By Odimegwu Onwumere
Some persons are behaving as if they own Nigeria. They are spitting fire that Nigeria will combust if the 2015 presidential elections did not go the way they wanted. They have become self-acclaimed mouthpiece of their different ethnic regions, who in their entirety do not buy the idea of these persons.
This brings to fore the position of Ndigbo in the Nigerian political equation. There were promises and speculations during the 2011 elections campaign that Igbo would produce president come 2015. But it seems that those who made that promise and browbeaten Ndigbo to vote are now enjoying the gearshift of power and they no longer remember that Ndigbo are Nigerians. What they are saying is that if their son do not contest the presidential elections in 2015 there would be chaos, while others are saying that ‘they are born to rule’ thus, power should return to their region. But the Igbo have been very resolute and peaceable with all the fuming, as if there was a blood oath that the peace of Nigeria depended on Ndigbo.
Ndigbo have not joined the legion that is spitting fire and brimstone should power be turn away from them. They are looking at the whole thing from the angle that things are no longer as business as usual but this is different in the thinking of others.
What is happening in the power tussle in the country is an exposition that policies that appeal to Nigerians have been extirpated replaced with public speaking of bloodbath. With all these, how are they sure that they might get the vote of Ndigbo, since they don’t have respect for Ndigbo. A people that have respect don’t speech-make what would jeopardize the sensibilities of other people. Their statement means that if they are not president in 2015, there would be bloodbath. And where do they want Ndigbo to go during the period of the apocalyptic carnage?
Perhaps, in their thought, they have this notion that the Igbo could be bribed with money to vote. They did not know that this ‘Igbo love money propaganda’ has changed among Ndigbo. They are no longer in the disposition to be used and latter dumped. Is it not terrible that Nigeria is perishing for lack of knowledge and understanding? If not, how could anybody look into the eye of the other and make diminishing pronouncement they can never be intimidated, or else, they conflagrate the country.
The annoying thing is that it was not the Igbo that are drumming for war, but people who will not be there if their clarion calls should come to fruition. These loquacious individuals will not be there to fight. Even when many of them are full of questionable characters, they are not ashamed to call for war. Their exhibitions are just sectional, which is stupidity against the superiority of the Constitution, which does not allow people or groups to take the laws into their hands.
It is very sad that when any political party loses an election in Nigeria that election automatically is characterized as a rigged one. This does not imply that there have not been cases of recorded rigged elections in the country. Instead of these war mongers would start to suggest for the way forward and start putting policies and programmes together for 2015, they are calling for blood.
This mentality belongs to the dark days when some goons massacred millions of Ndigbo in the daylight for no just course and at the same time took up arms against the Igbo nation that saw to the killing of millions of Ndigbo across the Nigerian state. All that they were fighting for is the oil money which those in power are using with reckless abandon to the detriment of other resourceful means of the economy. They want to fight with their last drop of blood, not minding that not all are interested in their campaign for ethnicity.
What this war mongers do not perhaps take into cognizance is the fact that Nigeria does not at present needs warring men, but those who can fight the hardheaded phenomenon that is called Corruption in Nigeria. The war mongers should exclude Ndigbo when the war finally berthed. Ndigbo need justice, equity and the provision of security, and not war.
Therefore, this rhythm of violence and call for scene of carnage should stop. It is not helpful to Nigeria and her citizens. Action should not be taken against Ndigbo because they are quiet. Nobody or group is above the law, or should see self as one. If there must be bloodbath in 2015, it should then be between political parties against the other and should not be about Nigeria and her entire citizens. Not all the citizens are politicians. Some are not even card carrying members of any political party. And any party which feels that it cannot win in an election except it rigs, should desist from such fraudulent act. Ndigbo are tired of meaningless threats in Nigeria. Should they also spit fire?
Odimegwu Onwumere, a Poet/Author, and Media Consultant, writes from Rivers State. Mobile: +2348032552855. E-mail: apoet_25@yahoo.com
