ACHO ORABUCHI

Dallas, TX

Friday, February 18, 2005

My recent story on the national dialogue drew welter reactions from various people. No reaction was more blunt and pointed than the disagreement expressed by my good friend whom I respect so much, Dr. Odindu Odunze on the peripheral issues my article raised. Before sharing his views, let me seize this moment to highlight the issues both of us did not equivocate on. We believe in a true federalism!

Dr. Odunze and I, like many other people, agree that there is no utopian system on earth. However, the Nigerian structure, imposed on us by the colonial rulers, is grossly and fundamentally flawed to the extent that it impedes viable competition, hampers social and economic development while breeding despotism, corruption, poverty, and other social ills. Also, we agreed that historically Nigeria has lacked transformational leaders with a vision. Most of our leaders are devoid of vision and ideology. We are in consonance with the fact that the structure perpetuates leadership anomalies coupled with their associated ills. In addition, the federal government, operating false federalism, is so centralized that it does not only control the lives of the citizens, but also people and states largely depend on it for virtually everything. Our supposition, anchored on empirical evidence, is widely shared by Nigerians in the Diaspora and at home, hence the intense agitation for what some may call the sovereign national conference—a burning desire for a meaningful change.

To underscore the above point, Nnenne Uche, a junior at The University of Texas at Arlington, captured the essence of our sentiments when she said recently at an occasion organized by Nigerians in Dallas, “At present, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with a massive abundance of natural resources, for instance oil and gas; however, our country has not been operating at its optimum capacity. Our country produces some of the top intellects in today’s world. We are the doctors, the lawyers and the engineers, yet our country continues to suffer. We attribute this to the lack of foresight and vision from our present leaders. Change is long over due, our nation cries out for it and our people deserve it. We’ve left our country at the mercy of people who have proven themselves incapable of molding it. We have the potential to be ranked amongst the best in the world yet we aren’t. Based on this alone, we believe that it is time to give us a chance to create a stronger Nigeria. To do this we need to change the perception of Nigerians in today’s global community. We need a stronger network. Our youths need to be mentored and need to become more confident in their abilities. In order for this to happen we need you to be confident in us as we are in ourselves. We are convinced that we can do a good job and we ask that you demonstrate your good faith in us by encouraging your children to join the ranks of tomorrow’s leaders.”

Well, Odunze and I agree on the crux of the structural problems Nigeria has. However, we have a divergent opinion on some tangential issues. I strongly believe that a genuine Sovereign National Conference (SNC) or Conference of Ethnic Nationalities (CEN), as I have chosen to refer to it lately, is a necessity that would address Nigeria’s myriad of problems. For the disagreement, here it comes:

ON ETHNIC NATIONALITIES SOVEREIGN CONFERENCE:

Dr. Odunze Disagrees with Dr. Orabuchi.

Dear Dr. Orabuchi,

I respectfully disagree with your call for Ethnic Nationalities Sovereign Conference. I can see your exuberant patriotism in seeing that Nigeria transforms over night to the type of a nation State you and I would prefer and be proud about. I am aware that your concern is as good as mine on Igbo affairs as we together demand for legitimate EQUITY from the Nigerian government. I imagine that the clamor for a conference or conferences is caused by the INEQUITY we see in the Nigerian system of government. But a conference with the name “Ethnic Nationalities Sovereign Conference” is not and will not be the panacea. And here is why. It is only in Africa particularly in Nigeria that after any election no matter how crudely organized, the losers always claim they are better than the winners. If the argument here is that those who won did so by fraud, tell me which party in Nigeria did not rig election in the April 2003 election?

I am of the opinion once expressed by Dim Ojukwu that the peoples’ representatives hold the legitimacy to discuss the peoples’ will. We have the Nigerian Senate and we have the House of Representatives. How reasonable is it in the contemporary politics for us to sidetrack these bodies for another amorphous clandestine and ill-motivated group or groups to discuss the nation’s affairs? You are an academician as well as an intellectual for my humble self to tutor you on the meanings of “nationalities” and “sovereignty.” Yes I agree that we are already different nationalities by languages and customs and about 250 or more of us but so are other nations that have well organized acceptable pluralistic states. If we therefore congregate, 250 or more of us with the intent and purposes to ensure our respective nationalities Sovereignty; then the conference you are advocating is no longer a national but an international adjudication over our permanent separation. And that is a bad idea. Please do not play politics of cheap popularity contest.

I have written volubly on this matter stating the pros and cons on our togetherness or separation, which you can find on Osondu Editor archives, captioned “Restructured True Federalism: General David Ejoor, Elder Statesman Tony Enahoro & Co, dated 9/15/2004, http://www.osondu.com/articles/restructuredtruefederalism.htm. I wish you could direct the publication of that article in the Nigerian papers as you always do. I agree that President Obasanjo is part of the Nigerian retrogradation and so are most of the leaders in the 3 tiers of governance you once wrote about for which you received my nod. If Obasanjo could go and return from America and Great Britain and if the so-called leaders could go and return from America and Great Britain and yet cannot affect reasonable living conditions for the Nigerian peoples then I say emphatically that the problem is inept and selfish LEADERSHIP. And no conference will correct a culture of greed as now rampant in our 3 tiers of governance. Honestly, if I were Obasanjo I would not allow such a conference concocted by men who want some personal share of the cake and will change like chameleon as soon as they get part of the booty.

This is what I would do had I the power to do so. I would call for in Nigeria as a matter of urgency and a requirement for political office, “A BODY OF RETIRED INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS ON LEADERSHIP AND DEMOCRACY from the major world Democracies for two months crash leadership training program for all the leaders in the Nigerian 3 tiers of governance including the Senates and House of Representatives and pay for it with the Nigerian money. The money would be better spent than on a divisive conference.

My good friend, separation is not the answer. From what I see and read in the Igbo forum, which is your brainchild, the Igbo nation is not safe even within itself. You heard it loud and clear when ASA-USA warned all and sundry of imminent repercussions for not toeing its self-righteous political philosophy. You heard it loud and clear when a learned gentleman solicited for Anambra vigilantism against all other Igbo groups. You heard it loud and clear when one other gentleman implied that our enemies are aware that Anambra is the political head of the Igbo nation, and if decapitated would leave a dead Igbo nation. You heard it loud and clear when the late Okadigbo of the blessed memory told us all that Anambra is the heart and soul of Igbo political survivability. And perhaps all of the above are right. And now we have the Chekwa’s episode. And I wonder. But it hurts to tell a child that his mother slept with a man eight times. I do not know what makes the number eight so unique but that is an awful lot of times. My good friend, for those whom the bell tolls there ought to be eternal vigilance. Unity is virtuous only when it reciprocates and that needs a lot of sacrifice and selflessness. I believe that we can reassert Igbo dominance in Nigeria through progressive rationalism. Unfortunately that will not happen in the foreseeable future as long as we continue in our timid ways in glorifying 35 years of rambunctious but failed leadership. I do not accept your call for the Ethnic Sovereign Nationalities Conference.

However I will attend this year’s call to the May PAN Igbo USA conference God willing. Therefore do not hesitate to advise me on what needs to be done by my humble self. You are the leader and I am the follower.

God bless.

Odindu Odunze, Ph.D.

See also: ACHO ORABUCHI: National Dialogue: Nigerians abroad react