For me Governor Sam Ortom has further raised the bar for the silent and docile governors of the South East who have remained nonchalant about the fate of their subjects. The Igbo have since been crying about marginalization which are as clear as anything but the governors who should champion the issues for their people are as docile as anything.
Rather than make a case for the Igbo they are instead toeing the line of their oppressors and singing their praises behaving like cowards as if they are not part of Nigeria, Sometimes I wonder if this generation of governors have Igbo blood running in them.
It reminds one of the sterling qualities and roles of past Igbo heroes like Zik of Africa, Ojukwu, Okpara, Ibiam, Mbakwe played in their hey days. The Igbo governors are not just non-performers but they have failed to protect Ndigbo. Under their nose the Igbo have suffered the worst of deprivation.
Few minutes ago a friend reminded me that they are chopping and if they dare raise to open their mouth the food would be taken from them and anti-graft agencies unleashed on them. It is not surprising therefore why they are self serving and must behave like the good boys they are supposed to be. Clearly, they are all sell outs serving their own interests.
It was through the encouragement of the so called governors that the IPOB were branded and banned as a terrorist organization. It was under their nose that the military went to Afara-ukwu and killed IPOB boys. What did they say or do?
From time to time the Igbo region has been held under siege through military operation under the guise of one crocodile smile or dance or whatever. There is nowhere in this country do we have more security check points extorting money from road users than in the southeast. This has grave implications for business which is the main occupation of the Igbo man.
Towards the end of last year over 20 Igbo youths were dispatched to their untimely death. Not even condemnation came from them. Ugwuanyi in whose domain it happened could not even ask for a judicial inquiry.
It was this same Ugwuanyi after the Nimbo Uzowani killings by herders that dressed like a Hausa man fidgeting like a fowl soaked by rain went to capitulate before Buhari like a house boy. Are the governors for or against their people?
Today, Gov Ortom has spoken like a patriot who loves his people. He spoke like a leader ready to die for his people. He is calling for justice querying the superiority of the Fulani man over any other Nigerian.
In his words, “are we second class citizens in this country? What makes a Fulani man superior to others? Are we their slaves? He reminded that the Fulani herders had continually flouted the police rule to surrender fire arms yet they are walking free bearing arms.
I can bet anything that no Igbo governor can muster the courage or has the balls to speak like the Benue governor? I challenge them to do so if they are true Igbo sons who mean well for their people. Is it the Supreme Court governor of Imo or Dave Umahi that has jumped ship to join the oppressors or Ikpeazu and Obiano that are speculated to join the bandwagon? What is more disturbing is that not even the PDP governors who are in opposition could rise to the challenge to speak for Igbo. What are they afraid of? The southeast is not spared the agony of the same ills that Ortom is crying about but their silence gives them out as comfortable with the sufferings of their people.
Nigeria is today widely polarized and has never been more divided than now. Everyone is seeking to protect its own. While the South West governors have arranged Amotekun our people here are playing the good boys. Whither the Igbo governors. Somebody should please remind them of the Igbo philosophy of ‘onye aghala nwanne ya’, (be your brother’s keeper).
