This thought is not new for it is older than the writer. This writer is probably the one new to the thought. People like Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife made this thought a watchword while in office as Governor of Anambra State in 1992. Dr Ogbonnaya Onu reasoned along the line hence his initiation of the Obuaku City project when he was Governor of Abia State. Chief C.C. Onoh is not happy with the Igbo “ charity begins outside Igboland” mentality. Prof Philip Emeagwali, Dr Dozie Ikedife, Eze C.I. Ilomuanya, Igwe G.O. Ezechukwu of Umuchu and Gov Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State have advised Ndi Igbo to re-brand their attitudes for the changing world to enable them take their supposed place of pride in Nigeria. The Nostradamus of our time (the man at the age of 34 who saw in 1967, the Nigeria of today), Ezeigbo Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, does not compromise this thought. That Ndi Igbo of no mean calibre and status like the aforementioned and others could spare a thought on this issue, should have made every Igbo man and woman to listen but to no avail. However, a farmer who plants and does not see seeds germinate, will continue planting. Again, until an archer drops his weapon, one being ambushed will continue to hide.
Ndi Igbo always say that a woman impregnated from a sexual intercourse held while standing, usually gives birth to a mad man. This call sometimes arises whenever the lives of Ndi Igbo / or their properties are threatened by people of other tribes, which invariably whittles down the essence of this thought, as a situation call. The other year witnessed the wanton killing of innocent Igbo men, women and children in this or the other place. The following year, market areas developed by Ndi-Igbo were either demolished or wrested from them and another virgin land allotted to then for development. Whenever there is a scuffle between people of other tribes, the properties, goods and wares of Ndi-Igbo are looted. Everywhere, everytime and in everything, Ndi-Igbo are sacrificial lambs; an endangered species. History and facts succinctly show that in every case of these cruelties and man’s inhumanities to man, Ndi-Igbo are neither the cause of the problem nor the accused but always the victim. But God, what has the bat done that it cannot perch on the tree like others but always hangs with head upside down?
But then, in spite of all these maltreatment of Ndi-Igbo, they do not care and still regard themselves as Nigerians not knowing that they are deceiving themselves or living in a fool’s paradise. Jews among the Gentiles. If an Igboman is a Nigerian, why can’t he be the President of the country? Could it be feasible for an Igboman to be President of Nigerian by 2031 as present rotation suggests? If Ndi-Igbo are Nigerians, what has stopped Abakaliki rice farmers from receiving parallel Federal Government attention like FADAMA projects of the Northern farmers? Again, farmers in the South and North start farming activities at different times. Why must fertilizer distribution only begin when Northern farmers start their farm-work? Why must Ndi-Igbo of about 40m people have the least number of states among the zones in Nigeria? If an Igboman calls himself a Nigerian, why can’t he be an Army Chief, Secretary to the Federal Government, Agriculture and Water Resources Minister etc since 1970? Irrespective of the tactical rejection of Ndi-Igbo as Nigerians yet Ndi-Igbo are not allowed to go away from Nigeria thus making Ndi-Igbo stateless citizens in Nigeria.. Bats. And Ndi-Igbo, in the attempt to seek for identity, integration and sense of belonging, continues to build skyscrapers all over the place, wanting to be more Catholic than the Pope, more indigenous than the indigenes. Notwithstanding that they are hundreds of kilometres away from home, Ndi-Igbo build industries, market plazas and generally contribute to the development of any environment they find themselves in the fragile Nigeria.
How do people from other tribes reciprocate this gesture? If you want to know what a leopard is thinking, you will see what its tail is doing. Ndi-Igbo are envied for their diligence not minding that some Ndi-Igbo who develop these “foreign homes” possess not even a room of their own in their native towns. If the Hausa-Fulani cattle rearers at Okigwe had been Ndi-Igbo, their settlements would have changed for the better. At least, nice structures would have overtaken their present shanty settlements and ghettos. Could it be true that only seven houses in the whole of Enugu are owned by Yoruba indigenes? But a survey shows that 60% of the plots of land in Abuja are owned by Ndi-Igbo while 45% of the buildings in Lagos State belong to Ndi-Igbo. Even the desire to own houses by Ndi-Igbo within African countries is there. In camp Yabassi Area in Douala Cameroun, there is an edifice engraved in it, NNEWI HOUSE”, which is the hub of motor spare parts business in Cameroun. There are “Igbo landlords” in Tiko, Bamenda, Kumba Bafoussan, Yaounde etc. With the discovery of oil in Sao Tome and Equitorial Guinea, Ndi-Igbo have found a “New Layout”. In South Africa’s Johannesburg, Cape Town, Abidjan in Cote D’lvore and capital of Ghana, Accra etc, many Ndi-Igbo now own buildings. The thirst and hunger to be “landlord” is not limited to African countries but Europe and United States of America. But then, that a man caught a live elephant or monkey does not make the man agile or brave. Only those that killed lion are brave and agile. Whatever happen, Ndi-Igbo please think home.
On the other hand, is the non-ownership of houses or non-development of their places of residence by the Hausa-Fulani’s in Okigwe as a result of their inability economically to do it or willful refusal to assist in the emancipation of these places from the state of nature? Above all, is it to guard against incurring losses in the event of disintegration of the country as America Security Report predicted of Nigerian’s disintegration in fifteen years time or just abject disbelief in the concept of one Nigeria? I wonder if Ndi-Igbo know that all these plots of land being developed everywhere are on lease hold? Until a rotten tooth is removed, the mouth ought to chew with caution.
Do Ndi-Igbo ask themselves why the Corporate Head Offices of the many prominent Northern business moguls are permanently in the arid and desert North? By the way, if wiseman Sir Gabriel Igbinedion, Esama of Benin, had built his University, Hospital, Corporate Headquarters etc outside Okada, would the place have developed into a wonderland? That Igbo land needs more tertiary institutions cannot be over-emphasized. Perhaps, if some institutions owned by Ndi-Igbo built across the country had been concentrated in Igboland, these problems would have been half-solved. Would Ogboko town in Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State not have owned a University if all the Rochas Academy are concentrated in the town? Apart from transforming the town into a semi-urban town, the employment it generates, is another matter. I am one of the species of human being who has refused to agree that patriotism lies in one marrying from every ethnic group in Nigeria or owning business in all the towns in Nigeria. My patriotism as one not in the centre-stage, is to tell the Government and the citizens honestly what to do so that our land will be like others lands our people admire and migrate to.
Despite the fact that Northerners do not sell anything on credit to the Southern traders; cows, beans, cereals, fruits, palm oil business from the Easterners is never transacted on cash and carry basis. Who would believe that Igbo traders particularly those dealing on foodstuffs sponsor agents or give short and long term refundable loans to some of the farmers in the North producing tomatoes, yams, cassava etc so as to “colorize” their farm products in the bid to maximize profit? Do Ndi-Igbo travel along Owerrinta-Owerri, Umuahia-Enugu, Okigwe-Afikpo-Abakaliki etc and see acres of uncultivated land that can benefit from such largesse? If such recoupable investment is extended to rice farmers in Abakaliki area, Arondizuogu/Umuchu /Umunze /Ezira /Umuomaku axis, Orumba area, Inyi /Achi, Mmiata Anam /Otuocha axis etc, Nigerian will automatically become a rice producing nation. The stone you leave unturned is the one covering your destiny. Ndi-Igbo, please think home.
Apart from agriculture, there is virgin and barren land begging for development in the East. This is why the interest of the Abia State Government in the development of the Obuaku city project is commendable though the exercise is in the interim, in the newspapers and radios. Housing Estates need to be established in these virgin and barren areas besides every tertiary institution to encourage development of new cities. In Europe, a city like Barcelona has about eight tertiary institutions; some located over a distance of about thirty kilometers away from the metropolis yet metro-services make movement of the students possible. Over twenty television studios and thirty radio stations make telecast and broadcast to viewers and listeners respectively yet the city of Barcelona is still serene and tranquil. Aba, Orlu, Okigwe, Nsukka, Nnewi, Onitsha, Aguata etc need radio and television stations to generate employment, business and other activities.
This think home call does not limit to the development of Igboland structurally. Ndi-Igbo in diaspora should, as a power-bloc, demand for the teaching of Igbo language in the schools where there children are learning. Where the management of the schools fails to heed to their demand, they look for an alternative school where it is taught. In London, the Igbo Catholic Priests have started celebrating Sunday Masses in Igbo language. Most importantly, some special centres are now teaching Igbo language to children of Igbo parents in London. That of USA will soon come on board. All these help the language to be sustained. The employments these activities generate are there.
It is necessary at this juncture to reiterate the need for Ndi-Igbo to emphasize on proper education of the child and being self-employed via artisan works. A situation is in the offing when there will be no carpenters, masons, block-molders, welders, motorcycle and motor vehicle mechanics etc. The get-rich quick attitude has lured some of these artisans out of the artisan-work. Worse still many of the graduates from the tertiary institutions are half-baked. It is ominous sign and ugly development for Igbo race.
The issue of Abuja or Lagos marriage prevalent among Ndi-Igbo especially those outside Igboland is no longer a thing of joy. Just cohabit with a bachelor and “hook” or “tie” him down with pregnancy and the spinster becomes a proud wife of a husband. Dowry and other traditional rites should go to hell. Most of them do not know where their husbands come from let alone knowing their relations. The young generation of Ndi-Igbo should be made to know that incest, bestiality, sodomy, lesbianism, same-sex marriage and polyandry are un-Igbo and therefore taboos in Igboland. All these are abominations. The sky is too wide for two birds to collide in the air.
Finally, that Ndi-Igbo become one, is the prayer of all Igbo men and women. At this time of the request for more states in Igboland, all hands should be on deck. Aside of Njaba or Orashi, I think that the Okigwe / Awgu axis, Aba/Ukwa, Nsukka area (Adada State) need to be states. When we were children, there was an insinuation that every town except Orlu and Okigwe has developed. While Njaba / Orashi will take care of Orlu mockery, that of Okigwe will be taken care of by new Okigwe / Awgu State. The leaders of Ndi-Igbo in diaspora are doing more harm than good to our Igboness by addressing their leaders, as “Eze Ndi-Igbo”. The proper designation is “Onye Ndu Ndi-Igbo” Hausa leaders outside their domain are addressed as “Sariki” not Emir. Whoever calls his/her mother an ugly woman inadvertently calls his/her father a foolish man. Could it be true that some undesirable elements have infiltrated into the traditional institutions in Igboland? Worse still, is it true that some Igbo Governors are “Kings on Their Knees”? The Governors, Ohaneze and World Igbo Council should dialogue with the Federal Government on the abysmal level of decay of infrastructures particularly Federal roads in our areas so as to find out the stand of the Federal Government on the long time neglect of Igboland. Where the neglect persists, the option of Kosovo, South Ossertia, Abkhazia etc should be vigorously pursued thus reducing MASSOB struggle to a child’s play. If the buffalo cannot kill Okoroafor let Okoroafor then kill the buffalo.
Let all Ndi-Igbo answer this clarion call from the spirit of the Igbo heartland. Let them complement the efforts of our forefathers and that of the white man who designed and developed some of the present day townships by developing new townships and cities. If Ndi Igbo do not wake up, their nightmare will linger till morning. A bird that is bound to fly must therefore definitely grow feathers. Posterity will never forgive this generation of Ndi-Igbo for their disservice to Igboland by abandoning it while developing other areas of their residence outside Igboland. Most importantly, the danger of putting Igbo tradition, culture and language into oblivion is staring us in the face. Ndi Igbo please think home for East, West, North or South, home is the best.
Mr. Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London.
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