Why Igbo must remain in Nigeria – Real Igbo Ambassadors
Yes, I maintain that it’s better for the Igbos to remain as a part of One Big and Unified Nigeria, for now.
I share this belief because the prevailing Biafran mind set clearly has no plans for the Igbo people, after we, the Igbos would have returned to our land. The pro-secessionists have not told us how and what the multitude of Ndigbo would survive on, when we all return.
I have taken time to study how our people live and make a living in Igboland. I have researched the survival conditions in the East and I can tell you emphatically that “it’s nothing to write home about”. The rate of poverty and hopelessness already on ground is really terrifying. The ‘Eastern Region’ will clearly become another regional disaster if we cut off the current chain of economic balance. The. Reaon is not far-fetched: there’s no economic structure or sustainable system to accommodate the ‘naive and vulnerable’ multitude of the Igbos, who ignorantly believe that merely returning to Biafra Land, is the ultimate solution to their complicated problems.
Having said that, let is be on record that I believe that the Igbo deserves a better deal within the Nigerian social political arrangement. I am absolutely convinced that we need to renegotiate the famous “sharing and allocation formula”. I totally support the restructuring of Nigeria; and I will always exercise my support for its realization.
As we restructure the Nigerian system, we must not also forget to restructure our own mind set. if we must go,we must first learn why countries like South Sudan and their likes failed after secession. We must begin to learn what countries that have succeeded after break up practises, knows and does.
We must begin to restructure our own region through every available resources in our possession: with support from individuals, corporate, governmental and non-governmental institutions.
We must realize that we must begin to learn how to build our desired paradise because it will never fall form the skies. We must begin to learn how to love and live together like brothers.
The true Biafran must begin to learn and understand how things work globally and the direction the world is headed.
The real Biafran must not be intellectually obsolete.
Before I round off this piece, let’s goo down the memory lane a bit.
About three years ago, the Deputy Secretary-General of ACF, Abubakar Umar, while addressing members of the South-South/South-East Arewa Coalition said.
According to statistics, the Igbos’ investments in Kaduna, Kano and Jos alone amounted to about N45 trillion and with such huge investments in just three States of the north alone.
“Take Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, for example, the Igbos occupy over 73 percent of the land.
My submission is that, the Igbos are a Major Stake holders in the project Nigeria- let’s stay to reap the fruits of our labour- we can benefit more from “jaw-jaw” rather than “war-war”. Once Bitten Twice Shy.
