The truth is that it appears the South-East is no longer part of this country. If it were to be in an ideal society where justice and equity reign supreme, our brothers from the North should have had that moral obligation to graciously surrender power to the South-East at the expiration of President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure. For the informed minds, the history of politics and power-sharing in this country has never favored the South-East since independence; and it is obvious that since after the civil war, our brothers from the North believe that we are a conquered people—serfs, and should not be considered in the socio-political cum economic arrangement in Nigeria.
What do our brothers from the North really want? The same power they seek was with them for over three decades and yet, the North is counted as the poorest and most backward in terms of education and human development! This then means that those who clamor for power in the North do so for their own selfish aggrandizement. What is the need of clamoring for power when they cannot use it to develop their region?
The point I want to hit on remains that immediately after President Goodluck Jonathan, power must shift to the South-East. Ndigbo must have their turn; and it is non-negotiable. We can no longer fold our arms and watch our northern brothers send us into political oblivion. We too, should learn how to clamor. We too should begin to drag for this power. And the truth must be told, if we do not come to a roundtable and discuss the issue of regional politics in Nigeria, we will continue to deceive ourselves. So, my advice to our brothers in the North is to be considerate and stop seeing political power as their birthright. At this point, one begins to think that some cabals in the North manufactured the Boko Haram just to stampede Nigerians into agreeing to their terms of taking power back. I want to warn our northern brothers to desist from this cheap blackmail and face the realities. From a normal calculation and in the manner they are going about it, it may take another 40 years for power to return to the North. My submission remains that justice and equity must reign supreme in this issue. Nigeria is for all of us. The time is past when a particular region would impose its wishes, whims and caprices on us; enough of these intimidation, blackmail and oppression.
–
Hon. Chief Tobias Michael Idika
President Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
Kano State Chapter
