The Reason Why Nigeria Economy Is Dwindling. Stop Taking Ndị Igbo For Granted, Because They Are The Pillars Of Nigeria:
By, Okafor Onyeka Cyndia/Southeast Zone
Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zone with estimated 400 ethics groups and 450 languages, the 6 geopolitical zone constitutes: North Central, North East, North West, South East, South-South and south west amongst this 6 geopolitical zone, the only Zone in Nigeria that practise one Nigeria is the southeast Zone which are; Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, Igbo tribes has houses and investment in every nook and crannies of Nigeria. I don’t want to mention globally, but just want to stick on Nigeria alone. It is very difficult to see Hausa or the Yoruba tribes built house in another zone different from their area of land, but the Igbo’s does with pure heart.
The same people of the southeast Geopolitical zone that practise one Nigeria are the ones that are evaluated minion’s in Nigeria. They are treated like scape-goats and that has Made Nigeria as a country to continue to grow in substandard-Advancement Which is telling on Nigeria today. Nigeria has up to 221,126,120 inhabitants, but only 98,000 out of over 200 million inhabitants are worth $1 million and above, but has more than over 200 million people living in Unbalanced lives. Is that a curse to the giant of Africa? Nigeria is often referred to as the giant of Africa owing to its large population and economy and is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank. However, the country ranks very low in the human development index and remains one of the most corrupt in the world.
What is the cause of Nigeria’s high rate of penury progress, it is the same set of people denying the Igbo’s their right as a Nigerian. Let us go back to the history of Nigeria after independence and see how the Igbo’s have been sidelined in every high position in Nigeria. They are sidelined to its extremity in anything that has to do with ruling Nigeria.
We have to flash back to history and see how the Igbo’s are seriously marginalised by the Westerners and the Northerners and they still (Claim one Nigeria as a tone, which is mischievous, is one Nigeria a song or a solace words or derision) it’s absolutely malevolent, have they forgotten the selfless services the Igbo’s have rendered to the existence of Nigeria, the meticulous selfless services Ndị Igbo have rendered to the freedom and Existence and progress of Nigeria shouldn’t be underestimated, back to 1960’s: Late Chief Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe became governor-general on 16 day of November 1960, with late Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as prime minister, and became the first Nigerian to the privy council of United Kingdom, when Nigeria became a republic in 1963, he was its first president, in both posts, Azikiwe’s role was largely ceremonial (having no real power or influence).
Since after Late chief Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe who ruled Nigeria as a ceremonial president October 1, 1963 to January 16,1966 and Late Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi who just ruled as a military president for 6 months and 13 days. January 1966 to July 1966 is there anyone from the southeast geopolitical zone that ruled Nigeria again as a president, the answer is known by every living soul in Nigeria and globally (No-one is the answer). It is so frustrating and disappointing, very bad in all Ramifications.
Since 1999 till date, no Igbo man has won an election to the presidency of Nigeria. But it is not a lack of trying. Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, former Governor of Abia State and professor Kingsley Moghalu Former Deputy Governor of central bank have tested action in the Field but they did not end up at the podium of victory. Is not that the Igbo’s have not met all the obligations to become the president of Nigeria. They have been there trying their best and very ready to deliver the deteriorating Nation.
The biggest heat and readiness of Igbo man came with massive Existence during the 2023 General election as his grassroots presidential campaigns became the best in the history of Nigeria campaign as a country, in the name of Mr. Peter Gregory Obi.
Mr. Peter Gregory Obi CON is a Nigerian businessman and politician who served as governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to may 2007, and June 2007 to March 2014.
Mr. Obi shocked the West and northern politicians who thought no one could challenge them from the southeast geopolitical zone as a presidential candidate. Peter Obi was not just a presidential candidate but formed a movement of supporters from every nook and cranny of the 6 geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Making his presidential campaign a biggest threat to the strongest opposition party, APC and PDP. He made the LP party to become a political party to beat generally after 2 decades of LP existence as a political party.
But what did we see, the system of the independent national electoral commission INEC failed to do what is right, the decision of the majority of the Nigerian citizens was shattered. The hope of the oppressed Nigerian citizens and the well to do men and women of Nigeria who sub for interchange were dashed out.
The bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, is expected to help reduce the cases of Manual manipulation of figures, Nigerian citizens automatically met a disappointment from the INEC, Which they believed on, the BVAS stopped uploading presidential results in the INEC portal. Manipulation came in and it was because of the emergency success of an Ìgbo man who contested for a president. Although it is not yet over, the election tribunal which can’t be influenced by any authority will see to it in a matter of time. It only requires tenacity and this will forever be a well thought-out slow, but..sure process.
What does Nigeria mean to me? It means hope and promise of a greater now and future; it means resilience and courage to rise from dust and nothing; it means purpose in disarray, unity in diversity, brotherhood in divergence and love even in dangerous times.
It will be a violent lie to say Nigeria is perfect or that it is all plain sailing for the country.
Nigeria is perhaps in the throes of grafting insecurity like never before; unemployment is soaring, inflation galloping and infrastructure decaying, the country is beset with problems all-round. But Nigeria does not stay down. It has never stayed down. The country survived a civil war; it triumphed over an abusive military era and returned to democracy.
And many are yet to learn from the previous bad era of Nigeria as a country, the country suffered a serious setback from July 6, 1967 through January 13,1970 and that has caused a lot of pain to the growth of the country that posed to be the giant of Africa. The country was inflicted with a lot of pain. Millions of Nigerian citizens went through a lot of malady and many were killed in war battles and many died as a result of starvation. Over 3 million people lost their lives and that brought a lot of setbacks to the progress of Nigeria.
The rights of the Igbo’s are still denied in Nigeria, it has become a leadership of the Westerners and the Northerners. Northerners rule for 8 years and after then would shift to the Westerners and when the Westerners are done ruling for 8 years, they return it back to the North. Where are the Igbo’s placed, they are placed under tight corners. Now where is the one Nigeria many are chanting, is there anything like one Nigeria when a particular tribe perhaps zone is being heavily marginalised.
“And not even just marginalised in power, but in everything, the Igbo’s properties and investment are in every nook and cranny of Nigeria. They believe in the spirit of one mind to every citizen of Nigeria. But they have been treated ruthless in a country they are part of and have helped the country 80% in its present advancement and would make the country more and more advance only if they are given an opportunity to rule as a president and allowed to lead in the top government offices of the nation. And as well stop being harassed by those who are called indigenes of where the Ìgbo’s properties and investment are situated.
To those oppressing ndị Igbo take it or leave it, the continuous sidelining of Ndị Ìgbo in Nigeria is something that needed to be thought much about. It is only a tree that hears that it would be cut down and remains where it is. The Igbo’s are not stupid, they fully understood every step taken against them.
When it comes adaption, Ìgbo’s are the number one tribe, they don’t easily give up, they are clever and hardworking tribe. When it comes to business, Ìgbo’s have humility gilding business than any other tribes in Nigeria, other tribes are ready to shout on you and chase you out from his or her shop, whenever you didn’t meet up with the actual price of his or her goods.
Yorùbás and Hausa are a mixture of Muslims and Christians but 99% of Igbo’s are Christians, this is one of the main reasons why they are being hated by most, especially Yorùbás and Hausas. According to late Chinụa Achebe.
“I have written in my small book entitled the trouble with Nigeria that Nigerians will probably achieve consensus on no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbo’s,”he wrote under the heading, A history of ethnic Tension and Resentment. He traced the origin of “the national resentment of the Igbo” to its culture that “gave the Igbo man an unquestioned advantage over his compatriots in securing credentials for advancement in Nigeria colonial society,” He observed that the Igbo’s culture’s emphasis on change, individualism and competitiveness gave his ethnic group an edge over the Hausa/Fulani man who was hindered by a “wary religion and the Yoruba man who was hampered by” traditional hierarchies.“
He therefore described the Igbo, who are Predominantly Catholic, as “fearing no god or man, ” and was “custom-made to grasp the opportunities, such as they were, of the white man’s dispensation. And the Igbo did so with both hands.”
He delved into history with his claim, asserting that the Igbo overcame the earlier Yoruba advantage two decades earlier in the twentieth century.
“Although the yorùbá had a huge historical and geographical head start, the Igbo wiped out their handicap in one fantastic burst of energy in the twenty years between 1930 and 1950.”
He narrated the earlier advantage of yorùbá as contingent on their location on the coastline, but once the missionaries crossed the Niger, the Igbo took advantage of the opportunity and overtook the Yoruba.
“The increase was so exponential in such a short time that within three short decades the Igbos had closed the gap and quickly moved ahead as the group with the highest literacy rate, the highest standard of living, and the greatest of citizens with postsecondary education in Nigeria,” he contended.
He said Nigerian leadership should have taken advantage of the Igbo talent and his failure was partly responsible for the failure of the Nigerian state, explaining further that competitive individualism and the adventurous spirit of the Igbo was a boon Nigeria leaders failed to recognize and harness for modernization.
“Nigeria’s pathetic attempt to crush idiosyncrasies rather than Celebrate them is one of the fundamental reasons the country has not developed as it should and has emerged as a laughingstock,” he claimed.
“Was Late Chinụa Achebe wright or wrong in his words, it is just the fact of the whole thing telling on Nigeria. Only the wise ones understand the meaning of late Chinụa Achebe word’s.
We saw where the richest tribe in Nigeria is placed in the 10th National Assembly in Nigeria, it is appalling, what is the wrongdoing of the Igbos in Nigeria, are they truly part of Nigeria, is there anything missing from the history of Nigeria that the Igbo’s are yet to comprehend, providentially the author of these article Okafor Onyeka Cyndia and the people of Voice of southeast has already unanimously carefully studied the history of Nigeria and found out that the people of the Southeast Geopolitical Zone played a major role for the freedom of Nigeria slavery amongst others. But today has become a sidelining territory, Where minor slots of national government positions are alloted. If the whole world is not watching, God is watching. But the good-news is that the entire world and God is watching.
I can hear someone mentioning how to make Laws favouring only Yoruba indigenes in Lagos State over properties and economy. How do we describe this, can this be true or false.
We have to study what the law that is about to be passed in Lagos state said; which stated categorically that it would only favour the Yoruba indigenes and what is the fate of non indigenes, we shall know,
Underneath
*Obasa: Lagos isn’t no-man’s land-we’ll make Laws to protect indigenes’ property*
Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Says the Legislature will make Laws in the areas of property and economy to protect indigenes of the state.
On Tuesday, Obasa was unanimously re-elected as speaker after the proclamation of the state’s 10th assembly by babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos.
The election of Obasa as the speaker of the 10th assembly means that he will be occupying the position for the third consecutive term.
In his acceptance speech, the speaker said Lagos is a “yorùbá land” and that law’s passed by the assembly will now be translated to Yoruba language.
Obasa added that the assembly will ensure that laws are made to protect the interests of indigenous people of Lagos, adding that lawmakers will “reverse all that is reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes.”
“Lagos is a Yoruba land as against the assertions of some people that it is a no-man’s land,” he said.
“Therefore, part of our legislative agenda is to ensure the translation of laws passed by this House to Yoruba language.
“We also aim at Achieving our collective goals of creating a robust legislative framework that protects the interest of our people.
“Going forward in this wise, we are going to employ all legislative instruments for the support of the indigenous people of Lagos.
“There would be laws and resolutions in the areas of economy and commerce, property and titles.”
In the build-up to the February and march elections in Lagos, there were divisive statements made on and off social media.
What is Obasa trying to say, the comments of Mudashiru Obasa Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly over making new laws that will only and only favour the Yoruba indigenes and keep the non-indigenes under disfavour. “The comments” of Obasa is disparaging and he should be called to orderliness to avoid creating scenes that would cause a great setback in the progress of Lagos State. We are not insulating that the Yorùbás are not the indigenes of Lagos, judging from the zone Lagos State is positioned, but let’s tell ourselves the real truths, the properties and investments in Lagos State are owned by which indigenes.
It is the Igbos.
95% of the properties and investments in Lagos are owned by the Igbo’s.
“Why would you use campaign statements to inflict pain on innocent people? Hope you understood what the campaign statement is all about. During the era of campaign any comments can be used in opposition, in order to put the opposition party on a tight corner.
We understood that LP made some statement over Lagos being no man’s land during the 2023 general election campaign, but that shouldn’t be the bone of contention.
Is there nothing like signing of peace accord, Before the Lagos state 2023 election, off which there was, now go back to the documents of the peace accord that was signed by all political parties and peruse through it properly and see what was said during the signing of the Peace accord, which all political parties in Lagos unanimously agreed and signed, Before the Lagos State 2023 election and what was peacefully said, agreed and signed shouldn’t be swept under the carpet.
The main contents of the signing of the peace accord is to avoid violence during the elections by political parties and for whomever wins with a conviction to carry others along, when the elections are over and not trying to embed autocratic led government administration, which is an enemy to democracy.
Those Promoting this dead on arrival bills that will render one of the fastest growing Cities in the world affected, should have a rethink of mind, do not ruin Lagos State because of what is not obtainable and irrelevant, the Igbo’s should be respected and regarded as the part of the owner of Lagos State. Same as other tribes. Majorities of those living in Lagos knew nothing about what’s going on in Lagos over what LP said before the 2023 General election, that Lagos is no man’s land and that Igbo’s owns Lagos. Even at that, it shouldn’t be the bone of argument.
Lagos State speaker Hon Mudashiru Obasa needed to withdraw his comments and withdraw promoting the ruthless bills of favouring the Yoruba indigenes and keep the non indigenes in disfavour. They should balance the odds of the bill.
Furthermore: Almost all the nook and crannies of Lagos State are swamps but the Igbos came and developed it, with huge funds in order to make the land solid for construction of companies or building of House’s, which has made Lagos state (IGR) number one in Nigeria, with estimated rate of #753.46 Billion, surpassing states like, Rivers, Ogun, Delta, Kaduna, Oyo, Edo, Kano, Akwa Ibom, Anambra etcetera,the advancement of Lagos is done by the Igbo’s, Most of those places you see where houses are built in Lagos are almost all swamps.
But today you can see how development has made swamps unremembered, houses here and there by the Igbo’s. Investment here and there by the same Igbo people, they never installed attitudes of let me go and develop my zone or state, perhaps local government, but rather kept the spirit of sportsmanship of one Nigeria alive, but they are the most hated. This is worth crying for (Ariri).
Sidelining the Igbo’s in Lagos shouldn’t be backed by any well thinking Yoruba man or woman and shouldn’t be the Repel of the ruling party (APC) over what labour party uttered during the 2023 General election campaign in Lagos. the dividend of democracy shouldn’t be encrypted.
It would be good to revisit 1472 and 1852 and see how Lagos state came into existence
In-conclusion: Ndị Ìgbo, Ukpa La Okpoko gbùrù Bú Ntị chiri yá, Lota nú Ná akụ n’ụlọ uno amaru ónyé nwé ọbọdọ. The word’s of elders are word’s of the spirit, which wise people hears and imbibe on it and get wiser.
Voice of southeast, still stand on the existing protocol of making the laws Guiding properties and investments a balanced odds in Lagos and other states across the country, no one should be favoured, or rather encrypt it in existence.
Voice of southeast, stands for truth and justice.
Author Okafor Onyeka Cyndia, the writer of this article, hails from the southeast Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria and He and Voice of southeast are promoters of good governance and fairness.
