PUBLISHED IN NIGERIAN PILOT OF AUGUST 7, 2013. Ndigbo, Fashola and power politics “It is my impression that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was driven by an overriding ambition for power, for himself in particular and for the advancement of his Yoruba people in general. And let it be said that there is, on the surface at least, nothing wrong with those aspirations. However, Awolowo saw the dominant Igbo at the time as the obstacles to that goal, and when the opportunity arose, the Nigeria-Biafra war, his ambition drove him into a frenzy to go every length to achieve his dreams.” – Chinua Achebe The above extract derived from late Prof. Chinua Achebe’s swansong “There Was A Country: A Personal History Of Biafra” is herein adopted as reference reminder to all Igbo, especially those in Lagos State, that the increasing incident of persecution against them arising from no other quarters than the Lagos State government is clearly part of the viciously atavistic machinations of certain elements in the South-West geo-political zone who still see Ndigbo as obstacles to the realisation of their political ambitions. And that Governor Fashola may have resorted to the implementation of the seemingly orchestrated and vicious vistas aimed at being used to test run the possibility or otherwise of ensuring early intimidation of Igbo electorate in Lagos State into helplessly identifying with the newly registered All Progressive Congress, APC, smacks of little or no surprise. Thus, it may not be out of place to submit that such emerging issues as the deportation of scores of Igbo people from Lagos to Onitsha, the alleged attempts to impose Bala Oloja on the predominantly Igbo traders in Ladipo market as their leader and sundry other issues yet to arise, with time are all but the renewal and/or the replication of the old Awoist desperation for power and its concomitant phobia for Ndigbo, who in the prevailing circumstance are perceived by the Lagos State government as possible obstacles to the actualisation of the All Progressive Congress’s desperation to retain power in the state by 2015. Otherwise, what else do we attribute to this growing hostility being displayed to diligent and peaceful Igbo people of Lagos State by Governor Babatunde Fashola-led government? Now come to think of it, granted that Governor Fashola’s claim that deporting these innocent and law-abiding persons of Igbo extraction to Onitsha in Anambra State under the guise of attempts by Lagos State government to rid the streets of the city of “unwanted elements”, is a point to reflect upon, why is it that since the beginning of this discriminatory exercise the media are yet to be awash with the news of massive deportation of people of other Nigerian enclaves as being done to Ndigbo? Or, is Fashola-led government insinuating by its action that Igbo people are the real beggars because of whom foreign investors appear to be elusive in Lagos State? Or, were these so-called indigent persons so stranded that somebody had to accost Fashola on their behalf to plead for assistance in order to enable them reunite with their kith and kin in the South-East? Or, did Fashola think that by forcefully gathering and deporting them, Lagos will thus become investment friendly? Or, is Fashola implying that the states in the South-West geopolitical zone have got no less privileged people loafing around the city of Lagos State who can as well be rounded up and deported? Again, does Fashola want us all to believe that in Lagos State of today the South-East can boast of more mendicants, indigent persons or indolent set of people than the South-West? And, if one may ask further, since when did Fashola begin to know the Igbo folks, even the cripples among them, as a people who need government’s assistance or intervention before they can afford to do anything personal to them, let alone going home to reunite with members of their families? What manner of insult is Fashola hurling at Ndigbo? What sort of madness are Ndigbo beginning to behold in Nigeria again? If indeed Governor Fashola wants Nigerians to believe that he is really committed to providing the dividends of democracy or ensuring the reign of good governance in Lagos State, why are we beginning to experience or hear more about the reported use of the personnel of operation Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, in unleashing assault on hapless Nigerians? Lest we forget, the peculiar travail of one Osondu Mbuto, a trader from Ohaozara in Ebonyi State, who was allegedly apprehended on December 18, 2012 on his way to his shop, detained and manhandled by persons alleged to be agents of Fashola’s security outfit, otherwise known as Operation Kick Against Indiscipline, remains outstanding in this regard. And it is regrettable that today not a handful of state governors have one form of militia group or the other, as clandestine as some may be operating for now, that performs duties that are all intrinsic to those of the Nigeria Police Force. Yet, some of these governors are loath to accept the idea of having clearly defined and regulated system of state policing that would be more readily in position to combat the peculiar security challenges in their respective domains. Instead, they appear more comfortable resorting to absurd use of these private militia men as state security operatives mainly for targeting their perceived political detractors and all others considered in the figment of their imagination as future possible political opponents. Anyway that is no issue for now. As if the deportation saga, is not enough intimidation for Igbo people of Lagos State, Governor Fashola-led government appears to be fanning the embers of another anti-Igbo sentiment by the alleged imposition of Bala Oloja as the leader of Ladipo market on the vast majority of Igbo traders reportedly constituting over 80 per cent of the entire market traders’ population. It is though understandable that Ladipo market is in Lagos State which in itself is often considered by mainly the Yoruba folks as “no man’s land”, yet the fact that the country is operating and/or enjoying democracy which Fashola and his ilk profess to espouse and uphold its ideals and would even want Nigerians to see them as democrats through the lens of their newly registered All Progressive Congress, demands that the Lagos State government must equally allow the process of democratisation to grow, thrive and permeate all nooks and crannies of the state, inclusive of Ladipo market. Therefore, for it to be alleged that the same Lagos State government which professes its love for democracy is desperately striving to impose Bala Oloja on the traders in Ladipo market as against the wishes and happiness of the vast majority of them, who incidentally are Igbo people, underscores not only the relevance of the politically ulterior motives behind this unwarranted meddlesomeness but the real colour of hypocrisy that is gradually emanating from the APC-led government of Lagos State, which Governor Fashola is unknowingly beginning to show all Nigerians that the mega party might after all be nothing less than a mere fad in the annals of Nigerian political experience. By and large, much as it is very important for every state government to adopt and pursue policies aimed at providing good governance to its citizenry, it is in the same vein paramount for that to be done within the ambit of the laws governing the Nigerian state and the universe in general. In essence, while nobody is saying that Governor Fashola and his supporters should not forge ahead with the development of Lagos State to any level it suits the figment of their imagination, there is no gainsaying that achieving real development does not directly or indirectly entail playing politics of intimidating people or group of people who are at liberty to decide in due course which of the political parties will at best serve and protect their interest. Posted by By Onyiorah Chiduluemije Paschal on August 7, 2013. Filed under Back Page. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 09:42:32 +0000
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