By: Uzoben Bojan Ude
When the clamour for Nigerian president from igbo extraction started, I was first to reject and kick against it at this time. I did so with pride and still maintain my position.
During the pre-colonial era, the political system of the Republican Igbos allowed decision making of the communities to be a responsibility of the elders. The youths were reduced as age grade and community service group with enforcement of laws made by the elders. Today, the current elders and the political leaders allowed laws to be made by holigans and miscreants masquerading as freedom fighters. This unfavorable attitude of the elders has started bearing unwanted seeds.
In the North, there is high profile insecurity but the agenda was not against the political interest of their region. Presidency is not Legislative election where you wake up and throw your hart in the ring. It requires a lot of intra ethnic negotiation and planning. You must build regional bridges to galvanize support needed.
Between 1999-2007, Ndi Igbo were practically occupying most sensible positions in the then government. Between 2010-2015 we were in control of that Government. In these years of our involvement in different governments, there were regions that were short-changed. These regions did their protest through the ballot and had their ways. Political protest is never done through taking your People’s lives.
I said it before, South East have been brainwashed that voting has no relevance. The entire South East may not produce votes up to one state in the North. Some said Ndi Igbo are in other regions and they will vote. I can confidently tell you that those Ndi Igbo residing in other regions mostly return home during election without transfering their voting points and other regions have taken note of this strategy and they always incite fear during elections for Igbos to travel back. This is a political strategy.
For Igbos to produce President in 2023, it must be a highly rigged election like the one which produced Umaru Musa Yaradua and such election may not happen in Nigeria anymore.
No sensible political party will give their tickets to Igbo Man in this current Nigeria. What surprises me is how some Igbos who know the truth, were practically silent when these holigans were putting sword into the things that hold our political future together will still be making cases of Igbo Presidency.
If we really want to rule this Country, we must first go home and recover our region, take charge of decisions like Governor Soludo is doing now and reorientate our people. Support another region to win and then be part of the government. Only when we do this that we will return in another election with Federal Government support to vye for a reasonable election.
For now, we are just expressing interest we are not contesting.
- Bojan
