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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

The cord, chorus of unity among Ndigbo

Written by Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
~Vanguard Nigeria. Tuesday, July 19, 2016

For a people reputed for their republican attitude, not many have been shocked by the division that has for long been the lot of the Igbo nation.

However, last Thursday, a bold move was made to put the different tendencies in the Igbo nation together at a gathering that had some of the foremost leaders to have come out from the region.

The gathering under the auspices of the Unity Forum was an opportunity for the Igbo nation to articulate a common position on issues that have recently challenged the people as a race and their patrimony within the Nigerian state.

At the gathering were some outstanding names from the professions, traditional rulers, political leaders including some who have retired. The list of attendees included Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs. Cecilia Ezilo, the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, and the host Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha.

Also present were a former chief of general staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States Dr. George Obiozo, founder of Diamond Bank and MTN chairman, Dr. Paschal Dozie; former chief of naval staff, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke, former governors including Chief Emeka Ezeife, Chief Jim Nwobodo. Also present were Chief S.N. Okeke, Prof. Anya O. Anya, and the Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Enwo Igariwe.


The Ohaneze Ndigbo leader could hardly hide his joy at the gathering of Igbo leaders coming together under one roof noting

"We have never had it like this in coming together to proffer solutions to the nagging Igbo problems."

It was an opportunity for the various leaders to articulate views on the state of the Igbo nation and what could be done to better position the race. They said:

We won't complain of marginalization again - Alison Madueke

Anything we put our minds and strength in as Igbo, we can achieve it.

Igbos are the only people that built an airport on their own without federal government's intervention.

We won't complain of marginalization again.

We’re a proud people - Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe


We need not talk so much about our past because most Nigerians do know that if there is any group of Nigerians that can make a change in their life, that group is Igbo. Therefore, there is nothing to complain about our pride. We are a proud people.

If we were not a proud people, we would probably have been carrying our books in our hands going around to beg but begging is not in our culture. Those who came here after the civil war, if they come back in most cases, they can't recognize the place. This is because the Igbos are focused, hardworking and they can change any place to a better place.

We have met today and discussed, we are not playing politics, we are facing issues. Issues that concern us as a people and the nation at large. What I will tell every Igbo man or youth is to be focused. We cannot plead or beg. Every Igbo must change his status, change what others may think is a terrible thing for us, we must not be intimidated by anybody. We are not going to beg; we will persevere and change our lives.

This is an Igbo affair and therefore many of our traders, industrialist and academicians are not in the east here. They are in all parts of the country, developing those lands at the detriment of

theirs.

We have to attract our sons and daughters back home; we have to transform this place as it is part of our traditional home. We should confront the difficulties facing us than talking about it. Concentration must be in industrializing the Igbo region.

We’re a people of destiny - Chukwuemeka Ezeife

We the Igbo are a people of destiny and no human being born by man can change our faith and destiny.

We depend on the Almighty God for everything we do.

This is only the beginning, I will call on the governors of Abia, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi to help with precious time for us to redefine the Igbo leadership that will dramatically develop the Igbo homeland so that a migration form here will not be as a matter of economic necessity.

Our future is here - Paschal Dozie

Our future is here. Why do I say that, because the leadership of the Igbos not only has decided that the past shall never return, the past of despondency, the past of self re-ordination and pity.

We are now moving forward forgetting the past and looking forward to the future.

Again, one of the things that really also interested me was that in that meeting we redefined the concept of Igbo leadership, taking it back to what it used to be, even our governor re-echoed the refrain that the original concept of the Igbo leadership has to be maintained and the value system needs to be rekindled into our system or else we go nowhere.

Therefore, today is just the beginning of a new dawn.

Our experience should be our guide - Prof Anya

This is the time for the sons of Issachar, your assignment is clear, to help our people chart a new course in this very dangerous times.

We are faced with uncertainty; we are faced with doubts and even fear. It is not surprising then that in this doubt and uncertainty we could lose our focus, we could lose our confidence in ourselves, and we can now pursue new and emerging ideas... re awakening from our past, hence we need to have a quick thank into our history, ancient and modern.

It is important that the redemption and rebuilding of ala-Igbo will not come from outside Igbo land, it will not come from Abuja, it will not come from Lagos, it will, however, need a paradigm shift in our approach to the problems of Nigeria. Our experience as a people should be our guide.

Ndi Igbo will not flourish in the Nigeria pseudo-federation until federalism with mandate resolution of power is restored.

With this, our initiative can become unchained for the benefit of our country and our compatriots. This is why we need to support the ways of democratic opinion insisting on restructuring Nigeria.

We must act now - Rochas Okorocha

Anation or people that are faced with extreme danger like Ndi Igbo should seek the wisest course of action and not of sentiments and complains. Thank God that the Igbo are now complying and not complaining.

We must act quickly and now too under the present ugly situation which our terrible condition points out to us, if not, we might be destroying the psyche of the generation of Ndi Igbo yet unborn.

There is no better time for us to unite than now.

A few years ago, we sang the song of grief, marginalization, and we were looking frustrated looking for who can help us but thank God we have realized that no amount of complaining against the marginalization if Ndi Igbo will bring succor to our children rather we shall all rise and take our rightful position and sing a new song.

Conduct and character

Before we join the bandwagon of complaining, little do we realize that Igbo are different and distinguished in both conduct and character, hence passion for success like no other tribe in the world.

No one nation even the entire world can marginalise Ndi Igbo. The Igbo's marginalization is an apparent marginalisation which does not reflect any practical reality. Take an Igbo man, leave him in the desert, give him nothing and give him two years he will make something out of nothing.

Why then must we depend on help, from where? This is the time for us to think outside the box. This is the time for us to encourage our youths and give them hope.

Let us break the jinx of disunity caused by politics because what unites us is far more than the political parties that divide us. We shall know the points to speak about politics and time to speak as ndi Igbo. Let us know when to play politics and when to be ndi Igbo. This is the wisdom that underlines us.

We’re bringing hope to our people - Enwo Igariwey

Today Ohaneze speaks with one voice. Some people have been complaining rightly, but that is not why we are here today. I will tell you a simple story that reflects why we are here today. When the civil war ended nearly forty years ago, it was not a magic that we recovered with the pace with which we did, when the Red Cross, CARITAS were sending relief materials to our people again in the refugee camp because our people by their adventurous nature had gone to fetch for themselves, that is the Igbo spirit, that is the can do it spirit.

We are going to bring hope to our people; our people will no longer cry because as a people we

can solve our problems. There is nothing we put our minds to that we cannot solve, when you see Lagos the way it is, highly developed environment, the Igbo contributed about 30% of that development, the same in Abuja that means that if we redirect our energies, we can build

Abuja in Igboland. That means we can build Lagos in Igboland, and that is our new direction now. What we want is that our people should not see any person as being responsible for any situation we find ourselves in. We will only be there if we accept it. We will put our feet down and put our heads up; we will rise to the occasion to solve our problems. Hope has come, that is the message we are bringing.

Our future is in our hands - Lolo Cecilia Ezeilo (Dep Gov Enugu State)

What we are telling ourselves is that our future is in our hands. What we are telling ourselves is that we did it before during the time of Michael Okpara and we can do it again.

Igbo people are known for entrepreneurship, and hardworking spirit, patient people.

There is change in Imo - Simon N. OKEKE - Ex-chairman PSC

It is only in Imo State that the APC change mantra is effective in a very positive way through the total turnaround of the state by Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

This is a new dawn - Gov Ikpeazu

Love for the Igbo nation must be encouraged as any tribe that does not unite will lose its rights, we must unite to get our rights.

This a new dawn in Igbo land as Ohaneze through the magical vision of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has united us as one and we will henceforth speak with the full backing of the governors and leaders of the Igbo nation.

The period of govt by intimidation is over - Amb George Obiozor

Just recently someNigerian leaders discovered that Nigeria unity is non-negotiable. Well, I have an answer. The reality is after so many years, in spite of all efforts, past and present, Nigeria's unity has not been guaranteed, at best it has been an aspiration, not an achievement.

Let me be frank with you, throughout the history of this country, no generation of Nigerian leaders civilian or military had created an atmosphere of credibility to ensure Nigeria's claim to political future of oneness.

What do Nigerian elites do? None of the Nigerian political groups was able to involve a unified national ideology that other people accepted.

This is true. What we see is ethnic nationalism which is not about to disappear certainly not in Nigeria no matter how we may want to wish it away.

Ethnic nationalism is still a potent force. The period or era if government by intimidation, coercive integration is over. No one group again can own the nation. That denied justice may have no interest in peace.

No comments:

THE IGBO RANT

I am an Igbo, I was born an Igbo, I live the life of an Igbo, I come from Igbo, I speak Igbo, I like to be Igbo, I like to dress in Igbo, I eat Igbo food, my heritage, culture and tradition is Igbo, my parents are Igbo.

Am sorry I cannot help it if you hate my lineage. Am sorry I cannot help it if you detest Igbo, am sorry I cannot help it if you hate me because am Igbo. Igbo is who I am, my name is Igbo and I must die an Igbo.

You see Igbo as a threat, why? You call Igbo rapist, criminals, ritualist, prostitutes, kidnappers. You attribute all negative vices to represent Igbo? Why do you do that? You do because you feel threatened that Igbo might outrun the rest of the tribes. Why do you hate Igbo and despise us? You do that because we are creative, enlightened, hardworking, industrious, genius, intelligent, smart, rich, beautiful and amazing. But its difficult for you to admit it because you feel jealous of my race.

Igbo do not own politics, Igbo do not control the economy neither do we control the natural resources and the common wealth of the nation. You do, we don't and yet, despite the fact that you own everything, we still remain one indispensable race that has outshined the other race in all ramifications.

You fear us because you want to exterminate and annihilate our race, you deny us many things and yet we are stronger, richer and mightier. You fear us because we are everywhere. You fear us because no matter how rural a place might be, when Igbo steps in, they turn it into a Paradise. We have our own resources, which lies in resourcefulness, we do not bother you and your control over the polity, but yet when we cough you and the other race begin to shiver.

Am proud being an Igbo, am proud of my heritage and culture. Igbo means high class, Igbo means independence, Igbo means hard work and strength, Igbo means riches, Igbo means resourcefulness, Igbo means self belonging, Igbo means self esteem, Igbo means pride, Igbo means swag.

Udo diri unu umunnem.
# IgboAmaka
# AnyiBuNdiMmeri

Michael Ezeaka
------------------------------

This is beautiful poetry ...

In response to Alaba Ajibola, the Babcock Lecturer Hate Speech against Igbos.

BIBLICAL TRADITIONS OF NDI IGBO BEFORE THE MISSIONARIES CAME TO AFRICA* IGBO 101.

1. NSÓ NWANYĮ
In Igboland women live apart from their husbands and neither cook for them nor enter their husband's quarters when they are in their period. They are seen as unclean. Even up till today such practice is still applicable in some parts of Igboland especially by the traditionalists. Before a woman can enter the palace of Obi of Onitsha, she will be asked if she is in her period, if yes, she will be asked to stay out.

Leviticus 15: 19-20
When a woman has her monthly period, she remains unclean, anyone who touches her or anything she has sat on becomes unclean.

2. ANA OBI
An Igbo man's ancestral heritage, called “Ana Obi” is not sellable, elders will not permit this. If this is somehow done due to the influence of the West the person is considered a fool and is ostracized by the community.

1 Kings 21:3
I inherited this vineyard from my ancestors, and the Lord forbid that I should sell it, said Naboth.

3. IKUCHI NWANYĮ
Igbos have practiced the taking of a late brother's wife into marriage after she had been widowed until the white men came. Now it is rarely done but except in very rural villages.

Deuteronomy 25:5
A widow of a dead man is not to be married outside the family; it is the duty of the dead man's brother to marry her.

4. ĮGBA ODIBO
In Igboland, there is a unique form of apprenticeship in which either a male family member or a community member will spend six (6) years (usually in their teens to their adulthood) working for another family. And on the seventh year, the head of the host household, who is usually the older man who brought the apprentice into his household, will establish (Igbo: idu uno) the apprentice
by either setting up a business for him or giving money or tools by which to make a living.

Exodus 21:2
If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you for six years. In the seventh year he is to be set free without having to pay you anything.

5. IRI JI OFŲŲ
In Igboland , the yam is very important as it is their staple crop. There are celebrations such as the New yam festival (Igbo: Iri Ji) which are held for the harvesting of the yam. New Yam festival (Igbo: Iri ji) is celebrated annually to secure a good harvest of the staple crop. In the olden days it is an abomination for one to eat a new harvest before the festival. It's a tradition that you give the gods of the land first as a thanksgiving.

Deuteronomy 16:9
Count 7 weeks from the time that you begin to harvest the crops, and celebrate the harvest festival to honor the lord your God, by bringing him a freewill offering in proportion to the blessing he has given you. Celebrate in the Lord's presence together with your children, servants, foreigners. Be sure that you obey my command, said the Lord.

6. IBE UGWU
In Igboland it's a tradition that the male children are circumcised on the 8th day. This tradition is still practiced till date.

Leviticus 12:3
On the eighth day, the child shall be circumcised.

7. ÓMŲGWÓ
In Igboland, there is a practice known as "ile omugwo ". After a woman has given birth to a child, a very close and experienced relative of hers, in most cases her mother is required by tradition to come spend time with her and her husband. During which she is to do all the work of the wife, while the new mom's only assignment to the baby will be to breastfeed. This goes on for a month or more. In the Igbo old tradition, at this time, the new mom lives apart from her husband, would not cook or enter his quarters.

Leviticus 12:1-4
For seven days after a woman gives birth, she is ritually unclean as she is during her monthly period. It will be 33 days until she is ritually clean from the loss of blood; she is not to touch anything that is holy.

THE IGBO TRIBE AND ITS FEAR OF EXTINCTION

The Igbo tribe is in a serious problem and danger of extinction for the following reasons:

50% of Igbos are born outside Igbo land. Meaning that those children are not likely to live and work in Igbo land and cannot speak Igbo language but foreign language (Yoruba, Hausa, French, English).

40% of Igbos girls between the age of 25 & 45 are single with no hope of marriage because 35% of Igbo boys live overseas and they have all married white ladies.

75% of Igbo youths leave Igbo land every year in search of opportunities in Yoruba, Hausa land or overseas.

85 % of Igbos have family houses and own investments outside Igbo land. They strongly believe in one Nigeria but failed to know that NO Yoruba or Hausa man has a family house or investment in Igbo land.

Igbos are the only people who believe that living outside their land is an achievement.

Igbos are the only tribe that celebrate their tradition outside their land e.g. Eze Ndi Igbo, Igbo Village in America and this is because they have family homes in foreign lands.

Igbos have failed to know that the children you have outside Igbo land especially overseas will never think of living in Igbo land. So what happens to the properties you are building for them when you are gone?

Igbos are the only tribe who see their land as a place to visit or a tourist site than a place to work and live.

Igbos are the only tribe who instead of promoting and appreciating their culture through movies and documentaries they have sought to ridicule it by portraying rituals, killings, wickedness, love for money and other social vices which were not originally inherent in our culture thereby cursing more harm than actually promoting their culture.

Igbos are the only people who without hesitation believe their history and description when it is told or written by an enemy or a foreigner. E.g. that you do not love yourselves or that you love money.

Igbos are the ONLY largest tribe on earth who fought for their independence and failed to achieve their freedom after 40 years.

Igbos are the only tribe who fails to honour their brave heroes and heroines especially the innocent children starved to death during the Biafran war.

Igbos are the only tribe who embraced their enemy after a bloody civil war and subsequently become slaves.

Igbos do not find it necessary to teach their own version of history to their children.

Igbos fight for marginalisation in Nigeria but has no collective strength or teeth to bite.

Igbos how long are you going to fight for your relevance in Nigeria?

How long are you going to fight for a functional airport, rail networks and other structural establishments that underpin sustainable development?

How long are you prepared to wait for your enemy to guide you to your destiny?

Oh Igbos!
Where are your leaders?

Unfortunately, none of them live and work in Igbo land. If you wish to save the future of your children, your identity, your generation and your race then you need freedom and that freedom is Biafra.

Ukpana Okpoko gburu bu nti chiri ya!

By Chime Eze
#COPIED

The Igbo: We die for causes, not for personalities

Written by Emeka Maduewesi

~on fb. 28th September, 2016.


The Igbo will never die for anyone. We will not even riot for anyone. But the Igbo will die for any cause they believe in because the Igbo have a true sense of justice and a determination to obtain it.


The Igbo will not riot because one of their own lost an election. Operation Wetie was the Western response to a massively rigged 1965 election. The Yoruba doused fellow Yorubas in petrol and burnt them alife. Properties were burnt with occupants. The Igbo will never do this.


In 1983, the Yoruba went on a rampage again over the massive rigging by NPN. Lifes were lost and properties destroyed. The riots were over personalities.


Contrast that with Anambra State where Chief Emeka Ojukwu was rigged out by his own NPN, who also rigged out Chief Jim Nwobodo. The Igbo did not protest because the goat's head is still in the goat's bag.


In the North, ba muso was the battle cry when Sultan Dasuki was imposed on the Sokoto Caliphate. The riot and protest lasted for days and crippled economic activities.


The Igbo will riot over issues and causes. The Aba Women Riot was over Tax. The Enugu coal mine riot was about conditions of service. The Ekumeku Uprising was over British colonialization.


Those of "Ekumeku" ancestry - Umu Eze Chima and Umu Nri - were at the forefront of the struggles for Nigerian independence, with people like Dr. A A Nwafor Orizu and Chief Osita Agwuna serving prison terms. Any struggles the parents could not conclude is continued by the children by other means.


The Biafran war was a response to the genocide. The war in fact was brought upon us. The battlefield was Eastern Region. The war ended in 1970 but the issues and causes were not resolved. That is where we are today.


The Igbo will also jointly rise to fight evil in their midst. They did it in Onitsha in the 1980's, Owerri in the 90's, and with Bakkassi in the 2000.


The Igbo will not die for any man. But the Igbo will stand by any man who symbolizes their cause and their pursuit of justice. Even if the man dies, the struggle continues, and like the Ekumeku warriors, the children will pick up the baton from their parents.


This is the Igbo I know, the Igbo I am, and the Igbo we are. This is my story. Feel free to tell yours.

RT. HON. DR. NNAMDI AZIKIWE TO DR. CHUBA OKADIGBO (1981)

"My boy, may you live to your full potential, ascend to a dizzy height as is possible for anyone of your political description in your era to rise. May you be acknowledged world-wide as you rise as an eagle atop trees, float among the clouds, preside over the affairs of fellow men.... as leaders of all countries pour into Nigeria to breathe into her ear.

But then, Chuba, if it is not the tradition of our people that elders are roundly insulted by young men of the world, as you have unjustly done to me, may your reign come to an abrupt and shattering close. As you look ahead, Chuba, as you see the horizon, dedicating a great marble palace that is the envy of the world, toasted by the most powerful men in the land, may the great big hand snatch it away from you. Just as you look forward to hosting the world’s most powerful leader and shaking his hands, as you begin to smell the recognition and leadership of the Igbo people, may the crown fall off your head and your political head fall off your shoulders.

None of my words will come to pass, Chuba, until you have risen to the very height of your power and glory and health, but then you will be hounded and humiliated and disgraced out of office, your credibility and your name in tatters forever...”
THE REST IS HISTORY AS EVERY WORD OF THE CURSE ON CHUBA CAME TO PASS.

LET'S BE AS PASSIONATE AS WE WANT TO AND BE MODERATE IN OUR CONTRIBUTIONS IN PUBLIC DISCUSSION TO ISSUES AS WORDS OF OUR ELDERS ARE WORDS OF WISDOM

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