May 3, 2010
Our own Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu is in the news again. This time he is asking the Igbo to support IBB for his presidential ambition in 2011. His reason: IBB was the president who released all his fathers’ property seized during the civil war and kept by the federal government for 23 years after the war. As I write this Ikemba Nnewi is deploying foot soldiers to all nooks and crannies of Igboland to campaign for IBB – a man that was instrumental to the destruction of everything we hold dear in Nigeria.
Our own Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu is in the news again. This time he is asking the Igbo to support IBB for his presidential ambition in 2011. His reason: IBB was the president who released all his fathers’ property seized during the civil war and kept by the federal government for 23 years after the war. As I write this Ikemba Nnewi is deploying foot soldiers to all nooks and crannies of Igboland to campaign for IBB – a man that was instrumental to the destruction of everything we hold dear in Nigeria.
Knowing that my hero is 75, I do not think I want to continue to take our dear Ikemba on some of his actions and deeds that tend to belittle the Igbo and make us a laughing stock, rather I want the big masquerade (nnukwu mmanwu) to age gracefully with respect, honour and integrity.
I am of the opinion that what we owe Ikemba now is encouragement and support, to continue to show leadership till his creator calls him. But Ikemba continues to provoke us to talk. Before the Anambra guber elections Professor Maurice Iwu was no friend of Ojukwu’s APGA. Iwu never recognized the Ojukwu’s faction of APGA led by Chief Victor Umeh. It took the intervention of Nigerians from all walks of life to mount repeated pressure on Maurice to change his mind. The pressure was simply too much and Iwu had no alternative than to bow to the power of superior arguments of well – informed Nigerians. But immediately APGA won the elections Ikemba Nnewi changed gear and began to campaign for Iwu for a second term as INEC Chairman. It was the most annoying thing for Ikemba to do and many of his friends felt that the man is getting out of hand. Many of them asked: so Maurice Iwu has become an instant hero for Ojukwu simply because Ojukwu’s APGA won the election? If APGA did not win will Ojukwu ask for Iwu to be retained? The people can no longer understand Ikemba Nnewi. This is totally absurd and unthinkable. Ikemba Nnewi must know that the success recorded in Anambra 2010 was not because Prof Maurice Iwu’s INEC did something extraordinary or spectacular, it was because the civil society, Civil Defense, Red Cross, Youth Corpers, Police, Army, other Security Agencies, concerned individuals, Party Agents and supporters were determined to get it right.
Now, the man has taken the provocation further. Ikemba now wants us to vote for IBB. Now let us face it. I think this is politics of ‘self and for myself’ on the part of Ikemba Nnewi. And if I may ask, the so-called houses IBB released to Ikemba, how many of them did he share with his supporters, friends and associates he has been using for years? What have I gained as an Igbo man from the release of the property? Ikemba Nnewi may need to do more explanations on what IBB did for South East during his 9 years in office as President. To ask us to vote for IBB because he released his father’s property is an insult in our collective intelligence. It does not add up. It makes no sense.
IBB is not a Presidential material in 2011 and he can never be again. A million Ikemba Nnewi cannot change this and I am being mature about it. Our people like Ikemba Nnewi but this kite cannot fly, the ship cannot sail, the vehicle has a knocked engine. Ours must be a nation of fools if we can be making a case for IBB in 2011. Ours must be a hopeless entity if we continue to talk about a finished product like IBB in 2011. Ours must be a hopelessly retarded nation if out of millions of professionals we have in Nigeria and in Diaspora; we are still talking about a disgraced dictator called IBB. Ikemba, please stop this nonsense, stop this mess, stop this useless campaign, stop insulting us, stop misleading our people on IBB. Nigerians cannot trust IBB. And this is final.
Joe Igbokwe
Lagos
Knowing that my hero is 75, I do not think I want to continue to take our dear Ikemba on some of his actions and deeds that tend to belittle the Igbo and make us a laughing stock, rather I want the big masquerade (nnukwu mmanwu) to age gracefully with respect, honour and integrity.
I am of the opinion that what we owe Ikemba now is encouragement and support, to continue to show leadership till his creator calls him. But Ikemba continues to provoke us to talk. Before the Anambra guber elections Professor Maurice Iwu was no friend of Ojukwu’s APGA. Iwu never recognized the Ojukwu’s faction of APGA led by Chief Victor Umeh. It took the intervention of Nigerians from all walks of life to mount repeated pressure on Maurice to change his mind. The pressure was simply too much and Iwu had no alternative than to bow to the power of superior arguments of well – informed Nigerians. But immediately APGA won the elections Ikemba Nnewi changed gear and began to campaign for Iwu for a second term as INEC Chairman. It was the most annoying thing for Ikemba to do and many of his friends felt that the man is getting out of hand. Many of them asked: so Maurice Iwu has become an instant hero for Ojukwu simply because Ojukwu’s APGA won the election? If APGA did not win will Ojukwu ask for Iwu to be retained? The people can no longer understand Ikemba Nnewi. This is totally absurd and unthinkable. Ikemba Nnewi must know that the success recorded in Anambra 2010 was not because Prof Maurice Iwu’s INEC did something extraordinary or spectacular, it was because the civil society, Civil Defense, Red Cross, Youth Corpers, Police, Army, other Security Agencies, concerned individuals, Party Agents and supporters were determined to get it right.
Now, the man has taken the provocation further. Ikemba now wants us to vote for IBB. Now let us face it. I think this is politics of ‘self and for myself’ on the part of Ikemba Nnewi. And if I may ask, the so-called houses IBB released to Ikemba, how many of them did he share with his supporters, friends and associates he has been using for years? What have I gained as an Igbo man from the release of the property? Ikemba Nnewi may need to do more explanations on what IBB did for South East during his 9 years in office as President. To ask us to vote for IBB because he released his father’s property is an insult in our collective intelligence. It does not add up. It makes no sense.
IBB is not a Presidential material in 2011 and he can never be again. A million Ikemba Nnewi cannot change this and I am being mature about it. Our people like Ikemba Nnewi but this kite cannot fly, the ship cannot sail, the vehicle has a knocked engine. Ours must be a nation of fools if we can be making a case for IBB in 2011. Ours must be a hopeless entity if we continue to talk about a finished product like IBB in 2011. Ours must be a hopelessly retarded nation if out of millions of professionals we have in Nigeria and in Diaspora; we are still talking about a disgraced dictator called IBB. Ikemba, please stop this nonsense, stop this mess, stop this useless campaign, stop insulting us, stop misleading our people on IBB. Nigerians cannot trust IBB. And this is final.
Joe Igbokwe
Lagos
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