The Question Of Igbo Presidential Mandate In 2023 Will Make Or Mar The Actualization Of Biafra

By Nnaemeka U. Trump

There is unarguably no group of Nigerian ethnic nationality, region, or people who are badly hit and thoroughly dissatisfied with their position in the scheme of things in Nigeria as the Igbos. It is glaringly obvious that the Igbo people of South East region of Nigeria has faced more sociopolitical and economic persecutions and afflictions far more than any other region, ethnicity or people in Nigeria. History is replete with countless unimaginable cum unjustifiable traces of injustices, sheer hatred, acrimony, killings and other inhuman atrocities exclusively targeted against the Igbo people.

It is however a truism and evidentially a statement of fact that the Nigerian system was deliberately and technically designed after the Biafra war to not only stampede and impede any attempt by an Igbo man or woman to make progress beyond the set limit by the vitriolic and vindictive Nigerian system; not even allowed by the corrupt system to put to effective use the many potentialities and ingenuities that obviously abound or predominantly prevalent among the Igbo people. It is also a statement of historical fact subjection to more than enough historical evidences that a section of the country has vowed that Igbos will never produce the president. But ironically a more valid statement of fact that over 98% of Igbos and over 78% of other Nigerians are in total consensus that equity and fair sense of justice demands that Igbos should be allowed and supported to produce the president come 2023. And it is also a far more practicable statement of fact that any day Igbo political, sociocultural, religious and economic leaders rationalize to team up with the people to get justice for themselves; that very day Nigeria will seize to exist (and the power play of 2023 presidential race remains a key determinant and factor to that effect).

The question of Igbo presidential mandate of 2023 may finally lead to the total disintegration of Nigeria for good. The incredible ingenuity and the resurgence of the Igbo people during and after the Biafra war should serve as a veritable evidence or tip of an iceberg of what Igbos are capable of when they are united in one accord. Nigerians must support Igbos to produce the president in 2023 so that Igbos will be determined to make Nigeria work again rather than quitting the so far unworkable union.

The dilemma of the Nigerian situation is that a group of unpatriotic Nigerians or some persons have started throwing up some gimmick, raising some rubble and political wild cards aimed at stealing the Igbo presidential mandate of 2023, without recourse or consideration of its undeniable impending implications. Allowing or buying into this grand scheme and mechanization of some of these political scavenger and opportunists to scuttle national arrangement of Igbos producing the president come 2023; will certainly serve as a veritable source of sociopolitical and economic turmoil that will not only obstruct the existing democratic arrangement, but will definitely trigger a trajectory that will give the Biafra agitation more substance, credence and possible independence.

Nigeria is still going round the circle of sociopolitical and economic frustration and mirage simply because Nigeria has deliberately and grossly underutilized the enormous potentialities and ingenuity of Igbo people; ridiculously to the detriment of the peace, unity and progress of Nigeria. Self-hating and unjustifiable envy have been our greatest impediment to sustainable growth and development as a people. Jingoism and ethnic bigotry has done more harm and damage to our socialization and political psyche. It is time to rise above such frivolities and support an Igbo presidency come 2023 for the benefit of all and for the ultimate sake of Nigeria’s continuous unity.

It is very obvious that Nigeria is her own impediment to meaningful growth and development and a viable/competitive economy that will create jobs, and export more than she imports. I dare to question the rationality behind the thinking faculty of those who would rather see Nigeria crippled and crumbled than to tap into the potentialities of Igbos for the overall good of not only Nigerians but Africa and the entire black race. If as it is largely agreed that Igbos has the magic wand to thrive where others fail, to survive astonishingly through the severest of adversities and are pro development; why then have Nigeria failed to leverage on this conspicuous advantage to liberate herself from this age long self-perpetuated sociopolitical and economic affliction and ordeal?

It is high time we dare to ask some critical, crucial and cogent questions if we must get it right. Since Nigeria got her independence in 1960, about 60years ago, what major institutional, structural or infrastructural landmark have we made or achieved as a people? Are we sincerely and genuinely focused on building a truly one united, prosperous and equitable nation or are we still busy foolishly fighting, hating and promoting injustice and marginalization of one people against the other? Do we truly wish to continue to exist in this unworkable state of affairs or are we determined as a people to explore better avenues or options that will open up new horizon and frontier for sustainable development and a prosperous nation? For the sake of equity and unity and if we truly want to see Nigeria survive and work for good, all well meaning and patriotic Nigerian must jettison our political, economic, social, religious, regional or cultural affiliations and other road blocks to rally round the Igbo presidential mandate of 2023.

Supporting Igbos to produce the president in 2023 remains the most potent option to remedy the heightened Biafra agitation in Nigeria and across the globe. There is no gain saying that an Igbo presidency of 2023 will go a long way to ameliorate most of the ill-feelings, persecution, bad blood and injustices meted and still being perpetuated against the Igbo people, and will most importantly give Igbos not only the sense of belonging which obviously have been lacking since independence in 1960; but will certainly give the Igbo people a relatively valid reason to reconsider their quest to exit Nigeria.

Nevertheless, patriotic Nigerians who have the peace and unity of Nigeria at heart must call Tinubu and Elrufai or any other person nursing presidential ambition from other region come 2023 to order. An Igbo man must become the president come 2023 or Nigerians will experience what it means to confront a truly united Igbo people determined with unconquerable spirit to get justice for themselves either way. Equity and fair sense of justice demand that Igbos are no slave to anybody, people or region. And we bountifully deserve and eminently qualifies for every rights and privileges including producing the president come 2023 which is sacrosanct.

In conclusion, any attempt or orchestration to mischievously steal the Igbo presidential mandate come 2023 will certainly trigger a disastrous and sophisticated intrigue of high degree of complexities that will definitely see to the possible end of Nigeria as one nation. The Igbo presidential mandate of 2023 is a task that must be successfully achieved, else Nigeria will be in grave danger of disintegration. Nigerians should know that Igbos will no longer tolerate and will not condone anything shot of producing the president come 2023. We have been so marginalized that we certainly will not take it beyond 2023. Whenever I hear anyone argue for, support or deny the persistent ethnic persecution of Igbos, I feel a strong impulse to see such persecution and affliction tried on such person or people. Even if one choose to look the other way; no one can ever say that he or she didn’t know of how timely and equitable it is for Igbos to produce the president come 2023.

Nnaemeka U. Trump
Media Freelancer
Strategic And Critical Thinker
Email: midbankz@gmail.com