Chinedu Eze x-rays
Professor Jude Undenta’s views on how the Igbo race can contribute to
the unity of Nigeria if given the right political role, while expounding
equity and justice
So much has been written about the fate
and role of the Igbo race in Nigeria. Since the Nigeria-Biafra war the
rest of Nigeria seem to have doubt about the people who occupy the
heartbeat of the South-east region, while the later still struggle with
acceptability and feeling of oneness with the rest of the country.
This problem has become poignant because
of the differing forces, which seem to be threatening the unity of
Nigeria beyond the Igbo conundrum. But the reality is that Igbos may be
the race that desire to have Nigeria as one indivisible entity,
considering their ubiquitous foray and integration in the nooks and
crannies of the country.
Udenta who is a Professor of Government
and Public Administration at the Enugu State University of Science and
Technology in his recent inaugural lecture titled ‘Ndigbo and Current
Political Equation in Nigeria: A Parametric Outlook’, argued that if
given the opportunity to realise their full potential in Nigeria, the
Igbo would be the bedrock of unity of the most populous black nation in
the world.
Udenta called for end of lamentation of
Ndigbo; rather, they should go into political negotiation with the rest
of Nigeria in order to bring themselves back to political reckoning,
noting that Igbos have the wherewithal, material and mental resources to
reposition themselves in Nigeria. He however, lamented the gullibility
of the masses who are used by the political elite to satisfy parochial
interests at the expense of the collective interest of the people.
Shrinking Political Influence
Udenta acknowledged that Igbos are
feather weight in the Nigerian politics and observed that the Igbo
political elite tend to manipulate the masses for self aggrandisement by
vested interests, an attitude that has comfortably taken Ndigbo away
from the political firmament in the country.
“The stigmatisation, demonisation and
resentment against Ndigbo have generated the dynamics of political
marginalisation of Ndigbo. These invariably have resulted in the
critical decline of Ndigbo in the political equation of Nigeria. The
return of Ndigbo to meaningful political relevance would require the
exposure of the games of the vested interests. This is no small matter.
There is no gainsaying the anticipated nimble, but calculated resistance
by vested interests. Be that as it may, from the foregoing we generate
the following hypotheses for the endeavour: One, the contorted view of
Ndigbo results from the manipulation of perception of the masses by
certain vested interests and is largely responsible for the decline of
Ndigbo in the political equation in Nigeria; two, Ndigbo have shown
considerable love for Nigeria in many ways and deserve a better deal
from their compatriots and three, Ndigbo yearn for a nation of equal
protection under the law for all,” Udenta said.
The current political colouration seem
to have exacerbated the political rift among Nigerian ethnic divide, but
the butt may lie in the South-east, as Professor Udenta noted that the
animosities like the remnants after a repast has become the offshoot of
the civil war and attendant to this bitter experience are Igbophobia and
the allied demonisation of the people from the South-east region.
“Here, the attributes of elite theory
concerning elite conspiracy and hegemonic propensities will come into
play. The elite theory will place in a better relief, the constant
threat to vested interests represented in oligarchy, aristocracy and
feudalism posed by democratic/ republican tendencies and credentials of
Ndigbo and the attendant reprisals. In this matrix equally, the class
interests of the oligarchic and hegemonic social forces will also come
into play. This will help us appreciate certain aspects of our
historico-social milieu. At this juncture, the manipulation of group
consciousness – real or false/imaginary will come into play. This brings
the group perspective as regards the exploitations by the oligarchy.
Issues here include group’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Again, the
strength of the elite lies in their ability to control perceptions of
the masses. It is like a social magic,” Udenta observed.
He noted, however, that the concept that
defines most of the observed social realities, for good or ill is
power, which holds together “this combinatorial/mosaic/sandwich
perspective for this endeavour.”
“Power is defined by the capacity to set
and realise goals. Such capacity depends on the context(s). Hence,
power is not just dynamic, fragile and volatile, but also tractable and
tractionable. Hence, we speak and act in regard to the power matrix and
allied calculations, viz., use, misuse and abuse of power; balance of
power, poor judgment of power, balance of terror, mutual respect, mutual
cooperation/benefit, Mutually-Assured-Destruction (MAD) and other
excesses that flow from the analysis of the power scenes and acts and
the reverberations upon social relations,” Udenta said.
He remarked that politics encapsulates
among other things the social power resources and the attendant
structure(s) concerning the utilisation of these resources for the
improvement of the conditions of individuals, as well as more
importantly, “the collective. Benthamite utilitarianism underscores it
as defined by ‘the greatest good of the greatest number’.”
Put differently, politics encapsulates the processes and procedures
associated with the acquisition and utilisation of the power of a
community or organisation as defined by the social force(s) at play
within the social formation or milieu – be they individuals or groups.”
Declining Political Influence
Udenta observed that there is increasing
realisation among Ndigbo that all is not well with the people, noting
that some of the factors responsible for this include self destructive
politics and the tendency to heap the blame on others for critical
political actions taken to suit the whims of individual on behalf of the
people, which most often are inimical to the collective interest. But
he acknowledged that Igbo have suffered grievously from underhand
treatment by the successive political leadership of the country.
“Apart from the Promethean categories of
MASSOB (Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of
Biafra) and IPOB (Independent People of Biafra), there is a whole gamut
of fora and platforms within the last few years where Igbo situations
have been the focus. The indices of the situation of decline,
marginalisation and neglect are many and dire. These include states
creation, communities/farmers-pastoralists’ conflicts,
low/inconsiderable federal presence in Igbo land. This is low presence
is very unfortunate in many areas, which include bad roads and other
indices of weak transportation infrastructure: poor railways, airports
and waterways as well as incompetent power/energy infrastructure;
national political appointments and representations. Others include the
manner of applications of political power within the states in Igbo land
as well as the issues and preparations concerning restructuring as well
as the 2019 and 2023 elections in Nigeria,” Udenta said.
Booty Mentality
Udenta also noted that there is the
tendency by Nigerian government security operatives to see the
South-east region as area of exploitation and booty collection and this
explains why police officials and other paramilitary personnel push to
be posted to the area, where they arbitrarily “make their own laws” to
rip off the people.
Udenta cited example with the number of
roadblocks and the presence of police and customs officials on busy
roads in the region when compared to other parts of the country. These,
he noted are “issues of the manner of perceptions/treatments of any
ethnic rising/militia of Igbo origin vis-à-vis those of our neighbours;
the obvious ease/ignominy with which politicians of Igbo origin could be
dealt with vis-a-vis those of our neighbours and so forth; the ease
with which our legitimate commercial and economic concerns are torpedoed
by unfriendly policy somersaults that seem to have been deliberately
targeted at the jugular of the economic concerns of the Igbo, vis-à-vis
those of our neighbours and so forth.”
Indices of Denial
Udenta said that there are unarguably
discernible demonstrations, policies and actions of the federal
government that clearly showed that despite the three Rs of
Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, the rest of Nigeria
still feel that punitive measures must be taken against Ndigbo for the
war. This, he said, perhaps explained while other regions were given at
least six states, the South-east has only five.
“For the sake of justice, since states
provide access to national resources, there is need for justice. Or,
what logic permits our minority neighbours to have six states and be
entitled to more values than Ndigbo – an unquestionable majority ethnic
group in Nigeria?
All in all, states creation was a
political strategy clearly targeted against the Igbos as a result of the
political crisis of the mid-1960s sequel to the Coup that ended
Nigeria’s First Republic. It seems it has remained directed against the
Igbo even now. It would enhance balance, fairness and reintegration if
Igboland gets an additional state. The way things are, states creation
seems to be part of the encirclement, blockade, squeeze, isolate,
marginalise manoeuvres directed against Ndigbo. For the sake of amity,
equity, good conscience, and sustainable development, it is important
that this relative deprivation and attendant frustration quagmire be
appropriately attended to. Ordinarily, when one looks at the Igboland
ensemble and the state structure in Nigeria, what appears upon informed
outlook is a deliberate strategy of Igbo marginalisation. It is time to
make things better,” he said.
Udenta also pointed out that Ndigbo are
allegedly shortchanged in political appointments, describing the
situation as the, “critical index and source of the noxious condition of
the Igbos in the power structure of Nigeria.”
“Time was when political fortune smiled
on the Igbo: from the Nationalist Leader, to the First Governor-General,
First President of the Federation, though ceremonial; First Senate
Presidents, First Indigenous Vice Chancellors and Permanent Secretaries,
First GOC of the Nigerian Army and so forth. It is important to add at
this juncture that none of these was rigged. Each came out of merit,
borne out of the best international standards of the time. Incidentally,
the highest political office achieved by Ndigbo in Nigeria since 2007
has been the Deputy Senate President.
Contributions of Ndigbo
Udenta (arguably) said Igbos have contributed more than her neighbours to the Nigeria Project.
“However, the greatest contribution of
Ndigbo to Nigeria is Biafra. In this connection, there would be no
discussion of Nigeria without the Igbo. There would be no discussion of
Igbo without the Biafra story. So, what have we learnt from that?
According to Odumegwu-Ojukwu (1989, p.169-170):
The Biafra aim was not to secede per
se. It was the exercise of the inalienable right of a people to
self-determination. When it appeared to the then Eastern Region that the
basis of the Nigerian understanding was no longer valid, the
stigmatised people sought safety from within their own ability…
Biafra was not a separatist movement
as propaganda made it appear, it was rather a reflex for
self-preservation. It is today an attitude of mind rather than a
territorial entity and within that attitude of mind exist seeds that
will save this country for posterity. All over Nigeria, there is Biafra
but that Biafra today is the Biafra of Nigerians and not the Biafra of
the Igbos; the Biafra of the mind, not of Biafra of the fields”.
Udenta said Biafra demonstrates Igbos’a
innate abilities to surmount difficulties and be technologically
self-reliant and notwithstanding the harshness of the situation, Igbos
instead of turning to anarchism or being reduced to street urchins and
beggars and suicide bombers turned to their innate abilities.
Equality
Udenta said it was the breach of equity,
law and justice, which are universal doctrine of every democracy/decent
society that led to the failure of the social contract to protect the
Igbo.
“This led to Biafra. It is this equal
protection under the Law doctrine that raises issues as regards Lagos
(the nation’s capital at the time). It is equally what is behind the
discomfiture of the Igbo as regards the official responses to the
pastoralists’ onslaught as well as other peculiar phenomena of
insecurity directed against the Igbo of Nigeria.
Udenta also observed that if
Nigeria’s leadership epitomise equity and justice it will build
patriotic spirit among Nigerians and Ndigbo would make invaluable
contribution to the development of the country much more than they are
doing now under air of uncertainty and marginalization. He also remarked
that Igbo political elite should always carry the people along in the
spirit of onye aghana nwanneya (do not leave your brother behind).
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