Isaac Nwaobia is the Archbishop of Aba Ecclesiastical Province, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion. He is also the leader of Igwebuike Alaigbo Development Association. In this interview with GODFREY OFURUM, he spoke on issues of development in the South-East region, leadership in Igboland and the synergy needed among various levels of government to reshape the South-East region of Nigeria. Excerpts:
What is the essence of the annual Igbo Prayer and Fasting Day, instituted by the Union on January 15?
Prayer and fasting are necessary for us to thank God for bringing the civil war to an official end on that date in 1970 and to equally remember the souls of all those that died in that unfortunate three years tragedy. The victims, the heroes and heroines, who died. They all came from families and sacrificed their lives for the Igbo race.
In future, we shall organise a gathering, where members of their families will participate. So, we’ve prayed and remembered them in several churches today. We want it to be repeated every year. If we don’t recall the past, we’ll not match forward for the present. You recall that even the Government has directed that history should to be taught in schools, this is because if we don’t recall the past, we can’t plan for the future. So, January 15, is important to Ndigbo.
This is 2025; what should Ndigbo expect from Igwebuike?
Aside the prayers, I see this year as one that will bring good fortune for Ndigbo. Igwebuike is geared towards projecting the Igbo Nation in good light. We shall mobilise Igbo leaders from all corners of the world to take the course of Igbo race effectively.
Igbos are scattered all over the world, uncoordinated. The talents of the Igbos are unharnessed. The amenities God has given to us are tapped without recourse. So, Igwebuike, as a union, will mobilise forces to ensure that Igboland is not in any way left behind in the push for growth and development.
What is your expectation from the newly elected President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other members of his cabinet, who were elected in Enugu recently?
Ohanaeze is the apex umbrella body of Igbo leadership, no doubt about that. However, I’ll call on them to play that fatherly role properly now, because Ndigbo need fathers right now. We’ve looked into the activities of the Ohanaeze in the past and discovered that it has been dominated by politics of the Governors, which should not have happened. When a Governor is instrumental to the emergence of a chairman or a President General, there is that unnecessary control. Honestly, we’re not saying that Ohanaeze should be on log ahead with the Governors, never. They need that synergy to serve Ndigbo better.
However, the structure of Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership is one that is operated with strata and levels. It starts from Local Government, States to National. So, there’s no way they can’t internally get funds to run Ohanaeze to avoid this perceived control from political office holders.
He who pays the piper dictates the tune. If Ohanaeze can detach themselves from the financial control of the Governors and raise their own funds independently, it must surely lead to paradigm shift in the way they do things. Checks and balances of the activities of the Igbo Governors will be important to them, because they’re their children, as well, who they need to call to order, when necessary to remember their oath of office.
If a governor is paying their bills, they will not have the courage to question the governor’s activities, style of governance and other administrative lapses? This lack of checks from strong voices, like Ohanaeze makes some of these leaders to feel that they’ve done well, while obviously, they’ve not done well. So, we are expecting that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide should try within their powers to be independent. I’m sure that if they’re independent today, they’ll see funds coming from where they’ve never expected. The Igbo sons and daughters scattered all over the world have what it takes to fund Ohanaeze, if only they see genuine desire to represent the people well, and be the mouthpiece of the people.
What is your take on having an Ohanaeze PG from Igbos outside the South-East?
That’s one of the benefits of the just concluded Ohanaeze’s election. John Azuta-Mbata, a well-known leader from the Ikwerre Clan in Rivers State, becoming the Ohanaeze President General is good for the unity of Ndigbo. It gives the right message out there that the Igbo race have its indigenous home beyond the well-known South-East states that have over the years misinterpreted to be Igboland. The message is clear and every Igbo man should be delighted with the development. It equally shows that all over Igboland, we have credible people to take up leadership at all times and when required.
Do you see South-East Development Commission as capable of rebuilding the region from ruins or does FG need to do more?
I must answer by saying that yes, the obvious complaints about marginalisation are there and true in most cases. However, I don’t see and I don’t believe the Federal Government is cheating us totally. We have elected officers all over the place, who are handling our resources. We need to ask them questions. I studied at the University of Ibadan (UI). The first thing I saw at UI was the cultural centre. Now, that Cultural Centre, as I learnt was built as a result of ₦1million that was given to each State then, by the Federal Government for it. Here then, it was Imo, Abia and some parts of Ebonyi State together then, while on the other parts, we had Enugu, Anambra and some parts of Ebonyi together, as well. So, I got curious and was asking for the Cultural Centre built for the South-East University and I didn’t see any. It became obvious that the ₦1million from the Federal Government just disappeared.
I equally visited some States in the Northern part of Nigeria, and I see constituency projects of their legislators, good road networks in the schools, but here, it’s not happening. I want to say that every person needs to contribute to the development of Alaigbo. We should not just throw everything on the shoulders of the Federal Government. We need to know what the State Governments are doing. What about the Local Governments? What are they doing? These resources for governance in Nigeria are shared into three. If the Local Governments are handling rural developments properly and adequately, the States handling their own parts well, then the Federal Government should add a strong complement to what those two are doing internally.
A situation where everyone is looking at Abuja, while we ignore what’s happening or coming to the states is embarrassing. So, if they complement each other, we’ll see more development here. So, the South-East Development Commission is a good creation, by FG, but they can’t do it alone. For the South-East Development Commission, I’m happy that people that’ll be in charge are our people, as well. They’re not strangers to the needs of the South-East. God has given the leadership of the commission an opportunity to make changes in the lives of their people and equally write their own names in gold. I urge them to serve with sincerity.
This is a privilege God has given to them to put smiles on the faces of people. History shall be kind to all of them, if they can touch lives positively. Late Jombo Jasper, a professor, who wrote the memo for OMPADEC and NDDC complained that the operators did not follow the guidelines and plans for the establishment. We advise those in the South-East Development Commission to be honest with their people, so that posterity will not judge them terribly. Let them work for the South-East people.
What do you think should be done where these levels of government fail to do the right thing?
That is where the Civil Society groups need to wake up. We have the process of recalling legislators and or paying back both those in the Executive and Legislature back in their own coins with our massive votes. That’s the beauty of democracy. It helps the people to change a bad leader without violence. You simply call the leader to order, through all peaceful and legal channels. However, when he or she refuses to change, you vote that person out in the next election
Is the Church not part of those to do these checks you are talking about?
Of course, the Church is at the centre of the demand for better governance and has been doing its best. Don’t get it twisted, I’m not claiming that the Church has been perfect in that area, but we’ll keep educating our members on how to remind leaders, who they are, what they promised the people and what they’re supposed to do for the people. Take note, majority of these senators, and other political office holders here are Christians and they attend Churches as well. Some Church leaders have gotten appointment here in Abia State, under the administration of Governor Alex Otti. There may be similar appointments in different States, I may not be aware of. However, the thing is that if they bring their faiths into work, there’ll be serious changes all-round. We’ll continue to say the right things. In the South-East here, some States are marching forward, while some aren’t, however, it’s our duty as Church leaders, to keep saying the right things that our Lord Jesus Christ, would have said, if he were to be here with us in this situation. I want to state it clearly as a word of advice that every political office holder in Igboland should perform. Let them do what they are empowered constitutionally to do and even do more out of their own magnanimity.
What will you tell our leaders about hunger in the land?
Without mincing words, the hardship is frightening and extremely pronounced. There’s anger, the poor are seriously stressed up and the rich cannot just drive their cars anyhow, like before to avoid transfer of aggression. I’ve always told those around me that I can only sleep on one bed and drive one car. If we keep acquiring all these wealth, what do we really need them for when our neighbours are suffering? Like Job said, “we came into this world empty, and we’re going out empty.” I’ve seen people who gathered all the wealth for their children and when they’re gone, the same children scatter the wealth. We need to be careful with the flamboyancy in our environment, help our brethren and have a rethink in whatever we do. Whatever we as individuals, government and leaders can do to reduce hardship on our people on short term, long term or permanently basis should be done.
Those that God has blessed can appreciate God’s blessings in their lives, by doing what God will appreciate to their suffering neighbours. Those in leadership positions and are able to form policies, should think of policies that’ll help reduce hardship and take people out of traumatic conditions. Our people are completely stretched to a level that some of them cannot expand further and may break without a helping hand. Let me reiterate, everyone must be agents of change right now if we’re to be a descent society. Let’s show love and make life easier for others who are not strong.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
