The bulk of this essay was first published in the summer of 2004. However, after reading Mr. E Ejike Anyaduba’s exposition, “Igbo: A People In Search Of A Leader,” (Daily Independent, Thursday May 15, 2008), I thought I revisit a subject that has confounded me for several years. Although Anyaduba’s essay has an historical undertone, his starting point was the failed abduction of a sitting governor, Dr. Chris Ngige. The writer went on to chronicle some of the “anomalous situations” and the “comical nonsensical act” that has come to characterize the Ndiigbo. He went on to take a swipe at the “avalanche of political jobbers who masquerade as Igbo leaders.” Either way one looks at it, Anyaduba is correct, but he did not tell the whole story.

Some observers of the post-1983 Nigerian political scene have come to the conclusion that the Igbo are their own worst enemy. Indeed, one cannot but be perplexed at the miscalculations and self-immolating tendency of the Igbo elites. A once proud people, a once proud nation has allowed itself to be the ball to be dribbled every which way. I wonder: what are the average Igbo farmers, housewives, teachers, traders and miners saying about the disruptive behavior and rascality of their current political leaders. Beginning in the 1930s through the 1970s, the Who-Is-Who of Ndiigbo were men at the top of their class. When they spoke even the heavens listened. The reverse is the case today. The mighty is falling, the light is dimming.

As someone who grew up in all the four regions of the country -- and having been a witness to the brilliance of the Igbo Nation -- I never knew a day would come when they essentially would give their opponents the tool with which to curtain and weaken their significance in the Nigerian enterprise. It is hard for me to imagine Nigeria without the Igbo. It is even harder to imagine what the Ndiigbo have allowed their elites to do to them. What happened to the Igbo? Well, I am not capable of such critical analysis. I leave that to people like Okey Ndibe, Peter Claver Oparah, Levi Obijiofor, Moses Ebe Ochonu, Rudolf Ogoo Okonkwo, and Ozodi Thomas Osuji. They can tell us why the Igbo, collectively, are where they are today. It is not pretty. I guess that is one of the facts Ejike Anyaduba was getting at.

The Igbo nation had attributes most other Nigerian nationalities can only dream of; and are what most other nations were not. The Igbo made Nigeria better. Any wonder then that the Igbo can do without Nigeria ; but Nigeria and her myriad nationalities cannot do without the Igbo? Take the Igbo out of the Nigeria equation, and Nigeria will be gasping for air. How did a people this intelligent, this savvy, and this contributive got shut out of the corridor of federal power and continually being deprived the chance to attain the highest seat of Nigeria ’s political power?

I begin by summarizing some of the reasons (I have been given) as to why a Nigerian of Igbo lineage have yet to be elected the executive president of Nigeria: (1) that the Igbo seem to be suffering from Germanic Complex; (2) that they easily succumb to the Hausa-Fulan/Yoruba politics of divide-and-conquer; (3) that they are ferociously independent and so do not want to follow the command of a single leader; (4) that the persistent political infightings and betrayal amongst the Igbo elite and centers of power has been a hindrance to their goals; and (5) that the Igbo are content with dominating the economic arena and have therefore given up all hope and struggle for political power.

There are no empirical evidences to support all of the aforementioned reasons; and even most of the anecdotal evidences, as presented to me, are weak. The exception is reason number four: the infighting amongst Igbo elites and between centers of power, plus the psychological issue. This psychological factor has two related components: mistrust of the Igbo by other ethnic groups, and the unspoken determination of the Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani to deprive the Igbo of their rightful place in the Nigerian polity. In other words: the North and the West have a deep-seated mistrust of the Igbo and so are hell bent on restricting, containing, and denying the Igbo their political right. Added to this is their subtle message to other minority groups: the Igbo, as a group, are not to be trusted!

The West doesn’t think much of the North and the North has contempt for the West; yet, both regions have found a way to engage in “political prostitution” to the detriment of the Igbo. This unholy alliance has its root in the 1966/67-1970 Nigerian Conflict. Essentially, the North and the West have not rid themselves of their prejudices and hatred of the Igbo. They have been using their jaundiced perception and misreading of history to thwart the Igbo presidential aspiration. It is this psychological rut, in addition to the infighting and unnecessary wrangling between Igbo power centers that adequately accounts for why the Igbo have been denied the presidency.

It doesn’t help that the Igbo have all these centers of competing powers that seems to be doing Kaduna , Kano , Sokoto and Minna’s bidding. And yes, it is admirable that the Igbo are building what may someday rival the successes of Taiwan and South Korea . But that is not enough! It won’t be enough!  It also doesn’t help when they cut proven leaders like the great Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and many others all in the name of politics. How many Northerners are sticking knives, pins and arrow into Abacha and Babangida? Both men are not even in the same class as the Ikemba Nnewi -- one of the rarest of all men -- yet, some Igbo take pride in dressing him down!

At the individual level, some Hausa-Fulani have great relationship with some Igbo. Same can also be said of Yoruba elites with fruitful relationship with some Igbo. But that is not enough. These friendships and relationships should be extended to the presidential arena. The Igbo have made significant and measurable contribution to every community they have settled in. And Nigeria became what it was because of the Igbo. The Hausa-Fulani and the Yoruba have been at the helm of Nigeria ’s national affairs and the result has been dismal. It is time the Igbo take control and command of Aso Rock.

This article is not suggesting that the colluding groups covertly met and agreed to stop an Igbo from become Nigeria ’s President. This scheme is borne out of an unspoken accord, an unconscious collusion, if you will. Nigeria cannot be greater than what it is if the Igbo are excluded from the Presidency. It is injurious to continuously point -- consciously or unconsciously -- to the unfortunate events of 1966/67-1970. Come to think of it: the Igbo suffered the most and are owed a world of apology.

Sabidde@yahoo.com

Next Essay: The Brutus and the Bastards of Bayelsa State

Robot  Villager

# 1 The bulk of this ess...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 16.05.2008 01:22

cdimkpa  Villager

# 2 Hm! I am spellbound. Over to you (you know whom I mean) Posted by cdimkpa| 16.05.2008 05:58

emenanjo  Villager

# 3 Good piece from a very patriotic Nigerians. But the answer to me, lies in your third reason, which is:"that they are ferociously independent and so do not want to follow the command of a single leader." If {only} the other tribes and ethnic groups would adopt the same zeal and attitude, then we will start singing "good bye" to this ever handy and boring and monotonous appeal to ethnic and tribal cleavages that have been the bane of our polity and the evolution of a true country called Nigeria. It is good to be independent minded than to be Fela's "Mr Follow, Follow" even when and where it is glaring that the person you are following is leading you to hell. Again, it is one of the ingredients that, most of us in Europe have found, to have had and is still having a positive impact on the evolution of western democracies. The Igbos are their own enamies because they are just that! Posted by emenanjo| 16.05.2008 08:33

Dr. S Adetunji  Villager

# 4 In my humble opinion, Igbos as a people are by far less tribalistic than other Nigerians. This has been shown in the national politics they have always played. Thus, if other Nigerian tribes will be even half as tribalistic as they presently are, the country will be a better place because it will engender cohesiveness and honest competitiveness. In America, people are ferociously independent, one handy evidence being the fact that Hillary Clinton has yet to give up on her presidential ambition, inspite of the fact that it is almost over for her. That is the spirit of democracy and competitiveness. But, alas, in Nigeria, it never works that way because of the primordial, uncivilised nature of most of us. Instead you are perceived as greedy and selfish and without a leader, when you assert your God-given right to aspire, honestly, to a certain political position. Often, Igbos come out in numbers to contest for one particular position, a trend for which other Nigerians have always viewed them, wrongly, as selfish; and external (non-Igbo) interference have always whittled down the Igbo competitive spirit because they want to adapt to the Nigerian trend of kow-towing to some so-called leaders. Based on these facts, Igbos, I would say, are about the only truly competitive Nigerians, and competition normally brings out the best in any society. Lack of competition is one of the bane of Nigeria. Sometimes I really wish that Nigeria be broken into bits so that each group can find their level at their own pace. Some of us are dragging others behind. Posted by Dr. S Adetunji| 16.05.2008 08:50

omo naija  Villager

# 5 True talk my brother, we all know that if an Ibo man become president, that will spell doom for those looting, ruining and destroying this country called Nigeria, the Ibo sons and daughters has proved themselves and are still doing the same. However i do not subscribe that Nigeria can move on only if an ibo person becomes president, i believe a westerner, northerner even minorities can do the same, if they all have to answer to the electorates. I know i am one of the silent Yar Adua supporters, but let me knock some truth right into all ya heads, Yar Adua don't owe us Nigerians nothing, we do not elect him, he was selected by the cabals or the criminals that has continue to destroyed Nigeria since independent, and these cabals are not more than 500 persons, holding a nation of 150million hostage, until we all rise up and be counted and say never again, come 2011, we will have another imposter impose on us and we cannot do nothing about it, but only complain, and continue with our smiling and suffering, saying God dey. We all have to start now, before that day, they may impose an Ibo man or Ijaw man, that man will only do their bidding not the bidding of the long suffering Nigerians. We have never elected a Nigerian president (be he northerner, easterner, southerner, or wersterner), the only time we came close to electing a Nigerian president, that historical moment was criminally snatched from us, i don't know if Abiola would have achieved anything, but at least a good precedent would have been set. The cabals knows this, that is why they continue to deny us what is rightfully ours, the right to choose our own leader, who will be answerable to the Nigerian people, not the few that has been holding us hostage for almost 50 years, this includes foreign powers too. THE FUTURE IS NOW, WE ALL HAS TO COME AS ONE NIGERIANS, PUTTING ASIDE, OUR TRIBAL OR ETHNIC LOYALTY AND FIGHT FOR NIGERIA, IN THE SAME VEIN, WITH THE LIKES OF CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI, FELA AND MANY OTHERS, WE HAVE TO DEMAND WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS, OR ELSE OUR CHILDREN AND GENERATIONS YET UNBORN, WE CURSE OUR GENERATION, AND CALL US BUNCH OF COWARDS. MAY GOD CONTINUED TO BLESS NIGERIA, AND AFRICA, AND HAVE MERCY ON THE TROUBLED CONTINENT, AMEN. Posted by omo naija| 16.05.2008 09:21

BiafranPrincess  Villager

# 6 KEN NNAMANI for president 20.....whenever. lol! Life is a circle. The presidency WILL come to Igboland at some point soon. However, my deeper hope is that it comes to the likes of Ken Nnamani and not the likes of Andy Uba and Orji Uzo Kalu.....you all know them by name! Posted by BiafranPrincess| 16.05.2008 09:40

pH_bomboy  Villager

# 7 Whatever whatever.... Nigeria will be nothin without the Igbo, Ibibios, Kalabari's, Yorubas, etc. It is good to think of yourself and yours as something special in the grand scheme of things (afterall, if you do not have confidence in yours, then who will) but this article, like many others, seems to infer that other ethnic groups have less to offer to the country than the Igbos or yorubas or whatever. When shall we do away with this ethnic prejudice and move on towards greatness as a nation of one Nigeria? Whether you agree with the concept of 'one Nigeria' or not is irrelevant at this point because the reality on ground today is what it is. Get over it and move on. Numerous articles hampering on the same idea has not and unfortunately will not solve a damn thing but cause more confusion for the current young generation that is struggling to deal with their own version of a Nigeria where you are looked at solely on your merit and less on your ethnic heritage, a version that the 'old heads' seem to despise. This response is written by a member of the 'young generation' that seems to think that my father and his generation have failed Nigeria based solely on their ethnic prejudice and their reluctance for accepting the reality on ground (that is, cultural assimilation) Posted by pH_bomboy| 16.05.2008 14:53

docokwy  Villager

# 8 =pH_bomboy;4295018603>Whatever whatever.... Nigeria will be nothin without the Igbo, Ibibios, Kalabari's, Yorubas, etc. It is good to think of yourself and yours as something special in the grand scheme of things (afterall, if you do not have confidence in yours, then who will) but this article, like many others, seems to infer that other ethnic groups have less to offer to the country than the Igbos or yorubas or whatever. When shall we do away with this ethnic prejudice and move on towards greatness as a nation of one Nigeria? Whether you agree with the concept of 'one Nigeria' or not is irrelevant at this point because the reality on ground today is what it is. Get over it and move on. Numerous articles hampering on the same idea has not and unfortunately will not solve a damn thing but cause more confusion for the current young generation that is struggling to deal with their own version of a Nigeria where you are looked at solely on your merit and less on your ethnic heritage, a version that the 'old heads' seem to despise. This response is written by a member of the 'young generation' that seems to think that my father and his generation have failed Nigeria based solely on their ethnic prejudice and their reluctance for accepting the reality on ground (that is, cultural assimilation) Before you go any further, please be informed that the author of this article is not Igbo. He is Ijaw. For a non-Igbo to make these observations means that they are valid observations. It is matter of time and the Igbos will rebound and retake their lost position. Actually, it is already happening, albeit slowly. Posted by docokwy| 16.05.2008 15:18

pH_bomboy  Villager

# 9 =docokwy;4295018610>Before you go any further, please be informed that the author of this article is not Igbo. He is Ijaw. For a non-Igbo to make these observations means that they are valid observations. It is matter of time and the Igbos will rebound and retake their lost position. Actually, it is already happening, albeit slowly. Point taken... Good for ya'll (the Igbos)... I actually responded without taken the author's ethnicity into consideration (how dare me!). Still wouldn't change a darn thing if the person in power is of Igbo heritage and still messing around in the same circles as other corrupt officials (Read: PDP et al) which is my point. Same boxer different round.... Same corrupt mentality different person... Posted by pH_bomboy| 16.05.2008 15:35

docokwy  Villager

# 10 =pH_bomboy;4295018618>Point taken... Good for ya'll (the Igbos). Good for you too (who ever you are) Posted by docokwy| 16.05.2008 15:59

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