a Town Hall meeting, only two gubernatorial candidates
were on the raised platform. They were Chris Ngige and
Ifeanyi Ubah. By way of irony I had reduced the field that
made it through the party rigmaroles to these same two
candidates. Where did the rest of the field go? The answer
is obvious and goes to the heart of why the Anambra
elections can uplift or damage the future, not only of
Anambra people but the Igbo Nation as a whole.
When I narrowed the field in facebook comments not long
ago, I got the usual mix of reactions, from those who
agreed, to those who were genuinely upset at dismissing
what the APGA leadership supposedly anointed for
Ndigbo had done, to paid hands steeped in abuse on behalf
of the APGA leadership. It was to be expected. I reiterate
here that I consider myself a true friend of APGA
leadership and as individuals they know how I relate to
them in full appreciation of their persons. But for some
reason, they seem to have become victims of Groupthink
inadvertently set to damage the future of the Igbo Nation,
in the path of their choice.
I have met with some of the APGA leadership and spoken
several times on telephone and private brotherly meeting
with the Anambra State Governor Peter Obi on evolving
thinking about succession. I have also never quarreled
with the idea of justice in turning to Anambra north, often
left out, for gubernatorial candidate. I can see a few people
from Anambra North who can lead the challenge of
continuity and renewal. But I certainly do not see it in the
direction they have turned to.
The Anambra elections are particularly important for
several reasons. First Nigerians confuse public office with
leadership and so look to incumbent governors for
leadership of the region. Secondly the South East is not
particularly lucky as current offering, ill health, age, and
other challenges reduce the effectiveness of the current
college of Governors. Should Anambra be governed by an
aloof, disconnected person, with a limited sense for how
the Igbo nation should be engaged, the tragedy will be of
greater magnitude than the afflictions before the Chris
Ngige restoration.
My concerns go back to issues I have raised for more than
twenty years which are now coming home to roost
regarding care and strategy for the South East as my
predicted Bontustanization of Nigeria is beginning to show
its ugly face. I raised it repeatedly as a trustee and member
of Aka Ikenga. On Chris Ngige's watch as President of
Aka Ikenga, when I served as chairman of the Economic
and Finance Committee of that Think Tank I was
mandated to develop what I called the Niger Basin
Project, a strategic plan for building a collaborating South
East and South South zones into a region of economic
prosperity.
In fashioning infrastructure linkages between production
clusters based on factor endowments and new technology
across the two zones the idea was to create a new Rhine
valley in the Niger Basin. Lethargy in facing what is more
important, including considering of the plan document at
the WIC of 1998 in London has come to haunt all as the
desolation of the homestead has bred the crimes of today.
The vicious cycle is entrapment of the people as keeping
away from the home stead breeds more crime and more
people keep away or need armies to visit home.
This clearly is the worst time for politics-as-usual; as has
been played by the APGA leadership, which has relied on
support from Abuja and playing the game of support from
clergy as those who have disagreed with me on facebook,
see as their assurance.
I know the Bishops of Anambra, both Catholic and
Anglican. Three of them share a common surname. They
are wise men and the Holy Spirit is still alive and at work
in them. To use the wool of continuity to blindfold them
on a greater good is not to give credit to the spirit of
wisdom.
Given the way things continue to be done in Nigeria,
anything is possible, as outcome but men of their word
must stand up to be counted and so it is imperative that my
voice be loud and clear, given the importance of this
moment for which history will judge us all. Given how the
APGA leadership has conducted things, the field is
narrowed to Ngige and Ubah, and Ngige is the man that
fits the bill for the moment.
Of course I have a partisan preference being of the same
political party, the APC, as Dr Chris Ngige, but the
bottomline is a picture much bigger. Like all people, he
may not be perfect. Even if I criticized his not moving
more quickly on the agenda I outlined at Aka Ikenga,
when he became Governor, but there is no doubt in my
mind that he is the person of the moment in Anambra.
In the affairs of a people there comes a time when grown
men must stand to be counted. It is on the heads of elders
that the coconut is broken. I have become one and will do
harm to posterity should I not address a truth so naked. As
I addressed Igbo elite, recently, Chief Simon Okeke
smiled and whispered, the young have grown. I imagine
he was thinking of the precarious 27 years old he first met
standing beside the then Vice-President, Dr. Alex
Ekwueme. Many years have passed and several of the
incumbent Governors of the South East call me big
brother. I must not be like elders of the recent past who
would not speak truth to power. I went for my conscience,
history and God to judge me knowing that I was true to
myself, even if I may be wrong.
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