“We never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something; build a new model that makes the existing one obsolete”. – Buckminister Fuller
The fate of
the Igbo nation since the end of the unfortunate Nigerian civil war in 1970 has
been that of a sojourner or someone on political and economic survival quest. The
after – effects of the civil war which depleted Ndigbo politically,
economically, psychologically and humanly, are still conspicuously visible for
even the blind to see.
The gross
infrastructural dilapidation of Igbo nation as a result of the civil war and
deliberate economic strangulation of the people via anti – Igbo economic
policies initiated by then Gen. Yakubu Gowon’s administration
forced surviving Igbos into massive exodus from Igbo land to look for greener
pastures elsewhere.
It is a
known fact that the post – civil war economic policies of Gen. Gowon cost Igbos
more than what they lost during the three – year protracted civil war. The change
of currency which culminated in handing down of twenty pounds per individual,
no matter how much one had in the bank and subsequent introduction of
indigenization policy [what can be known
today as privatization], when Ndigbo were struggling to recover from the
negative consequences of the war made hitherto Igbo millionaires paupers and
economic slaves in their land.
These hostile
anti – Igbo economic policies made to cripple Ndigbo economically made some of
our Igbo brothers outside South – East geo – political zone to deny their Igbo
heritage just to survive. It also turned some of our brothers and sisters into
economic scavengers and adventurers – moving out in droves from the east to
look for opportunities in other religions and countries of the world.
Failure of
Gowon’s administration and subsequent regimes after him to implement the 3R's –
Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation in the war – ravaged South –
East of the country alienated the Igbo nation the more.
Since then,
there has been unwritten conspiracy against the Igbos, not just to deny them
political powers but economic wherewithal. Igbos, out of sheer ingenuity, entrepreneurism
and adventurous spirit have prospered, blossomed and advanced their economic
fortunes in the midst of daunting challenges and stark marginalization in Nigeria.
On individual
level, Igbos have regained and made more than what they collectively lost
during and after the civil war, but psychological effect of the war is still
hanging on the Igbo nation.
Some of our
people seem to have forgotten “home” entirely, they are busy investing and
developing other parts of Nigeria while leaving Igbo land to deteriorate. A situation
where an Igbo person is fixated on building industries, businesses and houses
across the length and breadth of this country and beyond while neglecting where
he originated from calls for serious concern.
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| Igbos Invest In Other peoples land, ignoring their place of Origin. |
The irony
and pathetic aspect of it is that the people Igbos are helping to develop their
places still treat them with so much disdain and contempt, irrespective of
economic gains they have made from investments of Igbos in their places. They see
Ndigbo as “opportunists” who are trying to dominate them in their own land.
Dredging of
River Niger and construction of second Niger Bridge have remained tools for
political campaigns while other federal government projects more gigantic than
these ones in other regions have been given accelerated construction. It is no
longer news that the South – East has the worst network of federal roads in the
country.
 |
| Bad Roads in the South East |
The Federal
Executive Council recently approved additional seaport in Badagry, Lagos state,
and there are plans by this administration to establish what will be known as “Dry
Port” in Kaduna State – where goods shipped to Nigeria via Lagos ports would be
transported to kaduna through railways for onward clearance, while the Igbo, a
major tribe in Nigeria famed for business has no functional sea port or cargo
airport. What an irony!
It is time
for Ndigbo to take their destinies into their hands. It is time to “think home
and build home.” It is time to unleash our inexhaustible creativity and
potentials to develop the East. It is time to begin our own “charity” at home. It
is time to rally round the South – East governors and South – East Leadership
and Development Initiative [SELDI] to transform the East.
Our people
say: Onye ajuru adighi aju onwenya (if you are abandoned by other people, you shouldn’t
also abandon yourself).
We should not allow divide and rule elements to weaken
us using political party affiliation and clannish sentiments.
The SELDI is
organizing an Economic Summit for South – East to redirect economic destiny of
Igbo nation billed to take place in Enugu on October, 2016.
The title of
this piece was picked from the theme of strategic economic summit tagged: “Think
Home and Build Home”.
The event to be chaired by Deputy Senate President, Dr
Ike Ekweremadu, will be attended by other renowned scholars and distinguished Igbo
sons and daughters like Dr. Ngozi Okonjo – Iwela, Chief Emeka Anyaaoku, Prof
Philip Emeagwali, Chimamanda Adichie, Tony Elumelu, Prof Chukwuma Soludo and a
host of other resource persons.
This economic
summit will marshal out road map on how to resuscitate economic potentials of
the South – East by ensuring amongst others, more international flights to
Enugu Airport, reviving of Onitsha Seaport; reconstruction of all inter – state
(Federal) roads in the zone; reinvigoration of moribund industries and siting
of new ones in the zone that have the capacity of transforming the South – East
by ensuring amongst, more international flights to Enugu Airport, reviving of
Onitsha seaport; reconstruction of all inter – state (Federal) roads in the
zone; reinvigorate of moribund industries and siting of new ones in the zone
that have the capacity of transforming the South – East into an industrial hub;
construction of good network of railways with new model speed trains linking
major cities of South – East and beyond, especially South – South zone; huge investment
in media industry to help in reawakening and reorienting of the Igbo, massive deployment
of resources in human development, etc.
It is time
for Ndigbo to take the bull by the horns. Waiting for the federal Government to
come to our aid will remains a wild goose chase. Igbos all over the world
should form synergy to make the South – East the pride of this nation, because
great ideas make great nation and not population.
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