The
desire of the Ibos as stated by Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB to part ways
with Nigeria interests me for several reasons. After all, The Ibos have since
the civil war lived by mending with the Nigerian state. Lives were lost.
Rich people became average and poor while loss of properties was also colossal.
This is not to mention the imminent losses they suffered with other southerners
in the northern part of this country.
First, The Ibo
people of south eastern Nigeria are undeniably one of the most entrepreneurial
people on the West African coast. They stick to the age-long native
business school of one-on-one mentoring and in 6 years of learning
under an “oga” or boss, an apprentice is released with funding by the same
oga to go into the business world and prosper without rivalry. That is
not something easy for the people from my own part of this country. This is
an economicallliberating culture that needs no government to work!
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Second, the drive of
the Ibo businessman for sales, new markets, international business and
expansion is limitless. In the world of business, this drive compels innovation
so forcefully that the Ibo man is always expanding his business. He will start
that business in just one shop but in 10 short years, he has bought the
mall! He will strike deals with Chinese entrepreneurs to make same products
even if it will be manufactured in Lagos. Do you know that if Biafra was a
republic, Innosson will be an official vehicle there? In the world where
price matters for the more populated low income earners, you may have a second
thought before importing some kind of clothes to Aba.
This desired secession
is also supported by the international law that believes that you cannot force
people to live together. If some set of people feels they do not want to stay
with a particular set of people, they should have the opportunity of a
referendum to stay away. The Ibos are not asking for any oil that is not on
their own soil. They are not asking for any body’s cocoa, steel or groundnuts.
They are asking to just be on their own and do their things their way!
However there are many
other variables that the Ibo man must consider before secession. The first
thing I ask is if there is ever a referendum conducted by Ibos that informed this
decision since 80% of the real need for
this cause boils down to the same
national issues that affect other tribes too: corruption, refusal to practise
true federalism, religious and ethnic bigotry etc . The more interesting one
being referred to always is the impacts of the civil war on the Biafran people.
Honestly, I see no
reason why anyone should be stopped from creating a new nation. However, full
truths must be told about the past. The present problems responsible for
agitation must be fully analysed and the consequence of every projected solution
must be dispassionately weighed.
The truth is All is
fair in war and so will it continue to be. There are still minority tribes that
still carry the bitterness of killings by the Biafran army. Some minority
Nigerians were even buried alive by Biafran soldiers! So the story of
victimization of the Biafran people may have another side which some may not fully
know.
The south south states
pulled away from the Biafran Nation during the civil war. And Just recently too,
Kogi had to publicly warn the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu not to ever again add
Kogi state when designing his Biafran Map. There are also several minorities
within this Biafran geographical location who are not willing to be part of the
Biafran nation while still living on their native lands within the map.
Segregation and
marginalization issues are national issues in many countries too. Even before
creation, there are minorities who can see through the spectacles of the
Biafran map. They know quite well that they will be in for another round of
marginalization should they join Biafra. Majority will continue to carry the
vote and since they will still be minority, they know quite well that they will
never have a say.
The challenges of
Nigeria today does not exclude Ibo politicians who are also part of the corrupt
political class causing problems in this country. There are state governors in
the east today who are extremely corrupt and cannot account for the federal
allocation they have been receiving. Yet the wherewithal and wealth to
perpetuate themselves in power will still be available in the new Biafran
republic. All they need to do is to keep their money in dollars.
Also, I do not see
Ibos willing to leave Lagos and Port Harcourt in the nearest future. Ibos got
so deep in Lagos to the point that, today you need to consider them to win
governorship elections in that state. Infact, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu started the
idea of appointing Ibo commissioners in Lagos. As a result, I believe so
strongly that the Ibos clamouring for
Biafra may be different from these Lagos entrepreneurs.
Should Biafra succeed,
Ibos should not expect a patting at the back from her old Nigerian neighbours .
Amidst the current agitation, Northern youths are already telling Ibos to leave
the North within 90 days. Kogi and Benue are saying NO to Biafra while Niger
Delta has told Kanu’s Biafra to continue her fight alone. Hence what used to be
a secession threat is fast turning into bluff-calling.
The entrepreneurial spirit also, that makes
the Ibo man work hard at expanding his business may not be highly celebrated by other new
republics. Expect the Yoruba to enact laws that will produce newer Adenugas,
Otudekos etc. as the most accommodating will become the most blessed. Such possible legal and forceful exodus from
Lagos, southwest and other parts of Nigeria will be modeled and considered as
new business opportunities in markets Ibos once conquered. And whatever
Lagos does, All southwest states will copy! Please keep in mind that Lagos will
not feel this much as the population of Lagos is led by south-westerners and
not Ibos.
The
Ibo man in his ever evolving spirit may end up finding new markets even though
that may not be in the nearest decade if Biafra succeeds. He may still have
some losses too as the choicest of her Lagos and Port Harcourt properties may
be sold at flat prices. But there are few cities outside North Africa that
consumes in a week what Lagos consumes in a day! Ibos will miss that!
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Within the republic of
Biafra, The Ibos may be compelled to learn how to accept new peoples. The idea
of families refusing to sell lands to specific tribes in some parts of the east
will have to stop. Large populations are needed for businesses to succeed and
large populations are needed to grow large consumptions, manufacturing and
sales. Trying to argue that the Ibo businessman does not matter in this
secession wish will be a toxic lie. I do not think the Ibo businessman wants
what the Ibo politician wants. I don’t think so!
Until corruption and injustice is tackled in this country, there will be no meaning progress. With both, true leaders will always find it difficult to emerge. Finally, True Federalism will bring
power closer to the people, trickle down the dividends of democracy faster to
the ordinary Nigerian, help reallocate
resources to the deserving peoples and keep Nigeria at peace with herself.
