- from Lawrence Njoku -
MEMBERS of a coalition, comprising ethnic nationalities and groups from the North Central, South East and South South geo-political zones of the country, yesterday converged on Enugu to hold an all-night vigil and chat the way on how to retain political power even beyond 2015.
At the occasion, which featured about 3000 youths drawn from Tiv, Idoma, Igalla, Ibira, Ibaji, Ibibio, Efik, Ikwerre, Ishekiri, Isoko and various Igbo groups, they insisted the only justice that could be acceptable to every part of the Nigeria was for presidential political power to move round all ethnic groups of the country.
In what they described as “hand shake across the Niger” they insisted that the country was bigger than any individual and could only move forward when various groups are given sense of belonging even as they describe the incessant killings in Jos as attempt to destabilise the administration of Goodluck Jonathan.
Led by the president of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Miabiye Kuromiema, the coalition called Coalition of National and Organisations of Nigeria pooled over 3,000 of its members to attend the summit in Enugu and to pay a condolence visit to the family of late Igbo leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
At Ojukwu’s house in Enugu, where the presence of the members of the coalition actually charged the immediate environment, leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Asari Dokubo, literally spit fire as he declared that the movement of the coalition is to ensure that the core northern part of the country, which believe it is born to rule the country, would not rule again in the near future, adding that the core north will no longer smell power in the capacity of a president in the nearest future.
Regretting the failure of Biafran revolution led by the late Ojukwu, Dokubo declared that, by 2015, if President Goodluck Jonathan is not interested in contesting, the coalition and other stakeholders working with it would work for the emergence of a president from the South East or North Central zones.
He said the plan of the coalition is to ensure that the leadership of the country will be retained within the three zones until the core north people who think Nigeria is for them to rule perpetually would beg to leave.
The IYC president and leader of the coalition, Miabiye, who presented the mission of the group to Bianca, the widow of Ojukwu, regretted the degenerate state of the country, saying they are inspired by the way Ojukwu fought decades ago to institute an egalitarian society, a bid nipped in the bud by the non-realisation of the state of Biafra.
He informed that the coalition’s over 3,000 delegates from the three zones of the country were billed to hold an all-night vigil in Enugu during which they will deliberate on the state of the nation so as to tackle the current socio-political challenges facing the nation.
The various speakers at the condolence visit from where they went to the venue of the summit referred to Ojukwu as their hero, just many of them stated that it was regrettable that Ojukwu’s vision that led him to make a bid for the Biafran state could not materialize, yet the issues at that time have come to haunt the nation the more.
Gowon and Danjuma did what they did in collaboration with the Hausa/Fulanis, they where however not representing the youth or the people of the north-central zone. We still have foolish people like them in person of Sen. Waku, but i believe they won`t deter this coalition of NC, SW, & SS WHICH IS ONGOING. Those so-called leaders are not our representatives of the middle belt people. One thing thing people often get wrong is that Hausa/Fulanis are trying to get rid of anyone who is not practicing their form of Islam. With the so-called Yoruba Muslims not exception. The Igbos should not feel as if those people represent middle-beltans.Infact we hate them like we hate the Hausa/Fulanis. We`ll continue to vote the southerners as we did in the last elections, whether they don`t` trust us. I`LL continue voting for south south and south east, though a middle belter.
Do not forget the police men that have been killing drivers along Port Harcourt-Enugu road and Nsukka-Enugu-Onitsha-Asaba-Port Harcout road are all from Middle Belt. The killer police at Onitsha last week is from Middle Belt, Mr Samuel Ojana. SW, Middle Belt and the core north will have no say in modern Nigeria. The South West that tries to be in the center of Nigeria through conspiracy and propaganda will miss out at the party that is forming. They will have no listener, the two old men will not be of use any more. Our people bought into conspiratory propaganda which is against Ijaw that was known like the Igbos for straight talk not running around through the back door. You cannot sell the Igbos in our presence after support GEJ in full force during the election. The old men Edwine Clark and the Prof. of Virology. Their old politics of hate the Igbos are no longer the sign of the time. Taking chicken changes from their masters who stole our everything. Imagine the prof always against our brother GEJ, and run to Gen Buhari the Fulani/Hausa Islamist at every turn. This time Dokubo took the bull by the horn. The youth wants these old men to stop dragging us to the enemies, the north and west. They are the enemies of South-south and South East. All for One and One for All. Proximity takes precedence. Any other formula will not work.
Eng. Philip Udegbunam,
my guess is that senior Ijaws and so-called Niger-Deltans may be in alliance with the SW, while the Dokubos are pulling the other way. But Dokubo does sometimes attend meetings with the SW guys. SW is divided on Nigeria. Don’t forget that Dokuba has anti-SW sentiments.
Well, I can reason with you my people. Memory still fresh and still pain!
But recall pls that there is no perfect marriage. And for the near future, there is a need for such risky exploration. As a result, I view this bud-coalition as a step in the right direction.
But hope discussion isnt ONLY about 2015 presidency. Peaceful dis-integration plan of Nigerian entity should be on the table. Call it “National Conference-of-the Willing”. Exploratory talks doesnt harm and prepares them better for eventuality..which is VERY possible.
But just wondering why SW isnt part. Thought they always profess being brothers to SS? Anyone to comment on this?
Those old people from our area like the Middle Belts bought into conspiracy of old world. Some still are anti-Igbos but do not know the true history. The true story is that Igbo has never fought any war with her neighbors unlike the north or West. South West has never been a true friend to anybody. Do you know Adaka Boro was trained at Nsukka. He went to western Nigeria as a police man and became a man that fought against the hand that fed him. Adaka got his scholarship from Okpara Palm oil revenue of the old East. The true story, he fought against Biafra but at the end was killed by Col. Adekunle, is it not ironic? We know that South West tradition work by ways of propaganda and conspiratory activities. Our people are mindful of their ways. They will send their Obas in one hand, Islam, Christianity and use their politician in another hand. Cannot trust them, shown true color during Biafra. Present Kwara state was inhabited by a different tribe that was not Hausa/Fulani but the Yorubas invited the Fulanis who were war-like and finished tribe out of the face of the map. Since then Yorubas and Fulanis has had an accord. We have been taking care of the Yorubas for long in Ondo, we are never friends with them. The new Ijaw is not for conspirators. google: sultan to open mssn vacation. See who were invited, only from SW. You know what few days after the party. Gov of Lagos State invited the army in disguise. Trying to make it a very bloody Xmas.
Waht are you talking about? ONDO is Yorubaland.
Stanley, I agree with you. My dad was killed by an Ibira man that led others from his area to my dad’s house in Lokoja in 1966, and they knew he was not Ibo, but they did not care. My mum witnessed it from where she hid and recognised the Ibira man, who himself was later killed in Kaduna riots by Hausas some years back. What an irony. For as long as I live, I will never go into any alliance with these murderers, except when it suits me. And I don’t believe in their Nigeria either. Time shall come …..
This Middle Belt people killed more Ibos in 1966-1970 than the number of Ibos killed by HAUSA and Yoruba people, considering the facts, that Gowon and Danjuma who killed General Ironsi came from the Middle Belt.