In the wake of the seemingly overwhelming crises that have engulfed the Nigerian nation reactions are have been coming from all Nigerians including its leadership. President Muhammadu Buhari, the captain of the ship of the Nigerian state is not left out expressing his views on the state of things.
The president’s speech unfortunately in the minds of many political observers appear incendiary, discouraging, disappointing, counterproductive and least expected of his office. A recent trending comment credited to the president reports him as describing “the Igbo as a dot in a circle and going nowhere”.
This has been given various interpretations by different people depending on their dispositions. Majority opinions view this as putting down the Igbo who form one of the major ethnic groups that constitute Nigeria while a few insist that the president meant no harm and was concerned with the unity of the country.
The president has been variously accused of pathological hatred for the Igbo race which are demonstrated through what has been described as exclusion and marginalization of ethnic group from scheme of things. The facts that support these accusations are almost overwhelming and this is the reason the region is agitated.
Consequent on the discriminatory actions of the federal government the Nnamdi Kanu led Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) has refused to be deterred in their agitation for a separatist Biafra nation. They represent the youth groups that are more traumatized by the experience because it left their future hanging in the balance.
Arising from the present insecurity in the South East region the government has been very combative and throwing up measures that are more genocidal than anything. The instruction of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) asking his police men to deal kill the Igbo youths and which has never been refuted by him or the federal government speaks volume.
The comment by PMB to deal with the youths whom he claim did not see the civil war was considered so offending to peaceful existence that Twitter had to delete the message. The Face book also took same step. Many Nigerians and members of the international community also decried the speech. It was widely held as reprehensive.
While the controversy was yet to die down Buhari has launched an attack again on the Igbo describing them as a dot which interpreted means an insignificant group. Again, this has been viewed as insulting. But are Igbo a dot, we ask? It is not difficult now to understand the reason why the federal government is bent on obliterating this dot from the Nigerian system through its policy of exclusiveness.
News Echo believes strongly that the Igbo cannot be a dot in the Nigerian circle. We disagree with such description given the significant and in many cases unrivalled contribution of the Igbo nation. The facts abound and speaking loudly for them. They have brought pride to this nation and remain irrepressible in spite of the numerous actions to confine them as a dot.
We can only plead that those in authorities should accept the situation that they cannot change because the enterprising attitude of the average Igbo brings envy to other ethnic groups who cannot do what they are doing.
Once more, we advise President Buhari to exercise more restraint in the comments which has the tendency to tear us apart instead of welding us together. We profit nothing from a repressive action. Nigeria will be better for it if the Igbo are allowed full expression of its God given endowments.
We remind again that no one quenches fire with fire. Dialogue and addressing the root cause of agitation will resolve all conflict. We are better off as a united entity.
