Ferdinand Ekeoma
Few years before his passing, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu came up with a philosophy he called ” Biafra of the Mind” and strongly opposed what he called “Biafra of the field”
According to him, some of the ingredients of “Biafra of the Mind” include, but not limited to, providing good governance in Igbo land, Investing in Igbo land, being one’s brother’s keeper etc.
Ojukwu didn’t lead the counter onslaught called ” Nigerian- Biafran war” because we were marginalised or disconnected from the politics of Nigeria, but because he wanted to halt the pogrom brought upon his people.
Ojukwu realized the potency of politics and political power and decided to get involved in active politics.
He ran for senate, and later president; he may not have won in the real sense of it, but he won in the hearts of millions of Nigerians. The integration, togetherness and consciousness brought by his aspiration gave many the courage to get involved.
Ojukwu believed that no presidency is more effective than regionalism, hence he threw his support behind Chief Chekwas Okorie for the formation of APGA, of course APGA gave Mr. Peter Obi the platform to clear the mess left behind by Chinweoke Mbadiniuju and to rewrite the chequered history of Ndi Anambra.
Pause a minute and imagine if APGA had not been birthed; what would have been the leadership fate of Anambra today?
The great feat achieved by Peter Obi and the foundation laid by his government was not made possible by the presidency; some of the governors who came from the same zone with the president then didn’t match Obi’s achievements. What this implies is that, while we crave for justice and fairness in the Nigerian project, we must wear our thinking cap so as not to sink our region through thoughtless actions.
If you’re so cowardly to the point that you believe that Nigeria is so structured in away we cannot succeed or get integrated, and yet believe that you have the capacity to impose a reign of fear, violence and overrun our region and the country from outside political power, it means that you’re living in a world of utopia.
When Osei Kwame Nkrumah said “Seek you first political power and every other thing shall be added unto you” he wasn’t being idealistic; he was simply being a statesman realist.
The concept of “Igbo Enweghi Eze” does not connote anarchy and confusion, it rather connotes independence, discernment, and thoughtfulness in every Igbo man, therefore those who have refused to listen to superior arguments and respect contrary opinions, and yet think they can violently impose their poor, nonsensical and anachronistic views, policies and strategies on the rest of the Igbo nation must realise that the Republicanism of the Igbo man had survived and defeated greater threats, and thus would definitely overcome the nihilism of these democratic nonconformists who have chosen to wear the provocative and destructive apparel of violence and intolerance.
We are Ndi Igbo, blessed with wisdom and talents; we do not and will never compete with those who indulge in self destructive violence, and those who seek to change our orientation to embrace violence and negativism.
It’s just a matter of time before our people collectively reject and repel this campaign that is cutting short the lives of our youths, destroying our economy and sinking our zone.
May God help us to overcome this moment of trial and tribulation!