efforts from all ethnic groups can make Nigeria reclaim its rightful place in the comity of nations.”

Also the youths acknowledged what they described as the federal and state governments commendable steps towards reassuring Nigerians of the country’s unity as evidenced in the recent visit of some northern governors on a peace mission to the South-East.

They therefore called on MASSOB, Igbo Youth Congress, Indigenous People of Biafra, Arewa Consultative Forum, Northern Youth Congress and Concerned Northerners to do all they could to make the country great.
Ambassador Oneykachi, said that the younger generation must wake up and make a difference in the country by ensuring that peace reigned while his Arewa counterpart, Maigari said the purpose of the meeting was to preach peace among Nigerians.

SOURCE - http://www.viviangist.ng/igbo-peace-movement-and-arewa-groups-finally-reach-an-agreement-to-build-peace-in-nigeria/

CC - Lalasticlala

This is to be celebrated. #spreadlovenothatred

It is instructive to note that FGN did not summon The French Ambassador on the matter.

Cyynthia:
In every democratic setting, it's expected that some people will agree and disagree whenever any issue concerning the public is raised. That's beauty of democracy.
But at the end, majority carries the vote and majority of igbos want Biafra.( If you doubt me, why is Nig govt afraid of testing their popularity through referendum, if clamour for Biafra is only for miscreants ? )
Only animalistic basstardds that lack knowledge of democracy will rejoice at the sight of this thread because they think that every human being would be zombies like them. Agreement and disagreement should be inevitable.
Their decision is ok as long as they are happy with it and that is what I expected.


AGAIN, MAJORITY CARRIES THE VOTE.

If, as you say, Ndigbo are in the majority in the agitation for Biafra why is not been pursued through your elected political representatives, political appointees and business moguls who are the known faces of Ndigbo in Nigeria. The day they decide in favour of Biafra it'll happen without firing a shot from a gun or hate-speech. When they speak up in favour of Biafra you can assert that the majority is disposed to Biafra. That is the verifiable truth.

About time. Dim Emeka Ojukwu is on record as having made such statements. Some selfish Ndigbo in diaspora without valid residency papers are fervently hoping a full blown civil war will start so they can (unknown to Ndigbo resident in Nigeria) claim refugee status.

pitlaterine:
The apex Igbo-socio cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday visited the Muslim Community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The visit led by the President of Ohanaeze in Enugu State, Chief Alex Ogbonna, was to commiserate with them over the fire incident which engulfed a mosque in the area.


A mosque located at Ogrute, the council headquartres was early morning of Saturday last week engulfed by a mysterious fire, which razed the entire roof down.

Ogbonna, who led other members of his exco to the mosque, said he was in the area to re-echo the existing peace and bond existing among all the residents of the State irrespective of their religious and ethnic differences.

Ogbonna, who expressed sadness over the inferno, urged the Muslim faithful to accept the development as an act of God which should not be allowed to affect the existing cordial relationship existing between Christians and Muslims in the State.

“We are here to sympathize with you and to tell you that whatever may be the case, we shall continue to be one.


“You have been here for several years and there has never been any incident of whatever form. So, our appeal is that you all should continue to live in peace.

“So, the essence of our coming here today is to show solidarity with the Imam and thee Muslim community in this area.

“We have Christians, traditionalists and Muslims in this State and all of them practice their religion unhindered.

“There is absolute freedom of worship in Enugu State and as such everybody is free to pursue their religion. That’s why we felt touched that this happened to a house of God”, he said.


Ogbonna further stated that “we felt that what happened is quite unusual because this is the most peaceful State. The Governor is a peaceful man and that is why in Enugu, everybody sleeps with two eyes closed.

“Also, from what we have noticed today, almost all the Muslim faithful here, including the Imam are Igbos. So, this is internal; this has nothing to do with ethnic group or religion. Our people should not be afraid at all.

“However, we are sure that God will find a way in distant time to see to the erection of a better mosque here.”

In a remark, the Chief Imam of Enugu-Ezike, Alhaji Ali Osai expressed happiness with the Ohanaeze leadership over the visit.

He stressed that they had lived in absolute peace with adherents of other religions, stressing that “the peace will be sustained.”

http://www.looknaija.com/2017/09/enugu-mosque-fire-ohanaeze-visits-muslim-community-appeals-calm/

lalasticlala

One is in the hope that where churches in Northern Nigeria go through such incidents Northern leaders will reciprocate in the same manner.

highchief3:
You go pirate lawyers book, it's like stealing from the police.... they hate competition.

. Baaaaad Tchief!

littlewonders:
Free healthcare indeed. The only sickness in the body of south east commoners at this moment are 'depression!' Emotional instability, after killing their brothers, raping their sisters even going as far to tag them 'Terrorist'.

How do you convince such people your healthcare services isn't a dead end service. My fore fathers use to say; 'A man who doesn't like your brother and sister does not like you!!'

One man went to UN and said Dialogue is important but in his house 'Violence' is the best approach.

Hypocrisy begot more hypocrisy.

I've learnt from this government that if anybody, group of people make me uncomfortable in a debate or through issues, I need to use violence(Physical approach) to reset them to my own quest.



Nevertheless, Who can recommend what sort of drugs I can take to completly erase Emotional instability or depression? All the young people in my hood are looking for it. #Save-a-life-not-to-commit-suicide.

Dig deeper. It should be apparent that the strategy adopted for the latest push for Biafra is fraught with fatal errors. 1. It set out with broadcast that missed the issue entirely when Buhari and other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria that were abused to no end were made its target. 2. There were no consultations and concensus reached with the non-Igbo ethnic groupings reflected on the proposed map of Biafra. 3. The brightest and best of Ndigbo whether by omission or commission took the back seat in the matter leaving Nnamdi Kanu at the wheels. 4. Hate speech - a genre of terror- was adopted as the lingua franca for the initiative leaving in its trail so much bile, bitterness, distrust, suspicion and everything anti progress.
The international community will not buy into this as presently packaged and that is the uncomfortable truth. Worse still, the IPOB is now known as a terrorist organization.
Ndigbo should, if it must, exit Nigeria closing the door gently largely, among other reasons because it is a people that has diaspora existence coded in its genes.

About time!

#vanityfair#

dre11:
The Federal Government has revealed that the financial headquarters of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB is in France.






https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fg-unveils-ipob-finance-headquarters.html

The British can be sly! A person spreads falsehood about you capable of unsettling your household and you let it go all in the name of free speech! That's why they may soon lose their heritage when London becomes Londonistan. The British can be sly. #oversabi#

Not news considering that France �� has forever dreamt of a footprint � in Nigeria sufficient enough to make Nigeria French speaking! Little wonder it supported Biafra (Season 1) in 1967. Ndigbo should ask themselves how much of French investments have sought out the South East for a location? #colouseanddump#

userplainly:
why do you think he's Duara? so anyone that reject your stupidity is Afonja or Duara/Fulani..... junkie am Urhobo, born, raise n living in Warri so weti u go call me? Duara lover?

That is symptomatic of rejection syndrome. Here's hoping they'll listen before they bequeath same to their young ones. Ndigbo should seek integration first before self-determination if they so please. Strategy makes for shining. #getwisdomitisprincipal

Bitterness is a slow killer not only of an individual but but also an ethnic nationality that has itself in its vice grip. The relatives, friends and co-travelers of Bitterness include rejection, perceived marginalization, hate-speech, race-superiority complex, inferiority complex, group leadership by failed individuals, terrorism, self imposed statelessnes, loneliness and ultimately impostor syndrome! #spreadlovenothatred

But this is not the way to actualise Biafra. Stress instead the desire of the Igbo ethnic nation to exercise their right to sell-determination. It should be that simple but it could take time.

Great car. Believe me!

#celebratemerit

Senator Ekweremadu's Honest Advice To The IGBOS On Legal And Other Issues Involved BIAFRA Agitation And Realization.

Beyond sentiments, it needs to be emphasised that Nigeria is a sovereign state, with a defined territory recognised by the international community. She is a member of the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), among others. This territory includes the South-east region.

While the right to self-determination is guaranteed under the international systems, specifically the United Nations and African Union, this right has laid down procedures that must jbe religiously followed. For instance, while the call for referendum is legal; they do not come by fiat. Referendum is the ultimate result of wide and long negotiations, consultations, and processes involving the international community as we have seen in the cases of Scotland in the United Kingdom, Catalonia in Spain, Quebec in Canada, and recently in Puerto Rico as well as the successful secession of East Timor from Indonesia, Eritrea from Ethiopia, and South Sudan from Sudan.

Unless these due processes are observed, as in the case of Eritrea, East Timor, and South Sudan, such enclaves will not be recognised as sovereign states by the international community. I have followed incisive arguments on this matter and looked at the history of other secessionist efforts in other parts of the world. For example, about 43 years after it broke away from Cyprus in 1974, with the help of the Turkish Army, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Northern Cyprus) is yet to be recognised as a sovereign nation by any nation because of lack of due process. The citizens can only travel with the passport of Turkey as citizens of Turkey, not Northern Cyprus. Today, there is widespread agitation by citizens of North Cyprus to be rejoined to Cyprus.

There is also the case of Somaliland. Almost three decades after it declared itself a sovereign state from the Federal Republic of Somalia, the best the self-declared Republic (British Somaliland) has achieved is recognition as an autonomous state, but still part of Somalia in spite of the fact that Somalia is a failed state.

We also have the Russia-backed breakaway Eastern Ukraine, which still uses the Ukrainian international passport and currency, several years after. It does not matter that it is backed by Russia, a world super power.

In the Caucasus, the breakaway South Ossetia and Abkazia from Georgia are only recognised by Russia more than 10 years after. They can only travel as Russian citizens with Russian international passport. The international community still recognises them as citizens of Georgia.

Political Considerations

Ndigbo also need to understand both the local and international political tides and sentiments to be able to make the right choices because the considerations for self-determination go beyond just the South-east.

Already, extreme utterances and actions by some key elements in the agitation for Biafra are taking tolls on our goodwill, friendship, and the sympathy we enjoy. Insults hurled at religious and political leaders of other regions are not helping us, politically.

Today, discordant tunes over the boundaries or territories of a prospective sovereign State of Biafra is growing in proportions with the hard wickets hurled at our neigbours and compatriots.

Indeed, as things stand today, the greater part of South-south region have continued to discountenance the idea of Biafra, perhaps, for these utterances or fear of becoming a minority within another sovereign state.

Only recently, the Governor of Rivers State was in Sokoto to reiterate that the people of Rivers State are rather in support of a restructured Nigeria, not a sovereign state of Biafra. Similarly, the people of Delta State have reiterated that Delta State, including the Anioma cultural zone, which is Igbo, will not be part of Biafra.

The truth is, times have changed, and so have political interests because 1967 is different from 2017. So much water has passed under the bridge and we have to be realistic.

Economic Implications

As I earlier said, there is serious clamour for Northern Cyprus to rejoin Cyprus. Beside the frustrations from isolation, the economy is also at the heart of it. The Monday, June 26, 2017 edition of UK’s newspaper, The Telegraph estimates that the reunification of the tiny island could boost its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by GBP5 Billion.

South-east’s political future should therefore be put in context of its economic interest and survival. The Igbos have larger chunk of their investments outside the South-east. Our people have invested heavily in every nook and cranny of Nigeria. They are into trading. Imagine a situation where a Republic of Biafra would have to depend on Nigerian passports to travel out.

Importantly, as I mentioned earlier, we are not certain that the South-south will go with the Biafra idea. And in the event that they do not, what are our options for economic survival? Flowing from this, what guarantee do we have for international support if the main oil bearing region pulls out, knowing that no nation is a Santa Claus?

Social Considerations

Nigeria has never been as divided as it is today. The hate rhetoric is getting worse by the day. Parting ways under such level of bitterness could be risky to the investments and lives of the South Easterners. Realistically speaking, is it possible that all Ndigbo living in the other parts of Nigeria, many of whom were born and bred outside Igbo land, and have been well assimilated by their host communities will return home? Many have never visited home and do not even speak Igbo language. Can we realistically expect those who have their investments in other parts of Nigeria to willingly abandon them and head home?

Although international systems seek to guarantee the security of lives of peoples and their properties on either side of the divides, should there be a self-determination process that leads to the emergence of a new nation, such guarantees are not absolute and difficult to enforce, especially in a society such as ours. The quit notice and hate spewed by the Arewa youth to Ndigbo point to the fact that all is not well. And it calls for caution because the mother hen does not run without looking back to know the fate of her chicks.

Right template for Restructuring

The other option left for us is a restructured federation. Ndigbo need to develop and market what it believes to be the right template for restructuring. The Eastern Region was rated the fastest growing economy in Africa in the First Republic because the regions were relatively autonomous; resources were largely developed and controlled by the regions.

I believe Ndigbo will thrive, probably more than other regions, under a federal structure that guarantees substantial autonomy, justice, equity, security, and prosperity for Ndigbo wherever they live.

What we need is a federalism where each constituent part fends for itself to promote industry. We need a federal arrangement that guarantees and allows every constituent state or region to be primarily in charge of its aspirations and preferences to catalyse competitive development. We need a mutually agreed arrangement that allows every component to take charge of the security of lives and properties of citizens through decentralised policing, while the Federal Government takes care of defending our territorial integrity. We need a federal arrangement where the best excel, and does not have to be sacrificed in the name of federal character. We need a restructured federation where the Igbo man or woman, and indeed, every Nigerian can live and ply his or her business without any form of discrimination, molestation, and destruction of his or her life and property on the flimsiest excuses. Igbos should be better off in a federation where they freely exercise their democratic rights without being hounded and killed by security forces. We need a federal structure that guarantees smart and efficient government. And I believe these are possible if the leaders and constituent parts of the nation come to the table with sincerity of purpose. We should push for that, please.

Way forward

(i) Going forward, we need to set up a committee for a continuous engagement and moderation of IPOB, other pro-Biafra organisations and their leaders to avoid hate speeches and reckless statements that will make us lose our friends and sympathisers.

(ii) We need to send a team of South-east leaders to have yet another meeting with the Presidency, this time to tell them, in clear terms, the need to address the fears and complaints about marginalisation of the people of the South-east by this government, which is fueling the agitation in our region. Government needs to take concrete steps and demonstrate commitment in addressing the said complaints. This will help the South-east leaders to manage the restiveness.

(iii) The Igbos must continue to emphasise restructuring, which is presently enjoying acceptance by the South-south, South-west, Northern-central, and well meaning people from other parts of the North. I believe that at the discussion table for restructuring, we will have sufficient allies that will enable us extract a good bargain for a just and equitable society, where we will, no doubt, excel. Ndigbo need a bigger space to operate. In fact, Nigeria as a country is even a small space for the enterprising spirit of the Igbo, hence our people are scattered all over Africa and are capable of dominating the economic space.

(iv) We need to send delegations to different entities of the North, especially Sokoto, Kaduna, Kano, Maiduguri, Adamawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, among others, to engage the respective governors and top traditional rulers and clerics who will also help to moderate the utterances and actions of the Northern youth. These, I believe, will secure the lives and properties of our people all over the north and avoid their possible mass movement ahead of the October deadline contained in the threat by the Northern youth.

(v) We need to send another delegation to meet with the Chief of Defence Staff, Inspector-General of Police, National Security Adviser, and the Director-General of the Department of State Security to express our concern over the safety of the lives and properties of our people living in the North and to urge them to take every necessary step to protect them.

Finally, whatever choices we make, we must not allow ourselves to be ruled by our emotions, but by reasoning. The same tree stump does not trip a wise man twice. We must learn from the past and act wisely and decisively. Likewise, we must endeavour to present our demands in a civilized manner and in a language that is cognizant of other people’s sensibilities, not in a provocative or rancorous manner."

omenka:
When small boys keep threatening to burn down your country and calling it a zoo which must fall and boasting they'd go to the seat of power and take back home the president's head, you confront them but with guns and tanks but with nuclear weapons and latest F-series fighter jets.

Nigerian forces are too kind.

Try one jot of that in Cameroon and you'll share your testimony!

letusbepieces:
Black people are really unintelligent, see the way they are disgracing demslevs.

Is tanks and ak47 the best way to handle unarmed small boyz and young men.

To think the person leveling such violence against people children is a very old man dat u would expect to be wise.

What manner of conclusion! You, indeed, are intelligent!! #youshouldmeetalberteinstein

Yet IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu and his sympathisers claim they are not terrorists and non-violent. Were the NA not brought in timeously (Jonathan as C-In-C failed to do that against BH who dug and demystifyed our severally) it was only a matter of time before they overran the police and declare Biafra in an act of secession which would have resulted in full blown war instead of a python dance season 1 and 2. Both are not palatable but war would have been worse. It is hoped that Ndigbo will choose achieving Biafra -if they insist- in a manner devoid of hate speech, claims of racial superiority, and acts of intimidation against the Nigerian state and other ethnic nationalities who may also wish to exercise their inalienable rights to self-determination. #spreadlovenothatred