Reacting to the attack on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s convoy, which the Police say claimed no less than five lives, Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze Ndigbo spokesman, had this to say — at least as reported by The Nation of September 13:
“We make bold to say that the level of violence in the South East is caused by two key issues: criminality and aggression resulting from alienation and marginalization.”
How much this statement is official Ohanaeze reaction, or an Ogbonnia’s personal take, moonlighting as Ohanaeze’s opinion, is not clear. But it is yet another of the sterile, unhelpful and frankly irresponsible hee-haws that often come from the South East, over matters sane voices there should condemn out-and-out.
After Ogbonnia’s “thesis statement” of “criminality and alienation” — and of course, that buzz word “marginalization”, the Ohanaeze spokesman went cold on criminality: but waxed lyrical over “alienation and marginalization”.
“What is happening now” he thundered, “is an effect of misgovernance. All over the world, the moment you have anger in society, unemployment and poverty, the result is what you’re seeing.” So, to do a logical interpretation: might “criminality” be justifiable, because of “alienation and marginalization”?
Hardball just wonders how Senator Ubah and family; and the kith-and-kin of the doomed five that lost their lives — well, in this romantic criminality — would feel! Such crass insensitivity from a spokesperson of Ohanaeze, sworn to the welfare and wellbeing of all Igbo!
Then, Ogbonnia’s solution to arresting the crisis, which nevertheless ripples with ringing fallacy: “The only solution is for us to go into 2023 elections with open eyes. The future of Nigeria will depend on the kind of government that comes in 2023.”
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Really? Let’s apply that romantic logic (?) to Anambra where the outrage — and many more before it — happened. For Anambra, the coming of Chukwuma Soludo was to be some golden age of sorts. Indeed, the new governor was chirping some sweet renaissance, across all walks of life. Yet, his opening months have been blighted by blind barbarity and preening criminality. So long for a utopia of delusion!
When the IPOB nonsense started, the otherwise respected Chukwuemeka Ezeife, PhD, elder, former governor and ex-Harvard egg head, was busy claiming the killings were by the non-Igbo, to give the Igbo a bad name. Does Dr. Ezeife still hold that view?
Igbo-on-Igbo violence has since claimed Dr. Chike Akunyili, a gentle soul whose late wife was nothing but an overwhelming symbol of good for Nigeria. Senator Ubah escaped that violence but would battle the lifetime trauma of five aides dying in his name. Yet all the Ohanaeze spokesperson could offer is some romantic claptrap!
No thanks to IPOB and Monday sit-ins, Igbo commerce and economy bleed. By the Ubah attack, the cream of Igbo are fast becoming endangered species, in their own land. It’s time the Igbo faced own demons, and stopped blaming others for own home criminality.