Mazi Chuks Ibegbu immediate-past Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a graduate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and University of Maiduguri. He is an accountant, journalist, teacher and media consultant. He spoke to our Correspondent, CHUMA AUSTIN, on prevailing insecurity in Igbo land, crisis in Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other national issues.
Excerpt:
You have been relatively quiet on public issues for sometimes now unlike when you were the spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. May we know what your agenda is now?
My agenda remains to help in giving Ndigbo leadership. As the spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, I did my best. Right now, we are not going to rest in our oars. We are going to continue to give Ndigbo leadership especially this critical time in the history of Nigeria. And at this critical time Igbo are talking of producing the next president of this country. And at this critical time, there is insecurity everywhere. My agenda is to assist other stakeholders in ensuring that there is unity, stability, peace, progress, and that Igbo get their due share in the federation of the country.
The Federal Government has reacted to a statement credited to the United Kingdom (UK) Embassy in Nigeria that they are preparing to grant asylum to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), saying it is unacceptable to Nigerian government because these Biafra agitators are terrorists. What is your take on it?
Who labeled them terrorists? Is it Mr President? Is it the Federal Government that labeled them terrorists? The tag terrorists are not acceptable to some of us. It is unfair. They left those who are real terrorists and labeled those who are agitating, seeking freedom through peaceful means recognized in international and local laws as terrorists. In the first place, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed is speaking for Federal Government and not for Nigerian people.
To the best of my knowledge, he is speaking for those who employed him. The UK grant of asylum is a good development. Recently, we saw the situation where Nigeria security agencies were hard on members of these pro-Biafra groups who were unarmed. They were persecuting them, killing some of them, labeling them terrorists, so on and so forth.
The UK Government has seen the high rate of human rights abuses in the Southeast geo-political zone and they are giving the Nigeria government soft landing by granting marginalized people asylum. Interestingly, IPOB leadership has come up to say that what they want is freedom and not asylum.
There are three major issues discussed in Igbo land namely; restructuring of Nigeria, a Nigeria president of Igbo extraction in 2023 and an independent state of Biafra being pursued by Ndigbo. Of these three, what do Igbo want most now?
This is a critical question. Some of us are trying to help to find a middle line. Some people want an independent state of Biafra. They are not comfortable with the present federation arrangement. Some people want restructuring. Others want a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023 which I am part of. For me, Igbo stakeholders have to meet urgently and address the matter.
The Igbo have the largest stake in Nigeria. Unfortunately, Ohanaeze which is the apex body of Igbo socio-cultural associations is in shambles but we hope that in no distant time, we will be able to resolve it. We have fought war before and you know no nation survives two civil wars.
Ndigbo are not talking of war again. Unfortunately, it is enemies of Nigeria represented by the foreign Fulani herdsmen who are trying to precipitate another war. What we want is a level playing ground. We do not want economic deprivation or marginalization of any sort.
“The solution lies with us. There should be reorientation of our value system. Our leaders and the led are greedy with primitive acquisition of wealth. Every Nigerian wants to be rich overnight. We need moral revival to make things work in this country. Nigerian system is weak. Look at the USA; look at what happened in their last election where an incumbent couldn’t sway the electoral votes. In Nigeria, an individual is bigger than the country. And that is why a section of the country is completely ruled out in security apparatus at the national level and nobody is talking. Is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) truly independent? How about the judiciary? We need to elect the right people to strengthen the system. I believe in Nigeria and I am optimistic that if we get it right, nobody will be talking of secession. There is strength in diversity.”
What do you think should be done to bring a lasting solution to the crisis in Ohanaeze Ndigbo?
Ohanaeze is supposed to be the pride of Ndigbo and that is why many people are asking what is happening in the pan-Igbo group. Its leadership should come from those who are ready to serve. It is all about service. Some people were not happy with what happened in Owerri, Imo State. I was a participant in that election.
I contested for the position of Secretary-General and Ohanaeze election has never been through open ballot as it has been secret ballot system. When we got to Owerri, we discovered that no ballot paper was printed and ballot boxes were not there too. Suddenly, we saw governors sitting ushering their preferred candidates. So, all the principles of free and fair election were relegated. So, at the end of day, some protested and left the field where the charade election took place. So, it is not about Ambassador Obiozor but about the process that brought him to power.
We need purposeful leadership. We need functional leadership. We have been marginalized for years and we don’t need to marginalize ourselves. What happened in Owerri led to factionalization of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. As it is, there is insecurity everywhere. How can we come together to address it? How can Obiozor call for a meeting of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and every stakeholder will attend?
Will this factionalization not go to affect Ndigbo in their quest for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023?
Definitely, when the house is not in order, a lot of misnomers happen. We have to realize that even in the past; the other zones that have produced the president had challenges. For example, South-South was united completely when Good luck Jonathan became president. Some other factors determine Nigeria’s presidency. Unity is there but it is not necessarily sacrosanct.
In South West, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was elected president notwithstanding that his people-the Yoruba-were against him. Go to the North, not everyone liked President Buhari. So, no zone can say they are perfectly united but this is not to say that unity is not important. Unity is very important for a people especially Ndigbo who are at the bottom line of Nigera politics.
You are championing an Igbo agenda precisely Igbo presidency under a platform called “Nigeria President of Igbo Extraction 2023”. May we have a brief insight into the organization?
Yes! It was when I was in Ohanaeze Ndigbo as its spokesman, we had divergent views. I was one of those who said, yes, as some of us are talking of restructuring, we should be talking also of Igbo presidency. You see, presidency of Nigeria is not all about what we get physically or what we get as assets; it is also a sociological thing. All the geo-political zones have had the presidency shot except the Southeast. It is an emotional thing.
Nigeria is on a tripod. We need an Igbo stock to be in presidency in 2023. So, my group is working with other stakeholders within and outside Igbo enclave to make it work.
Recently, the Southeast governors set up a regional security outfit christened “Ebubeagu” while IPOB had since formed Eastern Security Network (ESN). Do you see the two outfits working at crossroads?
There was a gap due to insensitivity of Southeast governors to the plight of the people. There were killings, maiming and destruction of property by Fulani herdsmen and bandits in Igbo land yet the governors were silent.
The Igbo governors were not proactive. That brought the formation of ESN and now Ebebuagu. The two outfits can work side by side for the interest of our people. The functions of ESN should be defined. There should be an enabling law to make it be effective. The idea of Miyetti Allah members joining Ebebuagu should be ruled out.
What do you think are the major challenges facing Nigeria?
The main problem of Nigeria is leadership. Nigeria as a country has everything except good leadership. There is leadership failure despite the abundant human and natural resources. Imagine a governor seeking pension and gratuities whereas they don’t give account of the huge security money they collect. Poor retirees are owed backlog of pensions yet nobody is talking about it.
There is corruption everywhere. Those who are supposed to lead us are milking us dry. There is high rate of unemployment. For the fact that many of our leaders are visionless, the consequences are insecurity, banditry, and restiveness in the land.
“The main problem of Nigeria is leadership. Nigeria as a country has everything except good leadership. There is leadership failure despite the abundant human and natural resources. Imagine a governor seeking pension and gratuities whereas they don’t give account of the huge security money they collect. Poor retirees are owed backlog of pensions yet nobody is talking about it. There is corruption everywhere. Those who are supposed to lead us are milking us dry. There is high rate of unemployment. For the fact that many of our leaders are visionless, the consequences are insecurity, banditry, and restiveness in the land.”
How do we solve these hydra-headed challenges?
The solution lies with us. There should be reorientation of our value system. Our leaders and the led are greedy with primitive acquisition of wealth. Every Nigerian wants to be rich overnight. We need moral revival to make things work in this country. Nigerian system is weak. Look at USA; look at what happened in their last election where an incumbent couldn’t sway the electoral votes.
In Nigeria, an individual is bigger than the country. And that is why a section of the country is completely ruled out in security apparatus at the national level and nobody is talking. Is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) truly independent? How about the judiciary? We need to elect the right people to strengthen the system. I believe in Nigeria and I am optimistic that if we get it right, nobody will be talking of secession. There is strength in diversity.
