So, Buhari Can Visit Anambra State?

By Mike Ozekhome

Power could be sweet. It is an aphrodisiac and intoxicating
liquor. It turns boys into men. When misused, it can also turn men
into boys. But before becoming the man, the power seeker can crawl
on his belly, genuflect and prostrate, to seize this intoxicating
brew. Such is the case of President Muhammed Buhari.

Upon being sworn in as Nigerian president in 2015, President
Buhari brazenly marginalized the South East. He told a shocked
international community that he could not be expected to treat
people who gave him 97% on the same keel as those who gave him only
5%. The maths didn’t even add up. I thought it should have been
97% to 3%? Not to worry. The president had been
asked a question in the US with regard to amnesty, bunkering and
inclusive development in the Niger Delta. The question was posed by
one Dr Pauline Baker (President Emeritus, Fund for Peace) during
Buhari’s address at the United States of Peace Institute (USIP).
This was on July 22, 2015, during his thank you
visit to US. His government is suddenly now saying there should be
no interference in “our domestic matters”. What
did he go there to thank America for in 2015? Remember US Secretary
of State’s clandestine visits to the then APC opposition? Remember
the role of Obama’s Mr Axlerod? Selective amnesia indeed! PMB had
seemed to struggle with the question asked and had to be assisted
by Mr Jonnie Carson, the former Under Secretary of State for
African Affairs.

Puzzled, PMB asked incredulously, “inclusive?”. Yes “inclusive
government ……. including women, youth”, Carson lectured. PMB
shocked the international community and everyone present when he
responded to Baker and Carson, “I see … I hope you have a
copy of the election results. The constituents, who for example,
gave me 97% (of the votes) cannot in all honesty be treated on some
issues with constituencies that gave me 5%”. Euphoric
Nigerians clapped. Anything and everything uttered by PMB at that
time was applauded, no matter its disconnect with the people and
realities. It was enough that President Jonathan had been
sacrificed and booted out of office by APC and its international
collaborators led by the USA, UK and EU. These are the same
countries the very government is now tagging meddlesome interlopers
in our internal affairs!

Thus, began PMB’s nepotic and clannish reign of cronyism,
prebendalism and neopatrimonialism, which has seen a total
marginalization of the Ndigbo more than at any other time before in
Nigeria’s history. This is more reflected in the security
apparachik architecture of Nigeria, where PMB’s North alone takes
at least 98%. This is not the first time. At the African Hall of
the OAU African leaders meeting in 1985, Buhari as
Nigeria’s military Dictator had mobilized other Heads of State
against his countryman, Dr Peter Onu, for the position of Secretary
General of OAU. He shocked Dr Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and other
African leaders who begged him to support Onu, by throwing his
weight behind Idi Omaro, a Moslem from Niger Republic, Onu was the
most qualified. A brilliant and internationally acclaimed Diplomat
and philanthropist, Onu was already the Acting Secretary-General,
having replaced Dr Edem Kodjo of Togo, who had stepped down
prematurely in 1983. Buhari preferred a Nigerien to a Nigerian.
Reason? Onu committed the “original sin” of being
Igbo.

WHY IS SOUTH EAST A NO GO AREA FOR BUHARI?

Buhari is therefore a leopard whose spots cannot be changed.
Series of events, mirthful and mournful, have since occurred in the
South East that would have seen a president scampering to the
geo-political zone. But, no, not Buhari, a president whose national
binoculars are heavily blurred by the swirling dust of nepotism and
election results fever.

Let us see some of these events that were willfully boycotted by
PMB. The war hero and Ikemba Ndigbo Gburugburu, Chief Chukwuemeka
Odumegwu Ojukwu had died at 78 on 26^th November,
2011 and was buried on 2^nd March,
2012. During his entire funeral obsequies, the world
literally poured into Nnewi, Ojukwu’s country home, to honour the
harbinger of Ogbunigwe, refined petroleum products
(even if crude) and the avatar to whom the Igbos looked up before,
during and after the civil war. They had unanimously cried,
“Ojukwu, nye me gbe” (Ojukwu, give us guns). This
was the justifiable war refrain by a traumatized race whose
horrific massacre in the pogrom generated in the northern parts of
Nigeria before the 1967-1970 Nigeria-Biafra war,
still stands out as one of the cruelest, most barbaric and most
brutish wars ever fought in history. It is ranked, in
horrendousness, atrocious genocidal tendencies, mass suffering,
torture, agony, misery and huge casualties, as one of history’s
worst wars. It is ranked with other wars like the first and
second world wars (1914-1918; 1939-1945); the
Manchu conquest of China for over 60 years in the
17^th century; the Napolonic
wars provoked by the French Revolution of
1789; the second Congo war,
(1998-2003); the 30 years war between
Catholic and Protestant States in Central Europe
(1618-1648); such bloody and gruesome wars also
include the Chinese civil war of 1927; the
Russian civil war (1917-1922), and the
Taping Rebellion in China (1850-1864).

Our president, Buhari, was conspicuously missing in Nnewi,
Anambra State, where Ojukwu was interred. Similarly, Chinua Achebe,
unparalleled African’s foremost Essayist and author of epics such
as “Things Fall Apart”, “No Longer At
Ease”, “Arrows of God”, “A Man of
the People”, “The trouble with Nigeria”,
etc, had joined his ancestors. PMB did not attend. The entire world
was represented.

NOW THIS

Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, former democratic Vice President
of Nigeria died. This nationalist had been slammed into the gulag
in Ikoyi and Kirikiri maximum prisons for years, during his so
called “War Against Indiscipline (WAI)”. This was during his
first despotic outing between December 31, 1983
and, August 27, 1985. It is significant that
ironically, Ekwueme’s boss, President Aliyu Shehu Shagari (may his
great soul rest in alijanah firdausi, amin), was put under cosy
house arrest. Other Nigerians like former Governors Bisi Onabanjo
(Ogun State), Ambrose Ali (then Bendel State), never recovered from
the fascist treatment they received from PMB. Some like Ambrose Ali
and Ayo  Ejiwunmi came out blind. Others died prematurely.
Forget about Lawal Ojuolape (30), Bernard Ogedengbe (29) and
Bartholomew Owoh that were extra-judicially murdered through
Buhari’s enactment of a Decree with the death penalty, but whose
operation was made retroactive. Rewind. Nigerians from all walks of
life had poured into Oko, Anambra State to honour Ekwueme’s
remains. PMB was absent. Not even the service of songs held for
Ekwueme in Abuja, an event attended by Ojukwu’s main rival during
the bloody civil war, General Yakubu Gowon, attracted Buhari’s
attention. No. Never.

Onitsha tragic fuel tanker explosion came, killing scores of
people. Not for PMB to attend. Then came the great floods that
ravaged Anambra State. PMB did not attend to offer a word of
comfort to the families of the dead, drowned and the suffering.

AND THIS

The only time PMB is known to have visited Anambra people after
his 2015 election is during political campaigns, the first being
2017, during the governorship election in Anambra State. He has
been scrupulously enforcing the 97% and 5% template.

Only few days ago, Buhari suddenly discovered the
“bushy” route to Anambra State again (like
Portuguese Explorer, Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to
India). He was in Onitsha to commission his only project and
“federal presence” since 2015, the repainted grave
tomb of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (Zik of Africa), the man whose burial
obsequies he had also shunned in 1991. Good God!

Let me end this piece by recommending to the Ndigbo, the
legendary Hubert Ogunde’s immortal words, in his most famous
1964 play, “Yoruba Ronu” (“Yorubas,
think”). This was a stinging satire that got his theatre
company (Ogunde Theatre Party) banned. The ban was later lifted on
4^th February, 1966, by the then new
Governor, Lt. Col F.A. Adekunle Fajuyi. My humble advice to the
Ndigbo now is, “Ndigbo, cheenu echiche” (“Igbos,
think”). Do not be deceived. Remember the most recent
“operation python dance”.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Power intoxicates men. It is never voluntarily surrendered. It
must be taken from them”. (James F. Byrnes).

LAST LINE

Nigerians, as you begin a new week, let us pray for peaceful
elections. Keep faith with our weekly national conversation on the
Sunday Sermon on the Mount of the Nigerian Project by Chief Mike
A.A. Ozekhome, SAN, OFR, FCIArb, Ph.D, LL.D.