Marginalisation: The Igbos Are Their Own Enemies, Not Buhari Or Other Tribes

For over 50 years in the history of Nigeria’s independence, the Giant of Africa has not produced an Igbo President, there are cries of underdevelopment and poor allocation to the Southern region, and over the years, the Igbos have been complaining of being marginalised. Not only did they once break out of Nigeria, leading to the Nigerian civil war and deaths of millions of citizens, but they are once again calling for secession and independence to break out of the Giant of Africa.
While this writer agrees to a very large extend, given the numbers they occupy in places of authority right from independence till date, she also, however, thinks the Igbos are their own problems and not the other tribes.President Buhari for instance, has been in power for 6 years and majority of his appointments has been from his region of the nation. Although in a recent interview with Arise TV, the President claims he has been appointing people who have been in service for a long term and worked to deserve his appointment, rather than the tribal campaigns made against him, the fact still remains that the President has been appointing Northerners to key places of power and authority without violence or any form of call for secession.
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The Igbos, on the other hand, have infused violence right from the onset in their cries of marginalization and till date, it seems to be the only way. Yet, Igbo politicians, both those who are currently in power and those who are not have been selling out their own people by constantly defending and standing for and behind those who marginalize them.The Nigerian elections is said to be governed by zoning and party interest, rather than intellectuals and the true zoning which has been distorted. Yet, year after year, the Igbos in power keep allegiance to their parties, the same ones in which their own persons are not thriving. For any election, there must be primaries. Why do the Igbos in the parties not work then to ensure their own person(s) get through the primaries to become the party’s choice, rather than following the other permutation of the other regions year-in-year-out?
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As a matter of fact, it only feels like their followers who are not in power are those who feel they are marginalised and not those in power and have influence.Arguments may arise on this, given their little number when compared to Northerners in the polity but then, these same numbers are needed for any aspirant to emerge winner. If not, why would parties hold rallies in the East, canvassing for votes and using Igbo influencers to grow popularity and in turn, votes?Every political party has its agenda and if for over 20 years, the agenda has not favoured an Igbo, then why not ditch the party and pull your weight unanimously behind that reps of yours, even if from another party to make the parties realise your demands, in the stead of seeking secession? In the first few years, this may seem not productive as other tribes will definitely defend their own side and of course, win overall as they have the numbers but gradually, the missing numbers will hit them and they will surely need it. This may just settle things better than a call for secession, not backed by anyone of yours in power.
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This writer as a matter of fact opines that the Igbos, if they eventually get the nation they are clamouring for, will not manage it well and will end up warring against themselves. If now, they could not devise means of getting what they need without violence, if now, the IPOB leader uses force and threats to put some things together, then what is the assurance that one day in the new IPOB, the minority wouldn’t get tired of the force and fear, and demand further split?To the demanders of the IPOB, your leaders and politicians are your first problems. If they keep selling the East out to other tribes in power and are turning blind ears to the demands, if they still sit in the meetings which produce other tribes for power and fight for theirs, if they still follow party rather than capability, if they still year in year out agree to the permutations that keep their own tribe out of power, if they still bring other tribes to campaign in their own States, if they still go out to vote for other tribes, rending their useless in the other parties, if they still agree to the allocations that are not favourable, as a matter of fact, if they still put substandard infrastructures in place, and many more, then, the Igbos are simply the problems of the Igbos, not the other tribes, not Buhari, and definitely, not Nigeria.TRENDING VIDEO OF THE DAY: Only Four Nigerian Artistes Have Been Nominated For A Grammy – Seun Kuti
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