“Your Excellency Gov Obiano, I was surprised to receive a call from you a few minutes ago in which you said the following words “Nnia, I didn’t know that you were so idiotic.”
I am shocked that you can be so insolent.
I am sure that I was not so idiotic when I addressed your State Assembly asking Ndi Anambra to disregard the IPOB boycott of your election nor was I idiotic when I pleaded with the Commander in Chief to restore your security details.
History will judge who amongst us is idiotic. If standing with the popular wish of Ndigbo makes me idiotic, I am happy to be called an idiot.
I will make this communication public so that Igbos will know who is idiotic amongst both of us.”
This column called attention to the Igbo Wars on Politics and Culture on 17 January. It stated, “Full-Scale war has broken out in the South East as Nigeria prepares for General Elections 2019. It is not a physical battle, mind you, at least not yet. On the surface, the war is about political choice. Deeper analyses, however, reveals a more nuanced struggle around issues of direction and the soul of a people.”
The gloves went off Thursday, January 24, 2019, as Ohanaeze Ndigbo President Nnia Nwodo signed the organisation’s endorsement of the presidential quest of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi as his running mate. The Anambra State Government of Chief Willie Obiano immediately challenged the endorsement. Speaking through the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, who arrived at the venue of the meeting after the decision, Anambra State Government charged Ohanaeze with taking a wrong decision.
Deploying state resources, the Anambra State Government has since embarked on a nationwide drive to claim that the Ohaneze position does not respect the principle of choice. Even the Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Barrister Uche Okwukwu, joined in disowning the declaration. In his case, however, he could not hide the fact of his interest is the promotion of the candidacy of PMB amongst the Igbo. “When we meet at the Ime-Obi meeting, we shall choose a candidate,and you know that we have Igbo sons and daughters from Igbo land who are contesting the election and we are not limiting it to Igbo candidates.But in the interest of Ndigbo, we should support President Muhammadu Buhari for the second term,and that is the only way to get to our promise Land.”
Please hold on to Okwukwu’s statement. Ndigbo should thank him for his candour in admitting that his objection is because it did not favour his preference for PMB. Note also that NniaNwodo was a politician of the PDP bent. Since he was elected president of Ohanaeze in 2017, he should be above the fray.
Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, the President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Enugu State, confirms that the National Executive Committee of Ohanaeze discussed the matter and voted for Atiku because of support for restructuring and having Peter Obi as running mate. “Truth must be said that only the SG, Uche Okwukwu from Ikwerre, Rivers State differed but in the spirit of collective responsibility, he remarked that he needed to be heard. Second, the decision of NEC was taken to the Imeobi, the highest decision-making organ of OhanaezeNdigbo. The Imeobi held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu. Motion for the adoption of the NEC resolution was moved and formally seconded. To my greatest surprise, there was no dissenting voice. For the avoidance of doubt, there was no division in OhanaezeNdigbo.”
Dispassionate analysis is the call to unravel the many issues arising from the declaration and the reactions. We shall draw on very recent history. Culture will feature in this analysis.
As noted earlier, (Businessday, January 19) culture is a major issue here. So is a determination of direction. The Igbo counsel that we should at least know where the rain started to beat us.
It is an assault on Igbo culture to disrespect the head of the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation. The office deserves respect as does the holder of the office. It is our tradition. Governor Willie Obiano is a gentleman brought up in the best traditions of our people. He is also a representative of Igbo culture as a titled man. He should do the needful.
If the Ohanaeze decision was not one of the Ime Obi, then it is wrong. Ohanaeze should respect its procedures in arriving at decisions, no matter how pleasant or unpleasant they are. Lack of due process robs such decisions of the dignity and force they should have. Despite this caveat, others confirm that the decision was one of both the NEC and the Imeobi.
Make no mistake about it though: the Ohanaeze decision is popular across Igboland. It is also in line with history and the collective decision of the Igbo. It is a surprise, therefore, that some Igbos in the fray of politics do not understand the raison d’etre of the decision and how it stands aright with the collective decision of our people.
Ohanaeze President General Nnia Nwodo proclaimed in the endorsement that the principal plank for the decision is the stand of the candidate on restructuring. By so doing, Ohanaeze links to the Awka Declaration of May 21, 2018.
I reported on the Awka Declaration in this column on May 30, 2018 (Listening to the East (1)). This column noted, “Professor Chukwuma Soludo heads the 100-person Planning and Strategy Committee. The Awka Declaration drew from work over the years by Ohanaeze Ndigbo and various Igbo think tanks. It incorporated the submissions of the Igbo Leaders of Thought for the 2014 National Conference; Igbo positions for the 1994 constitutional conference and 2005 and 2014 national conferences; the report of the committee set up by Southeast governors on the review of the 1999 Constitution. Also noted were the report of the World Igbo Summit by the Igbo Renaissance Centre, Uturu; various submissions/reports by Aka Ikenga; Izu Umunna; Nzuko Umunna; the Igbo intelligentsia; the World Igbo Congress; reports of various meetings and conferences of Igbo stakeholders and leaders.
“The Ohanaeze Planning and Strategy Committee and the Organizing Committee for the Summit on restructuring also embarked on town hall-style consultative meetings in Abuja, Lagos, and Enugu to collate inputs from major segments of Igbo society. Memoranda and inputs were also received from over 40 pan-Igbo groups, NGOs, and individuals. A draft was presented and debated at the National Executive Committee and the Imeobi of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Ndigbo wants a Nigeria that works to maximise their security, prosperity, and happiness. Igbo also want a Nigeria that allows every part of Nigeria the latitude and opportunity to develop at their own pace. We want a national conversation to create a new and better Nigeria for all Nigerians.”
In 2018, therefore, the Igbo decided in favour of the restructuring of Nigeria as their principal negotiating point. Ohanaeze has canvassed this at every opportunity. The mantra for Ndigbo has been restructuring. As the statement by Prof Chukwumah Soludo at Awka confirms, the Igbo have held that position across many platforms and events.
The Igbo, represented by Ohanaeze, now faced a choice between the various presidential candidates. With due respect to our brother and sister in the race, the consensus is that it is a race between APC and PDP. APC is against restructuring as the Igbo want. PDP expressed a clear position to embrace restructuring and to take measures to activate it if it gets to power. The choice for Ohanaeze was clear. That choice draws on the Awka Declaration of May 2018. Governor Willie Obiano was chief host at the Awka Declaration. He may want to look again at his records. So should Ndigbo everywhere.
Chido Nwakanma
