Igbos, architect of their problem –Nnamani
From PETRUS OBI, Enugu
Friday Sun, September 02, 2011
Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, has accused the people of the South-east zone of being the cause of whatever misfortune they are currently suffering in Nigeria.
“Igbos are the architect of their political and economic misfortunes in the country,” he said.
Nnamani, who was speaking at the opening of the South-east Economic Summit in Enugu, said until the people of the area come together and re-prioritize their needs, their problems would continue.
He observed that the summit had provided a veritable platform for soul searching and introspection, stressing that for the people of the zone to have agreed to come together and review their status in the corporate entity called Nigeria, was an indication that they were ready to take their destiny in their own hands.
He said it was regrettable that Igbos had made themselves laughing stock in the country over their inability to come together and speak with one voice.
“It’s really unfortunate that we have continued to cry wolf when we have, in our activities and conducts, made ourselves the laughing stock of other people. We hardly speak with one voice. It has continued to be difficult for us to have consensus on any opinion and this has indirectly affected us adversely in our national acceptance.”
Nnamani, however, noted that there was still an opportunity for the people to remedy the situation and reclaim their pre and post- independence position, adding that naturally the people of the South-east were blessed to the level that once the right things were done, they could effectively compete with any developed economy of the world. He urged them to entrench new values, team spirit as well as what he called delayed gratification which, he said, was lacking in the young ones from the area who were ready “to do anything to make money and enjoy live within a shortest possible time.”
In his speech, the Summit Chairman, Kalu U. Kalu, lamented the economic situation of the South-east zone, which he said was presently at the lowest ebb and as such needs to be revived by its leaders both in politics and business.
“Our infrastructure is the worst in the country; qualitative education can only be imagined; no meaningful federal presence in the zone, while insecurity has become the order of the day.”
He noted that the summit was an opportunity for the people of the zone to do a soul searching with a view to finding the best way of addressing the myriads of challenges facing them as a people.
Declaring the summit open on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, said the essence of the Summit was not necessarily to pass the buck or apportion blames, but to highlight the pitfalls and chart a new roadmap for the rejuvenation of the economy of the zone.
He expressed dismay over what he described as the fatal collapse of “our proud heritages - from Enugu coal to Nkalagu cement, from Aba textile to the dwindling fortunes in agriculture and food production. From the menace of erosion to sundry security concerns, the zone has endured some ugly times,” he said.
South-East Integration: A Bubble or a Flash in the Pan?
Following the conclusion of the general elections and emergence of key functionaries in both the executive and legislative arms of government, NDUBUISI ORJI writes on the need for the South East to use the positions it presently occupies to strategise for future political challenges
Friday, June 17, 2011
When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) unveiled its power sharing formular for the new political dispensation, not a few thought the South East completely lost out in the new power equation in the country. The PDP had zoned the positions of Senate President , Deputy Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representative and Deputy Speaker to the North-Central , South-East, South-West and North-East respectively.
It also zoned the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the South-East while the North was programmed to produce the National Chairman of the party from March 2012. The South-South and North-West had already produced President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo respectively. Some interest groups within the South-East had expressed misgiving over the zoning, because in their view the Senate Presidency or speaker of the House of RepreseDntative.
In line with the party zoning formulae the Presidency appointed former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim as the SGF while the Senator Ike Ekweremadu was elected the Deputy Senate President. And by virtue of the rebellion against the PDP’s power sharing arrangement, Hon Emeka Ihedioha equally emerged as the deputy speaker of the House.
Analysts believe that rather than continue to rue over the inability of the zone to produce the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the South-East could use the positions it presently occupies to re- launch the zone into political relevance. A source within the Ohaneze Ndigbo, told Daily Sun that “With its current position in the present administration, the South-East has something to cheer. But there is need to intensify efforts to ensure that more equitable positions due to the zone are secured in the allotment of ministerial portfolios”.
“Today, the South-East has leaders in political offices that were not imposed on them; rather they chose them directly or indirectly. For example, Igbo leader were asked by President Goodluck Jonathan, to submit names of spirited Igbo sons and daughters that would be appointed as the SGF. It was from the list submitted by Ohanaeze Ndigbo following consultations with the governors and key Igbo leaders that Senator Anyim was appointed the SGF. This is a significant and healthy departure from the past when positions zoned to Ndigbo were filled by Igbos sponsored by outsiders and power brokers from other zones”, the source who spoke on the condition of anonymity stated.
A Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) chieftain in Anambra State, Chief Okey Muo Aroh says the most important thing is for Igbo sons occupying high position to show competence in the handling of the various offices they are presently occupying. He said that way the country would know that indeed the Igbo nation is the cement that holds the country and consequently accord it its due respect in the politics of the country.
Aroh disagrees with those who say the SGF is an infinitesimal position. He said any one with a thorough understanding of government will know that the office is not trivial. According to him , the SGF as the engine room of government coordinates the business of the Federal Government. In his views, the SGF which oversees several key agencies of government has enormous responsibilities and powers in influencing and coordinating government policies for the overall benefit of the people of the country.
“ A minister has one permanent secretary , the SGF has seven permanent secretaries under his office. Anybody saying the position of SGF as infinitesimal is begging the issues and being irresponsible”, the PDP chieftain contended. A public affairs analyst, Mr George Diogu said South-East should see the present positions as building blocks to bring back the Ndigbo into political reckoning ahead of the next general election. “The time has come for the south-east to come to a round table to brainstorm and strategize on how to utilize the positions it occupies presently for the good and wellbeing of the Igbo nation,”, he stated.
However, he said it behoves on Ekweremadu, Ihedioha , Anyim , the South-East Governors Forum led by Mr Peter Obi and the Ohaneze Ndigbo led by Ambassador Raph Uwechue to collaborate with other political office holders in the South-East in charting a new political; course for the zone ahead of the 2015 general election.
The leadership of Ohaneze while mobilizing support for President Jonathan in the build up to the 2011 general election had made a case for an Igbo president in 2015.
The pan Igbo group had stated “Ohaneze Ndigbo firmly believes in the reality and absolute equality of the six zones and holds the view that the topmost executive office in the land – Prime Minister or President, which has eluded the two geo-political zones of the South-South and South-East since the birth of our nation half a century ago, should now go to them in turn in unbroken succession as a matter of national priority, before any other zone can justly claim the right to a second or even third turn. In line with this position, taken after wide consultation over several months, among Igbo people at home and abroad, Ohanaeze Ndigbo confidently urges the Igbo Nation to support en masse a credible new-generation Presidential candidate that has emerged from the South-South geo-political zone, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan”.
Though not a few had argued that it is not possible for the South-East to produce the president after the tenure of President Jonathan, but the recent happening in the House of Representatives has proved that the zoning policy of the ruling party is not sacrosanct. What is presently needed is for the South-East to galvanize itself into action and vigorously pursue the agenda for more political relevance for the Igbo nation in 2015
In this regard, it is therefore expected that Igbo leaders will utilize the opportunities in the offices of SGF, Deputy Senate President and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and other ministerial and important offices that Igbo sons and daughters will occupy for the good of Igbos and Nigerians at large.
Source: Sun, 17th June 2011.
S-East Political Leaders Demand Review of Revenue Sharing Formula
By Tony Edike
ENUGU – SOUTH East Political Leaders rose from a closed door meeting in Enugu Sunday with a call for the review of the revenue sharing formula to enable the states meet their financial obligations including the payment of the new N18,000 minimum wage.
The five state governors however restated their commitment to implement the new minimum wage as prescribed by law but were silent on when to commence the payment to workers in their respective states.
Present at the meeting held at the Lion Building Government House, Enugu were the five governors of the South East zone, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue.
In a nine-point communiqué presented by the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi at the end of the meeting, the South East political leaders also thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for the appointment of Senator Anyim as the Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
They congratulated Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha who were elected the Deputy Senate President and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively and pledged their continued support to President Jonathan and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The political leaders resolved to work together irrespective of their political differences for the interest of the zone in particular and Nigeria in general, adding that regular meetings would be held to review issues affecting the South East region and the nation with a view to taking a common stand.
The meeting also revisited the issue of the abandoned Ziks Centre project in Enugu which was part of the projects lined up for the immortalization of the first Nigerian President and Owelle of Onitsha, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe initiated several years ago but never took off even though a fund raising activity was held under the chairmanship of Senator Anyim.
According to the communiqué, “the various states of the zone will work together to complete the Zik’s Centre in Enugu.”
The South East leaders, however, wished ailing Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu,
whom they described as the political father of the zone, quick recovery from his ailment which is currently being treated at a London hospital.
Source: Vanguard, 12th June 2011.
Between South-East Half Loaf and PDP Zoning Arrangement
By MALACHY UZENDU, Abuja Bureau Chief
There is this law of thermo-dynamics, which has stood the test of time. It is that "nothing stands on nothing". This age-long aphorism played out in the country’s political sphere. Since 1999, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has always claimed to have rewarded any zone or state that fetches great electoral fortunes to it.
This unwritten procedure gave rise to the plum positions enjoyed by the South-South geo-political zone, culminating in the election of President Goodluck Jonathan as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces. But at the last general election, the South East zone, which superceded other geo-political zones in the harvest of votes in the last general elections, seem to have been relegated; neglected and forgotten by the immediate top leaders of the PDP. When the sharing and allotment of political positions came up for discussion at the PDP caucus meeting, they felt convinced that since there was no personality from the zone at the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), there was no need allotting any reasonable political office to the zone.
To the PDP caucus and Board of Trustees (BoT), the zone should be satisfied that Jonathan, an Ijaw man from the South-South zone, is president and has promised to protect the interests of the people of the South East zone. This perhaps informed why the party decided to again deny the zone its right of producing the Senate President. Given the precedents since 1999, the north/south divide which produced the President of the country, has always produced the Senate President and it is on this basis that other top political offices are shared.
After the 1999 elections, General Olusegun Obasanjo, who hails from the South West zone had South East zone produce the Senate President in his eight years tenure as Senate President. The northern divide of the country, which equally produced Vice-President during the tenure, equally produced the Deputy Senate President as well as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Similarly, during the reign of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who is from the northern divide of the country, the same north produced the Senate President, while the South produced the Vice-President (though transmuted to President) Deputy Senate President and Speaker.
By stroke of providence, Jonathan, who was holding office through the doctrine of necessity, arising from Jonathan’s death, got elected fully into the seat of the President. With this election, it became incumbent that, as he said while picking his nomination forms in 2010, the zoning arrangement in the party should change, especially as the President and the Vice-President have been elected.
Curiously, the party came up with a zoning arrangement that defied the initial logic espoused by Jonathan himself. Under the circumstances and given the fact that Jonathan himself who spoke at Wadata Plaza is now President, with a full-fledged Vice-President, he allowed the Senate Presidency to remain in the North Central zone, contrary to the original arrangement that it should shift to the southern part of the country. Had this happened, the South East zone would have automatically produced the personality who would occupy the post. This is because, the South West, which should have had the post did not produce any PDP Senator, which is why the slot would automatically move to the next southern zone and since the South-South, which produced the President , would not again produce Senate President, which is why the slot should have been handed over to the South East. But it did not happen.
While the zone was yet to appreciate what happened, the party’s leadership came up with a zoning arrangement which clearly disfavoured the South East zone. The zone was to have Deputy Senate President, a spare tyre position and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Though there had been several dissentions by the leaders of Ndigbo, the party did not budge. But, unknown to anybody, providence was working in favour of the zone, which like the proverbial cow, had no tail and so, providence provides the needed tail to ward off unwanted visitors. This was how, the in-coming members-elect of the House decided that it would be better not to adhere to the PDP zoning formula, especially as they did not consider the two candidates projected by the zone, Alhaji Ajibola Muraina and Alhaja Mulikat Adeola-Akande, competent enough, given their own parametres, to lead them.
On the floor of the House, and in full glare of Chief Tony Anenih, former Chairman of the party’s BoT, who led the delegation that witnessed the election, decided to play the game their own way by electing immediate-past Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Waziri Tambuwal and his former boss, the Chief Whip, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, as Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively. As soon as this happened, the party’s hierarchy felt bad. They did not hide their ill-feeling.
National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, while reacting to the inauguration of the duo in these capacities, stated categorically that the emergence of the duo violated the set guidelines of the party. According to him, it deprived some geo-political zones the opportunity to enjoy perks of office at that level of government. Though Baraje did not categorically say the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was plotting the impeachment of the officers, he said the emergence of the two principal officers went against the directives of the party’s leadership, which would not be condoned. President Goodluck Jonathan had while addressing a retreat organised for all elected PDP officials at the International Conference Centre, Abuja last week, advised the House members against electing people other than legislators from the South West geo-political zone for the post of Speaker and another legislator from the North West as his Deputy. Acting National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, has also at different fora, reiterated that the legislative members of the party must be bound by the party decisions.
But, the House members, both ranking and newly-elected, said they were not bound by such directive, insisting that the duo of Tambuwal and Ihedioha remained their choice. Other members of the party who also spoke on the matter, including former Military President Ibrahim Babangida, said it was wrong for former President Obasanjo and former Chairman of the party’s BoT, Chief Anenih, to be allowed to always impose their wishes on the party.
At the voting of the two principal officers last Monday, they expressed their desires in practical terms: Tambuwal polled 252 votes against Adeola-Akande’s 90 votes, while Ihedioha’s candidacy stood unopposed. Shortly after Tambuwal was sworn-in, Adeola-Akande embraced Tambuwal, expressing satisfaction with the outcome of the election and offered to pose in a photograph with Tambuwal as a sign of acceptance of the House verdict.
Kawu had while condemning the legislators, stated: "The NWC (National Working Committee) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) notes with great concern the unfolding developments in the House of Representatives especially the outcome of the election of principal officers on Monday, 6th June, 2011. While the Party believes in, and indeed encourages the exercise of freedom of choice for all Nigerians including members of the National Assembly, it is important to reiterate that the principle of zoning is still an integral part of the PDP constitution. The idea of zoning is a well thought-out philosophy for National stability and integration. It is the only guarantee that every segment of Nigeria enjoys a sense of belonging by being represented in all the decision making organs of the government of Nigeria.
"Consequently, prior to the election of Principal Officers that took place in the Senate and the House of Representatives on the 6th of June 2011, the NWC in collaboration with other decision making bodies of our Party made spirited efforts to build a consensus around the zoning formula. The NWC is currently consulting other organs of the Party to re-assess the entire scenario and will come up with an appropriate policy in due course".
But moments later, Babangida applauded the National Assembly over the election of Senate President David Mark and Speaker Tambuwal, stressing that "the month-long scheming and manipulation" have failed. In a statement entitled: "THE TRIUMPH OF REASON", the former president stated that by jettisoning the order handed over to them by the leadership of the PDP, he was satisfied that the National Assembly members exhibited great independence and courage. In particular, Babangida commended the House of Representative members for placing the constitution above partisan interests, noting that the polity should be allowed to be people-driven and to grow.
According to him: "From my retirement abode, I feel excited about the bold and courageous step taken by the National Assembly (Upper and Lower Houses) through a show of independence for electing their leaderships: Senator David Mark as Senate President for continuity of robust Senate policies and Hon. Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal as Honourable Speaker. The Lower House must be commended for putting the Federal Constitution above partisan interest in the election of the Honourable Speaker, putting to an end, month-long scheming and manipulation. The bold moves of the Federal House of Representatives will further strengthen our democratic structures and entrench a culture of separation of powers with its manifest checks and balances for a people-driven democracy.
"It is a wakeup call and the earlier the polity allowed this culture of separation of powers to flourish, the better it would be for participatory democracy. I therefore, congratulate both leadership of the National Assembly for being true representatives of the people. Well done. I salute your courage. Let me assure the leadership of the National Assembly of my unflinching support. I will be ready at all times to offer my advice in whatever little way for the sustenance of democracy, rule of law and stability of the system. The example that the Federal House has shown would go a long way to eliminate culture of impunity and executive interference into the internal operations and workings of the Legislature. It will promote sound debate and robust interaction amongst the Lawmakers for the overall interest of the country.
"I have no doubt in mind about the capability of Honourable Speaker Aminu Waziri-Tambuwal, to discharging his legislative duties with his irrepressible Deputy, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. This combination will no doubt give Nigerians true and positive representation in the act of law making and stability of democracy. The leadership of the National Assembly is answerable to Nigerians irrespective of political Party affiliations hence it is incumbent upon them to put the interest of the Country at heart far and above pecuniary or party interest".
But realising that they need to mend fence with their party, Tambuwal and Ihedioha, begged the party for forgiveness, saying their emergence was an act of God. Tambuwal arrived the PDP National Secretariat with Ihedioha and conferred with the leadership of the party after which they offered apology for not queuing behind the party’s arrangement. They stated that their emergence was "designed by God; it was not designed by us".
This was as the Acting National Chairman of PDP, Bello, said the election of Tambuwal and Ihedioha as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives would not kill the zoning arrangement in the party. Though he said the party was not happy with the turn of events in the House, he said it was an act of providence which could have been averted had the party interacted better with its members-elect.
Tambuwal stated: "As your dear children and as loyal members, we are here this afternoon to give you your due respect and to say here and now that all that we did was not intended in any way to either undermine our party or out of disrespect to our party. Mr. Chairman, we are not unaware of the fact that in the course and the process of the emergence of the leadership in the House of Representatives so many things were informed. It came to a point our dear fathers, our leaders in the party were looking for their children and God gave them our meeting. Even though were not exactly wanted, because we know that we are beloved and loved by our party, we knew that we actually gave you sleepless nights.
It was a share coincidence of the history of this country and destiny and providence had it that from the inauguration of the 7th National Assembly, House of Representatives in particular, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from North West, and Emeka Ihedioha from South East, contrary to the hope and aspiration of our party, emerged as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. It was designed by God; it was not designed by us.
"We are pleading with our party, to forgive whatever it was that went wrong in the process and continue to accept us because I know that we have not been rejected as your children and continue to guide us in doing only those things that that will promote the unity, harmony prosperity and peace of this country. Mr. chairman, I and my deputy are here to assure you and indeed the party, through you, Mr. President, the head of our government, that we shall give our government maximum cooperation, towards ensuring that all the laudable programmes of our party are implemented through good legislation that will come out of the House of Representatives in collaboration with the Senate. We assure you that we shall give cooperation and every support to Mr. President and the government so that our party can deliver on its promises to the electorates. As I said earlier on Mr. Chairman, we seek for your understanding. We seek for your forgiveness, we hereby apologise".
Earlier, Mohammed noted that since their election had become a fait acompli, the party would have no option than to forgive them, when the appropriate organs and leaders of the party meet on the issue. He however warned Tambuwal to ensure that other geo-political zones were represented in the remaining offices in the House, pointing out that it would be wrong for any geo-political zone to be schemed out. He said the party would find ways of resolving whatever misgivings that arose in the course of the election, stressing that the party would have no choice than to continue to play its fatherly role and unbiased moderator to the political system.
Said Mohammed: "We are quite aware that you and your colleagues in the House did not quite work in line with the policy of our party. But you have not left the party; what has happened has happened, it is a surprise to us. We are not quite comfortable, but we have not rejected you. And PDP, being large party, and a collection of different mindsets, we are used to crisis in the affairs of our party. We believe in different views and like we said in our statement yesterday, we believe in free choice, for all Nigerians including members of the National Assembly. What has happened may be a breakdown in communication between members of the party and this will be the first time. Fortunately, PDP is a versatile party, and we have got the organisation and the strength to weather all our problems and to work our solutions to whatever misunderstanding that arise within the family.
"The election of Speaker has happened; I am glad it was free and fair because we observed it even though it didn’t go according to the dictates of the party. We are faced with it as a fait accompli. What remains now is for the party to use our usual dispute resolution mechanism, to work out the way forward. All we want is peace and stability in this country. That is why PDP arrived at zoning. In the process of zoning we don’t look at individuals, we looked at the institutions because it only PDP among all the parties in this country, that has the zoning policy that assures all parts of this country of fair share of participation in the decision making in the ruling of this country.
"PDP wants to assure that all zones, all tribes; all religions, big or small, have got a share and have got a say, in the formation and the process of governance of this country. That is why we have had zoning and rotation and put it in our constitution. I am sure Mr. Speaker, your election will not mean, the end of zoning, because even if we don’t take zoning as a policy, PDP is a party of equity and fair play. And equity and fair play demands that of the major positions, at the party and the government, each section of this country should have at least one position or the other so that we can achieve peace and stability. Know Mr. Speaker, you wouldn’t go out of your way to spite your party. And that is why I said earlier what happened came to us as a surprise. But the circumstances that warranted what has happened in the House of Representatives will be carefully studied by the party.
"And we will reach amicable settlement of issues that are outstanding. But I can assure you the party will work with you; the government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan will work with you. And we will make sure that the government works with you so that the mutual cooperation that we have developed in the last twelve years will continue. The PDP has a majority both in the Senate and in the House, therefore the people of Nigeria will not forgive us if we do not use this majority to work for the development and transformation of Nigeria within the time available to us. Therefore the party will like you, like you have said in your address and we welcome that statement, to work closely with the government so that PDP programmes will be delivered to the people of this country.
"And we do have programme, this time around we have gone round and campaigned and we have seen and heard the frustrations of the people of this country, their needs and their desires. We also heard and feel their expectations and we have got our programmes to transform and reform the nation in all aspect. We intend to reform the political system; we intend to do reforms in the economy, social system. We intend to bring reform to the electoral system which has already started. Now that what has happened has happened, the remaining positions in the house, you should allow the party to look at how we can balance it, so that the other zones are taken care of before we come back to you to give you the chance to lead your people in electing the balance in the leadership of the house. Thank you very much for this visit, we accept your apology".
Given the scenario, the nation would be forced to apply another strategy, more so, as the initial plan by the party to sideline the South East zone turned awry, it behoves on the party to do the correct thing by going back to the earlier zonal arrangement. But should the party decide to jettison what had been in practice since 1999, then, all stakeholders in the party must come together and sort out the contending issues so that no part of the country feels cheated or alienated or sidelined. It would amount to great injustice if the South East is not represented on the party’s NWC and also fails to hold any ranking office in the executive, legislative and judicial organs of government. That would be the final word.
But, if personalities from the zone do not even take drivers’ seat, but operate even as appendages or spare tyres, it could be said to be better than being forgotten completely. After all, there was this age-long adage that "half a loaf of bread is better than none at all".
Source: Daily Champion, 12th June 2011.
Group Decries Decay of Infrastructure in S/East
TONY ITA ETIM, Enugu
South East Economic Summit Group has decried the decaying facilities, infrastructure and declining political economy of the zone.
Chairman of the South East Economic Summit Group Planning Committee, Chief Chris Obiefuna made the lamentation during an interactive session with newsmen in Enugu to announce the summit scheduled for July 20 to July 21, 2011 at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
Obiefuna lamented the collapsed of public and private industries, dilapidated infrastructure, abandoned and poorly executed infrastructural projects like roads, electricity, water supply, health, education among others.
He bemoaned the collapsed of the educational system in the zone, poor health delivery system, absence of strategic federal industries in oil and petrochemicals, agro and solid minerals as well as high rate of unemployment.
Obiefuna pointed out that widespread poverty and high crime rate are approaching crisis proportions while political obscurity, subjugation and marginalisation have become the identity of the zone.
The chairman wondered how the South East that was reputed to be the fastest growing economy in the world in the sixties would go into eclipse and questioned what factors are responsible and what happened to the solidarity spirit of Ndigbo.
Obiefuna also queried what accounts for the clannish tendencies and intra-ethnic squabbles of the post civil was South East and observed that it has permeated their politics, business and economy to their utmost peril.
To stop this drifting, Obiefuna explained that the group came up with the idea of the summit which has the theme "Creating A 21st Century Economy for South East Nigeria: The Challenge of our Time."
According to Obiefuna, the summit would look at the future of the economy and politics of the South East Nigeria vis-a-vis its deplorable state today; what can be done and should be done to arrest the deterioration and put the zone on the part of recovery and resurgence.
Obiefuna continued that the summit is a diligent and heroic initiative of the organised private sector in the zone led by the South East Chambers of Commerce Forum to tackle this generation challenge.
The summit, Obiefuna elaborated, is conceived as a platform on which the government and people of the South East Nigeria can stand to pool ideas, actions and resources together and produce a blueprint for a planned development of the zone.
Obiefuna disclosed that to achieve this about 50 resource persons have been specially selected to serve as lead papers presenters, panel discussants and rapporteurs.
To get the best out of the resource persons and ensure a productive summit, a uniform format for presentation has been conceptualised; and the format would be "The 21st Century ideal situation the South East should target; The situation analysis of where the South East is at present; and The strategy and road map to take the South East to the 21st Century ideal."
Source: Daily Champion, 10th June 2011.
Nwankwo: Calling South-East Political Leaders to Order
BY UCHENNA NWANKWO
I HAVE not hitherto bothered to comment publicly on the apparent anguish in the Southeast or among Southeasterners over the recent sharing of principal political offices or positions in the country. In the last few weeks, I have heard some of my fellow Southeasterners utter all manner of vain, self-serving and even unprintable retorts on the subject-matter. One notable fellow has even appallingly described the allocation of the office of Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, to the Southeast as a sin. I was rather bemused at the outpouring of negative emotions on the subject.
In fact, I never took the matter serious, as something worthy of a reaction from my person until this morning when a bosom friend, a fellow Southeasterner of uncommon sensibility, cerebral disposition and analytical genius phoned in and made slightly similar remarks about the zoning of the SGF position to the Southeast, showing disgust at the way things have developed. That is when I realized the depth of the matter and how terribly the average Southeasterner might be feeling about the development. It dawned on me then that this is not a joking matter or one that should be ignored and taken as something trite and inconsequential. In fact, it became clear to me that Southeasterners needed to be told some home-truths that should help moderate their expectations and position on the over-flogged issue of what zone should hold what office in the current dispensation as well as their general approach to national politics.
Lest we forget, the zoning formula adopted by the PDP ruling elite since 1999 is founded on the tenet that the following six most important political offices must at any given time be distributed and rotated among the six geopolitical zones in the country. These are the offices of President, Vice-President, Senate President, House Speaker, Party Chairman and lastly, though not the least, Secretary to Government of the Federation. It is expected that at the expiration of the life of six consecutive governments to be produced in the country from May 1999, each geopolitical zone in the country will have tasted of or held each of these positions once.
There is also the understanding that when the president is from the South, that is from any zone in the South, the Chairmanship of the party would go to the North, to a northern zone that has not previously held the Chairmanship, and vice versa; ditto for the vice-presidency. The formula has nothing to do with voting patterns or what number of senators or House members the party garners from whatever zone. As long as there is even a single House member or senator from a zone that can so represent the zone or fill the quota within the National Assembly the formula is deemed applicable, especially with respect to the Legislature.
The question that arose after the 2011 general elections is: given the above stipulations, which of the six pre-eminent political positions ought to go to the Southeast in view of what has transpired in the contemporary past? This is the crux of the matter! A sane analysis of the matter shows that now that the president is from the South-south, the positions of vice-president and chairman of the party have to reside with zones in the North; the Southeast cannot have any of them. That leaves out the positions of Senate President, House Speaker and Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF. The Southeast has already taken its shot at the Senate Presidency during the Obasanjo presidency and should therefore not have it again until after it has rotated to the five other zones. In the last four years, the North Central has held the office of Senate president. It makes sense therefore that the position remains with the North Central so that it can thereby complete its eight-year tenure as indeed the Southeast did during the eight-year rule of former President Obasanjo. So what is the basis for a Southeast demand for the position of Senate President at this point in time when the office has not gone round?
A similar argument can be raised about the zone that should occupy the office of House Speaker in this dispensation. Oh yes, the Southeast has not as yet held the office of House Speaker. But the Southwest is just completing its first term of Speakership and should be allowed another four years to complete its requisite eight-year tenure before the position can reasonably be taken to another zone. Going by this simple political arithmetic, I think it is clear that the Southeast cannot but settle for the position of Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF). It is very clear that this is only appropriate.
I find it rather worrisome that most Southeast political leaders should in the face of this reality choose to raise the political temperature of the country by making unsustainable claims, crying wolf where there is none. The dust raised and the insult heaped on the presidency over this matter is regrettable, unpatriotic and to say the least uncalled for. Such reckless utterances can never lead the Southeast, nay Nigeria, to political Eldorado! The overall negative attitude of most Southeast politicians over this matter is the kind of politics that takes a people to the desert or to engage itself in a needless female fight, as Achebe would say.
I think that our Southeast political leaders must be more discerning, more analytical and in fact more responsible. Their lackadaisical attitude and crude approach are a dire embarrassment to most of us Southeasterners. What has gone on is indeed cheap politics that misleads rather than enlightens. It can never augur well for our teeming masses that deserve better direction from the leadership. We must admit that there is absolutely no case of Southeast marginalization or Igbo baiting in this matter! It is indeed shameful that at a time we should be consolidating and in fact cultivating friendships across ethnic boundaries a self-seeking and noisy minority of Southeasterners bent on turning things upside down is having a field day eroding the little political progress the Southeast has managed to garner in recent times.
Those of them that have been shouting from the roof-tops that the position of House Speaker for the Southeast is non-negotiable and must not go elsewhere must learn and resolve today to mind their language. In the first place, that is not the language of democrats. They must also understand that the Southeast cannot on it own effect even the most inchoate signs of a new order in the system. To bring change in the system, we need the support of the broad majority of the other geopolitical zones in the country. Therefore, we must at all time speak the language of conciliation, of alliance building, of accommodation, egalitarianism and equity. A word is enough for the wise.
• Nwankwo, an architect, lives in Lagos
Ndigbo: Between Power And Protocol
CHUKWUMA ANYADIKE
The anger in the South-East zone over the arrangement adopted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for sharing of top political positions in the in-coming federal administration is understandable.
The formula, which allocates the post of Secretary to the Federal Government as the zone’s topmost position, is adjudged unfair to the Igbo. They surely deserve better, either as compensation for their whole-hearted support of the party’s presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan in the April election, or for the fact that Igbo is one of the ‘Big Three’ ethnic groupings that form the tripod on which Nigeria stands.
Everyone appears let down since the formula was ratified by the party. From Igbo PDP leaders to their kinsmen in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) , and the motley crowd that formed President Jonathan’s foot soldiers in the South East prior to the presidential elections, the shock is evident. Leaders of the Pan-Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohaneze, and the like of Dr. Alex Ekwueme who risked their reputation to make a case for Jonathan, are still to fully come to terms with the decision. Prominent Igbo leaders like Professor Uche Chukwumerije said the people of the region desired the position of Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives as compensation for the support Jonathan got during the April 16 Presidential poll, adding that anything to the contrary would be against natural justice, considering the electoral performance of the zones. By the result, the South East accounted for five million votes for Mr. President out of the 22 million votes he got.
Ever since the retreat in Obudu, where President Jonathan started assembling his team, it was obvious that zoning was the first item on the agenda. What the party’s national caucus did at the Presidential villa penultimate Tuesday, was simply to adopt the formula which swapped the position of President and Vice President between the North West and South-South respectively, and the Party Chairmanship and SGF between the South East and North East respectively. The top positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives were retained by the North Central and South West respectively.
The Igbos have, with enough justification, voiced their dissatisfaction with the SGF position. Not just because the Ikemba Nnewi once described the government Scribe as one who prepares tea for the President. No. One of their reasons is that the position is least among those of the five other zones in the national order of protocol. Also, the preference for the Speaker position is not because the occupant of the nation’s Number 5 position flies jets from the presidential fleet. No. It all has to do with pride, for an ethnic group striving against odds to reverse its dwindling political fortunes in recent years. What rationale informs the relegation of the entire Igbo nation below the first five on the national order of protocol? The question becomes even more pertinent as the positioning for the 2015 presidency –which the Igbo have vowed to seek – has commenced in earnest.
Fifty years down the road of independence, the Igbo is the only one - among Nigeria’s big three nationalities - yet to taste executive power in real terms, at the country’s topmost hierarchy. Indeed, it has been discussed elsewhere that 2015 would have been the turn of Igbos, if the Yar’Adua presidency had run its full course. The Jonathan election has definitely pushed that prospect forward by at least four years, which is another sacrifice the Igbo made for him. Secretary of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and Enugu State governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Mr Osita Okechukwu said he regards the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan to reward five million votes from the South-East fairly as not only unjust but outright contemptuous
But wait a minute: shouldn’t the Igbo be asking for both power and protocol, and not one at the expense of the other? Which brings us to the question: between the House Speaker and the SGF, which is more powerful? Many people have argued that the SGF comes with more power, such that can impact government policy, the public service and top official appointments far stronger than the House Speaker could. In contrast, questions are asked about what impact the five Igbo Senate Presidents made in the zone from 1999-2007. Evans Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo, Pius Anyim, Adolfus Wabara and Ken Nnamani were both Senate Presidents and chairmen of the National Assembly, yet few of the profound problems of the zone were put on the national table. If there were any that received attention, it is arguable whether it was because an Igbo was presiding in that position.
The fact that the Igbo have been unable to coherently address this issue indicates the fact that the nationality has sliden so fast in the nation’s political reckoning. Feelers from the PDP hierarchy indicate that the party was forced into swapping the party Chairmanship from the South East to the North East in exchange for the SGF position because no Igbo governor was prepared to accept that his state would produce the party chairman. Apparently, the Nwodo-Chime debacle of early this year remains in their memory, but the decision –if indeed it is true – smacks of myopia. Why would they reject such a powerful position, akin to throwing away the baby with the bath water, just because of one unsavoury incident? Granted that unlike the Yorubas are rallying round Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the Igbo have no central political figure, does it also pass as excuse for the apparent lack of perception among those of them that presently hold political offices? Why were they that quiet following the ‘forced’ resignation of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as PDP national chairman and when Interior Minister, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, was shown the exit door?
From many points of view, it is obvious that the potentials of the SGF position appear more beneficial to the South East than the position of House Speaker. It may be a hard sell for the Igbos for reasons already mentioned, but it is true. Two issues, however, ought to be the new focus for Ndigbo now: the choice of who occupies the SGF position and the all-important 2015 presidential project, especially as the posts being clamoured for are not of strategic importance to the 2015 project.
Anyadike, a public affairs analyst wrote in from Abuja
Source: Leadership, 5th June 2011.
Govt to Tackle Erosion, Others in S’East
FROM FLORENCE LAWRENCE, ABUJA
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has okayed the speedy intervention of the Federal Government to the
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Odey added that though government was yet to specify the cost implication and list of projects to be carried out, the President however directed the Ministry of Environment to work out the first phase of intervention, which begins between now and December.
Odey disclosed this yesterday in Abuja when three South-East governors paid him a visit in his office to ascertain steps the Federal Government was taking on its intervention arrangement. The governors include Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi) and Peter Obi (Anambra).
Odey described the visit as part of developmental project for the South Eastern dwellers considering the enormity of erosion and flood, adding that in the next two weeks arrangement would be concluded on specific projects for the area.
He said: “We have gone far in our discussion and am holding brief for Mr. President on this issue. We have done some business study and surveys of the ecological problems in the region and have come up with some intervention measures.
“We also have in our regular budget line some project we will embark on across the country this year and South East is taken a share of this as a matter of consideration… We have discussed with the South East governors, we don’t want to go into details right now until we are able to come up with specific projects, which I believe in the next two weeks, we should conclude arrangement.”
Governor Obi, who commended the effort of the Federal Government, noted that the efforts to tackle the erosion cases in the area were now different from what was done in the past.
He said that the Federal Government had shown renewed commitment that was very heartwarming for the states, adding that the visit was to encourage more involvement.
According to him, unlike what happened in the past, the money committed was not enough but the activity now had taken a new turn since 2007 when the last administration ordered a survey to be carried out on the list of ecological challenges in the region without adequate funds to tackle the problem.
Meanwhile, the South East governors have called on the Federal Government to provide quick intervention in the water supply problem in the Eastern part of the country.
They affirmed that the inadequate water supply has contributed to the menace in their communities, which often hamper their business activities.
They therefore called on the Federal Government to put in place strategies to fast-track the provision of water for people in the state.
Obi made the plea yesterday in Abuja when he led a delegation of South East Governors to the office of Minister of Water Resources, Chief Obadiah Ando.
He said: “As people in the South East, we are without adequate water supply, Aba is without water, so is Enugu, Owerri, Abakaliki, Onitsha and several other communities in their state.”
Obi affirmed that for a long time, most Eastern states had lacked intervention in the area of water supply, and their plea has been falling to deaf ear, hoping that the government would comply with their request.
He submitted that the basis of their courtesy call to the Minister of Water Resources was to seek ways in which the Federal Government could assist their states in providing them with safe water which in the long run would boost their business activities in the state.
Ando in his response, noted that he was aware that the Eastern states constitute the basic provider of commerce in the country, adding that President Jonathan had given them the mandate to ensure that water was adequately provided in the area.
Source: The Guardian, 31st August 2010.
What Igboukwu means to the Igbos - Chukwuemeka Ezeife
By THERESA ONWUGHALU
Wednesday Sun, February 20, 2008
Former Governor of Anambra, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife has argued that Igbo-Ukwu, a town in Anambra is the centre of culture in the Southern Nigeria just as Argungu in Kebbi State is the same in the Northern Nigeria.
The politician who spoke to Daily Sun in Ilorin, Kwara State recently, hinted that he derives pleasure in discussing the culture of a people. According to him, he grew up in Igbo-Ukwu, with the interest in the culture of his people at heart and as he grew up, he started comparing his culture with that of others. Ezeife observed further that his town Igboukwu could be said to be the Southern Cultural Centre since Igbo-Ukwu was dated to the nineth century.
By this, after Nok culture, the next is Igbo-Ukwu. “ Igbo-Ukwu people were said to be the origin of not only Igbo people but black people. Igbo as a group are not pushing it. In fact, Nri is more mentioned than Igboukwu. But Nri people originated from Igala in the 17th century after a war in Igala. When I was governor of Anambra State, I put a small museum in Igbo-Ukwu. The Federal Government is building a museum right now. The same Federal Government last year commissioned National Gallery of Art in Igbo-Ukwu. Also Federal government last year built a Yam house, after the Fishing Village of Argungu Fishing Festival Kebbi State in the North. Argungu is in the North as a traditional cultural centre. In the same way, we have Igbo-Ukwu as the cultural centre.’’
Archaeology in Igbo-Ukwu
Igboukwu is an archaeological town where Professor Thurstan Shaw did some excavations which led to the second oldest culture in Nigeria. Igbo-Ukwu was dated nineth century. So after Nok culture, the next is Igbo-Ukwu. The issue is that it is not just Igbo-Ukwu affair. It is an Igbo affair. The problem is that we do not know how to sell ourselves. Formerly our people were said not to have history.
Visit of Archaeologists in the 60s
I was lucky to be home when international archaeologist came to Igbo-Ukwu. We moved around with them, this was in 1960’s. Their task was to look at those things of 19th century and compare with the piece of artifacts available at the time they visited. They found that there is the same motif with the art in Udo shrine and in Umudege. Umudege is a group and the claim by our people is that Igbo was founded by Dege. Igbo Dege whether it is a human being or man is not clear. When we say Dege founded Igbo, it may not just be Igbo-Ukwu because those who know tell us that any distance left, right or centre are equal distance to all the people speaking Igbo. And in all Igbo culture if you are going left it is the same distance, right, forward, and backward. There is something unique about the location. It is so central and there is no water there.
Igboukwu, the origin of black race
Igboukwu people were said to be the origin of not only Igbo people but black people. Igbo as a group are not pushing it. In fact, Nri is more mentioned than Igbo-Ukwu. But Nri people came across from Igala in the 17th century after a war in Igala. That was eight centuries after Igbo-Ukwu origin. Nri came and found aka mkpsi in that location and the dwarfs are the custodians of the Nri culture. They crown everybody. There is no tradition of igbu-ichi or ichi-ozo in Igala from where Nri originated. So, they came and met things in Igbo land. But they were in-charge of religion. Every body obeyed religion even today, if there is a cleansing job to be done, they do not look for an Igbo-Ukwu person. An Nri person must be summoned to do it. So Nri takes its toll as the people in charge of religion.
Yam House in Igbo-Ukwu
The Federal Government did so much in Igbo-Ukwu when I was governor of Anambra State a small museum is now in place although this was decided before I came but I started the work. Then Federal Government is building a museum right now. The same Federal government last year commissioned National Gallery of Art in Igbo-Ukwu. Also, Federal Government last year built a Yam house, after the Fishing Village of Argungu Fishing Festival Kebbi State in the North. Argungu is in the north as a traditional cultural centre. In the south we have Igbo-Ukwu as the cultural centre. They built a Yam House for Igbo people.
2007 New Yam Festival
The best New Yam Festival was held in Igbo-Ukwu last year. Every State in the South-east contributed some cultural troupes. Some Ezes and Igwes from across South-east came to join in that celebration. So, people are becoming more and more aware of the culture. Going to the archaeological history, I should be proud that what they got was from my mother’s compound.
I did not attend a secondary school
I was born in Igboukwu in Aguata Local Government area of Anambra State. I was brought up in the village and did the things people do in the village. One of the most interesting was killing of lizards and conduction of funeral ceremonies of lizards as if they are human beings. Then I was always imitating what our parents did. I did my primary school at Salvation Army and Anglican. I did not attend any secondary school. I eventually spent two years in Teachers Training School. In fact, I equipped myself with secondary education through correspondence courses. In 1959, I took the G.C.E. It was a qualification test and it qualified me to take G.C.E advanced level. I did and passed three papers. It became the route through which I entered the university.
Complex in the university
I entered University College Ibadan in 1961 where I studied Economics. I trusted God always. Initially, I had inferiority complex because all those who left standard six with me had been to the university. I met them in the university, some of them had already got all manners of qualifications. So I found myself competing with people who have been thoroughly trained in the system. The first year was very impressive.
After the first examinations, I started from the bottom to look for my name as we were more than two hundred. I found my name in number eighteen. That encouraged me. In the second examinations, I was able to beat everyone. That was the Bsc part one. I won the faculty prize. I became number one and I thanked God that I completed my course.