I am a typical example of how Nigeria as presently constituted has failed. Bred in the present day Delta state, I never for once  lived  in  the East. As a young man growing up in what is now Delta state, I was totally integrated. All my friends were from Delta state, and there was never any distinction between us on ethnic grounds. To-date the bulk of my friends and associates remain people from Delta state, Yoruba’s, and my wife is from Calabar. But  here I am, this same man who never lived in the East, talking about a “Southern Nigeria republic” or “Biafra” as a last resort, and fighting turf battles on ethnic grounds.

Another close example of how Nigeria has failed, was in the early 80’s when my brother gained admission   into the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, my father insisted that he would not go to the North, and he ended up losing one  year, before finally gaining admission  into another university in the South. 

Most of those who have known me from childhood were surprised, when they noticed  my  radical sympathy and support for Southern Nigeria, or Biafra.

When I was confronted with the reality of Nigeria, the marginalization, the lies, the deceit, the blinding injustice, the inter-ethnic hatred, the Apartheid, the persecution, the internal colonialism, the mindless,  barbaric and “unpunished” slaughter of human beings in the North, the divide and rule, the slavery, the religious divide,  the conspiracy,  the attempt by some to sit on their keyboard and determine the Igbo nation and landmass, even when they  come from areas that  are mostly creeks and swamps, the cultural genocide, the continuing and endless poverty, the total absence of infrastructure  et al,  I was forced not by my will, but by the reality to take refuge in my  ethnic group.

The reality of Nigeria, have forced hitherto  pan-Nigerians  into becoming   ethnic warlords. And those who have been “born to rule” should take the blame for mis-managing Nigeria’s diversity. A quick look at some Nigerian  websites, and the comments of Nigerians mostly shaped by ignorance, hatred, and deceit, will convince any doubting Thomas, that all is not well.  

 
There is no day you read Nigerian papers without seeing the word “disintegration“. The American intelligence community  has predicted it time and again. Nigerian politicians are predicting it, the press is predicting it, individuals and analysts have predicted it, and groups like the MASSOB, Niger-Delta Volunteer Force, and OPC,  are seeking it. In the recently concluded Pronaco conference organised by Professor Wole Soyinka (my hero)  and Anthony Enahoro, the Yoruba delegation surprisingly asked for secession. The undisputed conclusion is that Nigeria is a “geographical expression” whose future is etched in quicksand.  To be, or not to be is a question that keeps reoccurring. And will continue to reoccur,untill there is outright disintegration, or the Nigerian question is resolved.

The question we need to ask is; why do so  many people now hate the very  idea of Nigeria? Using the Igbo as a case study, these are facts to ponder:

No group of people accepted or integrated themselves into all parts of Nigeria as much as the Igbo. Ndigbo among all Nigerian ethnic groups are the most likely to  build a house, invest and settle down far away from  their  ancestral home. The evidence abounds all over Nigeria. If there was ever any definition of who a true Nigerian is, Ndigbo would be the most qualified. Yet this same Igbo man is today clamouring for Biafra.

Rather than vilify those who seek Biafra, the question we need  to ask  is; What pushed Ndigbo, who are usually typically Nigerian, to  seek secession again? I believe that an accurate and objective understudy of  the underlying causes, would go a long way into exposing the many contradictions of Nigeria, and maybe provide a solution into resolving the Nigerian question once and for all. Nation building is serious business, and as far as I am concerned Nigeria has not even started.

Robot  Villager

# 1 Iam a typical example of how Nigeria as presently constitute...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 28.05.2006 13:52

Abraxas  Villager

# 2 Hi, folks! I never cease to be amazed, overwhelmed, flabbergasted, and intrigued, all at once, by the tireless and unquestionably venom-filled expressions of wistfulness that Mr. Chinedu Nwobu repeatedly heaps on Nigeria, and anything Nigerian, every single time he puts his bitter thoughts out for the consumption of Villagers and visitors to the Square. I believe that a country, and that includes Nigeria, is, for all intents and purposes, an abstraction, indeed, a mere geographical expression. It is the human beings, not the geographical space, that define the quality of life in any country. It is the managers of a country that make a country likeable or not. For Mr Chinedu Nwobu to relentlessly and audaciously pour acrimonious invectives, and misdirected aggression on the mere geographic entity called Nigeria, then there must be some fundamental dysfunction or disconnect veering on the obsessive, if not downright paranoid, somewhere, somehow. Most laughable is the fact that Mr. Chinedu Nwobu is registered as a Nigerian passport holder. I wish he could redirect his aggro on the cabal of buffoons that mismanage Nigeria (his country), and not to bore us to death with what I always accuse him of: extreme xenophobic masturbation nurtured in ethnocentric chauvinism. It could help. Who knows? Honestly, he needs help. Honesto, él necesita ayuda. Muchas gracias. Posted by Abraxas| 28.05.2006 15:19

Chidi Giniji  Villager

# 3 There you go again Abraxas. Honestly, if you speak this language the way you write it, only God can save whoever you would have chosen as a target. But tell me, are you really commenting on the above article written by Chinedu or are you commenting on something else? I bow - o! Posted by Chidi Giniji| 28.05.2006 20:07

tomr  Villager

# 4 DJCA(III) or whatever, I read Mr Chinobu's write-up, again and again when I saw your response. Wherein are the venom-filled expressions? Why do you not criticise this piece and point out where Nigeria has not failed? Is there NOTHING that elicits anything more than cynicism of the most corrosive type? "..extreme xenophobic masturbation nurtured in ethnocentric chauvinism..."! jeez, you must hate yourself one hell of a lot! my sympathies are with those who have to deal with such perpetually-negative thoughts in real life! One day, you will question why the sun rises! christ! Posted by tomr| 29.05.2006 03:14

tomr  Villager

# 5 To Mr Nwobu, my apologies - to Mr Chinedu Nwobu for concanating your name. Posted by tomr| 29.05.2006 03:16

Adamu

# 6 ".....the tireless and unquestionably venom-filled expressions of wistfulness that Mr. Chinedu Nwobu repeatedly heaps on Nigeria......... ...........Nigeria, is.......a mere geographical expression. It is the human beings, not the geographical space, that define the quality of life in any country. It is the managers of a country that make a country likeable or not. For Mr Chinedu Nwobu to relentlessly and audaciously pour acrimonious invectives, and misdirected aggression on the mere geographic entity called Nigeria, then there must be some fundamental dysfunction or disconnect veering on the obsessive, if not downright paranoid, somewhere, somehow." Thank you Abraxas. I never knew I would ever agree with you but for the second time running, I SECOND your motion! Chinedu only represents the perpetually "marginalized" section of our country. One moment, the people are begging to rule the nation and the next moment, they are pouring venom and wishing fire/brimstones on the same nation. Yet, they keep HOLDING on to the Nigerian passports.....isn't that crazy? Posted by Adamu| 29.05.2006 13:10

Micheal

# 7 Abraxas,please go and jump into the lake, what has Chinedu said that is not true, the youngman is explaining the circumstances why everything is going wrong in the country,and you are here making noise. You have never written any article here to present your own solutions to Nigerian problems,all you do is prowl around the forum insulting people.Foolish boy. Are you blind or deaf to all the injustice that is going on in Nigeria, which even resulted in the Niger Delta Militants taking up arms against the Government? Since you love Nigeria so much,why are you in living in spain, bearing spanish names? is Abraxas a Nigerian name? You need to first of all cure yourself of the inferiority complex that made you to adopt a spanish name.Hypocrite! Posted by Micheal| 29.05.2006 14:13

Micheal

# 8 Abraxas (mr spanish Nigeria, who is on exile) on second thought i realised i shouldnt even have bothered replying to you because as the saying goes "silence is the best answer for a fool". Posted by Micheal| 29.05.2006 14:29

Naija for life  Villager

# 9 Mr. Nwobu's antecedents with respect to the viability and propriety of the concept of Nigeria are well known, and might have partially inspired Abraxas' response. Unfortunately, as inevitably happens whenever a pro Biafran's article or opinion is criticized, other like minded villagers reflexively castigate the critic, without deigning to repudiate the opinion that inspired the criticism in the first place. I am here to reiterate my stand on the issue of Biafran seccession, or the seccession of any tribe that adjudges itself too progressive for the Nigerian concept: Please leave. Please leave us be that we may be spared your insulting insinuations of tribal superiority. Please extricate yourselves from a country in which you remain through neither physical coercion or consanguinity. Go and found your wondrous, idyllic, vibrant and bracing civilization so that we, the adject and pitiable subscribers to the feasibility of a one Nigeria may know peace. Please please, leave us be. Posted by Naija for life| 29.05.2006 15:04

Micheal

# 10 Naija for life, you said (Please extricate yourselves from a country in which you remain through neither physical coercion or consanguinity) People are indeed going to laugh at your ignorance when they read your statement. If Ndigbo are in Nigeria through "no physical coercion or consanguinity) why was the civil war fought? and why are members of MASSOB being arrested? The extent to which Nigerians can go to tell lies shocks me. Abraxas is here claiming that mr Nwobu is carrying a Nigerian passport. How did he get to know what passport mr Nwobu is carrying? has he ever met mr Nwobu before? Those of you who pretend to love Nigeria so much, have never made any proposal on how to improve things in Nigeria. As i am writing people are still dying from avoidable causes in Nigeria,and you guys are here in exile blowing Nigeria,s trumpet. You guys should be civilised enough to respect other peoples opinion, i have read the article again,and i can not find anywhere mr Nwobu insulted anybody. He only spoke about the general situation in Nigeria.If you dont have anything reasonable to say,please dont comment. Posted by Micheal| 29.05.2006 16:25

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