South East Governors, IPOB And Politics Of 2019

By Nnedi Ogaziechi

These are not the best of times for Ndigbo. The people under reference are the very ordinary people in villages, clans and streets of major capitals of the five states in the region. These are the people that are literarily hanging on the edge of the precipice. The IPOB discourse seems to have created a deeply blurry view of who those to be held accountable really are.

*South East Governors and Leaders meet with
IPOB Leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu

It is politically safe to blame the federal government for marginalization, to complain about lack of federal presence as regards the chronic absence of infrastructure in the region since the end of the civil war. But then, IPOB comes on the scene and the governors are somewhat glad for the seeming ‘alibi’ for lack of a strong regional economic plan for development of both human and natural resources that the region has in amazing abundance.

Since 1999, there has  been several economic summits, conferences and fairs by both independent and state economic think tanks. Most of these conferences had been targeted at educating governors from the region to form a stronger regional bond that would be beneficial to the region economically, socially and even politically.

The idea has always been that if the governors of the region can manage to look beyond politics and think of development of the region for the people, there must be a coordinated and deliberate effort by governors of the five states to harness to the maximum the resources available to the states which by the way had worked in the past with the past visionary leaders of the region.

Of all the six regions in the country, the South East seems to be the most economically and politically naïve and this has been the albatross of the region. Too often and too consistently, governors in the region seem to suffer from some form of federal complex (for lack of a better expression). More than any region, South East politicians generally seem too fixated on the ‘Abuja’ syndrome. Unlike other regions, there seems to be this effort by Igbo politicians to be more ‘federal’ both in actions and expectations. This largely helps them to omit initiatives and actions to impact positively on the people and the region.

Then IPOB happens and the majority of the people somehow find their voices of protest and allegiance. The federal agencies then move in, and then the governors somehow managed to raise their voices. But like the Igbo proverb instructively indicates, we must ask where the rains started beating Ndigbo.

IPOB’s emergence and massive impact despite its strategic flaws is evidence that core politicians have missed the points in taking valid steps that are as persuasive as they resonate with the people. There is a lacuna that the idea of an IPOB seems to have filled for the most productive age group in any economy. Whether the organization is declared a terrorist organization or their activities proscribed is neither here nor there.

The consciousness in the people of the region today is that the political elite in the region has failed the people in terms of generating valid regional consciousness rooted in economically and politically viable collaborative activities.

The success of IPOB across the five states speaks eloquently of the gaps that politicians have created with their very individualistic pursuit of political relevance. The organization tapped into the flaws created by the disunity among of politicians who due to political naivety refuse to harness the value of regional integrative efforts.

For a region renowned for excellence in academics, agriculture and commerce, selfish political pursuits of personal growth by the politicians have effectively blinded them to the massive opportunities inherent in regional economic development achievable only through visionary leadership that see globalization as achievable even at the macro regional level.

Economists of repute consistently point out that the South East has all the indices for regional growth but out of ignorance, mischief, selfishness or a combination of all these successive governors of the region have failed at governance and the people bear the brunt of their indiscretions.

Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states are all interlinked by both physical, cultural, religious and social structures, it is therefore ridiculously sad that politics and artificial political boundaries consistently drive wedges on the development of the region. Personal political pursuits of supremacy and relevance make the politicians very indolent and insensitive to actions that can uplift the masses.

It is only with South East governors that differences in political platforms influence the progress and unity of the people in ways that become economically and politically very destructive to the people.

The rise and relative impact of IPOB is an eloquent testimony that the people of the region have found in the organization the seeming unity of purpose that political structures have been unable to create since 1970. It just shows that the people ordinarily see the political elite as a bunch of characters who only mismanage the opportunities and resources of the region. The global support of Ndigbo in diaspora for the role of IPOB is as amazing as it is instructive.

Make no mistake about it, not all Ndigbo approve of some of the strategies of engagement of IPOB as a regional agitation body but if truth be told, they have been as successful as they have been because politicians from the South East have failed the people.

While the politicians are intent on personal growth, the organization seems to see the region as a block that can galvanize to achieve growth. Their strategies might not all be excellent but at least they have put politicians of Eastern extraction on a pedestal for serious scrutiny.

Whatever happens to the organization henceforth, it is on record that self rediscovery seem to be an integral part of their agitation and the following they command globally among Ndigbo cannot be wished away by any force or institution. 2019 is approaching and the people might just be on their way to speaking out loud to politicians who have consistently thrown them under the bus for purely selfish political gains.

Instead of going cap in hand to Abuja, Eastern governors should borrow a leaf from their colleagues from other regions and harness opportunities at home for the benefit of the people. It does not reduce their membership of the federation; it just arms the people to be economically and politically stronger. Instead of hounding IPOB and making efforts at being politically correct, let them borrow some of its finest attributes.

*Mrs. Nnedi Ogaziechi is a columnist for a national newspaper.