MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS: How Market? (OPINION)
By Steve Okecha
The Senate Committee on the Review of the Nigerian Constitution, has recently made it abundantly clear, that Nigeria should opt for Regionalism, nevertheless, understandably opposed by the North. The Parliamentary system was also recommended, thus, suggesting that the Presidential system should be discarded. State creation was not recommended, which was a sensible thing to do.
Many Nigerians, including some of us from this part of the world, have always believed that any agitation for state creation is an exercise in futility. But, some Ukwuani-Ndokwa sons and daughters have taken the agitation for the creation of the so-called Anioma state as a full-time occupation. My brothers and sisters, how market now?
I have really learnt a lot from the agitation. I loved the drama. From it, I now KNOW:
- How shallow-minded some of our people are – literate and illiterate.
- How some of us have abandoned parenting – leaving their children to grow wild.
- How so badly brought up some of our youths are.
- How rude and grossly disrespectful some of our youths are.
- How hungry and jobless a good number f our people are.
- How beggarly some of our youths, our fine-looking men and our elegant ladies are. They are an embarrassment to our land.
- How incorrigible some of our people are.
- How cowardly many of our elite are.
- The extent that some of us could go to discard or change their God-given identity for a pot of porridge. Can you believe that some of us say that they are Ibos? These people now prefer other ethnic groups, to which their ancestors did not belong. Something is wrong somewhere.
- The extent to which some of our people love and embrace servitude.
- How unpatriotic many of us are.
- How docile and timid some Ukwuani-Ndokwa sons and daughters are.
- How ungrateful and unappreciative some of us are.
- how unbonded we are as a people.
- The extent of the lack of political consciousness in our land.
- How all-knowing some of us are, and are unwilling to learn.
- How a large population of our people are professional blackmailers.
- Why our people are unprepared to grab political power at higher levels; they prefer to be local champions.
- Why our people would want perpetually to produce deputy governors instead of gunning for governorship. Let me make it loud and clear, 1000 deputy governors are NOT equal to one governor.
- Why ours is the land of uncountable PAs, SAs, SSAs and [even brief-case carriers for other people].
- Why some of our men [over 60 years old] are permanent, full-time small boys [youths]. They are the youth leaders: errand boys, so to say. Ewu danukpoli nokuku naso – A dwarf goat mingles with fowls.
- How our elite shun consultation and brainstorming on Ukwuani-Ndokwa issues, for the good of our people.
- Why some of our people have refused to reason. Some Ukwuani-Ndokwa sons and daughters say that they are Ibos – simply because one man from Ikaland, once said, “I am an Ibo man.” I am unable to fathom the rationale behind such people’s claim. L
- Assuming he says he wants to set himself ablaze, then some of our people will make firewood of themselves.
Now that the agitation for state creation is, understandably, on the decline, our people should begin to strategise [as some other people are already doing] in case the clamour for Regionalism gains momentum nationwide. We should not be caught off guard, and plunged into irrelevance again. Our mumu don do.
In my view, neither Presidentialism nor the Parliamentary system is Nigeria’s problem. Nigeria’s problem is the Nigerian Man: a lawless, greedy human being, moulded with impunity and corruption, devoid of patriotism.
My brothers and sisters, I ask you again, how market?
Let me conclude. Our ancestors are angry. The oracle says that our derailing brothers and sisters will appear before our ancestors in their court at the appropriate time.
I am excited and proud of our youths who have recently distinguished themselves in their chosen professions. May God protect them. They have filled our hearts with joy, unlike those pseudo-historians, busy re-writing our history, and altering our collective identity.
Let us not deceive ourselves, ours is not the second largest ethnic group in Delta State. I had said so several times before. The Urhobos, the Ikas and the Isokos are far larger in population that ours. We can, nevertheless, benefit from any government, if our politicians are focused and assertive.
Ndoni [now in Rivers State] was once part of Aboh Division, and later, part of Ndokwa LGA. Ndoni people are Ukwuani people. They constitute a minority group in Rivers State, but have produced a powerful executive governor, who narrowly missed being the President of Nigeria. I gather that Ndoni people are accorded more respect than the Ikwerres in Port Harcourt.
Ndoni people occupy key political positions in Rivers State including the current Chairmanship of Rivers State Electoral Commission. They carry themselves with pride and dignity.
Here in Delta State, our own people are servile errand boys and girls. We have lost our collective esteem, and so no government takes us seriously. We do not speak with one voice; we are too individualistic. What a shame!
A Prominent Urhobo politician, in his first year as senator, was responsible for ELEVEN bills, when old timers had none. In addition to this feat, he caused the establishment of Orogun Polytechnic and Kwale Varsity. [Please don’t get me wrong, I am not a member of his party].
Today, we only hear [yes, hear] of meaningless motions and bills, and fruitless agitation for state creation – all intangibles. Enough of the nonsense. Are our people so daft?
I don’t intend to be unnecessarily sentimental here. From my personal research, only ONE person [perhaps, TWO] can really serve creditably as a governor from our land for the benefit of our people. The men are well educated, fearless pushful, forward-looking and endowed with goal-getting disposition, NOT “womwom” party stooges. We should right now, start searching for a sellable man or woman who can represent Ukwuani-Ndokwa people in the senate, and do our bidding.
God bless our land.
Professor Steve A. Okecha
