13 Sep 2006 |
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For those very cynical about having another ex-military man as president of In an apt preface, Chukwumerije asked presidential candidates to organize their thoughts and say what they needed to say in five minutes. “If you can’t organize your thought and say what you want to say in 3 minutes,” Chukwumerije said, “when you’re given eight years as president, you won’t organize your goals and you’ll start asking for a third term.” The audience displayed their agreement with a wild applause. First to be called upon to present his ideas amongst the presidential candidates was Ebitu Ukiwe. Before the former Chief of General Staff went to the podium, Dr Chris Ngige felt the ex-naval chief did not receive the desired introduction. Ngige went on to heap praises on Ukiwe, describing Ukiwe as governor of Lagos and Niger states when governors were real governors, with absolute power and not the tu-tu ga-ga governors of today. It turned out that Ngige only raised the expectations of the audience. When Ebitu Ukiwe finally mounted the podium, he began to read a prepared speech. The ex naval officer was hardly looking up. He acknowledged the unfavorable environment of the Igbo in He seemed uncomfortable in his role. Earlier, while walking into the conference hall surrounded by stern-looking Abiriba warriors wearing Ukiwe Solution 2007 t-shirts, he stepped on the ground not like a general but like one scared of the floor. He looked like a stranger amongst his people and made no attempt to warm up to those standing by. “Often, I hear people dwell so much on why our lot in His tone was conservative. He said the right things for the wrong audience. The audience was looking for exuberance but found only dullness and intelligent reflection. They knew Igbo values had been destroyed. They knew charlatans and renegades had taken over Igbo land. They wanted a presentation of what Ukiwe planned to do about it. What they got was a civic lecture on a day they were expecting the launching of a revolution. It did not take time before he lost his audience. Even though it was apparent that his audience was long gone, Ukiwe could not summarize what he intended to say. He did not attempt to put life into his speech. He simply continued like a truck heading for a wreck. As the murmuring of the audience became louder, he was visibly angry. If it were at another setting, he would probably have lost his cool. Ukiwe’s address was a total disaster. The audience was glad when his punishment ended. And he sat down. When the next speaker, Pat Utomi, stood up, he made everyone present forget that Ukiwe ever spoke. In a brief but thunderous presentation that earned him a standing ovation, Utomi excited the audience with his optimist view of where he will take “Only an Igbo man can make it happen,” Utomi thundered, as he systematically buried the memory of Ukiwe. “What is good for the Igbo will be good for As Utomi sat down, the audience stood up and screamed, “We have found the president.” Ebitu Ukiwe disappeared soon after. No fanfare, no guard of honor. He left with his Abiriba entourage and was never seen again. If WIC were any measure of political performance, that may as well be the end of Ukiwe’s presidential bid and Pat Utomi’s enthronement as the long illusive President of Igbo extraction. ********************************************************************* Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo is the author of Children of a Retired God. To order the book, visit Amazon.com, or irokoproductions.com. You can also order Children of A Retired God at any bookstore near you.
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