Arise, O Compatriots (1)

By Chukwudi OHIRI

(07052415807)

The events of the last few weeks in Nigeria and later, the xenophobic attack on non-indigenous blacks in South Africa really call for intense sober reflections for every well meaning Nigerian, especially all Igbo indigenes at home and in the Diaspora. Unfortunately, it appears that there are no lessons learnt. Nigerians and indeed the Igbos have not learnt that East or West, home remains the best.

First, it was the Oba of Lagos, His Highness Oba Rilwan Akiolu, who savagely issued a warning threat to all Igbo people residing in Lagos to either vote for his preferred candidate in the recently conducted governorship polls or face extinction. According to the well respected king, Lagos belongs to him and the Igbos have to do his bidding or perish in the Lagoon. The controversy and uproar generated by the comment almost heat up the polity to a melting point. In the end, the Oba’s anointed candidate won the elections and whether the Igbos heeded his call or not is a subject for further discussions. Heavens did not fall, but where lessons learnt?

Hardly had the dust generated by the Oba’s thread at home settled than another King in far away South Africa provoked a spate of wanton killings of fellow black Africans in what may pass for one of the world’s most deadly xenophobic attacks in recent history. The king of the Zulu nation, Goodwill Zwelithini reportedly accused the government of South Africa of cowardice for not intervening in the growing number of non indigenes setting up businesses in South Africa and thereby “inconveniencing” the banafide indigenes. He allegedly called on such foreigners to leave the country and what followed was the spate of killings.

The sad but indubitable truth is that Nigerians, especially the Igbos are the most travelled people on earth and perhaps, worst hit in all of these. Arise O compatriots, it’s time to wake up. It’s time to think home, it’s time build Nigeria and Igbo land of our dreams.

Outside the shores of Nigeria, a Nigerian is despised and treated with disdain for the wrong reasons. Within the country, the Igbo man is seen as a perpetual threat that must be halted at all cost. In the North, he is despised. In the South, he is dreaded. In the West, he is hated, abhorred and disparaged like a monster that must be eliminated. Unfortunately, in the East, the Igboman appears to hate one another.

Look at the governorship polls in Abia State. It has been turned into a tribal war between bonafide indigenes and non-bonafide indigenes. It also degenerated to death threat on residents who dare to vote against a certain candidate. Yet we cried ‘blue murder’, ‘we wailed’ we lamented when the Oba of Lagos threatened us with death if we fail to vote for his anointed candidate. What moral justifications do we have to condemn the Oba when we do the same thing to ourselves back home? Who would take us serious if we are so threatened elsewhere? A dog can only bear the name its owner calls it. People address you the way you are dressed. Not until we begin to regard ourselves, no body will regard us. We are directly the architect of our misfortune in corporate Nigeria. At the national level, unless our government begins to place high premium on the lives and welfare of its citizens, no nation would accord us that respect and dignity we deserve.

 A few years ago, this same South Africa, forgetting so soon, the price paid by Nigeria in its march to freedom and complete eradication of apartheid, embarked on the deportation of Nigerians with genuine visas on account of a yellow fever vaccine document which the authorities claimed was fake.  What did our government do? They hobnobbed with the South African authorities, invited them to a tea party and that was all. Every time, the federal government engage in a weightless rhetoric about a certain principle of reciprocity in its foreign policy thrust, but when the occasion warrants reciprocal action, the will power disappears and we chicken away.  

While not soliciting for a reciprocal killings and damage of investments as many Nigerians have prescribed (two wrongs cannot make a right), the Nigerian government ought to have demonstrated a proactive stance that will portray it as a responsible government. Rather than moving to evacuate Nigerians in South Africa as many other countries have done, the federal government feels the damage already done is not enough to warrant such an expedient action. Perhaps, when Nigerians begin to die in their thousands; when their properties are depleted to ground zero; when the son, daughter or relation of a highly placed politician or government official is affected; maybe it will then be time to act. This is called ‘crying when the head is already off’—reactionary governance. Arise O compatriots, our attitude towards our citizens must change.

Recall that in September last year after the ill-fated Synagogue Church of All Nations building collapsed, killing scores of South Africans, the South African government promptly dispatched a delegation to Nigeria not only to ascertain the complicity of the church owners in the tragedy, but also to ensure that it personally took stock of its demised nationals and their bodies taken home. Can the Nigerian government replicate the same feat if the story was the other way round? I’m sure you know the answer.

In January 2015 when 12 French journalists were killed in Paris, the French government led by President Francois Hollande with a unanimous support of all citizens declared war on the terrorists deploying over 10,000 troops across the length and breadth of France not only to forestall further attacks, but also to apprehend the three suspected terrorists. Never was it heard that the opposition cast aspersion on its leader nor was it politicized.

In Nigeria, when more than 200 Chibok girls were abducted over a year ago, there were neither signs of emergency on the part of the government nor were the citizens unanimous in condemning and seeking solution to the debacle. In fact, it became a campaign tool in the hands of the opposition making it sound as if the purported abduction was a fiction. Till date, these girls are still missing while many Nigerians still doubt if the abduction was real. We must arise, O compatriots, lest we continue to be a laughing stock among the comity of nations. Premium must be placed on the lives of our citizens. Let us imbibe the culture of chasing away the predatory kites and blame the mother hen later for her carelessness. If we don’t imbibe this attitude, the Chibok girls (if real) will remain missing even with the bravest of presidents. The fight against insurgency will remain elusive and the little gains made, reversed.       

Who takes the blame in all of these? It is neither the government nor the citizens. I think we are collectively guilty as charged.