VANGUARD’S impressionistic writer and author of the Nigerian bestseller-Blood On the Niger, Emma Okocha has formally declared his candidacy for the position of the President General of Ohaneze Ndilgbo.

In a press release, Chicago-based nuclear physicist, Professor Akujieze, disclosed that the Ndiigbo in the Diaspora have decided to pull their resources together to directly impact Igboland. “We looked around and after all our sad experiences dealing with all sorts of people at home and in Nigeria; the Igbos in Diaspora chose an incorruptible soul and an unrepentant Igbo. He is not a businessman.
He is not a rich man but does not bow to money. He has been in government and never gave any contract to his friends or himself.

As the Director Delta Sports he managed to save over 300 million naira for Delta State as he miraculously programmed the First Delta Sports Festival in 1977, under a total budget of three million naira.

For seven years before him the state could not run a sports festival because the commissioners before him were budgeting for the same state sports festival some three hundred and fifty millions. His thrifty and disciplined fiscal management were foreign.

Akujieze called on every Igbo to do their research on the declared candidates. Okocha according to the Ijeoma Ijeawele was a Councilor who was offered a Local Government stall on Nnebisi Road Asaba. He thanked his Local Government Lady Chairman advising her to hand over the stalls to registered traders.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/content/view/22705/45/

How can they make a Deltan their president. I thought it is only igbos from anambra that are real igbo?

Hotchic abeg where did you read that only Anambra Igbos are the only real Igbos

Hotchic abeg where did you read that only Anambra Igbos are the only real Igbos

Nairaland/tribalism section.

Don't believe everything you see or hear from the Internet dear

Vote for a man just cause he saved some money 30 years ago?? ROFLMAO!!!

Don't believe everything you see or hear from the Internet dear

I know.

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SINCE its failed attempt to use force of arm to annex the minorities of the Niger-Delta into the ill-fated Biafran Republic in 1967, Ndigbo has over the preceding years, never ceased to feed nor nurture this dream. In fact, it has continually re-assessed the possibilities at every turn. Our new democracy has given new impetus to this inquisition. The methods have shifted from forceful conquest of the oil-rich territory to a more subtle but sublime intellectual prodding. If we take our minds back, Ndigbo’s similar overtures were spurned by Afenifere, when she wanted a handshake across the Niger. Ther present quest of Ndigbo to forcefully carry off the Niger-Delta into a marriage she alone knows the gains, shall also hit a brick wall.
The ground for the supposed alliance of the two geo-political zones, is said to be anchored on the claim that the South-South and South-East are marginalised in the political configuration of our beloved country. For this, the Ndigbo is canvassing that the two zones must bandy together to confront and extricate themselves from the oppressive leviathan that has continually deprived and raped both zones. The South-South is not averse to overtures of friendship from any group that would further its struggle for equity and fairness in the Nigerian state.
Igbo is one of the major tripods upon which Nigeria as a nation was founded. It, however, lost its pride of place on the high-table after its botched attempt to secede from the larger body. We in the Niger-Delta sympathise with our supposed closest neighbour in her present predicament, and her quest to rise from the ashes of her previous glory. Indeed, we empathize Ndigbo’s situation, as we suffer the same fate and know where the shoe pinches. The South-South is deeply grateful to the South-East for the support she accorded it at the last National Political Reform Conference (NPRC). We are, however, not indebted to Ohaneze. Hinged on this, the South-South is finding it very discomforting that Ndigbo is bent on arm-twisting the zone to jettison its aspiration and support her to enthrone an Igbo into national leadership come 2007. All schemes fair and foul, are being adopted to realise this Ndigbo objective.
Igbo newspaper columnists have also logged-in on Ndigbo aspiration to heap aspersions on dissenting views from the South-South. Ochereome Nnanna in his Vanguard column captioned, “Mba, Clark Fued” of February 2, took a swipe at Chief Edwin Clark, bastion of Ijaw struggle for equity. What a cheek! That Nnanna would openly insult a man old enough to be his father, is a testimony to the axiom that Igbo have no leaders, and their young ones lack respect for elders. Nnanna’s feet would never fill the shoes of Clark in the checkered career of journalism he has opted for. The Igbo agenda as being presently pursued, is to harass South-South leaders that are opposed to Igbo incursion. We have turncoats and blacklegs in every system. If the Igbos have found sympathy in some South-South leaders, who would compromise the zone’s position, Ndigbo should rejoice and stop at that. In this vein, uncouth Igbo hacks should mind their umbrage on Niger-Delta leaders. Rather than lower the esteem of persons like Edwin Clark and others who are steadfast in the defence and pursuit of the region’s aspirations, invidious attacks as contemplated by the Igbos shoot up their fame. The likes of Ochereome offend the sensibilities of the larger population of the South-South.
Clark’s point of argument, which he has at every opportunity canvassed apart from resource control, is that, all zones of the federation have at one time or the other ascended the leadership of this country, and that it is the turn of the South-South to do same. South-South leaders that have sold their birth right for whatever reason for an alliance, should not count on the people’s support. Ndigbo will never succeed in arm- twisting the Niger-Delta to a forced marriage. Its claims of backing the South-South for equity in the Nigerian state are to us, not genuine, it is motivated by an ulterior motive: the annexation of the Niger-Delta. Our people would never be hoodwinked. The South- South would choose those to fraternise with and will never ever be part of Biafra.
•Mr. Clark, a public affairs analyst, writes from Delta State.
http://odili.net/news/source/2006/apr/18/329.html

annexed by the Hausa/Fulani and the Yorubas? Who are the TOP ogas for Shell, Chevron, Agip and who owns all the OIL blocks in Niger Delta Mr. Grade one Clark? You are worried about the Igbos taking what is not even yours."

GIVE ME OIL!OIL!OIL!OIL!OIL!OIL!OIL!OIL! Igbophobic lazy things.

Some guy called Nnanna and a group of Igbo columnist write against—if they did-- South-South presidency and it translates to potentially 60 million people who want take over Niger delta’s oil. Many people in that Niger delta are so lazy it is not even funny,they wait tirelessly for an illusive oil. I would be surprised if I found many people working there.I suspect that if were not for South-eastern Igbos they would have pounced on Igbo speaking groups in the Niger delta who are found in every state in the Niger--killed or chased them out of their lands. Expansionism runs high in that Niger Delta .Once OPC warned against touching Itesekiris.If you think they are happy with Igbo speaking groups there, you better come down to earth especially Rivers State.I didn't want to reply this Ignoramus that probably thinks Imo and Abia are peripheral Niger Delta.She probably needs to be told that Igbo speakers make up potentially 60% of the Niger delta if you total all of them and that many of us have relatives there. She said nothing new,in fact I have talked about their hatred here before for anything Igbo.Perhaps after Northerners, Niger deltans come second if there is a hatred hierarchy.Today Anioma in Delta state are constantly being reminded that they do not deserve to be in the Delta state and that they do not deserve having the capital in Asaba.Today Rivers state is almost totally Igbo speaking with a few Non-Igbo speaking peoples after years of trying to extirpate any Igbo trace—the governor is an Igbo speaking man from Nnodi.I am glad we didn't win the war because I foresee a situation whereby minorities would be crying day and night. Before the war, when Igbos were being killed they were clamouring for states to live in subservience as they are now. They brought Nigerians into Biafra.Today if we are given a new existence we would do so with 5 states and possibly Igbo speaking areas in the Niger Delta. That is why I laugh at their childish plays in the creeks and all the razzmatazz because the liberation is characterised hatred ,opportunism,selective assistance et al.A liberation based on selective help, overt and covert tribalism and what not. Despite all the resources their leaders recieve there is almost nothing to show and perhaps all of them are chronically lazy--they dream of an oil utopia.If the Southeast can teach them any lesson they should go to Aba and Nnewi and see hardworking people making products--shoes,books et al.I have always known that they hate it when Igbos chip in to their liberation they enjoy other regions more than us.

Mazzi Rodman
Quote | |



Today Niger deltans hate Igbos and they would rather see the destruction of anything Igbo in the Niger delta.It becomes a bitter pill when the main group in the Niger Delta are Igbo speaking groups nonetheless:Anoimas,Ikweres,Igbankes,Ndoni,Opobo Igbo speakers,Bonny Igbo speakers et al.You see after the 1967-70 civil war the Nigerian government with the aid of minorities--perhaps not all as some minorities fought with Biafra I guess from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states,sought to remove as much as possible any trace of Igbo.I do not doubt at first some minorities were with us but as time went on Igbos got only hate and complaints from that region.Opobo for instance was started by an Igbo man,King Jaja and I believe an Ijaw woman,so it is not a surprise to hear Igbo spoken there.In Rivers state the main group there are:Ikwere Igbo speakers and other Igbo speaking groups, in all they account for probably 95% of the population there--the present Governor of the state is an Igbo-speaking man, from Ndoni,infact outside the five Eastern states Ohaneze recognises a large presence of Igbo-speaking groups in Delta and River states.So when you hear someone with a questionable name rant like this you cannot help but see a parochialism that mirrors the perception of the Niger Delta.There are people there that are angry at Igbos because Azikwe took the capital from Calabar to Lagos.This single act and other acts brought the Igbo race scorn and hatred by people there.Whether those decisions were right or wrong they were done by a few Igbos but sufficient to hate all.You also have people that talk about Igbos oppressing them in the Old region.When Igbos take interest in the Niger delta we do not have to do it with irredentist motives when in all states from Edo to Bayelsa,you have Igbo-speaking groups.A mere rant by someone would not take away ground realities.I consider anyone that waits for oil money to be distributed--while living in poverty-- to be lazy!I saw a programme about Cross River and I was excited to see ground activities were being initiated to deviate from the complete resignation to oil.I do not hate them and are connected in many ways to them historically.You have Igbo groups that have lived collectively for years with minorities:Efiks and Arochukwu,Jaja and I believe an Ijaw woman started Opobo together and other inter-unions.




EVERY once in a while, one is forced to respond or intervene on aspects of our shared history generally obscured or revised by some public commentator acting out of some peculiar anxiety. I have maintained on a number of occasions that contemporary Nigerian history is generally built on fiction, and this fact generally throws up the problem of the uses of history when it is deployed to obscurantist and reactionary purposes.It is against this background that I wish to respond to the article about the Igbo desire to “annex the Niger delta” written by some peculiarly enthusiastic commentator with the equally peculiar nomme de plume - Grade-One Clark - published in the Vanguard, in response to Mr. Nnanna Ocherome. I have no doubt that Ocherome would more than discharge himself if he chooses to respond to Mr. Clark, and so my concern, I should clarify with a prefatory statement, is not to rally to Nnanna Ocherome’s flag.It is rather to point Mr. Clark and whomever may be so inclined, to some interesting ambiguities and silences, and in fact, the pernicious fantasy of the claim in his article about Igbo designs to annex the Niger-delta. But what is the Niger delta? Today, most Nigerians associate what they call the “South-South” - a strange geography of disparate entities -.also generally referring to “minorities of Southern Nigeria” as constituting the Niger delta.Such entities as the Isoko, the Urhrobo, the Ijaw, the Itsekiri, the Edo, the Efik, Ibibio, Annang, Ekoi, and so on and so forth, who constitute a polarity that measures itself against the formidable Igbo group of the Nigerian South.But the Niger delta is indeed more than this. It has been a rather active theatre of history, and anybody who wishes to know its true and abiding story should look to Kenneth Dike, E.J. Alagoa and Obaro Ikime, three of Nigeria’s most distinguished historians who have written with insight about it.I think that Mr “Grade-One” Clark is ignorant of his history when he asserts with fanatical authority that the Igbo were, because of some purported moves to normalize contact and build deeper alliances with their Southern neighbors, having designs to annex the “Niger delta.” Rapid annexationHow could the Igbo annex the Niger delta, when it is already the Niger delta? I mean, there are more Igbo in the Niger delta than Mr. Clark’s Ijaw group.If anything, what has gone on over the years with a pall of silence upon it has been the rapid annexation of Igboland by the Nigerian state to compensate its allies in the civil war to which Mr. Clark alludes in his essay as the cause of the decline of Igbo influence among the traditional “three-legged” balance of power in Nigeria.I wish to make it clear that although the contemporary rhetoric of Nigeria’s geo-political narrative do not often say it, in fact makes silent the fact, but the Igbo population not only dominate the Niger delta, it radically constitutes it. Mr Clark should, therefore, be told in unmistakable terms that his attempts to excise the Igbo from that map, although understandable, is wishful thinking.It has been the design of the likes of him who are driven both by an anxiety and phobia of the Igbo, and by an ignorance of their past, and by some kind of primordial longing for the Igbo to disappear. But by the inexorable hand of fate the Igbo thrives and will continue to thrive in their homelands and cannot be erased by mere fantasy.For a long time, a section of the Ijaw group have laid claim to ownership of the landscape called the “Niger delta”. While one must acknowledge significant Ijaw presence in what we now generally call the Niger Delta, one must at the same time note that the Igbo ethnic population of the Niger delta remain overwhelming. In this respect, it is important to point to the reports of the Willinks commission to justify this claim.The fiction of Ijaw dominance of the Niger Delta region began with the end of the civil war and the deliberate attempt to erase the Igbo from the political and economic map of the Niger delta, fully supported by the Nigerian state, and aided with the massive war-time propaganda that the Igbo constitute only a “landlocked” East Central State. This fiction persists and gains increasing currency by various methods of defamiliarization.If one looks at the population table of 1972/3, it basically said the old Rivers State was Ijaw - no Igbo, no Ogoni, just Ijaw, period - with a total population average of five per cent. In actual fact, the Niger delta has long being regarded by mostly the Western Ijaw, as war booty.The Igbo have remained silent over this issue largely because most Igbo have been intimidated by the blackmail against them, and so shudder naturally from the accusation that they have colonial designs against their vulnerable neighbours.Igbo silence is in order not to be unseemly. But frankly, what has happened is that Igbo land has, as a result, been systematically annexed, and fragmented by the Nigerian state, and distributed into far-flung territories in the most devious strategy of balkanization ever designed against a culture group. Its all part of a Carthaginian treaty.For instance Igbo groups like the Ndoki are distributed today between Abia, Akwa-Ibom and Rivers states; the Egbema between Imo, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States, the Anioma are in the Delta, while the Ika are broken between Delta and Edo states; the Izza clan between Ebonyi, Cross River and Benue State, and a significant portion of the Ikwo clan reside today in Kogi State, all these with the intent of reducing so- called Igbo political capital.In fact today, the Ijaw even desire to claim Opobo and Umu-Ubani (Bonny) whose histories are long documented, and basic.The Igbo have lived and established their cultures both in the Niger delta and in the upland areas. The proof of Igbo presence in this landscape is so inescapable that even in his Oziddi Saga, the poet J.P Clark accounts for it. One of the official languages listed by the government of Equatorial Guinea across the Atlantic, is Igbo.The Igbo thus form a bridge of cultures in a landscape of history which needs no further annexation. In actual fact, the Igbo stake in the Niger Delta is the Niger delta.Mr. Clark should face up to the fact and understand that whether he likes the Igbo or not, he cannot just wish them away. In any case, the objective should be to bring together every energy towards making the Niger delta prosperous, and livable. The Igbo are not averse to this and so are not his problem
http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/...b23042006.html

Isn't the Ikwo clan in Ebonyi State? Maybe Obi Nwankanma meant to say Ebonyi, when he wrote Kogi? Dunno. Just asking.....

Kogi,being a Middlebeltan state--I think--- touches parts of the East so does Benue state.There are Igbo speaking groups in these states but they are regarded by the Nigerian state as Northerners and head-counted as such.I do not know the name(s) of the clan(s) there but I believe Obi was on the money when he mentioned Ikwo. Idoma,Igala et al interacted actively with Igboland historically and there exist historical literature to suggest there were marital alliances.
Maazi, Kogi s
Do this guy mean the same Niger Delta that is already annexed by the Hausa/Fulani and the Yorubas? Who are the TOP ogas for Shell, Chevron, Agip and who owns all the OIL blocks in Niger Delta Mr. Grade one Clark? You are worried about the Igbos taking what is not even yours.
If we seek to understand the reasons why people react in a particular fashion to a peculiar set of events, then it would be easy to either change their mind-set, or proffer solutions that would erase their prejudice or their fears. That's because if you take a close look at a lot of statements flying around, within & outside our nation, one would discover that most of those statements are either borne out of fear or ignorance.

Words are the harbingers of ideas. The Late Justice Charles Daddy Onyeama of the World court was reported to have made a statement in the sixties, when he was still a local politician in Lagos: He was quoted to have said “the Igbo domination of Nigeria was a matter of time.”

Now this was a frontline Igbo dignitary, do you think the other tribes would not have taken him serious? What needs to be done is to re-assure other tribes that this statement was NOT meant to be taken literally. Until that is done am afraid, a lot of people in the delta may still continue to see the issue of "perceived domination," as a real one.

Igbo Presidency is long over due, I can't wait to see ONE come 2019! I am patiently waiting as my Odogwus put their acts together and come up with a reliable and competent candidate

When you want to post a thread on NL, pls post with your brain and type the correct info, this topic is very misleading....president of Nigeria or Ohaneze president, i guess its the later EWU

Tony,nawa for u o! Why are u posting old news nah? Ndiigbo and other eastern ethnic groups have since crossed that bridge that u are taking us back to.

THATS NO PROBLEM THEY ARE OUR BROTHERS

RedHotChic: How can they make a Deltan their president. I thought it is only igbos from anambra that are real igbo?

and ma'am can u pls distinguish b/w REAL igbo and FAKE igbo?i no knw y anyting about igbo dey give unu headache?abi u dey suffer from IGBOPHOBIA?:p

Delta igbos from anioma,ukwu ani,ndokwa,oshimili,onitsha,ogbaru,ogidi,imo state oguta,ndoni in rivers state...are part of us they are part of igbo clan blue print,they spread over across igbo territories,they are part of igbo warriors that fought British empire all over igbo territories at the time

RedHotChic: How can they make a Deltan their president. I thought it is only igbos from anambra that are real igbo?

no be today Anambra supremacy start for nairaland. This thread is 5 years old yet the supremacy nonsense is still being seen on nairaland till today. What a shame!

ak47mann: Delta igbos from anioma,ukwu ani,ndokwa,oshimili,onitsha,ogbaru,ogidi,imo state oguta,ndoni in rivers state...are part of us they are part of igbo clan blue print,they spread over across igbo territories,they are part of igbo warriors that fought British empire all over igbo territories at the time

, nna ak47man,biko tell dem,been following ur post ever since as a guest and i must commend,as for my sister berem,tell her i represent the republic of ALAIGBO.

To me, it's not about the region or tribe... Empasizing on such ideas only mean that there would be rotation and no realistic development.
Northern have ruled this nation for long, but still northern Nigeria is the most undeveloped in the country. So ethnic sentiments don't lead anywhere.

@tonychristopher ----- point of correction

Azikiwe did not move the capital from calabar to Lagos. He never had that power in his lifetime?

It was moved by the British.

so the igbos in diaspora planning to rule we that are in Nigeria i wonder what they know

berem: no be today Anambra supremacy start for nairaland. This thread is 5 years old yet the supremacy nonsense is still being seen on nairaland till today. What a shame!

berem, i have warned you so many times anambra is not ur mate.ka e na ajo ha si ahu... take ur time berem...

IGBO_1ST_SON: , nna ak47man,biko tell dem,been following ur post ever since as a guest and i must commend,as for my sister berem,tell her i represent the republic of ALAIGBO.

u no get wahala bro since i was small my play mate is delta igbo,my mum best friend is delta igbo marry in nnewi i dnt see the difference,her son osy is my man and doing very well in business, my mum told me osy open( L C) worth over 500 million naira and his business is doing very well,anytime am in onitsha he will drive to my yard and pick me up for lunch and socializing nwanne we always knew that some of us are from across the niger river

tomakint: Igbo Presidency is long over due, I can't wait to see ONE come 2019! I am patiently waiting as my Odogwus put their acts together and come up with a reliable and competent candidate

This mumu never bother to read the body of OP before typing this gibberish as usual.

gurnam:

This mumu never bother to read the body of OP before typing this gibberish as usual.

This he-goat has forgotten so easily that the CITY OF PORT HARCOURT was built by the sweat of IGBOS, and the he-goat seems to have forgotten that there were so many Delta-Igbos like (Okonjo Iweala, Emma Okocha and many more who never pick offence when addressed as IGBOS because they are truly IGBOS), what a pity, "if you want to hide anything from a black he-goat like this thing I am quoting" put it in a book because they won't bother to read, oya go back and start 'chewing your curd' as usual