AN OPEN LETTER TO THE LEADERS OF ETCHE NATION: Chief Allwell Onyesoh; Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke; Bar. Nnamdi Okere; Bar. Reginald Ukwoma; Chief Ambrose Nwuzie; Hon. Okey Amadi; Hon.
Golden Chioma; Hon. Victor Amadi and Hon. Leo Anyanwu

It is my considered wish to reach you, Etche political leaders, through this medium, to bear my mind on some of the misconceptions and misplacement of priority which ipso facto ought not to.

Sirs, you are undisputedly, leaders in your own rights and therefore deserve a commensurate regard, respect and acknowledgement. It is even more so (as Christian) when one reflects on the biblical injunction that reminds that leadership is divinely ordained. Permit me to define leadership in the words of Eke (2000) as "the process by which an individual influences the behaviour and attitudes of others in a desired way" (p.18). The foregoing presupposes a chain reaction. The superior (leader) exacts his influence on the inferior (followers) who wittingly or unwittingly is caused to a change in behaviour, psyche, cognition as well as attitude. Suffice it to say that there is a high tendency in the influence-caused-change arising from the stories, discussions, talks and information relaid to the followers. And when these stories...information are incubated in falsehood and later hatched in inaccurate facts and distorted figures, the resultant effect is disaffection, bickering, accusations and wrangling. Hence, the center can no longer hold.

Hon., Sirs, I have a lot of respect and regard for you, because whatever position you might have occupied or still occupying is a no mean feat, and therefore, must be guarded jealously. In the still, I appeal to your good consciences and senses of superiority as leaders to always show your subjects the path of truth. You must exact your influence on your followers by demonstrating to them the virtue of followership by respect and acknowledgement. You must not lead your subjects by constantly disrespecting your own leader in the form of castigation, open confrontation or vituperation either directly or by innuendo. You must stand by your leader, Chief Allwell Onyesoh, who also enjoys the highest acceptance by the people as the National Leader of Etche Bloc. And who is equally called the Civilian General by some persons. And this is a fact collaborated and aknowledged by the contemporary leaders in other parties.

Sirs, Etche nation needs to be more united. The nation must learn to speak in one voice, devoid of any Judas Iscariot. This is NOT the right time of sowing seed of discord and disharmony. We the youth look up to you (our leaders) to give the people's leader (Chief Allwell Onyesoh) the required flesh and muscle to lead us out of Egypt. For Professor Ndimele once said that a political leader is one who has the ability "to creatively manipulate socio-political and economic forces to bring about the desired change in both material and human resources in his domain". That is exactly what the Etche people need. The cankerous syndrome of Pull Him Down (PHD) must be discarded from the mind, and the spirit of myopia and antagonism destroyed.

Again Sirs, teach your subjects how to own Etche struggle irrespective of the political differences and that any appointment or position to an Etche person is for the entire Etche Nation.

And lastly Sirs, you must make your followers realize that the Etche nation faces a greater injustice from our brothers in the other political/ethnic bloc. You must explain to them that Etche nation with over 150 villages has never produced a senator whereas the Okirika with just 3 villages can be proud of that, including other juicy appointments.

Tell them that it is time to say NO. For Martin Luther King, Jnr. once said that "ones live begins to end the day he keeps silence about things that matter".

By: Chibuike Godspower Iroegbu

Is there any problem in Etche?

I still wonder why Etches are not playing a bigger role in Igbo politics. Where were they when an Ikwerre man, Barrister Uche Okwukwu, became secretary general of Ohaneze Ndigbo?

It is time for the Etche nation to rise up and be heard within the greater Igbo nation rather being an insignificant player in Rivers state politics.

Since the days of Azikiwe and Igbo union, the Etches have always been represented in Igbo affairs. They are not like some Ikwerres who deny Igbo. Uche Okwukwu's position may shut up those who deny Igbo in Ala Ikwerre.