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 Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very happy to be here.  When the Chairman of Pan NdiIgbo Foundation, Dr. Iheanacho Orabuchi called on a telephone to ask me to participate in this conference as a plenary speaker, my mind drifted to history.  It was in 1951, about the same time of the celebrated “cross carpet” episode in the Western House of Assembly that denied Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe the opportunity of heading the Government Business in Western Nigeria, Zik and gone to Umuahia, my hometown for a campaign tour and to review Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara’s party performance in Bende Division.  In company of Zik was the energetic and fiery revolutionary leader for African freedom, Mazi Mbonu Ojike. Zik was said to have exercised extraordinary courtesy in asking Dr. Okpara about his future plans in hopes that he would contest could contest the coming election as an NCNC candidate.  Dr. Okpara made it clear to  Zik that he was interested in pursuing a postgraduate studies in medicine and after which he would come back to practice medicine at home. “But before Zik had time to offer an opinion, Mbonu Ojike cut in to settle the matter, more or less by the way of an injunction: “The boss (Zik) says you will contest (the election) and so you will.”   No further discussion transpired on the matter.  Okpara did contest the election.
      
Today, NdiIgbo still need leaders that have clear mission and vision, and can be trusted like Nnamdi Azikiwe, leaders that can be as dedicated and selfless like Mbonu Ojike and Michael Okpara. We need leaders that will call (on us) and NdiIgbo will come running because of the trust vested in them.
          
If you can review the history of the contribution of Ndi Igbo in Nigeria.  If you can realize that at a very young age (in 1925) one of the most prominent African Freedom Fighters, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe had already traveled to the United States of America to acquire an education in order to win freedom for Nigeria and the rest of Africa.  If you would realize that in 1929, when our men have been subdued and defeated by the excessive brutality of the Colonial Masters our own women (in Aba and Umuahia) fought the Colonial Masters to prevent taxing women. Many of these women were the first to pay the supreme price for Nigeria’s freedom. That single act of courage, stamina and determination brought a sense of understanding in minds the brutal colonial masters and kept them on notice that Nigeria will be free someday.  If you realize that the courage of these women encouraged Ndi Igbo men to fight for freedom.   If you realize that the same people Ndi Igbo who have fought for this freedom have not held executive office in Nigeria except for the intermittent administrative aberration of General Aguiyi Ironsi.  If you can realize all these and know that Ndi Igbo have a wide cadre of qualified men and women to lead Nigeria.  Mr. Chairman, I am here today to tell you that Ndi Igbo will and can be president of Nigeria, come 2007.  Paraphrasing one of America’s foremost Presidents, John F. Kennedy, Mr. Chairman, I say to you today that Ndi-Igbo will be President of Nigeria but not if?  Ndi Igbo will be president of Nigeria but not when?  Ndi Igbo will be president but not why, or what or which or was?  Ndi Igbo will be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, period; Ndi Igbo will be president period.  I know that the almighty God has granted it.  When we become the President of Nigeria, contrary to the wishes of Nigeria’s distractors, Nigeria would have been a true Federation where the rights of all people are respected and there will, implemented.  Nigeria would be a country where the Fulanis Cattle Farmers would have adequate pasture land and the Jalingos have adequate crop land, were the people of the Niger Delta would participate actively in deciding the exploitation of minerals from their land and are still able to enjoy a meal of fresh fish; where the waters of the south would no longer be polluted, erosion problems become history, and the ever increasing desertification in the North is reversed. I look forward to a Presidency that will usher in new ideas, new hopes for the future  and peace among our people and tolerance for our enriched diversity in ethnicity and religion.  We are asking for a future where our children will no longer go to bed without food. We are asking for a future where all sorts of corrupt practices are stamped out and all citizens feel safe wherever they may be.  Mr. Chairman, we are, today, asking for a president whose physical and mental traits signify unity; A president that will adopt, for our future generations, the hope that an Hausa man or Hausa woman will not be identified as a Northerner but a Nigerian, we ask for a country where a Yoruba will not be identified as a Westerner nor Igbo man identified as an Easterner but a Nigerian.  Every day, I dream for that day when a Nigerian child can dream to be President of Nigeria — not because he or she comes from the majority ethnic group but because he or she is a Nigerian. It will not matter whether he comes from the majority or minority ethnic groups.  It will not matter whether he is a Yoruba or Igbo, It will not matter whether he or she is a Bini or Nupe, Ibibio, Ijaw, Fulani — All that will matter is that he or she is a NIGERIAN citizen.
     
 So, when Ndi Igbo ask to be President of Nigeria, we would and should ask: But what manner of Presidency can accomplish all these aspirations to make Nigeria a better country for all of us?  For Ndi Igbo, there may be three options of being a president and it will depend on our expected outcome:

(1) We can be President without substance in 2007.  This can be accomplished any time with strong and vicious agitation.    A president with an Igbo name say, ‘Okoro’, ‘Okoronkwo’ or ‘Okorafor’ but functions contrary to Igbo development and aspirations.  A president that may not be able to deliver the desires and wishes of Ndi Igbo and other Nigerians.  A president that would be  ceremonial in actions and deeds.  A coffee table President.   Under this presidency our collective goals would be marginally affected.  Development in Igboland would be to say the least,  marginal and previous injustice not addressed.

(2)  Any President with the substance: This is a President with full support of Ndi Igbo with full commitment to rectify completely the inadequacies in infrastructure, education, economic and social aspects of the lives of Ndi Igbo. If we strategically plan for this, we are very likely to achieve this in 2007.

(3) A substantive President of Igbo extraction.  This is very attainable. Ndi Igbo must adopt new strategies, make friends with major and minor ethnic groups.  In the past, Igbos were friends with the Yorubas – they voted Zik to be the leader of government business in western Nigeria in 1951 before the carpet crossing organized by Chief Awolowo.  Igbos have had good relations with the North – NCNC formed a coalition government with the NPC for two consecutive terms.  And we have to settle some internal problems with our own brothers in the Eastern Region – the Ijaws, the Ibibios, the Efiks and Ogojas. We need to have some roundtable discussions with our own and fellow Easterners.  We must work hard to regain our name, Eastern Nigeria as a working and collaborative unit and do away with these South-East and South-South names with all their stigmatization.
         
In the interim, there are pressing issues that will have a very great ramification with regards to depressing further the plight of Ndi Igbo and others that live away from their state of origin. It is also, very important in perpetuating political marginalization of Ndi Igbo in Nigeria’s future political dispensation. Everybody here knows that there are more Igbos living outside their states of origin that any other groups in Nigerians.  We know that these people whom I refer to as the “new minorities” have no right in their new states of residency. The new minorities are Hausas, Yorubas, Ijaws, Ibibios, Nupe, Fulanis, Igbos and others that live outside their states of origin.  We must do something to identify these citizens and accord them the rights as full citizens of Nigeria.  A benevolent and caring nation is judged by the way they treat the minorities, the poor, down trodden and voiceless in their mists.  We owe it a duty as Ndi Igbo to advocate for the rights of these Nigerians whose only crime is that they are poor and want to live in states where they could use their God-given talents to survive and feed their children.

I went to my home to Abia State last May 2004 and visited some farmers in Ukwa local government area.  While we went to the bush to visit some farms and farm lands near the Imo River banks, I saw a very sad situation; Families with their livestock (Cattle) living inside the bush with make shift tents that are made of leaves.  I was told that they were Fulanis running away from fighting from other parts of the country.  Fulani Nigerian families living in the rain forest jungle, with women and children and without safe drinking water and healthcare services.  This should not happen in Nigeria.  This insensitivity to the plight of the poor should and ought to be stamped out in our society.  Those Fulanis are Nigerians.  They should be provided with adequate accommodation, safe drinking water, healthcare services and educational facilities for their children.
      
But in retrospect, it is possible that they are not Fulani’s.  A recent newspaper article claimed that Alqa aeda has infiltrated Nigeria.  Hence, it is important that a system of identifying peoples is put in place.  That is why I support, unequivocally,  Dr. Acho Orabuchi’s drive to have Nigerians identified in the forms of ethnicity and religion during this coming census. What  good it is for us to count people without knowing what we are counting.
    
Recent statistical claims by both major religious bodies and ethnic activists appear to be unrealistic and they need to be accredited by an unbiased census figure. So, it is important that we know ‘who’ is and ‘what’ is being counted so that the decision makers could use the data in planning for the future of Nigeria.  How can we adequately provide normadic education if we do not know how many nomads exist and their states of residency.  How can we adequately provide facilities for religious pilgrimages if we do not know the base number of those that would likely participate and major areas of their residency. How can we provide adequately, medical and healthcare facilities, schools, roads, safe water sources if we do not know the number of people to cater and their demography?
      
So, what manner of Presidency for Igbos when Igbos are counted as Hausas and visa-vis, and Fulanis are counted as Yorubas and visa-vis  and disenfranchised.  We must recognize the existence of the new minorities by counting and identifying them for what they are and who they are.  What manner of presidency for Igbos when Igbos and other citizens,  so counted (new minority Igbos) are denied representation in their states and local governments of  residency, and  national representation.  What manner of presidency are we asking for Ndi Igbo when taxes paid by Igbo businesses and other new minorities are used to develop state recreations, healthcare centers, and maintain schools that are denied to Igbo women and children, and other new minorities?
      
The aspirations of the Ndi Igbo to become the president of Nigeria has both the psychological and substantive benefits. While Igbos must sustain in their fight to rip the psychological benefits, the substantive benefits must not be allowed to elude Ndi Igbo in 2007. Hence, campaigning for presidency should be viewed strategically.   The choice would revolve on ensuring that the 2007 election produce a fair president  that would work to redress the product of several years of unfair military government policies that were unfriendly and marginalized  Ndi Igbo.
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**Dennis O. Balogu, Ph.D., M.P.A. is a professor of Agriculture and International Affairs at the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601.