A former governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, speaks with AYOOLA OLASUPO about Nigeria’s independence, the aspirations of the South-East in the Nigerian state, clamour for Nnamdi Kanu’s release and the way forward for a more inclusive and progressive country

As a former governor, how would you describe the significance of Independence Day for Nigeria?

The Almighty God in heaven has an assignment for Nigerians and that was why He created Nigeria. The assignment is that Nigeria should grow into a superpower amongst nations and raise the respect and dignity of all blacks on earth. No country in the world is as blessed as Nigeria. Look at our climate; it is livable. You can stay out for long and you won’t be tired of cold or heat. Nigeria has minerals, which people that we don’t even know are mining. Look at our human resources; many talents from the different tribes. Look at the frontiers of technology all over the world, you would see our children making waves by creating novelty all over the place. God did not just give us an assignment, he prepared us to raise the dignity and respect of all blacks, but since independence what have we done? We were holding on to the coup of 1966. The present generation of people sold off to America is now saying ‘Black lives matter’. For me, it is a big shame that we can even be saying black lives matter. Which life should matter if not the blacks? Today, it is known that the black man is not inferior in physical prowess, power, gifts, intellectual gifts, or emotions. The black man is not inferior to any human variation in this world. It is a pity and people are losing hope. There is too much poverty in this part of the world. I think we should begin to rethink our lives. We should go back to the drawing board. Let’s start to think about how to make Africa shine. Look at what is happening; the United Nations is there and Russia is killing people in Ukraine. Nobody cares how many people are dying. Africans were so negative even when they were killing Muammar Gaddafi, we didn’t know it was meant to make us not to realise what we have. That is an eye-opener for all of us. We know we have messed up, so let’s go back to the beginning. Let’s go back to our values and religion.

How would you describe the standard of governance so far?

Somehow, the military which ruled Nigeria for so many decades after the coup of 1966, actually ruined Nigeria. We started with all kinds of things that were not right and they started covering it up with ethnicity and religiosity and since then we have been growing in religiosity, ethnicity and corruption. Even the government, mosque, church and the world itself are corrupt.

If all of these institutions are corrupt, what is the solution to the problem of bad governance?

At independence, we were equal to Malaysia, South Korea, Brazil, etc., but all of those countries that were behind us at independence are now miles in front of us. What should be done is to let the people who have conscience begin to think of a new Nigeria. We have complained enough and should organise and bring our ideas to help the situation. One of the greatest problems we are facing is leadership and how to select leaders has been the main problem. The solution is that the moment the government in place is interested in staying on it cannot allow free and fair elections. Democracy is said to be the government of the people, by the people and for the people and. By the people means the people choose their leaders. Now, do they choose their leaders? I think there should be a revolution, especially in Africa whereby we will begin to organise Africa as if it is one country. We should remove the control of an individual country’s electoral process. If the African Union or the Economic Community of West African States can set up a fair, well-measured and dissected electoral body, and must be seen to be clearly indifferent to people’s ambitions and conduct elections in a clean manner; they are outside the country and do not belong to any political party. They are an external force to conduct, supervise, and do everything about the elections in such a way that the government in power and the opposition have no hand in influencing the outcome of the election. In fact, the United Nations should have done that, creating a body to help. If you leave the election to individual countries and their governments, you will see failure. The meritocracy used in China is what we should also use, whereby if we as a people vote and our votes count and the people we choose are in power, we will have no reason to blame anybody. We can deal with them if they mess up and drop them in the next election or even while they are still in office. We need a revolution, a basic and fundamental change.

Aside from the national unity that still stands firmly, what other aspects has Nigeria succeeded so far?

We have succeeded in surviving without development. I don’t know in what area we have succeeded. We are making progress backwards, taking giant steps backwards. At independence, my group and I saw Nigeria exploding in economic development and we contributed to it. In the past, people had interest in promoting development, unlike today, though there are still a few who believe in the idea. We will go back to the old days and try to absorb the current generation into the ancient values of our people and not into taking drugs or engaging in cultism. we cannot ignore them because they are the leaders of tomorrow. Nigeria has the best opportunity and we want development. We want to make the black man proud. We are the largest black group on earth and we are given everything we need to shine. So, let’s choose a way to shine.

Many people and different groups have called for the restructuring of the country, do you think President Bola Tinubu should prioritise restructuring?

I really don’t want to comment in any way on the current government, but there is now an agreement on restructuring. Formerly, some parts of the North were against it because they misunderstood a point. They thought that restructuring begins and ends with resource control and that it means that money generated from crude oil will stay with the oil-bearing states. Now, restructuring has more to do with growth and development than withholding oil money from other states. We can now use whatever we have to develop every part of Nigeria. The money generated from oil, gold and others will go everywhere so that we can say that if you are producing any mineral resources, they are federally controlled and the owner of the land will be entitled to a certain percentage, while the rest of the proceeds will be shared as agreed so that every part of the country will take advantage of whatever is coming out from it.

The Igbo have always been complaining of being marginalised over the years, has the marginalisation been addressed so far?

As long as you marginalise the Igbo or treat them as badly as they are being treated today, and deny them leadership for so long, Nigeria will remain backward. The Igbo have the assignment of developing Nigeria to become an economic superpower. The Igbo have that assignment to help Nigeria. Assuming Peter Obi emerged as the president, all he has to do is to provide a level playing field where Yoruba, Hausa, Itsekiri and others will play on a level-playing field. Nothing would have made Peter Obi, (the presidential candidate of the Labour Party) favour the Igbo. Before the election, I had an agreement with all the youths in the East that in a country, a slave cannot be a president. What we are saying is that we are becoming slaves in our country of origin and I told them if Nigerians voted for Peter Obi to become the President then we are not slaves in Nigeria and they agreed. The problem we are having now is that the country voted for him but he is not the President and that is the major problem. The main point is that whatever the case is against the Igbo, for as long as they stood and trusted them to where they are today it is a shame to black men.

Ethnic groups, especially the North and the South-East, do not seem to have forgiven themselves over the 1966 coup, isn’t it time to move on?

They (the coup plotters) killed our fathers in the North, like Ahmadu Bello and the Prime Minister (Tafawa Balewa) and some military men but they did not kill Major General Aguiyi Ironsi or Michael Okpara or people from the East, so whatever you will say about it will look like an Igbo affair against the Muslims in the North. That is what it looks like. We are beginning to understand the problems. Last year or two years ago, Ohanaeze people met with the northern group. They know that so many things were misunderstood. The problems we both caused ourselves were a result of misunderstanding. They have problems with the people we have problems with. We didn’t grow up to push and reconcile but the other ones are now doing so. For the Yoruba and the Igbo, it is foolishness that is playing out there. The Yoruba and Igbo are exploiting foolishness but there is no reason for what they are doing, but how do we change it? The fact I must state is this, if you hate the Igbo for being successful, you should think again. However, the Igbo who are successful should manage their utterances. If you are proud and do not think about what the other has said, you are the one guilty. Nigeria will be liberated. The Hausa will understand the Igbo. The Yoruba and the Igbo will stop foolishness. There are many talents from many tribes that we are wasting. Nigeria is created to power the world above China, Britain, Russia, Germany, Japan, and we are going to rise above them when we reconcile and begin to do what is right.

Do you think Tinubu should release Nnamdi Kanu as an Independence gift to the S’East?


I don’t really know why Nnamdi Kanu is still with them. When we went to meet former President Muhammadu Buhari on Kanu’s issue, he gave us the impression that we succeeded and that he would release him. The court itself said Kanu should be released and now I thought that when Tinubu got into office, the first thing he would do was to release him. I understand that some Igbo people are saying he should be kept there but I don’t want to talk about that. Why is Nnamdi Kanu still there even when the court has cleared him?

The continued killing of security agents and innocent persons in the South-East has become an issue of serious concern, how can this be stopped?

I believe the release of Nnamdi Kanu will have a great impact on that. Secondly, it is a matter of attitude. The Federal Government somehow seems to have the attitude of doing things to make life impossible in that area. Where are the gunmen? Who is paying them? Those gunmen, we know them now. They were employed and paid even the one from Finland is said to be paid by some forces in the Federal Government, so in the interest of Nigeria, and not the South-East, it must be stopped. God created all of us and gave us our destinies and I think whatever happens, the fact is that it’s going to explode in economic development. On the killings mentioned, there is nothing to do except to change attitude. The Federal Government should make the development even, stop the killings and we the elders must accept failure. How could you bring up young people who become cannibals and forget your values all the way? It is time to go back to the beginning, establish our values, and educate our people through the schools, churches, unions and all manners of avenues available. Although we are old, it would have been better if one was dying and left a good thing behind.

Some are blaming Kanu for the killings happening in the South-East, particularly the recent ones in Imo State, what is your view on that?

Looking at the killings in Imo State, they are saying it is because of Kanu. But Kanu is not behind all those negative thoughts. Whatever he said in the past you have seen them manifest now in the present. He is even gifted by God, and he is the greatest problem now because holding him for another minute is causing serious problems in the East. If I am to beg my brother, my friend, Tinubu, whose journey in life God helped me to contribute to, I will tell him to please release Kanu because it is the wise and correct thing to do.

What best Independence gift do you think the President can give the S’East?

There are so many. First of all, I should expect him to announce two more ministers from the South-East and his commitment to create one more state.

63 years after, do you think the Igbo still want to secede from Nigeria to form their own country?

Well, nobody wants to be a slave in their own country. This Peter Obi experience is a very frustrating one and as I told you I reached agreement with the people who are in the group of Biafra that if Peter Obi becomes the president, we cannot call ourselves slaves and therefore we should look for Biafra inside Nigeria if restructuring is done. If there is restructuring and agreement is reached and regions are on their own, we will see things happening. There will be improvement for Arewa, Yoruba, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Igbo, etc, and for Nigeria. I believe that God in heaven may change the situation. For me, although it may be annoying to some people but one Nigeria is the best for the Igbo even with these difficulties.

Why do you think so?

It is because Nigeria has an assignment from God to earn the dignity and respect of all blacks and to be important in world affairs. Size matters. If we break up into tiny countries, we may not be able to influence things at the international level. Did anybody invite our people to go to China or Japan? No. I think it is better for every group if we can pray to God to revive our spirit for us to begin to do the right things and adopt meritocracy, and we will get better.

What can you say about the exploitation of the mineral resources in the south?

64 years ago, some people were refining crude oil into various products and we didn’t hear about bad things happening to the youths. If we had allowed that refining to continue with regulations, access to crude oil and grant standard access to the output and supply, and they are tested when they finish. If we had allowed that, we wouldn’t be importing refined oil today. It is not too late. Instead of hunting for the illegal refiners as they are called, we should recognise and legitimise our type of refinery. They should set up a group to go and check what they are doing and see how they can be improved and be supplied officially.

Don’t you think this is the role our modular refineries are meant to play?

Yes, they are modular refineries and all you need to do is to provide the technological guide to improve whatever they are doing. The government of the day should announce the legitimisation of such refineries and set up a body to go and nurture them, give them access to growth, and better technology, and let them grow. For many years I have been giving presidents a solution to our importation of refined petrol, but people are making money from subsidy, which has killed us. But we will survive.


https://punchng.com/one-nigeria-best-for-igbo-ex-gov-ezeife/?utm_source=telegram&utm_medium=social

tell them sir

ok

The Igbo have the assignment of developing Nigeria to become an economic superpower.

This line really got me cracking

Just like they developed Indonesia, India, Cambodia and Vietnam

No they say they are going to Israel to fight Hamas

Absolutely correct

President Tinubu made it possible for Igbos to accept one Nigeria. God bless Tinubu 🙏

Interesting...



Wittyness.

Deranged damaged brain fool, talking from all four compass of his mouth. Was it not this old naive cretin that told nigerians that it must be Igbo president or he will support IPOB for Biafra? He actually think he is relevant in Igbo/Biafra affairs.

incandescentena:
No they say they are going to Israel to fight Hamas

Don't be so quick to rejoice. By the time the fight finishes come back here to count scores. Those terrorist hamas death count will be in the thousands. It's my Israel that i know and that's how we Biafrans will be hitting you cesspit terrorists hard after we declare Biafra and you terrorists come to fight us.

The Igbo elders who saw tomorrow at Nigeria's independence knew it. They knew that they don't have access to sea, they don't have the land mass and they don't have the population.

Without Nigeria, no Igbo state will even have a naval fleet let along have a secured space. Anytime, I see this map of Igboland, I doff my heart for those wise Igbo Elders. They need Nigeria more to preserve themselves and not end up like poor land locked Lesotho inside South Africa .

May God bless Nigeria for ever!

FreeStuffsNG:
The Igbo elders who saw tomorrow at Nigeria's independence knew it. They knew that they don't have access to sea, they don't have the land mass and they don't have the population.

Without Nigeria, no Igbo state will even have a naval fleet let along have a secured space. Anytime, I see this map of Igboland, I doff my heart for those wise Igbo Elders. They need Nigeria more to preserve themselves and not end up like poor land locked Lesotho inside South Africa .

May God bless Nigeria for ever!

God bless Nigeria?

The only thing he blassed Nigeria with is being poverty capital of the world

gidgiddy:


God bless Nigeria?

Yes o! It blessed Seun Osewa enough that you can hide behind a moniker on his platform to commit criminal secession acts the appropriate agencies are monitoring. If you are a loser in Nigeria, you will be a loser ni

Most igbo elites want one Nigeria while most non elite want Biafra

FreeStuffsNG:
Yes o! It blessed Seun Osewa enough that you can hide behind a moniker on his platform to commit criminal secession acts the appropriate agencies are monitoring. If you are a loser in Nigeria, you will be a loser ni

Too many unity beggars and their useless "one Nigeria" that has never worked since 1960 and will never ever work

That's true

Mumu man

"we have complained enough" very valid point.

gidgiddy:


Too many unity beggars and their useless "one Nigeria" that has never worked since 1960 and will never ever work

Use legal means to get ur Biafra and see if we won't back u.

Segunbabba:
President Tinubu made it possible for Igbos to accept one Nigeria. God bless Tinubu 🙏

can you explain one Nigeria from 1960 till date

JagabanB:

Use legal means to get ur Biafra and see if we won't back u.

Thats the point, why do you want someone you can do without to go through legal means to go their way? Just allow them to go

One Nigeria is best for Igbos because Aguiyi Ironsi killed regionalism.. the Nigeria we are pushing for will be best for all the regions and not just Igbos.

If Igbos don't start working to fix the South East region now, sorry will be their case when restructuring finally comes.

gidgiddy:


Thats the point, why do you want someone you can do without to go through legal means to go their way? Just allow them to go

Legal means will determine ur territory, legal means will give u a leader, legal means is what will determine ur international acknowledgement but I am not surprised you don't know any of these since u think this is same as selling belts or phone cases under bridge and call it hustling or flying drugs abroad.
Read up how other countries broke away, u don't sit in ur room and break away.

JagabanB:

Legal means will determine ur territory, legal means will give u a leader, legal means is what will determine ur international acknowledgement but I am not surprised you don't know any of these since u think this is same as selling belts or phone cases under bridge and call it hustling or flying drugs abroad.
Read up how other countries broke away, u don't sit in ur room and break away.

Oh I see, I have to use legal means to leave Nigeria? Remind us again the legal means that was used to create Nigeria?

gidgiddy:


Oh I see, I have to use legal means to leave Nigeria? Remind us again the legal means that was used to create Nigeria?

A good read of history will tell u about legal means.
I am not surprised u are not aware tho.

BiafraInc:
Deranged damaged brain fool, talking from all four compass of his mouth. Was it not this old naive cretin that told nigerians that it must be Igbo president or he will support IPOB for Biafra? He actually think he is relevant in Igbo/Biafra affairs.

Biafra is dead.Ezeife is right.Stop wasting your time.