Stats: 3,191,874 members, 7,945,784 topics. Date: Wednesday, 11 September 2024 at 06:46 AM |
Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo (846 Views)
Buhari Has Fulfilled His Promises To Ndigbo-obiano / Osita Okechukwu: Osinbajo Backing South-West For 2023, Wake-up Call To Ndigbo / I’m Fair To Ndigbo In Appointment – Buhari (picture) (2) (3) (4)
An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by eodavids(m): 4:10pm On Jun 20, 2017 |
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "ogenyi davids" <ogenyidavids@gmail.com> Date: Jun 20, 2017 15:21 Subject: AN IGBO VOICE ON THE QUIT NOTICE GIVEN TO NDIGBO IN NORTHERN NIGERIA To: <info@corp.naij.com> Cc: AN IGBO VOICE UPON THE QUIT NOTICE GIVEN TO NDIGBO It is no longer news that all the Igbo sons and daughters resident in Northern Nigeria has been served a ‘quit notice’ by Northern youths which notice has been subtly reiterated through a letter to His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo SAN, GCON, the acting president, Federal Republic of Nigeria. THE HOT BUTTON It is already fourteen days since some Youths of Northern Nigeria issued what they term ‘Kaduna Declaration’ by which they believed to have served a quit notice to all person of South-Eastern origin resident in Northern Nigeria. This so called quit notice came as a surprise to many people, both Igbos and non-igbos alike, as no well meaning Nigerian expected this at a time Nigeria is trying to overcome two major challenges namely insecurity and recession. It is no surprise that Nigerians are already overwhelmed with the above mentioned two challenges but the surprise however is on how a particular tribe of the Nigerian nation has been singled out as the whipping boy on whom this Northern Youths intends to vent their frustration. GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSES This hot button, termed ‘quit notice’ to the Igbos has been greeted with rejection and criticism from several quarters of the Nigeria system. The Kaduna State Government was swift in condemning the so called declaration and many other Northern leaders joined in condemning the actions of the Northern youths. Subsequently, The Acting President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo spoke eloquently on the matter and called on all Nigerian Youths to be law abiding as no group will be allowed to destabilize the peace in the country. The Acting President has matched his words with action aimed at entrenching lasting peace by painstakingly consulting with Northern leaders and subsequently with leaders of South-Eastern Nigeria. THE SUBTLE FURTHERANCE OF THE QUIT NOTICE Ordinarily, it was expected that the Northern Youths would have softened their stance to the extent of pursuing dialogue as a way to discuss their grievances, but despite the call for unity by the Acting President and all well meaning Nigerians, the Northern Youths have not changed their mind on the quit notice. Rather they have, through the letter addressed to the Acting President, persuaded him to see things from their perspective. ISSUES RAISED BY THE QUIT NOTICE AND THE LETTER TO PROF. OSIBANJO This hot button, being the quit notice to Ndigbo resident in Northern Nigeria, as well as the subsequent letter addressed to The Acting President, by Youths of Northern Nigeria have, in summary, raised two major issues namely: *That the 1966 military coup involved much of Igbo soldiers among other things, and *That Ndigbo are tenants in Northern Nigeria and are no longer wanted by the youths. As an Igbo youth, I want to identify with the Northern youths in regretting the occurrence of the 1966 military coup. As we are all familiar with the modus operandi of men in khaki, it couldn’t have been a plot by Ndigbo entirely and infact, records show it was an action orchestrated by few soldiers some of whom are of Igbo origin but were blinded by overzealousness and quest for power. I wish it did not happen. If time is reversible, I would have added my voice in calling for reversal of that unfortunate coup that has not done us any good but damage. THE HIGH COST OF THE COUP ON NDIGBO 1. The murder of Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi in the counter coup may be defensible on the fact that some Igbo soldiers orchestrated the 1966 coup (even though Ironsi was not seen to be part of the coup); 2. The killing of non-count Igbo sons and daughters in Northern Nigeria sequel to the counter coup may be defensible still on Igbo involvement in the 1966 coup. That mass killing is what the Northern youths now call mob action in their letter to Osibanjo; 3. The death of millions of Ndigbo during the civil war and the absence of remorse from fellow Nigerians for the brute visited on Ndigbo using weapons and hunger, has as well been defensible on the 1966 coup; 4. The somewhat ostracism which Ndigbo had to undergo after the civil war, which placed them under a special ceiling so that both militarily and politically they could not ascend to certain heights has also been because of the 1966 coup; 5. The continued campaign against Ndigbo which aims at eliciting more hatred against the Igbo race as a people and which seeks to vilify an Igbo person as the worst of all the components making up the Nigerian nation, the same approach the Northern youths have employed now, is according to them ‘because of the 1966 coup’. POSER QUESTION Can every act of aggression against Ndigbo be justifiable indefinitely because of a coup involving some Igbo soldiers some fifty years ago? Fifty years after, with the few Igbo soldiers involved late and forgotten, and millions of innocent Igbo sons and daughters having paid the ultimate price with their lives for the wrongs they did not commit; Youths of Northern Nigeria conveniently declares that people who are cohabiting peacefully with them in Northern Nigeria who has Igbo blood in them are banished to South-East Nigeria. Justifying this action, the youths say it was Ndigbo that led the 1966 coup. Isn’t it trite and redundant to vilify a people for a fifty years old wrong they know nothing about and which they solemnly regret? Will the youths of Northern Nigeria not consider that it’s about time they stop visiting Ndigbo with abhorrence especially those dwelling peaceably with them? Justifying abhorrence on a people because few of their kind orchestrated violence fifty years ago is trite. Times have changed in Nigeria and people whose region has bred unprovoked violence in the country has been receiving developmental attention of the government and that is the right thing now. But how is it that a violence of past fifty years remains fresh with retribution still being called for against a people? BIAFRA AGITATION AND IGBO LEDERS OF THOUGHT First and foremost, the only reason why the Biafran agitators still find space to do so is because they operate non-violent. Being non-violent makes them beneficiaries of the constitutional provision of freedom of thought and expression. That few Igbo persons keep speaking out of their obsession and believe in erstwhile struggle does not mean it is an Igbo slogan or an Igbo agenda. Common sense goes to prove that if Ndigbo has an evil agenda against the Nigerian state, the sons and daughters of Igbo origin would not be seen buying landed properties and building mansions and estates in addition to factories and institutions across all the nooks and crannies of the Nigerian nation. Who else among the components of Nigeria has done like Onye Igbo in developing a land in which he knew is not his father land? The experience of insecurity in North-East Nigeria has not deterred the Igbos from operating in the region despite the high toll of casualties recorded as a result of the direct and indirect murders on the Igbo people. Properties lost to the menace are beyond countable. Even at that, Ndigbo have not abandoned North East Nigeria but rather identifies with the people of the region also in the suffering and loses of lives and properties with readiness to continue identifying with the North in this trying time of that region. Numerous epitaph abounds in the South Eastern Nigeria to show that Ndigbo has paid costly for having being in the North East and for remaining in the region in the face of ruthless insecurity. When will Nigeria appreciate the dogged spirit of the Igbo person who even though he has stayed under the special ceiling restricted by manmade limitations, but yet has contributed to the development at the North, at the West, at The South and least at the East-his home land. Some of the leaders of Nigeria cannot be said to have appreciated this patriotic spirit and ingenuity of Ndigbo. One could hope for future leaders, but we now have our youths from the North, supposedly future leaders towing the path of retrogress as a convenient option and this is unfortunate. The Northern youths says their reason is because of the Biafra agitation. Yet we know that the agitators for Biafra have not killed any Northerner. On the other hand, those who are agitating for a caliphate in the North East had killed a lot of Ndigbo at churches, markets, schools, residences, etc, their epitaph scattered across the South East; yet Ndigbo did not banish northerners in Igbo land, neither did Ndigbo blame all northerners for allowing unprovoked violence spiral out of control under their watch and before their own eyes. Could it have been convenient if Ndigbo called for a Northern-referendum to allow the north decide whether they go with caliphate or not? Well Ndigbo couldn’t have called for that because it would have depicted insensitivity and even the youths of Northern Nigeria could have asked what is wrong with the Igbos for bringing such numb proposal. This supposition goes to showcase the fact that what is not good for the goose is not good for the gander. IPOB/MASSOB OBSESSION Nnamdi Kanu et al who are agitating for Biafra under the guise of IPOB or MASSOB are not significant enough to becloud the entire Igbo race to the extent all acts and deeds of Ndigbo across Nigeria becomes insignificant except the activities of few inconsequential persons who have chosen to agitate for secession. The Northern youths are obviously obsessed with the activities of Biafra agitators, but they must diffuse the obsession by paying heed to well meaning Igbos both in the South-East and in the Northern Nigeria in order to ascertain the true position of Ndigbo. Let not the agitation by few Igbo persons be construed as the agenda of the entire Ndigbo. NDIGBO AS THE WHIPPING BOY A novel was published in 2014 titled the “The Whipping Boy”. The content of that book is, to an extent a clear position of the Igbo people as members of the Nigerian nation who wants better relation with fellow Nigerians, especially the Northern Nigeria. I implore the Northern youths to take the content of that book as opposed to the agitation for secession because what the true Igbo man wants is a better Nigeria for all Nigerians and not a small country made up of homogeneous people. Ndigbo are use to a large population and a great land mass as it is in Nigeria and not a small land mass that restricts and inhibits the industrious spirit of the Igbo person. We rather have better and prosperous Nigeria for all Nigerian where Ndigbo is one of the major players as endowed by God, than to have a small country where the Igbo ingenuity will be inhibited. DENOUEMENT, FAUTE DE MIEUX In conclusion, there is nothing better than peace and unity. On behalf of the well meaning Igbo youths, I plead for peace between Ndigbo home and abroad with the entire people of Nigeria, especially the people of Northern Nigeria whose youths are now showing symptoms of impatience against the Igbos in their land. In the spirit of sincerity let the Northern youths accept the Igbos to stay with them in peace and unity. However, if the initial stance of the Northern youths remains steadfast, such that they cannot rescind their “declaration” I urge them to sincerely voice it out one more time as an act of sincerity devoid of deceit so that they shall still be honour bound. Then I urge them to take the matter to the National Assembly where the matter, if legislatively expressed successfully, shall have a force of law. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides, as I assume the Northern youths know already, that Nigeria shall be one and indivisible. The declaration made by the Northern youths is only an attempt to do the impossible. A declaration by some youths anywhere in Nigeria whether South or North cannot supersede the written Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, neither can it usurp the grundnorm. The Northern youths can only succeed in this onerous quest if they convince the National Assembly to do their set goal of cutting out the Igbo people out of Nigeria. Where this becomes a reality, all Igbo sons and daughters will gladly go home. We are known for being ‘home inclined’ after all, therefore it shall be a pleasure. Here in the South-East, we shall accommodate all law abiding Nigerian irrespective of region, tribe or creed. GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA. GOD BLESS NDIGBO GOD BLESS SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN NIGERIA. |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by eodavids(m): 4:12pm On Jun 20, 2017 |
Seun, Lalasticlala, et'al, pleases do the needful. God bless Nairaland! |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by Homeboiy: 4:22pm On Jun 20, 2017 |
Ah ah e too much to read nah na new school physics be this |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by eodavids(m): 4:54pm On Jun 20, 2017 |
Homeboiy: Bros, the Nigerian issue has to be long, especially when it involves Igbos |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by honeychild(f): 5:54pm On Jun 20, 2017 |
eodavids: My brother it is good to tell one''s self the truth. The villification of igbos is self inflicted. It's almost a tribal trait to be loud and irritatingly ill-mannered. You look down on all other Nigerians and believe you are better than everyone else. The only natural reaction to such traits is dislike. But instead of asking yourself why people dislike you, you tell yourself it's envy. It's not envy. It is irritation. As for the Northerners, apart from the progrom in 1966 which was a reaction to igbo chest beating and boasting, they have been indiscriminate in their violence. When violence breaks out in the north, every non Muslim is affected. Igbos, yorubas, efik, ibibio, ogoni, urhobo, even some non Muslim northerners e.g the Christian indigenes of southern kaduna state are all fair game when the almajiri go on a rampage. The violence in the North has always been religious, not ethnic. 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by eodavids(m): 10:43am On Jun 21, 2017 |
honeychild: I am an Igbo young man, but I agree with your view. Some Igbo people can have annoying attitudes to life. Sometimes I feel ashamed to be Igbo because of the display by some Igbo people. Even as they have been served quit notice, if you see how those in the same northern Nigeria still live you will marvel. Go to beer parlours, you stii see them in horde consuming more of the alcohol and making louder noise on the process. On the streets, many of our illiterate ones make traffic mistakes which translate to offences legally, but they will challenge even the traffic warden and argue the matter until they out of option. Dignity and respect is fast disappearing from the Igbo person. God help the Ndigbo 1 Like |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by lloydtruth: 10:54am On Jun 21, 2017 |
eodavids:Really ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 1 Like |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by zombieHUNTER: 10:57am On Jun 21, 2017 |
eodavids:You are free to join Hausa Fulani Where you will feel proud But put this in your skull if you have any No nation is without ills No tribe is perfect Igbo can be great without you or your useless rants 1 Like |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by zombieHUNTER: 11:01am On Jun 21, 2017 |
lloydtruth:I know where the dude is coming from He was told by his mother that his dad is Igbo 1 Like |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by eodavids(m): 12:52pm On Jun 21, 2017 |
lloydtruth: Jioyi, nwanne chill. Anyi ga nekwu nkebu eziokwu. Kanyi bidonu chuba ewu ojii tupu Chi ejinari anyi |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by prince985(m): 12:56pm On Jun 21, 2017 |
lloydtruth:lmao ![]() |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by Eastfield1: 3:28pm On Jun 21, 2017 |
eodavids: honeychild:No body gives a Bleep about ur Opinion. anyone who is not Happy about The way Ndi Igbo live their live should Go and Die. or Better still. Gather ur family together with u and go die in a Road accident |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by Eastfield1: 3:29pm On Jun 21, 2017 |
eodavids: honeychild:No body gives a Fvck about ur Opinion. anyone who is not Happy about The way Ndi Igbo live their live should Go and Die. or Better still. Gather ur family together with u and go die in a Road accident |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by Markfemi2: 3:49pm On Jun 21, 2017 |
zombieHUNTER: Hausa Fulani complex affecting biafrans since day 1 |
Re: An Igbo Voice To The Quit Notice Issued To Ndigbo by zombieHUNTER: 6:23pm On Jun 21, 2017 |
Markfemi2:I don't reply trolls
|
(1) (Reply)
Osun West: APC Candidate, Husain Finally Speaks On Defeat, Adeleke’s Victory / Observation:is This The First Rainy Season Where Power Supply Did Not Improve / The Seven-fold Yoke And The Cabal That Own Nigeria
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 65 |